Sprint Unlocking Policy

[nahum365]

So, lets say at the end of my contract, I upgrade to the iPhone 6 or whatever. Is there a reasonable chance that I might be able to get my old iPhone 5 unlocked for AT&T or TMobile? I heard Sprint only does international unlocks. Is this true, and do they make it a US unlock to at the end of the contract?

[Mondays In Flames]

This is something I would also like to know... Maybe, hopefully someone comes with an answer

 

 

-Luis

[koiulpoi]

They'll provide you with your MSL code for a CDMA phone if you're out of your 2 years... but AFAIK it's International Unlock only.

[Rocket87]

I don't think the msl will allow you to unlock a phone and use on another carrier. Sprint gives the msl out to you anytime you switch phones and need yo program the phone manually. I doubt they would just hand out a code that can do that so easily.

 

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[WiWavelength]

I don't think the msl will allow you to unlock a phone and use on another carrier.

 

Yes, that is exactly what the MSL does -- it unlocks the NAM programming menu.

 

AJ

[nahum365]

Yes, that is exactly what the MSL does -- it unlocks the NAM programming menu.

 

AJ

 

So I can unlock it to use on T-Mo with that menu?

[WiWavelength]

So I can unlock it to use on T-Mo with that menu?

 

MSL unlock and SIM unlock are two different things.

 

AJ

[ChadBroChillz]

You could email tim cook. I remember reading stories of ATT customers emailing his office about unlocking their iPhone after they were out of contract. A few weeks after the story broke, ATT changed their tune about their iPhone unlock policy.

[nahum365]

You could email tim cook. I remember reading stories of ATT customers emailing his office about unlocking their iPhone after they were out of contract. A few weeks after the story broke, ATT changed their tune about their iPhone unlock policy.

 

I'll try it. Doubt it'll change anything though.

[gangrene]

I'll try it. Doubt it'll change anything though.

 

I would contact Apple customer service, the situation with the 4s might very well be different than the situation with the iPhone 5.

 

Sprint also needs to stop the ridiculous practice of using embedded SIM cards in their Android-based LTE devices. It really ruins the appeal of their phones for people who travel overseas frequently.

Edited December 23, 2012 by gangrene

[MacinJosh]

I would contact Apple customer service, the situation with the 4s might very well be different than the situation with the iPhone 5.

 

Sprint also needs to stop the ridiculous practice of using embedded SIM cards in their Android-based LTE devices. It really ruins the appeal of their phones for people who travel overseas frequently.

 

Sprint told me that if you have a spending limit on the account the iPhone 5 is on, they will not unlock it for you. If you don't, then they will unlock it for when you travel, however, I'm not sure if it can be used in the US on at&t or T-Mobile. It is worth looking into and testing, that's for sure.

[nahum365]

 

 

Sprint told me that if you have a spending limit on the account the iPhone 5 is on, they will not unlock it for you. If you don't, then they will unlock it for when you travel, however, I'm not sure if it can be used in the US on at&t or T-Mobile. It is worth looking into and testing, that's for sure.

 

It's just an international unlock. And you have to have been a customer for 90 days. Which I am quickly approaching!

[MacinJosh]

It's just an international unlock. And you have to have been a customer for 90 days. Which I am quickly approaching!

 

Too bad it's not a domestic unlock. And I'm stuck with a spending limit until I can pay my bill on time for 18 months straight so if you don't have one, you are doing much better than me!

[nahum365]

 

 

Too bad it's not a domestic unlock. And I'm stuck with a spending limit until I can pay my bill on time for 18 months straight so if you don't have one, you are doing much better than me!

 

I'm on day 63 of Sprint service. 27 more to go!

[Dfarley]

I've tried to unlock my 4s to no avail - both on the Apple side (Apple care rep and genius bar tech) as well as multiple Sprint customer service reps. I bought my phone outright so i've been out of contract since i've owned it (long story why i had to do that - I'll save it for another time). Apple just points directly back at the carrier and the handful of the Sprint reps I spoke to had no idea what I was even talking about claiming that Sprint uses "CDMA" technology and the phone won't work on a GSM carrier....the few that at least knew what I was talking about forwarded me to the international dept and they have unlocked it for international usage. I have Mexican & Canadian Sim cards that when I plug in here domestically the phone picks up both AT&T & TMobile signals, but I'm then paying international roaming rates with thoses respective carriers. I have an actual AT&T sim that I've tried, but i just get the message that I need to contact my carrier to activate the phone. It's not a big deal to me now so I haven't persued the issue further than the customer service level, but once I want to sell my phone it'll definitely be a much higher priority.

