Forum Discussion
Unlock a used phone...
This seems to be a place for people to complain, and often get results. In common with many other posters, I've been given the runaround by T-Mobile "customer service" in trying to get a phone, that ...
As a Canadian, you should understand that there are retailers, like BestBuy, TheSource Visions, Staples, Walmart, etc, that sell phones on behalf of carriers. These devices are not directly sold by the carrier and those IMEI's are not recorded in the system as a device sold by T-Mobile in this case.
Is the device an Android device or an iPhone? If your device is an Android device. You might be able to take it to a cellphone repair shop and for a fee, have the device SIM unlocked. There are also online SIM unlocking services that might be more convenient. If you have an iPhone, that complicates things because only T-Mobile can make that request to Apple, which will only happen when a device and the account that device is used on meet all of the SIM Unlock Policy requirements, that is verified with Customer Care, and then the request would be sent to Apple. That request can take up to 3 weeks and longer for Apple to fulfill.
T-Mobile, just like Canadian carriers used to, have SIM unlocking requirements. You putvhased a device that was previously owned. In that situation, the original owner usually needs to request the SIM unlock, because they have an account that if current and active, can show that it and the device meets all of the SIM Unlock Policy requirements.
(We don't have permission to post links anymore) but search for the T-Mobile SIM Unlock Policy requirements and click the link that is for the T-Mobile website.
In some cases, a person who purchases a device second hand can meet the SIM Unlock Policy requirements and then request the SIM unlock once your account and the device has met the SIM Unlock Policy requirements.
When buying a used device. The person should always check to make sure the device is SIM unlocked before buying it. Especially when using that device internationally.
Hi syaoran
Thanks very much for your quick response. As a Canadian (!), I wasn't aware that the devices that retailers sell may not be shown as a device sold by T-Mobile, and that they are not necessarily shown in the T-Mobile system. That would certainly explain why T-M were not able to find a record of my device as a previously sold phone, although it doesn't explain why they would not be able to trace an account attached to that IMEI; it may not have been sold directly by them, but if there is an account attached to tht phone, they should certainly be able to find it, and also presumably would be able to see the status of the phone, fully paid or otherwise. The other thing I don't understand is why they have that "bought directly from T-M" requirement. It certainly gets in the way of being able to use the phone on another network, for no good reason that I can see.
One of the CS reps I spoke to told me that, even if the phone was with T-M for a year, they would not necessarily be able to unlock it because of that initial purchase requirement. I don't know whether this is something physical, or is a matter of policy. I have another phone that was in a similar situation, this time from Verizon, and they were very co-operative in setting up (and paying for!) an account for me for the required two months, and then the phone just unlocked automatically. They were sympathetic to my being outside the US, so they gave me a fully paid account with unlimited access and data, for those two months. Verizon were able to deal with their policy restrictions; I don't know why T-Mobile should not be able to do the same, even if I had to pay for it.
In any event, I have learned a lesson from this. I'll be selling the phone, locked, but including the SIM card so that an eventual purchaser can at least use it. Maybe a purchaser wouldn't care if it were locked to T-M; the price I get for it would obviously have to reflect that. And any future phones I buy online will have to be factory unlocked. We lve and learn.
Thanks again for your reply. Happy New Year to you and yours.
NB
T-Mobile only logs the IMEI on the account when the device is purchased on that account. When a device is used on T-Mobile, that IMEI registers as active and is checked against the blacklist periodically while active. That IMEI is only visible in the account while the device is in use. Once the person puts their SIM in another device, that active IMEI is replaced. It's actually very similar to how Rogers and Freedom/Videotron work in Canada.
If it isn't an iPhone, you might want to try a cellphone repair place local to you. If it is an iPhone. You could always pick up a prepaid T-Mobile SIM, activate it in that device, and pay the $100 in refills to potentially qualify for the SIM unlock. This is not guaranteed though as you are not the original owner of the device (more of an Apple issue thannT-Mobile).
Happy 2025 to you!
