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Hey guys
sorry iam not an expert at this
its my first Android phone and i have no idea how to unlock it.
its HTC Magic/my touch 3g locked on tmobile USA
i bought it as is.
i googled and i found a dozen websites selling these unlock codes.
my question is how can i unlock it my self?
is there any way to flash it with some custom rom and do the job. or any other method, (i dont have acredit card )
anyway to get the code if thats the only way?
and if there is no other way then how do these guys get these unlock codes?
thanks
No way sorry, u must buy the unlock code by now
papa.khan123 said:
Hey guys
sorry iam not an expert at this
its my first Android phone and i have no idea how to unlock it.
its HTC Magic/my touch 3g locked on tmobile USA
i bought it as is.
i googled and i found a dozen websites selling these unlock codes.
my question is how can i unlock it my self?
is there any way to flash it with some custom rom and do the job. or any other method, (i dont have acredit card )
anyway to get the code if thats the only way?
and if there is no other way then how do these guys get these unlock codes?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the way I've done it (both on T-Mo and AT&T, US anyway)
1) Find someone who is in good standing with T-Mo, who hasn't unlocked a phone recently, and who doesn't plan on it.
2) have them call into T-Mo, saying they have a phone for international travel, and that they are looking to unlock said phone to ensure that they can have adequate coverage if they travel outside of the country, using local SIMs.
3) have them give the rep the IMEI for your G1, receive the unlock code (WRITE THIS DOWN, just in case, ive had to re-unlock devices before)
4) Profit!
This is a typical policy for most phone companies to have, and they will often enough unlock cell phones for users if you talk to a rep without too much fanfare. Only thing is, you cant just call them up every time you want to unlock a new phone, so this person probably wont be able to unlock another phone for a few months.
If you don't have someone who is on T-mo, you may be out of luck, and have to go through the old fashioned methods of paying for it with a 3rd party service.
I was able to say that I'm giving my phone to a non T-Mobile user and T-Mobile emailed me the unlock code the next day
-T-Mobile Customer
EpicFail236 said:
This is the way I've done it (both on T-Mo and AT&T, US anyway)
1) Find someone who is in good standing with T-Mo, who hasn't unlocked a phone recently, and who doesn't plan on it.
2) have them call into T-Mo, saying they have a phone for international travel, and that they are looking to unlock said phone to ensure that they can have adequate coverage if they travel outside of the country, using local SIMs.
3) have them give the rep the IMEI for your G1, receive the unlock code (WRITE THIS DOWN, just in case, ive had to re-unlock devices before)
4) Profit!
This is a typical policy for most phone companies to have, and they will often enough unlock cell phones for users if you talk to a rep without too much fanfare. Only thing is, you cant just call them up every time you want to unlock a new phone, so this person probably wont be able to unlock another phone for a few months.
If you don't have someone who is on T-mo, you may be out of luck, and have to go through the old fashioned methods of paying for it with a 3rd party service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats EXACTLY what you do. A t-mobile customer who has a good account (which is 99% of customers) can get the UNLOCK code. It will take a bit, I just did it with someone and it took almost 10 days for T-mobile to get it. Tmobile said its something with the Mytouch IMEI numbers that takes so long. Ususally it take no more than 72 hours, but either way T0Mobile always comes thru. If you do get it it will be a 8 DIGIT CODE, any more or any less and u are getting ripped off.
ok, but after I get the IMEI... What I'm supposed to do with it?
dan1727 said:
ok, but after I get the IMEI... What I'm supposed to do with it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The IMEI is actually a sort of "Serial number" for your phone, you'll find it on a sticker in the battery compartment i believe, you will have to give your IMEI to the rep.
They will give you an unlock code, which you will be prompted to enter once you put a non-tmobile SIM into your phone.
Questions should be posted in Q&A forums, not Development forums.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/announcement.php?a=81
See rule #15
Thread moved.
About 2 months ago I cancelled my T-Mobile account after some bad experiences with them. I had my LG V10 on lease with them, not yet fully paid. At the same time I convinced the representative to unlock my phone so I could switch to another carrier. I asked her if I needed to do anything and she said no, she can do it remotely, then told me it was all done. My phone was under some old guarantee that I could continue paying off the phone monthly instead of all at once (apparently that's since vanished, and they have no record of that guarantee ever existing. Figures.)
Anyway, I was happy to have an unlocked phone. But a few weeks ago I got a letter asking me to pay up the remaining balance or be sent to a collection agency. I couldn't, so they did. Yesterday I called T-Mobile to find out if my phone was unlocked and they said that since my account was closed and in collection, they couldn't check or tell me, and to call the agency. I did, and the collection rep didn't seem to want to give me a straight answer. His answers were (paraphrasing): "There's some things T-Mobile doesn't want us telling you (the consumer); "I'm going to choose my words carefully"; and, If you pay off your balance T-Mobile may unlock your phone." He repeated the last one whenever I asked additional questions. I figure he could've just said no, your phone is not unlocked.
So I'm thinking that since my phone was remotely unlocked by T-Mobile just before closing my account, that it's still unlocked and they just don't want to confirm it to me for fear that I may not pay them back as fast. My question is, if T-Mobile unlocked my phone before closing my account, could they re-lock it, wven without an active account? Also, could the rep have lied to me about having unlocked my phone?
By the way, I can't do the SIM swap trick because everyone I know uses micro sim and my phone uses a nano sim. Also there isn't a cell store anywhere near me.
Oh, I did an IMEI check online on Swappa and it said Activation Status: Clear, not blacklisted, and identified my phone as either LG V10 (T-Mobile) or LG V10 (Unlocked). Not sure what that means. Did a check on another site and under carrier code it said T-Mobile, and carrier code TMO.
Did you get your phone from tmobile? Aka model h901? It should have the tmobile unlock app already installed which will tell you if it's unlocked or eligible to be unlocked. They would have told you to use it to unlock it in the first place.
Also, a collection agency isn't going to know anything about tmobile services, they'll say anything to get your money. It's a completely separate company.
I'd be more worried that tmobile blacklisted your imei rather than having it locked since you didn't pay off your lease.
I bought a Pixel 6 specifically to run GrapheneOS, and also because I figured it would have top tier ROM and hacking support in general. I didn't realize T-Mobile carrier locked their phones (this is my 2nd smart-phone, and it's been 9 years since I got my 1st one), so I bought a carrier locked Pixel 6. They say they can unlock it after it's been on the network for 40 days and it's paid off. I am trying to figure out if I should return it, and find one that is factory unlocked.
If I wait it out and get it unlocked, will there be any drawbacks compared to a factory unlocked phone?
Is there any risk that the phone somehow won't be able to be unlocked?
Thanks
co_60 said:
I bought a Pixel 6 specifically to run GrapheneOS, and also because I figured it would have top tier ROM and hacking support in general. I didn't realize T-Mobile carrier locked their phones (this is my 2nd smart-phone, and it's been 9 years since I got my 1st one), so I bought a carrier locked Pixel 6. They say they can unlock it after it's been on the network for 40 days and it's paid off. I am trying to figure out if I should return it, and find one that is factory unlocked.
If I wait it out and get it unlocked, will there be any drawbacks compared to a factory unlocked phone?
Is there any risk that the phone somehow won't be able to be unlocked?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a TMobile customer with carrier sim unlocked and the bootloader can be unlocked once the sim is unlocked. You can try to chat with a TMobile rep and request to have sim unlocked. Just be courteous, but persistent.
co_60 said:
If I wait it out and get it unlocked, will there be any drawbacks compared to a factory unlocked phone?
Is there any risk that the phone somehow won't be able to be unlocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No drawbacks, they will be the same.
T Mobile could change it's mind between now and then, but I really doubt that. The CEO has been very vocal that they support bootloader unlocking.
I don't really see any difference between the pixel 5 and 6 reception. They both are not great. I was hoping 5he January update would improve it some but it just fixed the complete disaster that was December update.
As far as mmwave it is not worth it. The reception on mmwave is so poor and it would cost so much money to deploy. Right now I think it is really only in sports stadiums and malls places where there's alot of people in a small area and also in areas where there is no Verizon FiOS access. Eventually it will grow but I think it's going to be years before it's good enough. They basically have to have a cell tower on every corner and that will take years. And sub 6 5g is basically LTE++
co_60 said:
I bought a Pixel 6 specifically to run GrapheneOS, and also because I figured it would have top tier ROM and hacking support in general. I didn't realize T-Mobile carrier locked their phones (this is my 2nd smart-phone, and it's been 9 years since I got my 1st one), so I bought a carrier locked Pixel 6. They say they can unlock it after it's been on the network for 40 days and it's paid off. I am trying to figure out if I should return it, and find one that is factory unlocked.
If I wait it out and get it unlocked, will there be any drawbacks compared to a factory unlocked phone?
Is there any risk that the phone somehow won't be able to be unlocked?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard some people have success by telling them that they had to travel outside the country and therefore needed their Sim unlocked.
Lughnasadh said:
I've heard some people have success by telling them that they had to travel outside the country and therefore needed their Sim unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They claimed they did the permanent unlock for me on the phone (twice), but it turns out they did a temporary (30 day) unlock. There is a T-Mobile unlock app which launches to a "check eligibility" button, which when pressed brings you to a screen with 2 buttons, "permanent unlock" and "temporary unlock". Before I called, both were grayed out saying "ineligible", but after, I was able to do the temp unlock.
However, this does not allow me to toggle "OEM unlock" in the developer menu, which is really what I need to do.
co_60 said:
They claimed they did the permanent unlock for me on the phone (twice), but it turns out they did a temporary (30 day) unlock. There is a T-Mobile unlock app which launches to a "check eligibility" button, which when pressed brings you to a screen with 2 buttons, "permanent unlock" and "temporary unlock". Before I called, both were grayed out saying "ineligible", but after, I was able to do the temp unlock.
However, this does not allow me to toggle "OEM unlock" in the developer menu, which is really what I need to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just return the device and be done with it. Get a Google device and never worry that some jackass support person doesn't like your tone of voice and permanently locks it. How much of a hit will you take money wise?
I'm in the same position as OP and it sucks. the whole reason I went back to pixel after a Galaxy s20 was for modding and development :/
bobby janow said:
Just return the device and be done with it. Get a Google device and never worry that some jackass support person doesn't like your tone of voice and permanently locks it. How much of a hit will you take money wise?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Things like this is what scares me. Aren't U.S. carriers legally required to provide a way to unlock their phones? Is a permanent lock something that can happen?
As far as money, I would only be out $40 for a restock fee, but that isn't what deters me, it is the sheer hassle of returning the device, going somewhere else to get one, going back to my carrier to activate it, etc.
If waiting 40 days from purchase to unlock the phone is effectively the same as starting with an unlocked phone, then that is what I would prefer to do.
co_60 said:
Things like this is what scares me. Aren't U.S. carriers legally required to provide a way to unlock their phones? Is a permanent lock something that can happen?
As far as money, I would only be out $40 for a restock fee, but that isn't what deters me, it is the sheer hassle of returning the device, going somewhere else to get one, going back to my carrier to activate it, etc.
If waiting 40 days from purchase to unlock the phone is effectively the same as starting with an unlocked phone, then that is what I would prefer to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A couple of things here stand out. Yes, they are required to carrier unlock not necessarily allow bl unlock. But obviously they have found a loop hole if you say you're carrier locked for 40 days. As for activation, don't you just pop the SIM in and done? It should auto register your new IMEI. eSim is slightly different.
The thing about spending 40 bucks and an hour or so in travel and effort will pay off in spades should you encounter any issues. Even for piece of mind alone. But I have never bought a carrier device since the Pixel 3 and it took me a month for Verizon and Google to finally say this guy is making us crazy let's just give him what he wants. I'm talking an hour a day on the phone when support was live. I will not go down that road ever again. So now it's your call. Others can jump in and I do know there are some success stories. Good luck.
