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I'm looking at getting a Samsung Vibrant locked to the T-mobile network. I need the device unlocked to use on a network in Canada. Due to not being a past or current t-mobile US customer I won't be able to get the unlock code directly. Does anyone know of a reliable 3rd part unlocker that sells codes to this device?
Thanks in advance!
2 options
1. Get an unlocked one (buy it outright). If it is locked, a quick call to T-Mobile should get it unlocked. Anyone know any different?
2. Wait 90 days, then ask T-Mobile to unlock it. They've always been good about that in my experience.
Call T-Mobile and see what their policies are WRT this.
Call Customer Care and request an unlock code. TMo emailed me the code in under 48hrs.
I tried calling tmobile customer care. They won’t process the request since I don’t have a tmobile account. I’ve purchased unlock codes from two sources: unlockallcellular.com and ebay seller "unlockadic". Hopefully at least one of them comes through with a code.
UPDATE: I received the 8 digit unlock code from the source below. Unfortunately I do not have the device yet. Hopefully it works when I get the phone next week.
2000impreza said:
ebay seller "unlockadic"
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Unlock-Code-T-Mo...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a08b32748
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2000impreza said:
UPDATE: I received the 8 digit unlock code from the source below. Unfortunately I do not have the device yet. Hopefully it works when I get the phone next week.
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How can u get unlock code when you haven't had your phone yet?
Did they ask you for IMEI? or you just paid them then received the code?
bl4ckdr4g00n said:
How can u get unlock code when you haven't had your phone yet?
Did they ask you for IMEI? or you just paid them then received the code?
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I had the IMEI to the phone I purchased before it was shipped. The seller took a picture of the device information sticker on the box which has the IMEI on it. I wanted to get a head start on finding a unlock source since the device was so new. Just in case it took days to weeks.
2000impreza said:
I had the IMEI to the phone I purchased before it was shipped. The seller took a picture of the device information sticker on the box which has the IMEI on it. I wanted to get a head start on finding a unlock source since the device was so new. Just in case it took days to weeks.
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I am also in this situation as the only other option I have is to buy the internation unlocked version which I don't the the 3G works on U.S. carriers. Please update asap
Update: Not sure if anyone is still following this. I received my T-mobile branded vibrant today and unlocked it successfully with the code I purchased from ebay.
If you buy the device at full cost from a t-mobile authorized retailer and have a receipt to prove it, T-Mobile will provide an unlock code within 48 hours (assuming they don't need to contact the manufacturer.)
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Aphotix said:
If you buy the device at full cost from a t-mobile authorized retailer and have a receipt to prove it, T-Mobile will provide an unlock code within 48 hours (assuming they don't need to contact the manufacturer.)
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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If you don't mind, can you outline the process for requesting the unlock code from t-mobile given you have a copy of the receipt? I've heard of a few individuals successfully doing this. I called T-mobile customer care directly and they refused to provide an unlock code unless I have a current or past account.
2000impreza said:
If you don't mind, can you outline the process for requesting the unlock code from t-mobile given you have a copy of the receipt? I've heard of a few individuals successfully doing this. I called T-mobile customer care directly and they refused to provide an unlock code unless I have a current or past account.
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Just call customer care, say you purchased the device at full cost and would like to unlock it. If the representative refuses saying you need an account then they didn't verify the policy before they told you that. At that point you have a choice between simply giving up and going to ebay, insisting that you were told you could unlock it, you can hang up and call back, or you can request a supervisor. They will request that you fax the receipt it, and you will definitely want to get the unlock request #, as there is no account to note the unlock request on.
I may be bias in saying this, but its preferred that you just go with T-Mobile as your carrier anyway... (though that may require a substantial move on your part or significant roaming charges...)
2000impreza said:
Update: Not sure if anyone is still following this. I received my T-mobile branded vibrant today and unlocked it successfully with the code I purchased from ebay.
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So what person did you get the unlock code from? I'm about to buy a Vibrant myself, also which carrier did you end up getting it unlocked for. Just curious.
The calling option only works if you have a TMO account. If you are using a pre-paid (tmo) type they wont do it.
You need to buy the code. I can get the unlock codes for around $25 dollars or so.
Sometimes less. There is no direct PC unlock (cable unlock yet). Best is IMEI unlocks.
