Database Users

Phone Unlocking?

Completely out of curiosity...
why is it that iPhone users with At&T can Jailbreak then Unlock their phones via software hacks, but I have to either call up T-Mobile for some code, or pay some dodgy guy over ebay??
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/how-to-tech/how-to-unlock-cell-phone3.htm
doesnt explain anything :S

Try this, more phones coming all the time.
Great way to root your android.../bit.ly/aa4jxJ
Sent from my Android for Telechips TCC8900 Evaluation Board (US) using XDA App

thanks but i was looking for Unlocking from Network providers, not rooting?

from the limited knowledge i have on the subject and the things ive picked up while owning an iphone:
the iphone started out being locked to the networks indefinitely. at&t, to this day i believe, didnt/dont provide unlocking of the iphone. the way regular unlocks work, ie by code, is that the imei of the phone is used with an algorithm to provide the code. the people who have this algorithm are either the phone manufacturer and/or the network provider.
tmobile may be able to generate the code themselves, or go direct to the manufacturers for the code. the ebay sellers pay for your specific code, and then sell it onto you, basically middle men.
however with the iphone, neither at&t nor apple wanted to assist in unlocking, so without access to the algorithm generated codes, the only other option was software hacks.
problems with iphone software unlocks are that they can be wiped off with a restore; when a baseband update is released in a new firmware update, it can take a while for an update software unlock is released; you can get signal problems (blacksn0w, ios4.0.2 on unlocked 3g). nowadays, uk carriers at least, unlock phones eg o2, with t&c of course.
all in all, id rather pay the £6 to the "dodgy guy" on ebay, than have a software unlock.

ah thanks for that!

AT&T and Verizon will never allow their branded phones to be upgraded again

I had an interesting conversion on AT&T's forum today. In short, I learned that both AT&T and Verizon had Samsung "hard code" their software to all their phones by altering the bootloader in version 5.1.1. This is nothing new to anyone who's tried to root their AT&T or Verizon Note Edge after the update. We know it as "branding", but in the past it was something we could usually bypass. No more. These "damaged" bootloaders will never allow these phones (and all future phones) to be rooted or upgraded EVER AGAIN. It's just not something a piece of software or an app can ever bypass. Even if you had AT&T unlock the SIM and you went to T-Mobile, you still have to live with AT&T's mountain of bloatware because the ROM can't be flashed. It like buying a PC and not being able to delete Windows Vista...ever. The horror.
What makes it worse is that doing a carrier unlock and jumping ship will get you no joy. I asked how someone gets OTA updates on a carrier unlocked phone and they said you can't. You can never update again. You'll need to go to Best Buy and have them flash updates for as long as you own the phone. How this doesn't violate the carrier unlock law is beyond me.
Google created an operating system that was supposed to be open source. We were happy to play the root game for years, but now AT&T and Verizon have changed the rules of the game and effectively put an end to the idea of open source. Now AT&T and Verizon androids are no better than iphones. If you ever want to root your Samsung devices in the future, DO NOT BUY YOUR PHONE FROM EITHER OF THESE CARRIERS!
This is a practice that they have already admitted will continue.

US996 - Are some of them for sale actually locked to a carrier?

I am a Verizon customer that wants a current-gen bootloader-unlocked phone. Enter the US996. It retails for $800, but there are some eBay auctions that are selling them for much less (used in excellent/mint condition). However, the auctions say that they can ONLY be used on US Cellular service. I asked one seller what the deal was, and this is the response I got:
Thank you for your question. We are not selling the phone as compatible with other carriers or carrier-unlocked. We can't guarantee that the phone will work with an another carrier. We are only saying the phone will work with the carrier US Cellular. We can only guarantee that it works with US Cellular.
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It sounds like they're just playing it safe, since they are a US Cellular authorized reseller, and they don't want to take on the responsibility (or policy ramifications) of selling a device that's advertised to work on other carriers. You know... maybe they're not allowed to sell phones that are advertised to work on anything other than USC.
I asked this question in another thread, and at least 1 user thought they had heard that there are US996s out there that are locked to a carrier. This doesn't make sense to me, because the model numbers should reflect conclusively what the capabilities are, and LG would have no reason to muddy those waters. I can, however, conceive that US Cellular could buy a bulk of US996 phones, and flash a sim lock on them somehow. Perhaps because LG didn't have a SKU for USC set aside. Or perhaps there's a process that, once a USC SIM is used on the phone, it's locked to USC until some subsequent unlock procedure is carried out. (Similar to unlocking a carrier-locked phone for use on another carrier) I don't know, this is all speculation.
So... what is the consensus? Who here is using a US996 on Verizon? Any chance you got it advertised as a US Cellular-only device and it ended up working? Was it an easy process? (ask me about my failed attempt to activate a USC Note 4 - beyond the scope of this thread, but it gives me some contextual knowledge on this topic) I know there are other threads about using the US996 on Verizon, but I'm asking specifically about the possibility that USC has somehow locked them to their service, and in spite of the model number matching the "unlocked version" I wouldn't be able to use it on Verizon.
Thanks for your time at attention.