I have seen on eBay, USB Unlocking services for the S23 Ultra for around $200. What are these services doing? Surely its some sort of flash or hack that we could replicate? I bought what I thought was an unlocked S23 Ultra. I actually Traded my M1 Mac for it. It works a few minutes with a SIM, but then the signal goes away and it says invalid sim, this phone is locked to verizon. And when they say Verizon, it seems that they mean it. I tried a Verizon MVNO, US Mobile, and it treated it like a forbidden carrier. I was hoping maybe someone here could help me get this thing unlocked without paying $200 to some eBay guy to do what obviously anyone with the right knowledge could do.
Most likely a scam or just putting malware on your device
There really is no way anyone here can help you with a SIM Unlock. If the carrier cannot/will not unlock it for whatever reason, then you are stuck. Unfortunately, most of the Unlocking Services out there are scams. The few legit ones that are out there (no, I don't know of any), could not unlock your device untilt he Primary IMIE Shared Database is updated with S23 IMEI's and Unlock Codes. In the past, it takes anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months after a new device is released to get these into the database and for those that pay to access it, to be able to unlock your device.
This is because it takes a combination of Samsung and Carriers to update/release these.
There are several reasons an IMIE won't appear in the Unlock Database:
Phone is still financed
Phone has been reported Stolen (IMIE Blacklist)
Phone was never meant to be retail released (Test/Demo phones)
... and many other reasons
Sorry about this, but this is just the way it is.
jpolster2012 said:
I have seen on eBay, USB Unlocking services for the S23 Ultra for around $200. What are these services doing? Surely its some sort of flash or hack that we could replicate? I bought what I thought was an unlocked S23 Ultra. I actually Traded my M1 Mac for it. It works a few minutes with a SIM, but then the signal goes away and it says invalid sim, this phone is locked to verizon. And when they say Verizon, it seems that they mean it. I tried a Verizon MVNO, US Mobile, and it treated it like a forbidden carrier. I was hoping maybe someone here could help me get this thing unlocked without paying $200 to some eBay guy to do what obviously anyone with the right knowledge could do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does your phone boot up Verizon and have all the Verizon apps?
it did until I installed the U1 ROM
jpolster2012 said:
it did until I installed the U1 ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone will never unlock unless it has the Verizon software on it. Even if Verizon sends out the unlock signal, it will never process on the device unless you have the U package flashed.
Adding to that not only the Verizon Rom but you have to activate it with a Verizon Sim and it will unlock after 60 days automatically
I guess I don't understand. it works with a mint sim for like 5 min then says locked to Verizon. this has to be a software thing right? and if its software we should be able to just modify something
jpolster2012 said:
I guess I don't understand. it works with a mint sim for like 5 min then says locked to Verizon. this has to be a software thing right? and if its software we should be able to just modify something
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not just software. On the server side of things whenever a phone connects to a network the phone sends the sim info and imei and that network verifies if it's an unlocked phone or not.
Nm
jpolster2012 said:
I guess I don't understand. it works with a mint sim for like 5 min then says locked to Verizon. this has to be a software thing right? and if its software we should be able to just modify something
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
call Verizon and tell them you are travelling and need to unlock it so you can install a temporary sim card while you are travelling. This may or may not work for you.
spart0n said:
It's not just software. On the server side of things whenever a phone connects to a network the phone sends the sim info and imei and that network verifies if it's an unlocked phone or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought only iPhone did this, during its activation process. I was under the impression that SIM locks on android devices were all contained in the software and hardware of the device itself; hence the ability of the eBay sellers to use USB redirection to hack your device and unlock it.
jpolster2012 said:
I thought only iPhone did this, during its activation process. I was under the impression that SIM locks on android devices were all contained in the software and hardware of the device itself; hence the ability of the eBay sellers to use USB redirection to hack your device and unlock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that even works, most if not all of those services are scams to steal your money or install Spyware or malware. But no all phones and all networks in the US do this
Try calling Verizon as another poster said and telling them you are traveling internationally and need to use another sim temporarily. That is the only way you will ever get it unlocked. I have gone through this before and that is the only solution other than fulfilling the unlock requirements from Verizon.
It is best to buy unlocked phone. There is a reason locked phones are cheaper. Because the carrier makes up the cost in monthly charges.
Your options are limited.