 

[WiWavelength]

Interesting. I did not know that a partial SIM unlock was possible. It must still lock out SIMs from other carriers with 310 and 311 MCCs.

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

Interesting. I did not know that a partial SIM unlock was possible. It must still lock out SIMs from other carriers with 310 and 311 MCCs.

 

AJ

 

Verizon has the Droid 2 Global locked down for domestic GSM carriers, and the phone can be unlocked for international use without Verizon's hideous roaming rates, so it is possible. It has something to do with baseband programming.

[nahum365]

Interesting. I did not know that a partial SIM unlock was possible. It must still lock out SIMs from other carriers with 310 and 311 MCCs.

 

AJ

 

Yeah, they've been doing it since last December. Now, I wonder, if there is any way to bypass that.

[ericdabbs]

I would contact Apple customer service, the situation with the 4s might very well be different than the situation with the iPhone 5.

 

Sprint also needs to stop the ridiculous practice of using embedded SIM cards in their Android-based LTE devices. It really ruins the appeal of their phones for people who travel overseas frequently.

 

Sprint needs to adopt the practice of micro-SIM cards for its LTE phones instead of the crappy embedded SIM cards like it does now. I don't like the fact that Sprint is the only carrier that does that.

[WiWavelength]

Sprint needs to adopt the practice of micro-SIM cards for its LTE phones instead of the crappy embedded SIM cards like it does now. I don't like the fact that Sprint is the only carrier that does that.

 

Since Sprint has long had removable SIMs next year on the Network Vision roadmap, I am willing to give Sprint the benefit of the doubt. There is a legit reason why Sprint has used embedded SIMs for its early LTE devices. One theory that I have proposed is the iDEN shutdown, since iDEN also uses SIMs.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

Since Sprint has long had removable SIMs next year on the Network Vision roadmap, I am willing to give Sprint the benefit of the doubt. There is a legit reason why Sprint has used embedded SIMs for its early LTE devices. One theory that I have proposed is the iDEN shutdown, since iDEN also uses SIMs.

 

AJ

 

So the 2013 LTE phones might have removable SIM cards in them?

[nahum365]

My dad recently passed 90 days of service. He called CS and was transferred to the International Department, who instantly gave him the International Unlock upon his request. He told me this morning, and I asked him if he's synced the phone yet. He said no. So I synced it for him, and sure enough, the majestic "Congratulations, your phone has been unlocked!" appeared in iTunes. I stuck an inactive AT&T micro-SIM inside, and got the Invalid SIM message. It said to contact the carrier. I wish the FCC would do something about this phone locking business. It decreases the resale value of the phone and creates fragmentation in the market.

 

Example of this:

A family friend of ours got a Verizon iPhone 4. They are with Sprint, and the phone's intended user had recently dropped her Rumor Touch in the toilet. They actually had no idea it was Verizon. When they received the phone, Sprint refused to activate it. Now they have a $250 paperweight. She uses it on WiFi though.

[Dfarley]

If you have the time you can all Verizon, find your way to a customer service manager and explain the situation. Verizon will have to clear the MEID from their database which would then allow Sprint to activate it on their network. I've never actually gone through the process but was looking at doing the opposite (switching from Sprint to Verizon) before I found this site. Obviously this only works for CDMA carriers but its worth a try if you've got the time & effort.

[S4GRU]

If you have the time you can all Verizon, find your way to a customer service manager and explain the situation. Verizon will have to clear the MEID from their database which would then allow Sprint to activate it on their network. I've never actually gone through the process but was looking at doing the opposite (switching from Sprint to Verizon) before I found this site. Obviously this only works for CDMA carriers but its worth a try if you've got the time & effort.

 

I may be wrong about this, but it's been my understanding is that it is not a problem that your device is previously listed in another carrier's database, but that it is not listed in the new carriers database. And getting them to add a device from another carrier to their database is very difficult. And I also believe it needs a firmware flash.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

 

 

[Dfarley]

 

 

I may be wrong about this, but it's been my understanding is that it is not a problem that your device is previously listed in another carrier's database, but that it is not listed in the new carriers database. And getting them to add a device from another carrier to their database is very difficult. And I also believe it needs a firmware flash.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk