Hi everyone, i am currently using Atrix 4g on Dorians Redpill Hybrid V1. I recently went on a trip to China and i put in a chinese company sim card and i get the network unlock screen and i entered a few codes that didnt work which caused my Atrix to hardlock after 10x failed tries. However luckily i was able to use Amil's guide and flashed a special radio that caused my phone to work again.
However after getting my phone back, i tried pressing "#073887*" to try to reach the network unlock screen so I could unlock my phone with an ATT issued PUK code so i could reflash back to my old radio which is better, nothing shows up at all and I press call and you get the called incorrect # auto message because "#073887*" isnt a real phone #.
Please help!!
Thanks!
I'm having a different unlock issue, the code AT&T gave me generates a network error and won't unlock the phone. Since the phone is a refurb, I suggested that maybe the original owner locked it and the refurb didn't clear that. So AT&T bridged in a Moto inside tech rep who SWEARS that even if the phone has been "permanently locked" by using the wrong unlock code 5x, the phone will be cleared and reset by using the factory reset option form the normal menus, or from the power+volume boot sequence. He swears both processes are the same and that either one will reset the SIM unlock code in the phone, so you get five more tries to enter a correct code and unlock it.
Now with your custom code, I couldn't guess. And prior to this "everyone" swears a factory reset won't clear the unlock code. I don't know who is wrong about that.
But it could be worthwhile for you to try. Backup as much as you can, do a factory reset, see if you can unlock it back to AT&T after that.
Rred said:
I'm having a different unlock issue, the code AT&T gave me generates a network error and won't unlock the phone. Since the phone is a refurb, I suggested that maybe the original owner locked it and the refurb didn't clear that. So AT&T bridged in a Moto inside tech rep who SWEARS that even if the phone has been "permanently locked" by using the wrong unlock code 5x, the phone will be cleared and reset by using the factory reset option form the normal menus, or from the power+volume boot sequence. He swears both processes are the same and that either one will reset the SIM unlock code in the phone, so you get five more tries to enter a correct code and unlock it.
Now with your custom code, I couldn't guess. And prior to this "everyone" swears a factory reset won't clear the unlock code. I don't know who is wrong about that.
But it could be worthwhile for you to try. Backup as much as you can, do a factory reset, see if you can unlock it back to AT&T after that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did mine a couple of weeks ago, and AT&T warned me before giving me the code that it would become hard locked after 10 unlock attempts. My code worked 1st time, so all is good. I also believe a factory reset does not reset a SIM unlock.
Apparently the following is a fix for a hard locked phone:
http://www.amilkhanzada.com/2012/03/how-to-unlock-permanently-network.html
After my brainless cousin got accepted to work as an ATT Rep, honestly speaking, those ATT people at the stores dont know much about phones other than what mainstream people know and about your billing. Technical stuff they arent really trained to do so and infact they just follow a book of common errors. I have used amil's guide and it worked for me but i just cant open network unlock again so then i could perhaps put in my ATT network unlock code and then hopefully flash back to my old radio. I actually tried flashing a new rom and trying #073887* and it still doesnt work.
So far i am probably just going to have to deal with it having a weaker radio. At least i got my phone working again!
Thanks!
CaelanT said:
I just did mine a couple of weeks ago, and AT&T warned me before giving me the code that it would become hard locked after 10 unlock attempts. My code worked 1st time, so all is good. I also believe a factory reset does not reset a SIM unlock.
Apparently the following is a fix for a hard locked phone:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the fun about anonymous sources for information on the internet. "It works!" "It bricked my phone!" which happens, when, why? no one knows.
I also don't believe a factory reset will clear an unlock condition, but a second level AT&T rep working with a Moto inside tech rep (available to carriers only) swears it will. Have we ever heard that one before.<G>
Obviously there's a way to unlock them, AT&T swears they can be sent in to Moto for unlocking, but then again, sometimes Moto has access to chip programmers and other hardware that the AT&T shops just won't have.
So this cellular support rep dies and wakes up in Hell. he tells the devil it must be a mistake, he's not a bad man. And the devil says, oh, sure, happens all the time, just use that elevator over there, it goes straight to Heaven, they'll get you all straightened out. And the cellular rep goes over to the elevator and sees there's no UP button, just one that says DOWN and the devil says, don't worry about that, just keep pressing the button.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, could it?
