Develop Bugs

Unlocked - How can you tell?

Is there a way to tell if my phone is network unlocked? I put in an ATT sim and my phone booted up normal, didn't ask for the unlock code and says no service. I know the sim ( iPhone 4 ) was shut off a month ago. It's rooted, FreeGS3 6, adama Kernal.

If it is unlocked it will get service.
Sent from my SGH-T999

If it's still locked then why doesn't it ask for an unlock code? Is there a way to force it or check it or?

I just had a conversation with TMO support chat. They tell me that the SIM card has to be active or it will not ask for the unlock code. I see people selling inactive ATT SIMs for unlocking TMO phones all over fleebay. TMO said I can use any active SIM but reading on the forum, people say you can't use a Verizon SIM.....
Anyone know what the facts are to unlock this 3S?

can an unlocked phone just swap sims from another carrier?

Actually this is a two part question.
1. I called sprint to see if i can get my phone unlocked so that I could test it on another carrier. At first they refused, then they said ok and gave me the MSL # for the phone. Is that all that is needed if i wanted to go to t-mobile or some other carrier and switch the phone to them? Can I unlock the phone myself if i have the MSL #?
2. if the phone were unlocked, and I had a sim card from another carrier, could i just swap sim cards and use the phone on the other carrier? Or does the phone have to be activated with the carrier first? I've got a friend with a note 4 from t-mobile and i was hoping i could just pop his sim card into my phone to test my phone out on t-mobiles network. I don't really want to sign up for service unless i know for sure the service is better.
Thanks

merkk said:
Actually this is a two part question.
1. I called sprint to see if i can get my phone unlocked so that I could test it on another carrier. At first they refused, then they said ok and gave me the MSL # for the phone. Is that all that is needed if i wanted to go to t-mobile or some other carrier and switch the phone to them? Can I unlock the phone myself if i have the MSL #?
2. if the phone were unlocked, and I had a sim card from another carrier, could i just swap sim cards and use the phone on the other carrier? Or does the phone have to be activated with the carrier first? I've got a friend with a note 4 from t-mobile and i was hoping i could just pop his sim card into my phone to test my phone out on t-mobiles network. I don't really want to sign up for service unless i know for sure the service is better.
Thanks
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Click to collapse
What i know of the MSL code dosen't unlock phones, sprint lies. It just opens up a hidden menu. There's a forum on here that shows how to domestic unlock the Note 4. To answer your second question, yes if it's unlocked you can just put the sim card in and if you did the unlocking right it should get the signal from T-mobile.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Free mobile app

arielovin said:
What i know of the MSL code dosen't unlock phones, sprint lies. It just opens up a hidden menu. There's a forum on here that shows how to domestic unlock the Note 4. To answer your second question, yes if it's unlocked you can just put the sim card in and if you did the unlocking right it should get the signal from T-mobile.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
wow so is sprint support completely incompetent or liars? They told me the MSL code was all that was needed to unlock the phone. and that i would NOT be able to just swap out the sim card to test it - i'd have to actually sign up for service with the other carrier and register/activate my phone under that plan

merkk said:
wow so is sprint support completely incompetent or liars? They told me the MSL code was all that was needed to unlock the phone. and that i would NOT be able to just swap out the sim card to test it - i'd have to actually sign up for service with the other carrier and register/activate my phone under that plan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're just liers. They don't want you going to another company. Heres the forum that shows how to domestic unlock
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3119322
[GUIDE] SIM Unlock Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop 5.0.x
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Free mobile app

Is it the phone?

My friend purchased a Samsung S4 M919 from someone he knows for $30 this week. He wanted to set it up via prepaid. He got the sim card and the refill card. Created the account and the sim is active and working (Tried it in another phone). When it comes on it just says no service. I tried searching the networks and having it connect to T-Mobile but it just says unable to connect. The phone was just unlocked via a unlock code and that was successful (Tried the service code way and it didn't work).
I did find out just recently that the previous owner had a balance on this phone or account. Is that why it wont work and is that the case on Prepaid as well? If so, would it work on AT&T? I did try a sim but its not an active one and it didn't pick up the network.
Running Stock Rom 5.1
Any help would be appreciated.

Also I wanted to check to make sure the phone was working properly I put in an old AT&T sim card but the network did not come up. Is that normal since the sim is not active or should it show the network? I want to make sure its working before my friend spends more money on another prepaid sim.

If the phone had a previous balance due, it will not pick up service. The phone is likely blocked until the balance is paid off
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

That would only be on T-Mobile right? It should work other services like AT&T, etc...

aries426 said:
That would only be on T-Mobile right? It should work other services like AT&T, etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily, it could also be blocked on other networks. It may or may not work
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

I thought if a phone was blocked from a carrier because it was stolen or lost then it's Blacklisted, that goes to all carriers. But I thought if its blocked on a carrier or non payment it's only blocked for that carrier. If you unlock the phone you can use it on other carriers. Is that right?

I found out from my friend that the person he got the phone from did owe on it but he thinks it was on the bill but it might have been the phone.