I just purchased the vibrant as well and am currently awaiting an unlock code from "unlockadic" I will also update just to show support for any others that want to have a different carrier
Just had my vibrant unlocked. Yesterday I did a online chat with at mobile csr, told him I'll be traveling soon so I need the unlock code. The csr asked for my email, phone model and IMEI and replied me with the unlock request #. Today I got the code from t mobile by email and it works! I got the phone from costco with the even more plus plan and canceled the plan later. The phone number I put in the form before preceding to online chat is a t mobile prepaid number...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
UnlockLiberty.com - They can provide code for $25.
Cheers, Willlie
Hi guys,
i want to create this reference thread for all people must Permanent Unlock their S8/S8+ locke on TMO Network.
I'm one of you and actually i'm hold waiting some unlock method for my G950U .
Services just tried :
https://www.unlockbase.com (they don't provide anymore T-Mobile Unlock App unlock)
http://www.cellunlocker.net/ (paid them 130 buks and they refund me after 3 days cause they have no more access to T-Mobile server)
Hold at the moment.
My device is full paid off but actually i'm not in USA , i'm in Italy
You could go to the T-Mobile website and request and unlocked code .. if phone is paid in full they will unlock it without an issue
oswald-josh said:
You could go to the T-Mobile website and request and unlocked code .. if phone is paid in full they will unlock it without an issue
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i don't have a T-Mobile account, i have bought device on Ebay. It was paid off, sure.
wolfgart said:
i don't have a T-Mobile account, i have bought device on Ebay. It was paid off
You do not need a T-Mobile account. Try to call T-Mobile internationally or contact them thru the twitter account. According to the website this is the only requirements to unlock it
--
Unlock requirements
We provide mobile device unlock codes free within two business days (or provide further information about timing) for eligible devices.
Device eligibility is determined as follows:
The device must be a T-Mobile device.
The device must not be reported to T-Mobile as lost, stolen, or blocked.
The account associated with the device must not be canceled, and be in good standing.
You have requested no more than two mobile device unlock codes per line of service in the last 12 months.
The device must satisfy all the Postpaid or Pay in Advance (Prepaid) Unlocking terms outlined below.
T-Mobile may request proof of purchase or additional information in its discretion and certain other exceptions may apply.
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still waiting working methods ....
wolfgart said:
Device eligibility is determined as follows:
The device must be a T-Mobile device.
...... apply.
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They require you to use their service for 40 days, i mean you can tell them that, because u are in italy, and there is no way for you connect to their server and ask for temporary unlock, and you need it to be permanent unlock ( one of the xda user did that).
What are the chances that they will not be able to unlock the phone even after 40 days since it is bought from samsung and not from T-mobile?
aviseqdas said:
What are the chances that they will not be able to unlock the phone even after 40 days since it is bought from samsung and not from T-mobile?
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honestly is base on your luck, luck here is that, you actually talk to the specialist otherwise, you just gonna talk to some dumb people.
I bought mine from Samsung, paid in full, received it on 4/21 so it's 36 days and program tells me not eligible, called CS, told me to download the program that doesn't work, called Samsung was told to call t-mo. Such a Bu???t and how T-mo will know I paid for the phone to Samsung? I probably will download eng boot and install unlocked FW, but not sure if that's going to work, last carrier phone ever. Actually it was my fault, should have returned the phone back to Samsung first week, when they send me locked phone without the unlocking code. BTW for OP to pay $130 to unlock the phone that should be unlocked to begin with (if it was paid in full as OP said) is wrong.
pete4k said:
I bought mine from Samsung, paid in full, received it on 4/21 so it's 36 days and program tells me not eligible, called CS, told me to download the program that doesn't work, called Samsung was told to call t-mo. Such a Bu???t and how T-mo will know I paid for the phone to Samsung? I probably will download eng boot and install unlocked FW, but not sure if that's going to work, last carrier phone ever. Actually it was my fault, should have returned the phone back to Samsung first week, when they send me locked phone without the unlocking code. BTW for OP to pay $130 to unlock the phone that should be unlocked to begin with (if it was paid in full as OP said) is wrong.
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Went through T-Force on Twitter and seemed to have gotten a rep on the first go who understood the situation and submitted my IMEI number to the right place. The rep needs to submit your IMEI to one of their highest level tech support engineers to be added into their "device distribution inventory system". This makes it look in their system that your phone was sold by T-Mobile and came out of their inventory. If they just try to whitelist your IMEI in the Unlock device app, that will not work. This needs to be done 100% on T-Mobiles end, Samsung will not be able to do anything, and you will want to bash your head into the wall after talking to them, totally useless.