Related
Sorry for this funny question but from what I think unlocked phone can not be locked again (not iphone). One of my friend keep saying he got locked after couples day using unlocked phone. Could be?
Thank you.
ihowil said:
Sorry for this funny question but from what I think unlocked phone can not be locked again (not iphone). One of my friend keep saying he got locked after couples day using unlocked phone. Could be?
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm, you might be onto something.
I had unlocked my Vibrant using an AT&T SIM a few weeks ago (code provided by T-Mobile), but when I was on vacation in Central America last week, I tried a local SIM and it asked me for an unlock code again.
I never did bother trying to unlock it again, but it was kind of weird. Will test it again with AT&T when I get a chance.
I travel to canada once a week and switch my Tmobile sim to a rogers sim. Has been working for almost 2 months now. Tmobile provided code.
Just re-enter your orig unlock code again
I had similar issues some time ago and posted a question about it but no one responded. I have sinced re-flashed the stock rom again (2nd time) and I have not seen the issue again. It would usually pop up after having to force reboot the phone or do a battery pull after an app hung. I was beginning to think it was related to being rooted and an issue with the mount rw-read only. The first thing I did after the re-flash was to unlock, then did the root etc. It has not come back. One possibly related thing is that sometimes when I have to reboot, it shows missed called after it boots. These are calls that were from a day or 2 before. Its almost like some info isn't being "committed" when a force reboot is done.
Fortunatly it seems that it is just a matter of entering teh unlock code again. Just really strange though...I have always been told that once it is unlocked, it is always unlocked.
Well, it happened again yesterday. Phone was acting wierd, lagging, apps hanging, so I rebooted and got the sim unlock screen again. Entered the code and it unlocked ok.
Very annoying....
My previous Vibrant that I had unlocked re-locked itself somehow as well. I noticed this after I had re-flashed the JFD firmware with ODIN. I popped my AT&T sim and was prompted for the unlock code (again). Which I then entered but unfortunately it didn't take. What's up with that?
I checked my nv_data.bin once again and the code was still the same. I could never get the thing to unlock again though either with the unlock or unfreeze code. It didn't appear to be frozen either; if it was it didn't indicate that.
While flashing via ODIN I never even checked the box related to "efs". I just reloaded the JFD/stock firmware which worked fine. I can't explain it. All I know is I haven't unlocked this new phone yet. I have the code but I will worry about it when the time is come that I need another network to use.
I did notice on the samfirmware.com site they mention to "check your simlock" before flashing a new firmware. Anyone know what that means other than something obvious?
This just happened for the second time to me on two different vibrants from TMO. Is the consensus that the phone needs to be reflashed?
FYI, I have flashed mine twice back to the stock rom and it continues to happen. Also, I opened a ticket with Samsung and even got an RMA to send it in so they could "reflash it". I never sent it in because I knew that would not fix it.
Again, this seems to happen when the phone starts to lag or apps start to hang and I reboot. This has got to be related. I wonder if anyone has had it re-lock while running a lag fix? FYI, Mine is the stock rom rooted and thats it. I wonder if this is only happening on rooted phones?
It really scares me that there is at least one account of it not unlocking with the correct code after it re-locks.
Really would like to find out a solution for this.
I've read that this happens with a lot of Samsung phones, they'll just randomly lock.
Sometimes it appears to make sense (after a ROM flash .... even an official one), sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it'll only unlock for the SIM you put in, but when you put another in, it'll lock again.
Just make sure you keep your code & have it ready to enter at any given time. Seems to be a Samsung glitch (like the many others we have to deal with).
Yeah same here. When my old vibrant relocked i could never get it unlocked again with the same code. I also highly recommend if your phone is rooted to make a backup copy of /efs which is where that nvram data is stored.
Surprised Here Too!
I went out of my way to go to an AT&T store. Then I read a thread here about proving Vibrants are unlocked. Pissed! Now you're telling me that it may never un-lock again?
"Open the dialer and key in *#7465625#. For an UNLOCKED Vibrant you should get the following result: Network Lock [OFF], Network Subset Lock [OFF], SP Lock [OFF] CP Lock [OFF], press OK to exit that menu"
IrieBro said:
I went out of my way to go to an AT&T store. Then I read a thread here about proving Vibrants are unlocked. Pissed! Now you're telling me that it may never un-lock again?
