T-Mobile Not Unlocking my Phone

T Force is a higher tier of support that you can message them on Tmobile's Facebook or Twitter page. They're good at fixing issues like this.

According to Tmobile's unlock requirements once the phone meets the requirements the phone will automatically be unlocked and a text will be sent letting you know.

One "out of box" suggestion. If you are looking to unlock so you can sell your iPhone, you can see what a trade in at TMO (trade in for upgrade) or Apple (gift card) will get you. Neither care if you phone is locked for trade in.

kasave wrote:

kasave wrote:

I just ran both IMEI by Swappa and all good. T-Mobile on the other hand, is giving me a warning note on the "ghost replaced" one (the one showing up in the purchase receipt in March 2021) saying the following: "We can't confirm that this device is unblocked. Please contact the original wireless carrier for information about the device's status."

“contact the original wireless carrier” lol, that’s the one I “supposedly” bought in their store based on the receipt.

It sounds like someone swapped your phone out without you knowing but I'm sure that's highly unlikely.

Try TForce

gramps28 wrote:

kasave wrote:

kasave wrote:

I just ran both IMEI by Swappa and all good. T-Mobile on the other hand, is giving me a warning note on the "ghost replaced" one (the one showing up in the purchase receipt in March 2021) saying the following: "We can't confirm that this device is unblocked. Please contact the original wireless carrier for information about the device's status."

“contact the original wireless carrier” lol, that’s the one I “supposedly” bought in their store based on the receipt.

It sounds like someone swapped your phone out without you knowing but I'm sure that's highly unlikely.

Try TForce

I have seen the odd s am years ago with another carrier where a person purchases a phone, returns it within the buyers remorse period, and has actually swapped out the device, making it look like it was never removed from the box.  I don't know if this is the case here but that is why I think T-Mobile should at least blacklist the device this person doesn't have and check to see if that IMEI of the missing device shows up on another account.  

Update, T-Force team is telling me the same thing as the more than 10 reps/supervisors, to wait almost a week for the "offline" team. Still no explanation or anything. I just have to wait for whenever they can. Not only I was sold a swapped-used phone but also I am being kept hostage with their service. Unbelievable. I called this morning again and no manager wants to talk to me and reps end up hanging up on me without returning the call. I never thought I was see this kind of things from a company this big.

gramps28 wrote:

Did you do a warranty exchange?

No. But that is one of many reasons some of the Reps have told me. That it looks like the original phone was exchanged for the one I have right now. Which is not the case. The phone I have was the same I bought almost 2 years ago. Also, warranty exchange would be also logged in the account right? None of that is there.

syaoran wrote:

Try reaching out to the T-Force Team via Facebook or Twitter.  If the device wasn't the device that matches the IMEI on the box.  T-Mobile should blacklist that device IMEI and try to figure out who it was sold to and how you managed to end up with it.  

Well just like gramps28 says. Another version told by Customer Care is that the IMEI I have right now is different from the one I "supposedly" bought in March 2021. That makes some of the Reps believe it was exchanged, but that never happened. In newer versions of iOS you can see if the phone was repaired or even if it has a none-genuine Apple part. None of that is there. This is a brand new phone I bought on a T-Mobile store. One of the Reps even sent me a copy of the receipt from March 2021 and it shows a different IMEI. But there is no record of this "other" IMEI (the one I have) got into my T-Mobile account. They also have not been able to answer me: Assuming it was Warranty Exchange, why are you not able to unlock it? T-Mobile has the lock, just unlock it.

syaoran wrote:

kasave wrote:

syaoran wrote:

Try reaching out to the T-Force Team via Facebook or Twitter.  If the device wasn't the device that matches the IMEI on the box.  T-Mobile should blacklist that device IMEI and try to figure out who it was sold to and how you managed to end up with it.  

Well just like gramps28 says. Another version told by Customer Care is that the IMEI I have right now is different from the one I "supposedly" bought in March 2021. That makes some of the Reps believe it was exchanged, but that never happened. In newer versions of iOS you can see if the phone was repaired or even if it has a none-genuine Apple part. None of that is there. This is a brand new phone I bought on a T-Mobile store. One of the Reps even sent me a copy of the receipt from March 2021 and it shows a different IMEI. But there is no record of this "other" IMEI (the one I have) got into my T-Mobile account. They also have not been able to answer me: Assuming it was Warranty Exchange, why are you not able to unlock it? T-Mobile has the lock, just unlock it.

Actually, T-Mobile jist makes the request to Apple and then it is up to Apple to compete the SIM Unlock.  I don't know what sort of information is passed on to Apple to process the SIM Unlock but the IMEI would have to be a part of that.  The IMEI, which identifies the device uniquely, needs to meet the SIM Unlock requirements.  Because the device IMEI is different than the device you purchased, you might not meet the device requirements to have it unlocked. 

It makes me wonder if the device was originally registered to another account.

I called Apple, Apple said that if the lock was put by T-Mobile, T-Mobile should unlock it. They have no control over carrier locks. Replying to your last question, the original IMEI shows up in the account as a "previous" phone. But I never had "that" phone. I have only had this one. One of the reps told me the switch from the one in the receipt and the one I have right now was done in October 2021. But again, no exchanges have happened.

tidbits wrote:

IF the was a warranty exchange it may have been a refurbished Reseller Flex phone.  That means the device isn't in T-Mobile system to unlock.  It's one of Apple worst policies.

No carrier will put the IMEI in their system unless someone from the right channel tells a carrier it belongs to them.  This is to reduce fraud and theft.  https://swappa.com/faq/answer/us-reseller-flex-policy

Assuming it was warranty exchange (which was not). The lock says it's locked by T-Mobile. I asked that question to 3 reps and supervisors, crickets, no answer. Why is it locked by T-Mobile and they are not able to unlock it. If it is a Flex phone and it locks with the first carrier it means the first carrier was T-Mobile, so T-Mobile has to unlock it. Please correct me if I did not understand your comment.

tidbits wrote:

Yes, but in order for T-Mobile to unlock it the IMEI has to be in the system.  Reflex devices carriers do not have the IMEI in the system.  This is why it's a broken policy.  Apple has to GIVE the imei to carriers to let them know it's "theirs" to unlock.  As long as a specific department in Apple doesn't give the IMEI to carriers and with the way Apple processes unlocks carriers can't unlock devices outside of their device database.

The "correct" IMEI is in my account right now as the one I am using. That other "old" IMEI shows up as well but as a previous "phone". A phone I never had. I am not sure if being in my account means being in the system. Let me try to read more about Reflex devices to see if I understand that better. The main thing I am being told by T-Mobile is that they do not know where this phone came from.