T-Force:
That's correct. Even in attempting to "whitelist" the device, this would be unsuccessful since the phone wasn't purchased from T-Mobile. The escalation I've submitted is going to our highest tier of support, so if anyone can do it - they will be the ones. Hopefully this helps to clarify things!
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There may be hope for everyone in the future, this one of the final responses I got from them:
I am right there with you. It definitely makes things harder on both sides since the phone isn't technically bought from us, even though it is branded a T-Mobile phone and our system rejects any IMEI that didn't come from our inventory. None the less, we're all about giving you full access to what is yours. Teams are currently working on a process update that'll make things a lot more seamless, but in the meantime we've got this work around! I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us today!
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14 hours later I tried the Unlock Device app and requested the permanent unlock and it was successfully permanently SIM unlocked.
Device is fully unlocked, tested with an AT&T SIM card and everything worked fine. After 2 reboots the Device Unlock app even disappeared from my phone. I'm so happy with how fast T-Mobile dealt with this. The more people that make a stink about this issue on social media hopefully T-Mobile will find a permanent fix for people buying a SIM locked at full price and have it easily unlocked under their standard procedure.
fragg3d said:
Went through T-Force on Twitter and seemed to have gotten a rep on the first go who understood the situation and submitted my IMEI number to the right place. The rep needs to submit your IMEI to one of their highest level tech support engineers to be added into their "device distribution inventory system". This makes it look in their system that your phone was sold by T-Mobile and came out of their inventory. If they just try to whitelist your IMEI in the Unlock device app, that will not work. This needs to be done 100% on T-Mobiles end, Samsung will not be able to do anything, and you will want to bash your head into the wall after talking to them, totally useless.
There may be hope for everyone in the future, this one of the final responses I got from them:
14 hours later I tried the Unlock Device app and requested the permanent unlock and it was successfully permanently SIM unlocked.
Device is fully unlocked, tested with an AT&T SIM card and everything worked fine. After 2 reboots the Device Unlock app even disappeared from my phone. I'm so happy with how fast T-Mobile dealt with this. The more people that make a stink about this issue on social media hopefully T-Mobile will find a permanent fix for people buying a SIM locked at full price and have it easily unlocked under their standard procedure.
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I bought the si from Samsung website (fully pay)and two days ago I called T-Mobile request sim unlock last night I got email from T-Mobile said my phone only can unlock is from T-Mobile unlock app but I try so many times using T-Mobile unlock app all show up said failed need to contact T-Mobile. Now what can I do?
paullu said:
I bought the si from Samsung website (fully pay)and two days ago I called T-Mobile request sim unlock last night I got email from T-Mobile said my phone only can unlock is from T-Mobile unlock app but I try so many times using T-Mobile unlock app all show up said failed need to contact T-Mobile. Now what can I do?
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contact them again...
paullu said:
I bought the si from Samsung website (fully pay)and two days ago I called T-Mobile request sim unlock last night I got email from T-Mobile said my phone only can unlock is from T-Mobile unlock app but I try so many times using T-Mobile unlock app all show up said failed need to contact T-Mobile. Now what can I do?
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Go though T-Force on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/TMobileHelp ) the phone reps seem to be totally clueless about this issue. It will ONLY work when your devices IMEI is added to their "device distribution inventory system" and not just whitelisted in the Unlock Device app. This makes it look to their system (and the app) that the phone was sold by them and came out of T-Mobiles inventory.
EDIT:
Got the phone unlocked, talked to them on Twitter direct messages, and after 24 hours i was able to use the Unlock APP and unlock the phone
I called T-mobile they said they can't unlock it , I have to use device on T-mobile for 40 days ,even though its fully paid off
I even asked them see if they can enter device information on " Device Distribution Center " but they said there is no possible way to do ... hmm
Oh well guess gotta wait 40 days.
Got phone unkocked !
Hi Wolfgart,
You said you had purchased this phone directly from Samsung.com or Ebay.com and not from Tmobile and then you were in Italy and not in USA but still were able to unlock it successfully, can you please share the exact steps/procedure you followed to successfully unlock our T-mobile branded Samsung S8 ? I am in the same situation as yours and would be helpful for others what you have gone through to unlock it. Thanks.
What the *&^%$# I have been "Bamboozled"
shahrit said:
Hi Wolfgart,
You said you had purchased this phone directly from Samsung.com or Ebay.com and not from Tmobile and then you were in Italy and not in USA but still were able to unlock it successfully, can you please share the exact steps/procedure you followed to successfully unlock our T-mobile branded Samsung S8 ? I am in the same situation as yours and would be helpful for others what you have gone through to unlock it. Thanks.
