Forum Discussion
Carrier Lock Restricted by TM, iPhone 13 Pro brand new paid in full from Target
Please help. I've had this brand new phone for 2 years now, bought accessories, etc. Set up phone without SIM, logged into my Apple ID and was finally ready to use it with my carrier and is sim/carrier locked. I've reached out twice at the beginning of the year through Chat. Provided IMEI and was told via Chat this phone was not under TM carrier Network. Paid another website to hopefully unlock it, and couldn't because my sims was restricted to TM. Went to Apple Care to see if they could help me. Apple plugged in my IMEI and was told this phone is carrier locked by TM/Sprint Network. I reach back out to chat today stating that I bought the phone brand new from Target, its been 2 years now that I haven't been able to use this phone and from my understanding should be eligible for free unlocking. Instead of help I recvd attitude with the rep keeping track of the two times I reached out prior??? The bullying continued with the chat rep stating TM has the sole rights to deny my request to unlock… WORD FOR WORD and also stated he wouldn't because my phone hasn't fully been paid off ( it wasn't purchased through TM / nor do I have an account, and have no relationship with this carrier, it was paid in full by Target… so I'm confused as to how this rep would have this information???)… therefore TM nor Sprint will unlock this phone and that Target lied to me. Forget the phone for a minute, what kind of CS is this !??! I stated I paid for this phone, no receipt was asked for, no follow up questions to make sure he understood since this doesn't make any sense ! I also plugged in my IMEI through TM "compatibility" and was accepted…. How, if my phone isn't paid in full? !! Now for the phone.. I asked if he could provide me this information about the phone not being paid in full .. WORD FOR WORD again.. "Nope bc we need to gain access to the owners account to see that" and that was it. I am disturbed with the professionalism or lack thereof. This is sad. Can anyone help me get to the source, please?
If Target said it was unlocked then they messed you up. Here is the Apple Policy that screws your unlocking experience. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254042796?sortBy=best
Now to get this unlocked you need to contact T-Force(T-Mobile Help) on Facebook or Twitter with they will contact Apple to find out if the IMEI is legit theirs and then they will get the IMEI imported to the database for unlocking and put in the request to Apple.
Short tidbit of information no carrier would put the IMEI in their database without verification from the manufacturer(the right department) as they don't want to be held potentially liable for theft or fraud is why you are having this problem.
Tidbits - is correct with this post. Thank you for taking the time to read EVERYTHING !
Gramps28
Target phones are Flex phones (didn't know this, thank you for the info tidbits!) Targets wording is very "read between the lines" but IS also noted, which now has completely changed and only going through AT&T carrier (iPhone 15) I was gifted a brand new "unlocked" iPhone 13 Pro that was bought from Target. In fine print you basically have 3 options as a carrier through Target with an unlocked phone AT THAT TIME (2yrs ago). TM, Verizon, and I cant remember the other.. This phone was bought but states carrier required when you purchase it. (I wasn't there) The person who bought it clearly wasn't listening when purchasing an "unlocked phone by Target" as a Christmas present (probably last minute) The 1st sim was Straight Talk … it never worked/connected, just SOS. The phones IMEI is on T-Mobile's/Sprint Network - confirmed by TM Chat Rep and Apple Care as noted previously. This question has been slapped across my face a couple of times but I didn't need a phone at that time. My current carrier and phone was working fine and clearly dislike " new phone set ups" to avoid clearly this situation and all the transferring contacts, apps, etc. but the lesson has clearly taught me a lot and will open all electronics right then and there ! lol
Thanks ! 😁
JVestal529 wrote:
I went to Target today to get the receipt to show proof the phone has been paid in full. I went to Apple Care yesterday, they took my phone to look up the IMEI and informed me that this phone is carrier locked to T-Mobile/Sprint Network. After I found that out I went to T-Mobile Chat yesterday as well and requested my phone to be unlocked and the TM rep mocked how many times I went through Chat to figure out what's going on with this phone since every store and website service shoots me back to TM. The chat rep denied my phone to be unlocked because the phone isn't fully paid and I am confused as to how this is true if I have never been affiliated with TM whatsoever, no account, no number. The phone was bought with no sim so I could pick any carrier that best fits me. The rep confirmed the phone is locked to TM but denied to unlock my brand new phone because somehow on his end the phone hasn't been paid in full ?? BUT IT HAS.. He is giving me a hard time, not answering my questions and its a joke to that rep. He basically said in fine print " TM has sole right to accept or deny my request. I am gathering all my information and going to corporate with it and hopefully someone will take my proof and facts into consideration and unlock this $1200 iPhone that I've never been able to use.