DrPhant0m said:
I am a Verizon customer that wants a current-gen bootloader-unlocked phone. Enter the US996. It retails for $800, but there are some eBay auctions that are selling them for much less (used in excellent/mint condition). However, the auctions say that they can ONLY be used on US Cellular service. I asked one seller what the deal was, and this is the response I got:
It sounds like they're just playing it safe, since they are a US Cellular authorized reseller, and they don't want to take on the responsibility (or policy ramifications) of selling a device that's advertised to work on other carriers. You know... maybe they're not allowed to sell phones that are advertised to work on anything other than USC.
I asked this question in another thread, and at least 1 user thought they had heard that there are US996s out there that are locked to a carrier. This doesn't make sense to me, because the model numbers should reflect conclusively what the capabilities are, and LG would have no reason to muddy those waters. I can, however, conceive that US Cellular could buy a bulk of US996 phones, and flash a sim lock on them somehow. Perhaps because LG didn't have a SKU for USC set aside. Or perhaps there's a process that, once a USC SIM is used on the phone, it's locked to USC until some subsequent unlock procedure is carried out. (Similar to unlocking a carrier-locked phone for use on another carrier) I don't know, this is all speculation.
So... what is the consensus? Who here is using a US996 on Verizon? Any chance you got it advertised as a US Cellular-only device and it ended up working? Was it an easy process? (ask me about my failed attempt to activate a USC Note 4 - beyond the scope of this thread, but it gives me some contextual knowledge on this topic) I know there are other threads about using the US996 on Verizon, but I'm asking specifically about the possibility that USC has somehow locked them to their service, and in spite of the model number matching the "unlocked version" I wouldn't be able to use it on Verizon.
Thanks for your time at attention.
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Although it doesn't seem to make much sense, there are in fact 2 us996 versions. One is the unlocked US version and the other is locked to us cellular. From what I've read they are not interchangeable.
The 996 unlocked is the one that also has the official lg unlockable bootloader.
No idea why they gave 2 different phones the same number but from everything I've read since the phones came out... They did exactly that.

planetbeen said:
Although it doesn't seem to make much sense, there are in fact 2 us996 versions. One is the unlocked US version and the other is locked to us cellular. From what I've read they are not interchangeable.
The 996 unlocked is the one that also has the official lg unlockable bootloader.
No idea why they gave 2 different phones the same number but from everything I've read since the phones came out... They did exactly that.
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Ha… the only way I can fathom that this happened is that verizon got their own CDMA model number that is denied bootloader unlock, and US Cellular sim-locks the other CDMA-capable model themselves. Maybe there's a monetary cost that USC didnt want to assume associated with having an exclusive model number provided from LG.
In any case… I won't spend much more time pontificating on it if there's no way to use the USC version on Verizon.
Thanks for the response.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

DrPhant0m said:
Ha… the only way I can fathom that this happened is that verizon got their own CDMA model number that is denied bootloader unlock, and US Cellular sim-locks the other CDMA-capable model themselves. Maybe there's a monetary cost that USC didnt want to assume associated with having an exclusive model number provided from LG.
In any case… I won't spend much more time pontificating on it if there's no way to use the USC version on Verizon.
Thanks for the response.
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I can't say definitively that you can't use it on another network... Only that there's definitely 2 different versions with the same number.
Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me can give some input on that subject...

planetbeen said:
I can't say definitively that you can't use it on another network... Only that there's definitely 2 different versions with the same number.
Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me can give some input on that subject...
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Check this info:
https://www.uscellular.com/site/legal/mobile-wireless-device-unlocking.html
So V20 US Cellular it's already unlocked?