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LOL....maybe TMO doesn't think the folks in Italy are theevin white trash that voted for Trump..
shahrit said:
Hi Wolfgart,
You said you had purchased this phone directly from Samsung.com or Ebay.com and not from Tmobile and then you were in Italy and not in USA but still were able to unlock it successfully, can you please share the exact steps/procedure you followed to successfully unlock our T-mobile branded Samsung S8 ? I am in the same situation as yours and would be helpful for others what you have gone through to unlock it. Thanks.
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Click to collapse
Oh, i simply have called by phone TMO support and told them that i now i'm in Italy for the next 12 months cause Job and i have to rest in contact with my family in CA.
I've tried to call them a lot of time and always talked with dump operators. Last one guy was a really great guy and finally helped me to have device permanent unlocked.
wiseguyy said:
LOL....maybe TMO doesn't think the folks in Italy are theevin white trash that voted for Trump..
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ahhaha.
Really absurd that US People could vote for a Crazy man like Trump....
Oh my God
fragg3d said:
Go though T-Force on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/TMobileHelp ) the phone reps seem to be totally clueless about this issue. It will ONLY work when your devices IMEI is added to their "device distribution inventory system" and not just whitelisted in the Unlock Device app. This makes it look to their system (and the app) that the phone was sold by them and came out of T-Mobiles inventory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my s8+ from ebay, but the guy bought it from samsung,
on the June 20, I went to the T-Mobile store on the 21 and added insurance and they're charging me 15 a month because I didn't buy it from them.
Got home and called T-Mobile to add the imei, they were gonna give me the run around and I said politely that samsung is gonna tell me to call tmo, she wait a moment and spoke to someone, and she sent the request in,
waited 3 days, and the device didn't unlock, checked the website and til today to check device status it doesn't have any info, but called T-Mobile and the rep transferred me to his supervisor, and he said he will take care of it, to wait at least 3 days for the email, and yesterday I tried the device unlocked, and it worked. Then later during the day I received the email from T-Mobile.
Be polite, and let them know u will be leaving the country, it sometimes it works, most of the time even buying from T-Mobile paying in full, they make me wait 40 days.
I also told them that is why I stopped buying from them directly,
Sent from my SM-G955U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I recently purchased an at&t samsung galaxy s7 for a friend for a great price. The imei is clean but the phone is still locked to at&t service. My friend wants to use it on another carrier and the seller offered to unlock it for 50 USD but I suspect it can be unlocked for less, if not for free. I've searched around a bit and have seen a number of online services but I figured I'd consult the knowledge folks here for the best course.
Thanks in advance
efaustus9 said:
I recently purchased an at&t samsung galaxy s7 for a friend for a great price. The imei is clean but the phone is still locked to at&t service. My friend wants to use it on another carrier and the seller offered to unlock it for 50 USD but I suspect it can be unlocked for less, if not for free. I've searched around a bit and have seen a number of online services but I figured I'd consult the knowledge folks here for the best course.
Thanks in advance
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AT&T unlocks then for free if the phone is paid on full. I can't remember the website but i did it to my s5
Thanks dirty, but I was under the impression you had to be an at&t customer in order to have at&t unlock it. On their webpage I was having that problem, it was asking for account information I couldn't provide since I do not have an account with at&t.
efaustus9 said:
Thanks dirty, but I was under the impression you had to be an at&t customer in order to have at&t unlock it. On their webpage I was having that problem, it was asking for account information I couldn't provide since I do not have an account with at&t.
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You could call them (not your local dealer) and see if there is anything that they can get off the phone (serial number) to verify that the phone is paid on full, if so then they should unlock it. Also keep in mind that i don't believe it will work on Verizon or sprint since they use cdma, AT&T and T mobile use gsm.
I used unlockscope.com . Was 25$ and took less than 12 hours
Mine is an att version. Traded my 6 plus for it.
Hi together,
due to the great price for the phone via Sprint, there are several pretty cheap ones also on ebay. I want to use the phone only outside the US (Germany) - is there any problem when it is locked to Sprint? Few years ago i imported a Verizon Locked Photon Q, and as i remember it was fully usable outside the US.
The ebay listing also includes the IMEI of the phones, and when i check them, they are "Clean on Sprint". But does that mean that they are locked? And if so, can i somehow unlock the phone, when i am in Germany and not on a Sprint Network?
