I lost my phone in November while out at sea and bought a second hand one in Mexico. A Sprint Galaxy S4 L720 running 5.0.1. It was unlocked and running just fine on a Mexican carrier. I bought a new SIM in Peru today and noticed the data wasn't working, phone calls were fine. I then did something very stupid and entered in ##72786#. The Sprint hands free application won't validate the phone. I tried calling Sprint and they informed me that the phone I bought was lost/stolen and refuse to help me.
I am in Peru right now, I cant return this phone to the previous owner and I already spent $250 on it. I don't live in the USA. This is not a matter of ethics in this case, I simply can't eeturn the phone to the carrier. The phone was unlocked before, how can I get back to how it was. It is telling me invalid SIM now and I can't make calls. Is there some way to bypass the activation process?
Thanks
If the phone has been reported lost or stolen to the carrier, you will not get help in these forums on how to activate it.
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Hello XDA-Developers,
I am at my wits end. I can not for the life of me find a Sim Unlock code for my Samsung Note 3 N900W8.
I will start from the beginning... I purchased this phone from a woman who is the manager of a telecommunications in London ON. She listed the phone on Kijiji as "Brand new in box, unlocked!". I met her at a kiosk for my carrier to test the phone on one of their sim cards. It turned out the phone was sim locked. She seemed nice enough and genuinely surprised when it came up sim locked. She said she had received the phone as a promotional gift from her company, but didn't like the size of it and wanted to use her existing phone. She asked me if I would prefer to have her get it unlocked or she would take 50$ off of our originally agreed price to put towards the unlocking cost. I opted to get it unlocked myself, my mistake lol.
First I had to find out which carrier it was locked to so through a process of elimination I figured out it was locked to Bell. I contacted Bell and asked to get a sim unlock code from them. They said that they have no record of my phone in any of their data bases and that I should contact Samsung and confirm that my phone is locked to Bell. I contacted Samsung who confirmed that my phone is locked to Bell. I contacted Bell again and they put me through to tech support. He was a nice guy, but didn't give me the answer I wanted lol. He said that because my IMEI is not in any of their data bases that there's no way for him to give me a code. He suggested flashing a different kernel and it would remove the sim lock? I'm sorry I am not that knowledgeable when it comes to this stuff. Anyways, I have taken the phone to 3 reputable phone repare shops in my area and tried cellun******.net. All have said that they can't find an unlock code?
You guys are my last resort, any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Thank You!
Hi all,
I'm having a serious issue with my phone that just recently bought off kijiji, I suspect that my phone could be blacklisted or blocked.
So, heres the issue we, me and my friend went and tested this phone out. Since my sim was too big for the Note 2, my friend tried his and worked fine with WIND. After the person who's selling to me swiped the note 2 and gave to me. Deal done. Ok, once I got home, I cut my sim to size and tested it = invalid sim. Asks for unlocked code, but when i called the guy (person who sold it) he told me originally the phone is factory unlocked and suspected that i may have damaged the pins but wait if i did damage the sim slot pins it would've said NO SIM. Went to the store got it unlocked and still have the same problem. Went to a virgin store gave me a new sim that's actually to size and same problem. After virgin told me that on their records the IEMI # - listed a completely different phone like Galaxy Ace S6802 but the serial number on the phone is registered as a NOTE 2. So that's major red flag. Next, went to Wind, they said their going to charge me to get the phone registered on their networks. But there's the thing the phone worked with Wind sim card but after unlocked NO SIM cards work. I went to the settings of the phone and it supports multi band network so LTE and GSM and all the others should work. Also, when i use my friend's sim it says roaming but still doesn't work.
So, i'm assuming the original person stole the phone and it has been blacklisted and maybe he got some hacked to make it work for himself. By the way i do know where this person lives and i have strong evidences to support my claim against this person and will file a report against him if necessary.
SOOOO...any ideas guys?
Anyone got any input on the topic?
Hello,
I received a phone a few months ago for free from a woman I used to babysit her dogs for. The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 and it has the original SIM card in it, but under the about phone, it says Network Unavailable and No SIM card inserted. The lady does not remember where she got the phone from, and I don't know what to do to find out what provider it is locked to or if it even is locked. I live in Texas, and the phone came from Oklahoma. The lady used Pioneer Cellular then right before giving the phone to me, switched to US Cellular. She had the exact same type of phone from both companies. Both was contract as well. Anyone please help me. I want to use it for Straight Talk, cause where I live is a country road and the service is sucky.