AT&T claims to unlock their SIM locked device for US networks only, but not Europe?

AT&T claims to unlock their SIM locked device for US networks only, but not Europe?
Hi people, I'm new in US Samsung models world, so I have a couple of burning questions.
Long story short, my friend lives in US, has bought AT&T S7 Edge last year off contract, paid the device fully, so in theory he should be free from their will, except the device being SIM locked to AT&T. Now he has S8, and wants to send me his S7 Edge here in Europe, however upon contacting them about removing the lock, they have claimed that at least a year has to expire from the day of purchase for the phone to be fully unlocked and used globally, and as for now, they can only unlock the phone from their network so it can be used (on all networks) in US only, but it can't be used in Europe (until a year expires which they indicated).
Now, from my very limited knowledge I smell BS here, since only thing they can do is block the usage of certain bands through their software thus limiting usage of the device across all networks, but that can be avoided by flashing a fresh firmware, or better yet U firmware, since I've read that its Samsungs firmware with unlocked bands for a global use.
So, as long as there is hardware capability, they can't limit it really permanently, or for certain amount off time if you bypass that with U global firmware.
Or am I wrong here? Is unlocking through 3rd party websites better solution?

Cirra92 said:
Hi people, I'm new in US Samsung models world, so I have a couple of burning questions.
Long story short, my friend lives in US, has bought AT&T S7 Edge last year off contract, paid the device fully, so in theory he should be free from their will, except the device being SIM locked to AT&T. Now he has S8, and wants to send me his S7 Edge here in Europe, however upon contacting them about removing the lock, they have claimed that at least a year has to expire from the day of purchase for the phone to be fully unlocked and used globally, and as for now, they can only unlock the phone from their network so it can be used (on all networks) in US only, but it can't be used in Europe (until a year expires which they indicated).
Now, from my very limited knowledge I smell BS here, since only thing they can do is block the usage of certain bands through their software thus limiting usage of the device across all networks, but that can be avoided by flashing a fresh firmware, or better yet U firmware, since I've read that its Samsungs firmware with unlocked bands for a global use.
So, as long as there is hardware capability, they can't limit it really permanently, or for certain amount off time if you bypass that with U global firmware.
Or am I wrong here? Is unlocking through 3rd party websites better solution?
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1) As soon as the phone is paid off (no balance owed) and you have been a customer in good standing for either 2 months (post-paid) or 6 months (pre-paid) you can request a SIM unlock code. Yes, this is BS, but it is what it is. Note that it is important to do SIM unlocking BEFORE removing your old device from your account, as you will guarantee a bad time trying to do it afterward.
2) The SIM unlock is global and should allow any APN to be used with the device. AT&T doesn't really care where you use your unlocked device because T-mobile is just as much not AT&T as any European carrier.
3) If you can get it from AT&T for free, why not? Otherwise, get it where you can. So far, every time I have requested an unlock for an AT&T device I have had to escalate, and for some devices they don't even offer unlocks (AT&T branded hotspots, tablets, etc. aren't unlockable through AT&T)
4) Using U firmware doesn't help because it is the baseband processor (and related firmware) that handles network locking. Simply switching to unlocked software doesn't alter the baseband at all. Changing the modem/baseband firmware won't help EITHER, because that processor has it's own non-volatile storage. Carriers take SIM locking very seriously at a hardware level.