Sorry about the confusion, i dont really get you phone locking stuff in the US
Best regards and thank you so much in advance!
If the phone is truly still locked to Sprint, it probably won't work with any other SIM card (the phone will just report Invalid SIM). You could look at ting.com/byod and check the IMEI there to see if it reports clear GSM / CDMA capabilities. If that shows up OK, then it at least doesn't have any financial obligation, and it should work.
Are you sure the phones are still Sprint Locked? Or was the seller just indicating they were Sprint variant phones, and were unlocked?
kbonnel said:
If the phone is truly still locked to Sprint, it probably won't work with any other SIM card (the phone will just report Invalid SIM). You could look at ting.com/byod and check the IMEI there to see if it reports clear GSM / CDMA capabilities. If that shows up OK, then it at least doesn't have any financial obligation, and it should work.
Are you sure the phones are still Sprint Locked? Or was the seller just indicating they were Sprint variant phones, and were unlocked?
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Thank you so much for the fast reply :good:
- I checked multiple lisitings from this seller at ting.com/byod, and they all say its compatible with ting/gsm/cdma. So if i get this right, the phone itself should not be locked then, because its neither stolen nor in financial trouble?
- i dont know if i am able to post ebay links here, one of the lisitings from this seller is 332465030454 - the seller just says that the buyer itself should check the IMEI. But as i understood it, i cant check if the phone is net/simlocked to sprint, just if its "legal"..
regards
Kampfgans said:
Thank you so much for the fast reply :good:
- I checked multiple lisitings from this seller at ting.com/byod, and they all say its compatible with ting/gsm/cdma. So if i get this right, the phone itself should not be locked then, because its neither stolen nor in financial trouble?
- i dont know if i am able to post ebay links here, one of the lisitings from this seller is 332465030454 - the seller just says that the buyer itself should check the IMEI. But as i understood it, i cant check if the phone is net/simlocked to sprint, just if its "legal"..
regards
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I really wish I was able to give you a definitive answer, esp. since you are in Germany, as the return capabilities are a lot harder since it takes a while to ship back and forth. I was reviewing the company's website to see where they get their inventory, but couldn't really come up with a clear answer. They do indicate in the FAQ that they offer a service to test the ESN for a fee, but it doesn't go into much detail. Maybe give them a call, or send the seller a message on ebay to see if they are willing to pop in a non-sprint sim to verify it at least doesn't report back invalid - sim.
kbonnel said:
I really wish I was able to give you a definitive answer, esp. since you are in Germany, as the return capabilities are a lot harder since it takes a while to ship back and forth. I was reviewing the company's website to see where they get their inventory, but couldn't really come up with a clear answer. They do indicate in the FAQ that they offer a service to test the ESN for a fee, but it doesn't go into much detail. Maybe give them a call, or send the seller a message on ebay to see if they are willing to pop in a non-sprint sim to verify it at least doesn't report back invalid - sim.
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Just to let you know about the outcome - they cannot guarantee that it is unlocked
Hopefully there will be another Amazon Deal or somebody doesnt need his F&F code
Kampfgans said:
Just to let you know about the outcome - they cannot guarantee that it is unlocked
Hopefully there will be another Amazon Deal or somebody doesnt need his F&F code
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So what was the outcome? I have one ebay seller that isn't sure either. He bought it from sprint. Wanted to use it in Germany
saschb2b said:
So what was the outcome? I have one ebay seller that isn't sure either. He bought it from sprint. Wanted to use it in Germany
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Assume anything bought from Sprint that the seller can't verify was active on Sprint's network for 50 days as unusable.
Sprint will only generate ISU (international SIM Unlock) that is permanent after a device has been on the network for 50 days.
This policy is strictly enforced and even if the device is paid off, it does not matter.
Hello guys and happy new year.
I'm planning to buy the essential phone from ebay. I have found some quite interesting offers from sprint locked devices. My question is the device will work at cosmote greece?
„Invalid sim“
I bought an essential phone from USA a few days ago and it is sim locked for sprint and I have not found any way to make it simlock free.
It says invalid sim.
I can use it as an expensive MP3 player or camera or when using WiFi.
But not as a telephone.
I asked the seller for help. He said he would call sprint.
I was able to flash Oreo beta2 Android 8.
In fast boot mode the mobile said it was a sprint variant.
I guess only sprint can made it sim lock free with a code.
If there is no solution I will maybe have to send it back.