"Open the dialer and key in *#7465625#. For an UNLOCKED Vibrant you should get the following result: Network Lock [OFF], Network Subset Lock [OFF], SP Lock [OFF] CP Lock [OFF], press OK to exit that menu"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't come unlocked, you have to unlock them.
I unlocked my vibrant & what you wrote above is what I see.
I've had my Atrix 4g for about 10 days, never rooted or bootunlocked or anything like that, it's still 100% retail from AT&T. I've just made phone calls and fiddled with a few apps.
Today I had the bright idea to plug my old tmobile sim card into it thinking it'd boot right up and I could go into the settings and copy off some of my old contact numbers, I could always do it on older less than smartphones. Well it came up asking for a Sim network Unlock PIN. I didn't know what that was so I just took it out and put my old AT&T sim back into the phone, thinking it was just a failed endevour and that I would just go on about my business like it had never happened.
Well upon booting with the activated sim card the phone came with and the one I've been using... Much to my dismay, it's STILL asking for a Sim network Unlock PIN, I haven't the slightest idea what that is and I can't get past it unless I boot the phone up with no BP, then I can get into android and fiddle around on my wifi and do that kinda stuff but the Network Provider bars won't light up, it's like it has no idea who my cell provider is even though the at&t sim card is in it!
I'm at a loss, I called AT&T and I went into their store, but the most they could do for me was give me an 8 digit pin that didn't work and I found something on motorola's site that said something like 4digits of 1's and that doesn't unlock it either. They even gave me a new sim card at the store, and it's still asking for the Sim Network Unlock PIN. It's as if MOTOBlur has went ass up I did a factory reset after the new sim card, and yet it's still asking. I haven't the slightest idea what to do. AT&T said they'd just replace the phone and of course I'd probably be out of a phone for a couple weeks.
I'd be glad to try some troubleshooting if someone is willing to work with me.
Matt
bring your phone to a local at&t store and ask for a replacement.
Luckily they dont' have any in stock as they only have the atrix 2 in stock nowadays, so once again without for a couple weeks
Ya, I didn't think anyone would be able to help me here, other posts relating to this topic have gone unsolved as well worth a shot I guess.
It was posted elsewhere flashing a different carriers radio and then unlocking worked. Then the user was able to flash the newest radio for his carrier.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
I would love to flash, but I don't suppose I'd get another try if I accidentally flashed the wrong file...
I just wish I could flash it back to the way it was when it first came out of the AT&T box the other day...
I found someone who had a tmobile account and had them call for me using my imei number and they've requested an unlock code from motorola, so I'm going to wait for that and see what happens...
I still feel like there should be some kind of way to flash back to an original firmware someone might be able to copy off from an out of the box at&t atrix.
Are you sure you're not looking at the Motoblur account login?
positive, says Input Sim Network PIN and it stays resident regardless what sim is inserted.
It is kind of funny how the factory reset doesn't actually reset it back to factory conditions
eylusion said:
It is kind of funny how the factory reset doesn't actually reset it back to factory conditions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All factory reset does is wipe the data partition, which would put it back in a "factory like" state.
I'm getting a bit frustrated... I have unlocked and rooted the phone and now I"m trying to unlock the SIM so that I can give it to my wife to use with a European Sim Card. I've googled, read and read and so far I've done the following:
1. Placed the European SIM into the phone (that I used in my old TMobile phone to date)
2. Was presented with "Enter sim network unlock pin"
3. Called AT&T and obtained the "unlock code".
I tried that code 3 times so far. After spending a fair amount of time with ATT support on the phone they believe that the "pin" is different from the "code". Btw, the unlock number was confirmed to me by ATT support folks twice... I rechecked the IMEI number twice... and I"m stuck... what do I do? Is there a difference?
Btw, I tried it under CM7 and AOKP
Thanks
SIM vs Carrier Unlock
There is definitely a difference between Carrier unlocking and SIM unlocking. I was steered wrong by AT&T the first time I asked. Essentially, they gave me a code that would allow me to override being locked out of my SIM card (to access phone numbers, etc) as a result of entering the SIM password wrong. This was NOT what I wanted.