jshamlet said:
1) As soon as the phone is paid off (no balance owed) and you have been a customer in good standing for either 2 months (post-paid) or 6 months (pre-paid) you can request a SIM unlock code. Yes, this is BS, but it is what it is. Note that it is important to do SIM unlocking BEFORE removing your old device from your account, as you will guarantee a bad time trying to do it afterward.
2) The SIM unlock is global and should allow any APN to be used with the device. AT&T doesn't really care where you use your unlocked device because T-mobile is just as much not AT&T as any European carrier.
3) If you can get it from AT&T for free, why not? Otherwise, get it where you can. So far, every time I have requested an unlock for an AT&T device I have had to escalate, and for some devices they don't even offer unlocks (AT&T branded hotspots, tablets, etc. aren't unlockable through AT&T)
4) Using U firmware doesn't help because it is the baseband processor (and related firmware) that handles network locking. Simply switching to unlocked software doesn't alter the baseband at all. Changing the modem/baseband firmware won't help EITHER, because that processor has it's own non-volatile storage. Carriers take SIM locking very seriously at a hardware level.
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1) All those conditions have been met, so there shouldn't be a problem about requesting SIM unlock code, and they did say the phone can be unlocked and be SIM free but it will work on US networks only, and not on European, until 1 year expires.
2) Since the G935A has GSM 2G bands and HSDPA 3G bands, it is already compatible with European bands, or specifically with bands on my carrier here, I don't see how are they going to unlock it to work on US networks but not on EU, that's what confused me. SIM unlock should be global that is how it goes anyway.
3) Yeah that's what I thought, but since they mention limiting the unlock (if it is possible) for US usage only (maybe tampering with the device in hand) it might be better to go for 3rd party unlock.
4) Thanks for the explanation, that seems serious, not sure why so serious though.
Anyway as a conclusion, since both 2G and 3G bands match with my carrier's, if they do unlock the device (AT&T) it should work in EU, despite their claims that it won't for a year? How would they "unlock" it after a year when the device is not in their hands :S
I suggested to my friend to request a code through 3rd party anyway, unlock it and send me the device, since he was already pissed off with the response from AT&T.

Important Google-Pixel Information: Verizon (USA) and EE (UK). READ BEFORE PURCHASING

!!! IMPORTANT FOR ANYBODY IN THE UK or USA WHO WANTS TO ROOT A GOOGLE PIXEL!!!
The ability to root is blocked on handsets ordered on contract from EE (the same with Verizon in the USA). The reason for this is to do with the sim lock. Upon putting the EE (or Verizon) sim into the phone, it activates and locks to the network. Google, unfortunately, cannot remove this block due to their exclusive deals with these networks (hence why Pixels on other UK and US networks are sold via Carphone Warehouse and other providers).
So, if you wish to root your Pixel, order one from a third party (CPW in the UK) as, again, EE/Verizon Pixels have the "enable OEM unlock" function disabled, and there is no way past this as of Android version 7.1.1.
(In the UK, if you have already ordered a Pixel on contract direct from EE, you have 14 days to return it for a full refund. At the time of this posting, o2 are doing a deal via Carphone Warehouse on the Pixel, for £35 per month, 6GB data, unlimited minutes and calls. It's a couple of pounds more expensive per month than EE, but you'll be able to root the phone. Not sure about other providers: I went with o2).
If you are unfortunate enough to have already purchased a PIxel on contract direct from either Verizon or EE, you may still be able to root it with the following method, providing it is fresh out of the box (this won't work on handsets that have already been opened, set-up and have an EE/Verizon sim-card in them):
DO NOT PUT A SIM CARD INTO THE PHONE.
Turn the phone on.
Skip the setup.
Do not connect to WiFi.
Go to settings and disable ALL automatic updating (of both OS and apps).
Check the Android build in device settings. If you are on Android 7.1, then be happy: you might have avoided the lock. If you are Android 7.1.1 , 7.1.2, or newer, then unfortunately you won't be able to root.
If you are one of the lucky ones on Android 7.1, then proceed to root the phone as you normally would, without a sim card attached. Avoid all automatic updates and most importantly, keep your boot-loader unlocked. Once you lock it again, it is unlockable (and you may brick your phone if the OS at the time of locking is a custom one).
SUMMARY: Handsets on contract direct from EE/Verizon are un-rootable if your firmware version is 7.1.1 or higher. Check details on how to potentially root a 7.1 or older EE/Verizon contract Pixel. Otherwise, order from third party like CPW in the UK.