I really appreciate the feedback and will follow suggestions and hope it works. Fingers crossed !
Read the SIM Unlock Policy requirements posted above, all of them, and then underatand what you need to do if you actually meet them all. Your phone being oaid in full is only one requirement depending on your T-Mobile plan and device usage on the T-Mobile network.
Check the imei# in the link below to see status of the imei. If sold by Target the imei number is not in Tmobile's system and they can't unlock it.
https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/bring-your-own-phone#imeiextender
May I ask why you bought a phone 2 years ago and you're just activating it on a network now?
Could of avoided some of this 2 years ago. It sounds like Target sold you a phone that's been returned or a store employee used his Sim in it to see if they liked it.
You are talking go the wrong people...
I went to Target today to get the receipt to show proof the phone has been paid in full. I went to Apple Care yesterday, they took my phone to look up the IMEI and informed me that this phone is carrier locked to T-Mobile/Sprint Network. After I found that out I went to T-Mobile Chat yesterday as well and requested my phone to be unlocked and the TM rep mocked how many times I went through Chat to figure out what's going on with this phone since every store and website service shoots me back to TM. The chat rep denied my phone to be unlocked because the phone isn't fully paid and I am confused as to how this is true if I have never been affiliated with TM whatsoever, no account, no number. The phone was bought with no sim so I could pick any carrier that best fits me. The rep confirmed the phone is locked to TM but denied to unlock my brand new phone because somehow on his end the phone hasn't been paid in full ?? BUT IT HAS.. He is giving me a hard time, not answering my questions and its a joke to that rep. He basically said in fine print " TM has sole right to accept or deny my request. I am gathering all my information and going to corporate with it and hopefully someone will take my proof and facts into consideration and unlock this $1200 iPhone that I've never been able to use.
I really appreciate the feedback and will follow suggestions and hope it works. Fingers crossed !
JVestal529 wrote:
Please help. I've had this brand new phone for 2 years now, bought accessories, etc. Set up phone without SIM, logged into my Apple ID and was finally ready to use it with my carrier and is sim/carrier locked. I've reached out twice at the beginning of the year through Chat. Provided IMEI and was told via Chat this phone was not under TM carrier Network. Paid another website to hopefully unlock it, and couldn't because my sims was restricted to TM. Went to Apple Care to see if they could help me. Apple plugged in my IMEI and was told this phone is carrier locked by TM/Sprint Network. I reach back out to chat today stating that I bought the phone brand new from Target, its been 2 years now that I haven't been able to use this phone and from my understanding should be eligible for free unlocking. Instead of help I recvd attitude with the rep keeping track of the two times I reached out prior??? The bullying continued with the chat rep stating TM has the sole rights to deny my request to unlock… WORD FOR WORD and also stated he wouldn't because my phone hasn't fully been paid off ( it wasn't purchased through TM / nor do I have an account, and have no relationship with this carrier, it was paid in full by Target… so I'm confused as to how this rep would have this information???)… therefore TM nor Sprint will unlock this phone and that Target lied to me. Forget the phone for a minute, what kind of CS is this !??! I stated I paid for this phone, no receipt was asked for, no follow up questions to make sure he understood since this doesn't make any sense ! I also plugged in my IMEI through TM "compatibility" and was accepted…. How, if my phone isn't paid in full? !! Now for the phone.. I asked if he could provide me this information about the phone not being paid in full .. WORD FOR WORD again.. "Nope bc we need to gain access to the owners account to see that" and that was it. I am disturbed with the professionalism or lack thereof. This is sad. Can anyone help me get to the source, please?
Have you ever been a T-Mobile USA customer and are you one now? Does the device and your T-Mobile account mert all of the SIM Unlock Policy requirements?
https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/consumer-info/policies/sim-unlock-policy
Just because you paid full price up front for your device does not make it eligible to be SIM unlocked.
If Target said it was unlocked then they messed you up. Here is the Apple Policy that screws your unlocking experience. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254042796?sortBy=best
Now to get this unlocked you need to contact T-Force(T-Mobile Help) on Facebook or Twitter with they will contact Apple to find out if the IMEI is legit theirs and then they will get the IMEI imported to the database for unlocking and put in the request to Apple.
Short tidbit of information no carrier would put the IMEI in their database without verification from the manufacturer(the right department) as they don't want to be held potentially liable for theft or fraud is why you are having this problem.
If you bought the phone from Target, the phone will lock to the first Sim card inserted due to Apples 3rd party flex policy.