I called back, and specifically requested a Carrier Unlock (for using other companies' SIMs), and they then made good on this request. You will need an active SIM from another carrier to get the job done, but if you specify your request to them, hopefully they will get it together. Another option is to buy a code at the numerous online re-sellers, but like I said, AT&T gave me mine for no cost. Good luck to you!
tobnddl said:
There is definitely a difference between Carrier unlocking and SIM unlocking. I was steered wrong by AT&T the first time I asked. Essentially, they gave me a code that would allow me to override being locked out of my SIM card (to access phone numbers, etc) as a result of entering the SIM password wrong. This was NOT what I wanted.
I called back, and specifically requested a Carrier Unlock (for using other companies' SIMs), and they then made good on this request. You will need an active SIM from another carrier to get the job done, but if you specify your request to them, hopefully they will get it together. Another option is to buy a code at the numerous online re-sellers, but like I said, AT&T gave me mine for no cost. Good luck to you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, unfortunately they keep sticking by their guns and claiming that the code they're providing me with is the proper one.....
Don't try too many times, after maybe 5, not sure, you can permanently lock your phone. It is a security measure.
You nay already know, but hate for you to mess up your phone.
I'm still convinced that there's no way AT&T or anyone else would be able to tell you remotely what the code is.
When you buy new SIMs, they come inside a credit card-shaped piece of plastic. On that card itself (not the sim), there's two spots: one for a PIN and one for a PUK. The PIN is needed because the new SIM defaults to being locked as a security feature. Every time you turn off the phone, the SIM locks itself. Once unlocked, however, you can go into a phone's SIM settings and leave it unlocked permanently for any phone.
You need to find the card that originally came with the SIM.
Chrism suggested not to attempt the wrong pin too many times. It won't lock your phone, it will lock the sim and then require you to enter the PUK code.
I still wonder if it is the phone. When you enter the code, then you can use any sim card. He wants to unlock the phone to work with a different carriers sim I believe.
His problem is with the phone, not with the sim, is it?
Could be wrong.
tobnddl said:
There is definitely a difference between Carrier unlocking and SIM unlocking. I was steered wrong by AT&T the first time I asked. Essentially, they gave me a code that would allow me to override being locked out of my SIM card (to access phone numbers, etc) as a result of entering the SIM password wrong. This was NOT what I wanted.
I called back, and specifically requested a Carrier Unlock (for using other companies' SIMs), and they then made good on this request. You will need an active SIM from another carrier to get the job done, but if you specify your request to them, hopefully they will get it together. Another option is to buy a code at the numerous online re-sellers, but like I said, AT&T gave me mine for no cost. Good luck to you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe this is correct. Also, if you are entering the carrier code, and enter it wrong a specified number of times,i'm pretty sure it can lock your phone. I have unlocked well over a dozen, and have always been warned about it....
chrism.brunner said:
I still wonder if it is the phone. When you enter the code, then you can use any sim card. He wants to unlock the phone to work with a different carriers sim I believe.
His problem is with the phone, not with the sim, is it?
Could be wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reread the OP. The phone is already unlocked and rooted. That means that technically yes, he can use any sim card on his phone.
However, not all sims are sold unlocked. As I mentioned before, it's not uncommon to buy a prepaid sim outside of the US (like the OP's Euro sim) and be asked to enter the sim pin upon start up.
If you reread the OP, you'll see that he's describing exactly what I'm talking about. I've had to do this a handful of times on a handful of unlocked phones.
Regarding locking the device, again, the OP phone is already unlocked so locking the actual phone due to entering the incorrect pin is impossible. It would be the sim that would be locked (since the phone is asking for the sim pin) and could only be restored by entering the PUK. I've had to do this a couple of times myself for people who had forgotten their sim pin but still had their original card info at home. Once you enter the PUK, it works again.
i would Spend the 20 or 30 buck online and get a diifferent code
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
Regarding post #8
I agree with post #9 as well.
Maybe so, not my experience though. He has unlocked the bootloader and rooted. He has not carrier unlocked. I don't think that they are the same, but you could very well be right. Thanks. At least we are all trying to help him out.
That sim seems to already be unlocked if he has been using it in a T-Mobile phone to date. His ATRIX is still network locked.
OP. Let us know please. Now I am curious.
Thanks.
chrism.brunner said:
He has unlocked the bootloader and rooted. He has not carrier unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still haven't read where the OP stated he unlocked the bootloader. Rooted, yes. When I read "unlocked," I take that as "Carrier unlocked" the way that googling "unlocked cell phone" would bring up unrestricted/debranded/etc. cell phones, not necessarily having anything to do with the status of the bootloader.
