Unlocked s21 Ultra showing as "Unknown Device" and not supporting 5G or Extended Range LTE on My Mobile account

Hello to All,

I'm joining the Unknown Device list.  I purchased a brand-new Galaxy S21+ 5G 256GB DSDS Unlocked International phone that is 100% T-Mobile compatible.  I detected two issues:

1.  The Unknown device status - My phone and yours are not in their network DB.  Even though a SIM can be installed and activated, and we still get billed and must pay, but the network doesn't really know we are out there.  T-Mobile needs to cleanup their process to deal with BYOD - locked/unlocked device by gathering the requisite data: device, Serial N., EMEIs, and Freq Bands, etc. for entry into the network DB that runs things.
2. My phone is now network locked after the T-Mobile SIM was installed.  I've been told it's going to take 72+ hours to obtain the unlock code.  However, I have a DSDS (Dual Nano-SIM) phone and both of my EMEI numbers are valid, not blacklisted, and are NOT in the T-Mobile Network DB; and are NOT in the network DB, so that they can pull up my data based on my EMEI numbers.

Note:  I manage a complex NMS system for a large food supply shop, and when new IT staff join, they get admin level credentials and automatically gain access to the NMS system that monitors servers, WAN link, UPS, switches, etc.  So, when checking the DB for them via the NMS GUI, they aren't there, but if I access the records at the SQL query level, guess what they are there.  So, to correct the issues, I must advise them that an acct issue is present, delete their acct, and add them with a more restrictive policy to the NMS system via the GUI.  Now the system is fully aware of them.

Sorry for the long story, but to correct this issue, many users may end up in the same predicament that my IT staff deal with and may lose cellular service while T-Mobile is making these changes.  You can't have duplicate records present.

How did your phone get locked into T-Mobile just by putting in their SIM card. I ordered one from them and put it in and after a quick update my phone shows it's on their network but it's not locked. I can easily swap my SIM card. Plus when I had issues connecting I have them my IMEI number so they have it but it still does not show any info. But my wife's iPhobe does and both our phones (S20ULTRA for me and iPhone XS for her) were bought unlocked directly through the manufacture and we're initially on Verizon for 2 years before we switched to TMO. So there no rhyme or reason here. 

On my phone, I can initiate a SIM Lock (haven't. cuz the T-Mobile is in slot 1), which is at a phone level, so the SIM can't be used in another phone or a 2nd SIM slot with a different EMEI No.

However, T-Mobile has applied a network SIM Lock on the SIM/EMEI in my slot 1.  I have a DSDS Dual Nano-SIM phone.

 The fix is a bit complicated, since I am somewhat on T-Moblie, but not Identifiable in their DB.

Very similar to my NMS acct issue where the IT staffer had access, and could add/delete/modify devices in the NMS, but from the GUI app, you couldn't find them at all.

T-Mobile needs to update their DB.  They're a global carrier, and have the resources to pull it off.

Another issue I have noticed on the unlocked versions is RCS doesn't work with Samsung messages app. Workaround is moving to Google messages app but still 

if its a TMO variant then it should already be in their system..it was branded for them after all..which if memory serves if you purchased it from another vendor it must be on their network for a certain amount of days before it can be unlocked by TMO. 40 days i believe for Post paid and a year for Pre paid or something along those lines.

fireguy_6364 wrote:

if its a TMO variant then it should already be in their system..it was branded for them after all..which if memory serves if you purchased it from another vendor it must be on their network for a certain amount of days before it can be unlocked by TMO. 40 days i believe for Post paid and a year for Pre paid or something along those lines.

It should be in their system , but it isn't in their system hence the post.  Similar to when I purchased a T-Mobile device from Samsung directly. 

I have the same issue, my Samsung S21 Ultra is showing up as unknown device. I was looking into Xfinity Mobile since Verizon has better coverage in my neighborhood but they're telling me my device is not compatible. It can't be true since Xfinity sells the S21 Ultra. Not sure exactly, but I'm thinking it's related to this issue, which is frustrating.

Futbol.dad68 wrote:

I have the same issue, my Samsung S21 Ultra is showing up as unknown device. I was looking into Xfinity Mobile since Verizon has better coverage in my neighborhood but they're telling me my device is not compatible. It can't be true since Xfinity sells the S21 Ultra. Not sure exactly, but I'm thinking it's related to this issue, which is frustrating.

Is your device a T-Mobile branded device and if so where was it bought from ? 

It it's a T-Mobile branded device bought from any authorized dealer other than TMobile directly then  it's  the same issue as me. 

Because T-Mobile state that they can't process sim unlock requests because the IMEI isn't recognized due to it not being in their system. 

Ive already filed a complaint to the FCC. Since it's unacceptable that a phone should remain sim locked with no avenue to get it unlocked due to system limitations.

I bought it at Best Buy. Guess I should have known :(

I brought over a Samsung S10e from Verizon and a new unlocked S21 Ultra (bought from Samsung).

The 10e is identified correctly, the Ultra is unknown.  So I don't know if porting brought over info from Verizon or it's just somewhat random.   Of course, about from identifying the model, little of the other stuff like checking lock status, works