What a pity situation. Why is essential phone not selling the phone for Europe ?
That's what I was afraid about. Thought a proper rom flash could remove the lock. But it seems you can't do it yourself. Essential will bring it to Europe. But when is not sure.
saschb2b said:
So what was the outcome? I have one ebay seller that isn't sure either. He bought it from sprint. Wanted to use it in Germany
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As already mentioned above -the seller could not guarantee it to me that i will be able to use it.
Finally, i ended up ordering it directly from Essential. Have it since 2 weeks now, works great on Telekom!
Hi, I am in Ireland and got a PH-1 which was locked by Sprint but i contacted them and they told me they have unlocked it for me and i can use it in Ireland but i am actually not able to use it on any network here, it just says Invalid Sim every time i put the sim card in.
Can anyone help me please?
forget sprint in europe!
In Germany it does not work with "Sprint" Locked Essential Phone.
Sam.anas said:
Hi, I am in Ireland and got a PH-1 which was locked by Sprint but i contacted them and they told me they have unlocked it for me and i can use it in Ireland but i am actually not able to use it on any network here, it just says Invalid Sim every time i put the sim card in.
Can anyone help me please?
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The only way to unlock it is with a Sprint SIM and they update the the phone or enter in a code.
Heloo i bought essential ph-1 amd it says invalid sim card. Im from georgia and want to work gsm carrier. Can i unlock the phone?
Hi,
So a friend of mine is bringing the Essential Phone to India from the USA. It is a Sprint model. Can anyone help me and tell me how can I go about unlocking the device so that I can use it with Indian carriers?
zaydenQ said:
Hi,
So a friend of mine is bringing the Essential Phone to India from the USA. It is a Sprint model. Can anyone help me and tell me how can I go about unlocking the device so that I can use it with Indian carriers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have your friend from the USA stay on a sprint account for 50 days then he can call them to unlock it for international as long as it's paid in full.
Unlock sprint
Hey. Can somebody help me with the unlock my essential phone pH 1
I had to send mine back. They have two types of UICC unlocks. One of them in for carriers inside the USA only and the other is for international carriers. The problem is that the international unlock is temporary. Even if the phone is paid in full their systems are relocking lots of phones when used on international carriers using the essential on USA carriers seems to be fine. Mine was paid in full with sprint and was unlocked for 1 month when I called Sprint they said that the international UUIC unlock is temporary so I needed to request it again. I decided to return the phone and once I got the refund and I purchased one directly from essential and my problems were solved.
Sprint is a CDMA network, so you need to check a few things before actually using the phone outside Sprint network.
CDMA networks use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch CDMA phones with your carrier’s permission. Details: https://www.unlockunit.com/blog/cdma-networks/
However, you might be able to use your phone with a local Indian GSM network. You must make sure that your phone has also GSM capabilities. you can check this on https://www.gsmarena.com/
And you can check your network's bands here: https://www.frequencycheck.com/
Jahdiel2011 said:
I had to send mine back. They have two types of UICC unlocks. One of them in for carriers inside the USA only and the other is for international carriers. The problem is that the international unlock is temporary. Even if the phone is paid in full their systems are relocking lots of phones when used on international carriers using the essential on USA carriers seems to be fine. Mine was paid in full with sprint and was unlocked for 1 month when I called Sprint they said that the international UUIC unlock is temporary so I needed to request it again. I decided to return the phone and once I got the refund and I purchased one directly from essential and my problems were solved.
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Click to collapse
Was your phone unlocked after 50 days with Sprint? I'm only keeping Sprint for 50 days to get them to do the international unlock. After that I will cancel. My phone was automatically unlocked for US sims after I paid off the lease and I'm using it with a T-mobile sim now. I noticed that the UICC menu is gone with my T-mobile sim in the phone. Do you know if the phone can be relocked for international sims even if it doesn't have a Sprint sim in the phone?
DrvLikHell said:
Was your phone unlocked after 50 days with Sprint? I'm only keeping Sprint for 50 days to get them to do the international unlock. After that I will cancel. My phone was automatically unlocked for US sims after I paid off the lease and I'm using it with a T-mobile sim now. I noticed that the UICC menu is gone with my T-mobile sim in the phone. Do you know if the phone can be relocked for international sims even if it doesn't have a Sprint sim in the phone?