That said, the bit about him using the sim on his older tmobile phone made me assume one of two things: he either forgot the code he used for that phone or it's a bad sim.
Granted, not every carrier unlock code works but given that he was getting it directly from AT&T (and it was on their servers), it should work. My Atrix, for example, required a code off Motorola's servers and even then the first code worked perfectly.
Trust me, if the OP has gone through all this trouble and the only thing left is to try the SIM pin then... 1+1=?
With the ATRIX you usually unlock the bootloader first, but that would explain some confusion.
Hey, I'm not trying to argue or anything.
OP, what unlock did you perform?
This thread is seriously non reality based.
Neither rooting nor unlocking has anything to do with getting the subsidy unlock code that allows non-ATT sims to be used.
ATT can cerrtainly provide the vaild code, and has always done so for me (albeit after possibly a await time).
3rd parties MIGHT be able to provide the same code. YMWV.
There have been some reports (search) that with the wrong radio the unlock code does not take. So ithat might be a way to go.
Wow, we are going round and round. Good luck.
Use search!!
r.Huzar said:
I'm getting a bit frustrated... I have unlocked and rooted the phone and now I"m trying to unlock the SIM so that I can give it to my wife to use with a European Sim Card. I've googled, read and read and so far I've done the following:
1. Placed the European SIM into the phone (that I used in my old TMobile phone to date)
2. Was presented with "Enter sim network unlock pin"
3. Called AT&T and obtained the "unlock code".
I tried that code 3 times so far. After spending a fair amount of time with ATT support on the phone they believe that the "pin" is different from the "code". Btw, the unlock number was confirmed to me by ATT support folks twice... I rechecked the IMEI number twice... and I"m stuck... what do I do? Is there a difference?
Btw, I tried it under CM7 and AOKP
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try THIS Thread---->Solved: Sim Unlock Fails With Valid Code
Sorry for taking so long to reply but for whatever reason I missed the email saying that there are replies. Anyways, lets recap
Phone is rooted and unlocked. I can run any ROM that I want and bootloader is unlocked.
The sim cards I am testing on (yes, plural) are not locked (as in they do not require a code).
I am trying to use a non ATT sim card (specifically I am trying TMobile EU) so that when I go traveling to EU again I can use the ATRIX with my local number that I keep rather then the ancient HTC windows phone that I have used to date....
I have made 4 attempts at unlocking so that means I am down to last one.....
Ok so I (foolishly) bought a galaxy s4 with verizon even though I was moving overseas to Israel in two months. I made sure that the phone was world capable (like it can do cdma and gsm) and the guy at the store said it would handle foreign sims no problem. Once I arrived here I got a new sim. I figured out that it needed to be in gsm. From then on it had the service bar and confirmed it was connected to Orange. Since then I have been able to receive calls and texts, but not make them, every time I try to make a call before one ring I get a prerecorded message saying that my number cant be completed as dialed. I have tried several things already to fix this: to a cell phone repair person, to the local sim carrier where a lady tried using the sim of her own phone, customer service at verizon and samsung (who both told me to go see the other). I also did a factory reset which didnt do anything.
my phone is not rooted and is schi545 ME7. I will root if I have to, but if I dont I would prefer not to for the time being
Anyway I suspect the problem has something to do with the fact that I got the phone from verizon. Every time I start the phone I get the Verizon logo and after a minute I get a notification from the verizon set up wizard saying that I have a non verizon sim and that the sims source is unknown. I also tried disabling the verizon security and was able to make the notification go away but the problem persists.
Can someone with experience with this kind of stuff help me please? Thank you so very much:good:
Are you sim unlocked? I don't think the phone is unlocked. Talk to verizon to see if they'll unlock it.
According to verizon I am. I spoke with multiple representives from verizon and they said the phone was unlocked
medphratalon said:
According to verizon I am. I spoke with multiple representives from verizon and they said the phone was unlocked
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has any one told you if you have to change any apn, access point name? That may be the problem too. They can be specific to the carrier.