1) Sell it as a locked phone on Swappa/ebay or other. Buy another unlocked s23 ultra.
Return it to Verizon.
Use Verizon.
I bought verizon phones when they had the specials to get free devices. Dumb idea because it cost me almost 200 per month in service when I should have just bought one unlocked.
My question is, if at all possible can verizon somehow lock my phone so it cant be used entirely because I quit paying for service? It is right now sim unlocked. I just factory reset it and with the verizon sim out I didnt download the esim from verizon during setup. I used wifi to download visible (current provider) and their app installed the esim. It works. Im just wondering if verizon can somehow get the phone to in any way lock when I dont pay. the deal was they'd add promo credits to my bill to pay off the phones over 32 months.
I read somewhere about oem unlocking and running a graphene OS verizon might somehow still be able to revert back to its android OS install and lock the phone...
Im pretty upset I bought these when i wasnt thinking right lol. I didnt know verizon was so strict on bootloaders out of anyone...i cant even use graphene on it which is why i got the dumb thing.
Just FYI Im going to pay off the devices. The contract says I have to at least pay for data on one device to still get the promo credits. Which means the $20 5G for the tablet...not sure if they intended on me figuring that out. I just don't have the cash now to pay it off in full and wanna experiment with the phone.
JOEWTFDOE said:
I bought verizon phones when they had the specials to get free devices. Dumb idea because it cost me almost 200 per month in service when I should have just bought one unlocked.
My question is, if at all possible can verizon somehow lock my phone so it cant be used entirely because I quit paying for service? It is right now sim unlocked. I just factory reset it and with the verizon sim out I didnt download the esim from verizon during setup. I used wifi to download visible (current provider) and their app installed the esim. It works. Im just wondering if verizon can somehow get the phone to in any way lock when I dont pay. the deal was they'd add promo credits to my bill to pay off the phones over 32 months.
I read somewhere about oem unlocking and running a graphene OS verizon might somehow still be able to revert back to its android OS install and lock the phone...
Im pretty upset I bought these when i wasnt thinking right lol. I didnt know verizon was so strict on bootloaders out of anyone...i cant even use graphene on it which is why i got the dumb thing.
Just FYI Im going to pay off the devices. The contract says I have to at least pay for data on one device to still get the promo credits. Which means the $20 5G for the tablet...not sure if they intended on me figuring that out. I just don't have the cash now to pay it off in full and wanna experiment with the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They cannot sim lock the device because the device is off contact now, however you cannot unlock the bootloader due to it being a Verizon device.
JOEWTFDOE said:
I bought verizon phones when they had the specials to get free devices. Dumb idea because it cost me almost 200 per month in service when I should have just bought one unlocked.
My question is, if at all possible can verizon somehow lock my phone so it cant be used entirely because I quit paying for service? It is right now sim unlocked. I just factory reset it and with the verizon sim out I didnt download the esim from verizon during setup. I used wifi to download visible (current provider) and their app installed the esim. It works. Im just wondering if verizon can somehow get the phone to in any way lock when I dont pay. the deal was they'd add promo credits to my bill to pay off the phones over 32 months.
I read somewhere about oem unlocking and running a graphene OS verizon might somehow still be able to revert back to its android OS install and lock the phone...
Im pretty upset I bought these when i wasnt thinking right lol. I didnt know verizon was so strict on bootloaders out of anyone...i cant even use graphene on it which is why i got the dumb thing.
Just FYI Im going to pay off the devices. The contract says I have to at least pay for data on one device to still get the promo credits. Which means the $20 5G for the tablet...not sure if they intended on me figuring that out. I just don't have the cash now to pay it off in full and wanna experiment with the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you made any effort to disable automatic updates?
I would expect their best chance to assert control would be when installing an update. I would disable automatic updates if possible, set the flag that says "do not use data", mark your wi-fi connection as "metered".
If the deal was you pay for 32 months to get whatever deal you agreed to, I think you are obliged to pay for 32 months. Re-read the contract, see what the "early opt-out" terms are like.
If you just stop using Verizon services, without telling Verizon that you are cancelling, I don't think you can consider yourself to have "stopped using Verizon".