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Mine was paid in full and was unlocked both domestically and internationally. I was not 50 days with Sprint. Since I had to travel abroad I asked for the International unlock which they granted as I had already paid for the phone. I started using the phone in South America and around one month later I got the Invalid SimCard message. When I called they said that the UUIC international unlock is temporary so I need to call Sprint and request it again. The domestic unlock is permanent not the same for the international (It made no sense) I called again yesterday to get info on their policies again and now I got different info the phone was supposedly unlocked according to their systems.
Besides this I've got info from trusted sources saying that even devices purchased Unlocked from essential are being locked by sprint when inserting sprint sim cards so stay away from those sim cards.
unlocked then relocked
My phone was unlocked by Sprint shortly after I paid it off, about two days after I received it. I was able to insert a Vietnamese SIM card and download all the Essential security updates.
Then somehow it got relocked. called Sprint to asked them to unlock it internationally, as I actually do travel internationally for work quite a bit. They responded with an email refusing to unlock it until it had been on the network for 50 days.
I have had the last three phones on Sprint unlocked internationally with less trouble than this one.
I guess I'll try again when the 50 days are up.
Jahdiel2011 said:
Mine was paid in full and was unlocked both domestically and internationally. I was not 50 days with Sprint. Since I had to travel abroad I asked for the International unlock which they granted as I had already paid for the phone. I started using the phone in South America and around one month later I got the Invalid SimCard message. When I called they said that the UUIC international unlock is temporary so I need to call Sprint and request it again. The domestic unlock is permanent not the same for the international (It made no sense) I called again yesterday to get info on their policies again and now I got different info the phone was supposedly unlocked according to their systems.
Besides this I've got info from trusted sources saying that even devices purchased Unlocked from essential are being locked by sprint when inserting sprint sim cards so stay away from those sim cards.
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Thanks for that information. When you were in South America and got the invalid sim card message, were you on a non-US sim? Did you put the Sprint sim back in at any time before you got that message? I'm trying to figure out if they can relock the device without the Sprint sim card in it, because if so I'm not keeping this phone. I requested the international unlock on my phone as well, but they told me I had to wait until the phone was active for 50 days. They wouldn't budge on that at all. Maybe the 50 day policy is why yours got relocked?
huzordaddy said:
My phone was unlocked by Sprint shortly after I paid it off, about two days after I received it. I was able to insert a Vietnamese SIM card and download all the Essential security updates.
Then somehow it got relocked. called Sprint to asked them to unlock it internationally, as I actually do travel internationally for work quite a bit. They responded with an email refusing to unlock it until it had been on the network for 50 days.
I have had the last three phones on Sprint unlocked internationally with less trouble than this one.
I guess I'll try again when the 50 days are up.
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My phone was unlocked for domestic sims 48 hours after the lease was closed. US sims work in it now, but I put a European sim in it and it asked for an unlock code. Did your phone get relocked while it had the Vietnamese sim in it, or were you swapping between that and the Sprint sim?
Once my 50 days are up and I cancel Sprint, I really don't want to have a phone that can be randomly locked by a company that I no longer have any business with. If that's the case I'm going to get rid of this phone and go with another brand.
DrvLikHell said:
Thanks for that information. When you were in South America and got the invalid sim card message, were you on a non-US sim? Did you put the Sprint sim back in at any time before you got that message? I'm trying to figure out if they can relock the device without the Sprint sim card in it, because if so I'm not keeping this phone. I requested the international unlock on my phone as well, but they told me I had to wait until the phone was active for 50 days. They wouldn't budge on that at all. Maybe the 50 day policy is why yours got relocked?
My phone was unlocked for domestic sims 48 hours after the lease was closed. US sims work in it now, but I put a European sim in it and it asked for an unlock code. Did your phone get relocked while it had the Vietnamese sim in it, or were you swapping between that and the Sprint sim?
Once my 50 days are up and I cancel Sprint, I really don't want to have a phone that can be randomly locked by a company that I no longer have any business with. If that's the case I'm going to get rid of this phone and go with another brand.
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I did not even bring the Sprint Sim on my trip so I'd say Yes. They can relock it even with other sim card. I was using non US sims the whole time. I'm not sure if the issue is the 50 days policy but I did not want to have a phone I paid in full and cannot own as I should.
How can they lock the phone if it's not on their Network? Sounds like some funny business with firmware updates.
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA Labs
I got a Essential from an ebay reseller, I checked the IMEI before buying it , said it was clean... and thought that's all that mattered :/
It's locked to someone's sprint account or something, i can't use it on sprint even if I wanted! I have no way of contacting that owner... what can I do?