No, how do you configure that
medphratalon said:
No, how do you configure that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In system settings, network & wireless, more, mobile networks, access point name. It'll be specific to the carrier so i can't help you there.
all LTE Verizon phones after Galaxy Note 2 are factory unlocked it must be a APN issue. Try maybe to do a factory reset and as previous poster suggested do the steps he told you to change the APN or look into I think it's called HiApn in Play Store.
Also try to put it in global mode or GSM? play with the settings.
still having problems
Thanks for all the input everyone but my problem still persists
I downloaded HiApn and followed its instructions to which told me to set up 3 Apns. I noticed that only one of them can be active at the time. I tried with each one active and I still can not make phone calls. Does anyone have any other ideas?
medphratalon said:
Ok so I (foolishly) bought a galaxy s4 with verizon even though I was moving overseas to Israel in two months. I made sure that the phone was world capable (like it can do cdma and gsm) and the guy at the store said it would handle foreign sims no problem. Once I arrived here I got a new sim. I figured out that it needed to be in gsm. From then on it had the service bar and confirmed it was connected to Orange. Since then I have been able to receive calls and texts, but not make them, every time I try to make a call before one ring I get a prerecorded message saying that my number cant be completed as dialed. I have tried several things already to fix this: to a cell phone repair person, to the local sim carrier where a lady tried using the sim of her own phone, customer service at verizon and samsung (who both told me to go see the other). I also did a factory reset which didnt do anything.
my phone is not rooted and is schi545 ME7. I will root if I have to, but if I dont I would prefer not to for the time being
Anyway I suspect the problem has something to do with the fact that I got the phone from verizon. Every time I start the phone I get the Verizon logo and after a minute I get a notification from the verizon set up wizard saying that I have a non verizon sim and that the sims source is unknown. I also tried disabling the verizon security and was able to make the notification go away but the problem persists.
Can someone with experience with this kind of stuff help me please? Thank you so very much:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to Setting, call setting, disable the prefix international. I have done the same for using Verizon S4 in Indonesia.
Mine was not unlocked either, although I knew this before buying. This is a guide I tried (without success) to unlock it on my own.
Like the last poster, I reside in Indonesia, but I was never with Verizon. I rooted mine and have had no problems since.
Ok so I went to call settings and the closest I found was assisted dialing for international calls and the option to turn it on or off. I played with that for a bit and it didnt work.
I also tried the code and it said connection problem or invalid code
during my fiddling I came upon an app that showed promise of fixing my problem if I had adb shell. Does anyone have a good place to get that? I tried a few that didnt work out for me. There was another that showed promise but it wouldnt send a package no matter what I try
Thanks
If you want ADB, you need to download Android SDK and have Java Runtime Environment also installed. Then, it is just a matter of typing in "adb" into the command prompt of Windows.
Is there a serious conflict for you not rooting the device? The true benefit of doing this is to get SIM cards from anywhere to work, and to allow certain apps to work. Rooting is simply a matter of bypassing security parameters. As long as you follow instructions strictly, you won't have an issue using the phone as it should be used.
yea I suppose I could try to root it. Im just not great at that stuff and am worried about messing up my phone permanately
medphratalon said:
yea I suppose I could try to root it. Im just not great at that stuff and am worried about messing up my phone permanately
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need to root. You need to sim unlock. Get a hold of att international chat and adj them for an unlock code.
Hey guys thanks for all the help but I figured out that it was just a bad sim all along and that the first school screwed me over
But everything works now
New to this, but I'll try to explain the best I can.
I've talked to tech support from my old carrier, my new carrier, and Samsung for about 15 hours total. I'm getting absolutely no where.
I purchased a Samsung Galaxy A20 from Spectrum mobile 3 months ago. I ended my service with them and switched to Red Pocket mobile when they had their black friday / cyber monday sim kit deal.
When I activated and ported my number over to Red Pocket I thought there was an issue with the number port.
But going back and forth with customer service they couldn't figure out what was wrong, as my account was activated and they confirmed that they now owned my phone number.
Eventually I realized my device was still locked with Spectrum. They provided me with an unlock code which did not work. They suggested using the unfreeze code which worked, my device said accepted/unlocked.
Phone works, can make calls and send text messages. However,I cannot access data.
My network operator still says Spectrum, and my Access Point name says charter (Spectrum's APN).
I cannot select the Add button, or the Reset to Default button in Access Point Names.
I took this to mean that my device was still locked since the unlock code did not work.