I'm kind of confused, I think I heard that Verizon Pixels will work with any network, e.g. T-Mobile, AT&T.
And you are saying they will be locked??
Shouldn't their phones be unlocked by default, like the Verizon Galaxy S4?

Wolf2231 said:
I'm kind of confused, I think I heard that Verizon Pixels will work with any network, e.g. T-Mobile, AT&T.
And you are saying they will be locked??
Shouldn't their phones be unlocked by default, like the Verizon Galaxy S4?
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He's talking about bootloader unlock not carrier unlock. So many of the statements in the OP are incorrect and dis-proven, which is why no one responded to the post, that I'd just ignore it and move on. It was a noble effort but one that is misplaced and misguided.

I had mine replaced two weeks ago under warranty due to a fault by EE in the UK. The replacement device is not bootloader locked and I'm running the paranoid android no problems. This could be a mistake or could mean they are no longer locked oe maybe it came from Google rather than EE stock?

EE has been proven to be carrier lock related to bootloader/OEM switch.
6 months and EE unlock your handset, simple legal smooth

bobby janow said:
He's talking about bootloader unlock not carrier unlock. So many of the statements in the OP are incorrect and dis-proven, which is why no one responded to the post, that I'd just ignore it and move on. It was a noble effort but one that is misplaced and misguided.
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Incorrect. I forgot my password, but I'm the OP. I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that the bootloader lock on contract Pixel handsets bought directly from EE and Verizon is directly related to the network lock. In fact, the very message which appears under 'Enable OEM unlock' on carrier locked phones is ' feature not available on carrier locked devices".
This is why I had to send my Pixel bought direct from EE, back to EE, and get one from O2 via Carphone Warehouse instead.

Grimbo09 said:
Incorrect. I forgot my password, but I'm the OP. I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that the bootloader lock on contract Pixel handsets bought directly from EE and Verizon is directly related to the network lock. In fact, the very message which appears under 'Enable OEM unlock' on carrier locked phones is ' feature not available on carrier locked devices".
This is why I had to send my Pixel bought direct from EE, back to EE, and get one from O2 via Carphone Warehouse instead.
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Verizon Pixels (or any other Verizon phones) aren't carrier locked. It's illegal in the US for any carrier to carrier lock their phones. In the US you can buy a Verizon phone and use it on any network you choose to. The only thing needed to do so is a SIM for the network you choose to to use.

robocuff said:
Verizon Pixels (or any other Verizon phones) aren't carrier locked. It's illegal in the US for any carrier to carrier lock their phones. In the US you can buy a Verizon phone and use it on any network you choose to. The only thing needed to do so is a SIM for the network you choose to to use.
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Verizon is no longer allowed to sell carrier locked devices but that's not true for every carrier..

aholeinthewor1d said:
Verizon is no longer allowed to sell carrier locked devices but that's not true for every carrier..
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It's true for every carrier in the US.

aholeinthewor1d said:
Verizon is no longer allowed to sell carrier locked devices but that's not true for every carrier..
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Although Verizon's postpaid devices are not sim-locked, the same is typically not true about Verizon Prepaid phones, as noted in their policies.
http://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy
robocuff said:
It's true for every carrier in the US.
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The Verizon Pixel phones are not sim-locked, but there are lots of phones currently sold in the US that are still sim-locked. My understanding is that if you buy an AT&T phone on installments it will be locked to AT&T. Similarly AT&T prepaid phones can be used with some AT&T MVNOs, but they have to be unlocked for other service providers. Cricket sells locked phones. I think Sprint commonly locks their phones, which is supported by their unlocking policy. The last time I skimmed US Cellular's policies, my impression was that they were not selling unlocked phones. Tracfone brands have been reported to have sim-locks on their iPhones. Anyway, Howardforum and Slickdeals discussions clearly indicate a significant portion of phones sold in the US today are sim-locked to various service providers.

robocuff said:
It's true for every carrier in the US.
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I just switched from AT&T, and I was not able to bring my S7 Active and my wife's V20 would not work either, they were locked to AT&T. Given that, we both now have Pixels. I can see maybe the Active being an issue as it's a exclusive to AT&T, but the V20 is not.