If you can root the phone you might be able to unlock it, making the carrier useless. Or you could try to Google the IMEI and see if that yields any results.
Agriwulf - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Agriwulf said:
If you can root the phone you might be able to unlock it, making the carrier useless. Or you could try to Google the IMEI and see if that yields any results.
Agriwulf - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to a site called imeidata.net and these was the results:
IMEI: 990003512047644
IMEIData Database: Maintain
AT&T (USA): IMEI is not recognized in AT&T
Verizon (USA): Clean (GSM or Activated by other User)
T-Mobile (USA): Unknown
Sprint (USA): Unknown
Cricket (USA): Clean
Metro PCS (USA): Clean
Telus (Canada): Clean
Telenor (Sweden): Clean
Softbank (Japan): IMEI is not recognized in Softbank
AU KDDI (Japan):
I don't know what this means, can anyone help with it?
So I'm an idiot. When I went to pre-order, I selected T-Mobile since they didn't have a Sprint option and I figured they were "merged" by now. Apparently that's not the case. I was reluctant to get the Unlocked model.
When I got the phone yesterday, I spent 4 hours on the phone (Note 8) and a worthless trip to one of the "Sprint/T-Mobile" stores. On the last call, a guy from Sprint said my IMEI number was not in the database yet -- I'm guessing because it shipped about 5 days earlier than expected. He would elevate the issue so it would and he'd call me back once it was added, then I could transfer my Sprint SIM from my Note to my T-Mobile Fold 2. He didn't call back.
The guy at the store said I'd have to call T-Mobile to get them to unlock it so I could put it on Sprint. But they won't talk to me if I don't have an account with them and that I'd have to talk to Sprint.
I want to keep my cell phone number, so now I'm wondering if I just open a new T-Mobile account and get my number ported to T-Mobile. I've been with Sprint for 22 years so I'm reluctant to do that even though they're going to be one network -- but probably not for a while.
Recommendations?
Wade
File an FCC Complaint. It's kind of the nuclear option but in my experience when it comes to cell phone and working with wireless providers (as well as internet) that's really the only thing that seems to get them to treat the customer as a customer. Even if the phone isn't compatible that will at least get someone from the Executive Offices on the phone with you to lay out what is happening and how to fix it.
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us
I got my phone Tmobile variant Wed paid in full and tried to unlock it in the phone settings. Didn't work. So called up Tmobile. He told me to do what i already tried. Told him it didn't work. He took my IMEI and he put me on hold. Then he came back and said to try again in 3 days and if i still can't unlock it to call back. I too think maybe it's because the phone isn't technically out yet. I'm using Fi which will only be using Tmobile anyway so i went ahead and flashed unlocked firmware. Then i downloaded the Fi app and was able transfer my number. But of course being on unlocked firmware the unlock option is now gone. So i may flash the carrier firmware this weekend and try unlocking again.
I'm currently in the same predicament. I was going to get the unlocked version but it was going to take another month to ship so I went ahead with the T-mobile version. After being unable to activate the phone, after 2+ hours working with CS the answer I finally ended up with from a T-Mobile rep (Sprint was useless) was to go into a store today and they can transfer my account over to T-Mobile and then I'd be able to activate the new one. The process will also unlock the rest of my phones so that they can accept a new SIM card from T-Mobile. Not what I wanted to do but since I can't get an unlocked version it may be the only option I have because after playing with this phone there is no way I'm getting rid of it.
Last night, I finally got my situation RESOLVED!
I went to another Sprint/T-Mobile store and found someone who knew how to transfer my Sprint account and Phone Number over to T-Mobile using the same SIM card! I chose the Magenta Plus plan -- and am even saving $20 a month for being "Over 55"! I'm now a VERY happy camper who's now getting 150Mbps downloads (so far). The Manager said he noticed the Model Number of my Z Fold 2 and thinks it was the Verizon model which may have caused some of the problems.