Can I put some other firmware on it or is there some unlocking service I can opt for?
When I contacted sprint they said the phone is clean/not stolen... so yeah... very frustrating.
Please help/advise.
Edwii said:
I got a Essential from an ebay reseller, I checked the IMEI before buying it , said it was clean... and thought that's all that mattered :/
It's locked to someone's sprint account or something, i can't use it on sprint even if I wanted! I have no way of contacting that owner... what can I do?
Can I put some other firmware on it or is there some unlocking service I can opt for?
When I contacted sprint they said the phone is clean/not stolen... so yeah... very frustrating.
Please help/advise.
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If it's locked to someone elses Sprint account, and it's not sim unlocked so you can't use it on a GSM service, the only option you have is to return it to the eBay seller. If the seller said it was unlocked or otherwise ready to be activated, that was incorrect and you can do an "Item not as described" type of return, stating that it is not able to be used and you'll get your money back. eBay offers very good protection for this sort of thing.
avd said:
How can they lock the phone if it's not on their Network? Sounds like some funny business with firmware updates.
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA Labs
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I'd like to know the same thing. From what I've learned the sim lock is a single bit somewhere that's nearly impossible to change without an unlock code. And I've never heard of a phone relocking. I don't know how they're doing it with the Essential. The interesting thing is that when you put in a non-sprint sim, the phone will then update to a newer firmware because sprint is behind on theirs, but it can still relock with the newer firmware. Also, with a non-sprint sim the UICC menu disappears, but then it comes back when you put a sprint sim back in. I don't know what its deal is.
Just the fact that it's possible for sprint to relock a phone remotely is enough to steer me away from this phone. I can't be in a situation where I'm relying on my phone for communication in another country and then, oops, sprint decided to relock my phone and now I can't contact anyone. I've been in situations where that could be very dangerous. If I stay with the PH1, I'll sell my sprint phones and get one directly from the company. Otherwise, I'm already looking at other phones.
Edwii said:
I got a Essential from an ebay reseller, I checked the IMEI before buying it , said it was clean... and thought that's all that mattered :/
It's locked to someone's sprint account or something, i can't use it on sprint even if I wanted! I have no way of contacting that owner... what can I do?
Can I put some other firmware on it or is there some unlocking service I can opt for?
When I contacted sprint they said the phone is clean/not stolen... so yeah... very frustrating.
Please help/advise.
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File a claim.
Device different than specified.
So Far the PH-1 is a great option only if you buy it directly from essential and Never EVER put a Sprint Sim Card on it.
Edwii said:
I got a Essential from an ebay reseller, I checked the IMEI before buying it , said it was clean... and thought that's all that mattered :/
It's locked to someone's sprint account or something, i can't use it on sprint even if I wanted! I have no way of contacting that owner... what can I do?
Can I put some other firmware on it or is there some unlocking service I can opt for?
When I contacted sprint they said the phone is clean/not stolen... so yeah... very frustrating.
Please help/advise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
File a claim with eBay, they'll get your money back!
I have found that a lot of eBay sellers just put "Check IMEI" in their listing, with no other claim to being locked/unlocked, etc. So that it then becomes the buyer's responsibility to throughly check it before they buy. I checked the IMEI on Ting's website and they said it was good to go (vs. a phone that I have with a Bad ESN that they knew about and would understandably not accept - and no this is not a post about Bad ESN so back off wolfdroids!) I didn't bother filing a claim though because it makes an excellent WiFi Smartphone.
Still, I hate Sprint. No nonsense "Account Number and PIN" or we're not going to help you. I wanted to see about paying off the lease myself. Nope! They don't want my money.
atrac88 said:
I have found that a lot of eBay sellers just put "Check IMEI" in their listing, with no other claim to being locked/unlocked, etc. So that it then becomes the buyer's responsibility to throughly check it before they buy. I checked the IMEI on Ting's website and they said it was good to go (vs. a phone that I have with a Bad ESN that they knew about and would understandably not accept - and no this is not a post about Bad ESN so back off wolfdroids!) I didn't bother filing a claim though because it makes an excellent WiFi Smartphone.
Still, I hate Sprint. No nonsense "Account Number and PIN" or we're not going to help you. I wanted to see about paying off the lease myself. Nope! They don't want my money.
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Find someone that has a Sprint account and see if they can add it on so you can pay it off and use it. It's too good of a phone to be stuck at home being used as a mini-tablet
@Jahdiel2011 About how long did your international sim unlock last before it relocked on you?
30 days or so