I thought the unfreeze code was specifically for if you attempt too many unlock codes and it locks you out of making more attempts.
That was my understanding, that the purpose of the unfreeze code is to enable you to make more attempts with the unlock code.
Again, I'm not really sure.
But regardless, Spectrum insists that despite it saying that my device is still locked according to their information, that the only way for it to say unlocked on their end is if i actually connect to my new provider, but that they have done everything on their end and that my device is unlocked and I should be able to connect to my new provider.
FUNNY right... in their records it says my device is still locked, but that that's not really accurate, and that it should be unlocked.
However, I have Red Pocket's SIM in my phone. And I can place and receive calls/texts. Spectrum and Red Pocket both use CDMA, so that makes sense to me. But since I am routing through Spectrum still, and I am unable to Add Red Pocket's Access Point Name in my phone, I cannot connect to Data / LTE.
From what I've explained here, do you all feel like my device is truly unlocked?
What is the best way for me to bypass this? How do I get my phone to switch from Spectrum's Access Point Name to Red Pocket's Access Point Name so that I can access Data/LTE ??
Thank you for taking the time to read my plight, and I appreciate any assistance anyone can give me with this.
I am not sure if attempting to root my phone or messing around with those kinds of settings will fix anything. I am not familiar with how to do that, but I will try anything at this point.
I have the A20 under MetroPCS still locked to their network. I can add APN's to it. So not sure why you are having this problem.
Medfordite said:
I have the A20 under MetroPCS still locked to their network. I can add APN's to it. So not sure why you are having this problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My thoughts exactly. Very strange why I am not able to add APNs.
I talked to a Samsung representative who suggested that it is probably either a software issue or the firmware installed by Spectrum.
When I told the Samsung representative that they assured me that my phone is unlocked (although I don't believe they even know what they're talking about since it is listed as locked in their system), he even went as far as to say that my device may be SIM unlocked, but they may have installed some sort of firmware on their phone that locks the Access Point Name to their server forcing the user to stay with them. Thus the phone will be able to take a new SIM, but it won't do the user any good since the firmware installed on the phone will not allow the user to connect to any other provider's Access Point.
I asked the Samsung representative if it was even legal for them to do that? He said it wouldn't surprise him as corporate giants such as Charter try to monopolize markets. He then went on to tell me that Charter took over as the internet provider in his area about a year ago and no longer has any other internet service providers in his area to choose from.
But again, I don't know if this is actually the case. But does anyone have any thoughts about what is going on or any suggestions as to what other things I can try to do to get connected to my new provider?
A quick update in case anyone in the future is wondering about my issue.
So after talking with another Spectrum customer service representative I have discovered that although my device was SIM unlocked over 2 weeks ago, my device is still carrier locked. They put an initial request for a carrier unlock over 2 weeks ago. Then after calling technical support a few days after that they had put in another request for the carrier unlock. A couple of days ago the representative I talked to went through all of the previous activity logs with my phone and discovered that the carrier unlock kept getting stuck on the end process of unlocking. He opened up another case for me (this will be the fifth ticket created for my account), but I expressed my concerns and doubts with him that it will accomplish anything.
I explained to him that if the issue can not be resolved on their end that I am pretty much out of luck. Since I have discovered on several forums that the Samsung A20 US version cannot be rooted, so there is no way to unlock the bootloader and install Samsung factory firmware to bypass the carrier locked APN on my own. I explained to him that if there was a way for me to do it I wouldn't even be calling, and I would have fixed the issue myself. However, since I am pretty much out of ideas to get my phone to work with my new carrier on my own and Spectrum can't seem to figure out how to carrier unlock my device even though they are LEGALLY REQUIRED to do so, that I am pretty much just about to give up and sell this device as a carrier locked phone on Swappa. He said yeah that's probably what I would do too at this point..
I said LOL, yeah but the problem there is I spent over $200 on this phone that I was only able to use for 2 months, and if I go that route I will likely only be able to get $50 for it.
He said yeah I can understand that that's frustrating, but I really don't see any other options you really have.
They also refuse to provide me with any sort of compensation even though clearly the mistake is on their end.
Bottom line.
NEVER BUY A PHONE FROM CHARTER / SPECTRUM.
Considering their business practices I would never buy phone service / internet service / any service they offer in the future, and would highly advise everyone else from ever purchasing anything from them in the future.