Hello,
I owned a Verizon Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that I bought shortly after release. I got bored with it, as often happens, so I paid it off in full and sold it, to someone who uses T-Mobile. They cannot activate the phone, when they put their T-Mobile SIM in it, it gives the message "SIM card is not from Verizon Wireless". The facts:
I owned and used the phone for well over the 60 day automatic unlock period.
It was active on my Verizon account for the entire time until a week before I sold it.
It was paid off IN FULL, and my account said the line was paid in full and ready for an upgrade.
My Verizon account is never behind or not paid on time (Auto-Pay)
Is there something I needed to do to the phone besides factory reset it? Is there anything that can be done? Should I call Verizon customer service? To further complicate matters, the person I sold it to lives in another state. I may need to have them send me the phone back and refund them their money if I can't figure this out.
Thank you so much for any help that can be provided.
Are you sure you used the device for 60 days?
Rtiberius said:
Hello,
I owned a Verizon Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that I bought shortly after release. I got bored with it, as often happens, so I paid it off in full and sold it, to someone who uses T-Mobile. They cannot activate the phone, when they put their T-Mobile SIM in it, it gives the message "SIM card is not from Verizon Wireless". The facts:
I owned and used the phone for well over the 60 day automatic unlock period.
It was active on my Verizon account for the entire time until a week before I sold it.
It was paid off IN FULL, and my account said the line was paid in full and ready for an upgrade.
My Verizon account is never behind or not paid on time (Auto-Pay)
Is there something I needed to do to the phone besides factory reset it? Is there anything that can be done? Should I call Verizon customer service? To further complicate matters, the person I sold it to lives in another state. I may need to have them send me the phone back and refund them their money if I can't figure this out.
Thank you so much for any help that can be provided.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure you used the device for 60 days? Did you check with another carrier sim before you sold the device?
SIM card is not from Verizon Wireless is a common message for all Verizon branded phones. May be buyer is confused with this message.
dadmi said:
Are you sure you used the device for 60 days?
Are you sure you used the device for 60 days? Did you check with another carrier sim before you sold the device?
SIM card is not from Verizon Wireless is a common message for all Verizon branded phones. May be buyer is confused with this message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply.
Yes, it was activated in late August 2020 and was active up until the end of December 2020. No, I didn't realize I should try a different carrier's SIM first.
I asked them if they are able to call or text despite the SIM card message and they said no.
You need(ed) to request VZW to carrier (SIM) unlock the device prior to selling it.
cam30era said:
You need(ed) to request VZW to carrier (SIM) unlock the device prior to selling it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm so confused, Verizon says devices are automatically unlocked in their policies listed here: https://www.verizon.com/support/device-unlocking-policy/
I'm going to call Verizon, and see if there's anything they can do.
Update: Called Verizon tech support, and the agent confirmed that the device IS unlocked. He said I should have the buyer contact T-Mobile customer service and add the device to their database. Hopefully that works.
Rtiberius said:
Update: Called Verizon tech support, and the agent confirmed that the device IS unlocked. He said I should have the buyer contact T-Mobile customer service and add the device to their database. Hopefully that works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adding to database is a Verizon thing, Tmobile is gsm. There is no way to sim unlock it if you don't do it on your phone line and request the unlock as if you're using the phone yourself.
Verizon will not unlock it unless it's currently on the line and met the other criteria you already have. For some reason verizon can't read if its really unlocked unless it's on their network, I went through it with an iphone earlier this year. They're a mess.
damn, i thought me getting a new phone annually is bad. you get a new phone every quarter? lol, actually i was thinking about trading mine for a fold 2 but no s-pen, no exp storage and a step down camera array, i decided to keep my note and see if they fix the fold 2's shortcomings.
what's in your pocket now?
It is quite possible that the buyer was not using an existing active sim. He was probably trying to activate a new sim which failed. I had the same issue with AT&T when activating a new sim. AT&T was not recognizing Unlocked model imei and I had to use a very old phone imei for activating sim after which I was able to use the same sim with with AT&T.
It also possible the buyer is lying to you. Either way it looks like the deal is going tits up for you. Perhaps next time check with a T-Mobile SIM before selling it or sell it as verizon locked. Feel for you.
Hello, i know this is a old thread but did you find the solution? i bought a verizon note 20 ultra and it doesnt work on any carrier, just work for a minute and it stops.
You guys found a way to unlock this? I just got the same phone and its a very expensive paperweight atm