[Q] help with SM-925V

I just picked up a Samsung S6 Edge 925V and I am starting to think this phone is completely useless here. I have a SIM chip from Telcel in Mexico. I popped in the chip expecting a screen to enter an unlock code but instead I have the message "SIM card is not from Verizon" and not LTE signal. I thought that I would be able to install SM-925I but I"ve been reading that is not possible.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

Verizon Note 5 has a locked bootloader..you cannot flash anything other than stock Verizon firmware on it. As for unlocking for use on other networks, you need to either contact Verizon or look for a reliable online unlocking service
Sent from my SM-N920G using Tapatalk

Sprint Note 4 weird when I put in a AT&T SIM Card. Help!

OK, so this weekend I decided to try my AT&T SIM Card with my Note 4 from Sprint. I thought it would ask me for a SIM unlock code or something but it recognized the card and showed "3G". However, I got the card icon which said "Invalid SIM Card".
Any idea why I did not get the prompt to input unlock code? Thanks!

HD2FORNICK said:
OK, so this weekend I decided to try my AT&T SIM Card with my Note 4 from Sprint. I thought it would ask me for a SIM unlock code or something but it recognized the card and showed "3G". However, I got the card icon which said "Invalid SIM Card".
Any idea why I did not get the prompt to input unlock code? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sim inside the sprint note 4 is only to access the LTE network. So since you took the sprint sim out, you would be only receiving 3g. That is why you are receiving the invalid sim card error, because its not using it.

davnav899 said:
The sim inside the sprint note 4 is only to access the LTE network. So since you took the sprint sim out, you would be only receiving 3g. That is why you are receiving the invalid sim card error, because its not using it.
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Click to collapse
So I am getting that error because the SIM card is not using LTE? I don't get it. If the phone is unlocked, shouldn't it ask for an unlock code?

HD2FORNICK said:
So I am getting that error because the SIM card is not using LTE? I don't get it. If the phone is unlocked, shouldn't it ask for an unlock code?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's been plenty of discussion in this forum about bringing SM-N910P to other networks. I'm no expert, haven't done it myself but what I read repeatedly posted is that radios in this version did not allow LTE on domestic carriers when unlocked. Seems a common issue with phones made for CDMA carriers; taking them to another carrier may not meet your expectations. If the limitations are acceptable, maybe you consider going ahead and weigh your options.
Again, there's plenty of threads in this forum discussing this but here's one that I found that may help. To me, it's been rare for @idone to post these days but he posted here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=61789140
And here too:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=65149970&postcount=321
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

samep said:
There's been plenty of discussion in this forum about bringing SM-N910P to other networks. I'm no expert, haven't done it myself but what I read repeatedly posted is that radios in this version did not allow LTE on domestic carriers when unlocked. Seems a common issue with phones made for CDMA carriers; taking them to another carrier may not meet your expectations. If the limitations are acceptable, maybe you consider going ahead and weigh your options.
Again, there's plenty of threads in this forum discussing this but here's one that I found that may help. To me, it's been rare for @idone to post these days but he posted here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=61789140
And here too:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=65149970&postcount=321
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I am aware that the Sprint Note 4 would give me 3G or H+ but not LTE which is fine by me. I was wondering why the phone did not ask me for the Unlock code to begin with when I threw a GSM card in there.

HD2FORNICK said:
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I am aware that the Sprint Note 4 would give me 3G or H+ but not LTE which is fine by me. I was wondering why the phone did not ask me for the Unlock code to begin with when I threw a GSM card in there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you find your answer? Or still asking?
It's likely Sprint will give you a MSL number but not unlock the phone to use on domestic carriers. I think you still need to unlock it for that purpose. But the developer I referred you to can do this with or without the MSL. His tools are capable; his service is a full unlock for domestic. I don't think you need the unlock for carriers outside the U.S. the way the phone is currently. Sprint may clear a phone for domestic carrier use but not unlock it or help you activate it. You'll likely find no carrier to help you unlock it either.
I'm sure there are ways to do it yourself but it's gotten more complex with Lollipop and Marshmallow. I'm just not sure how it's done because I haven't fully done it. Only walked through it partially back in KitKat but kept Sprint SIM and service. Didn't try another SIM card.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

samep said:
Did you find your answer? Or still asking?
It's likely Sprint will give you a MSL number but not unlock the phone to use on domestic carriers. I think you still need to unlock it for that purpose. But the developer I referred you to can do this with or without the MSL. His tools are capable; his service is a full unlock for domestic. I don't think you need the unlock for carriers outside the U.S. the way the phone is currently. Sprint may clear a phone for domestic carrier use but not unlock it or help you activate it. You'll likely find no carrier to help you unlock it either.
I'm sure there are ways to do it yourself but it's gotten more complex with Lollipop and Marshmallow. I'm just not sure how it's done because I haven't fully done it. Only walked through it partially back in KitKat but kept Sprint SIM and service. Didn't try another SIM card.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I'm still looking for an answer. I have messaged idone on their website and sent a PM. I need this unlocked and take it to H2O. Sprint gave me the MSL code to be given to a GSM carrier but I call BS on that. Strange thing is the damn phone recognizes the AT&T SIM card as a 3G card all right but still says "Invalid SIM Card".

HD2FORNICK said:
No I'm still looking for an answer. I have messaged idone on their website and sent a PM. I need this unlocked and take it to H2O. Sprint gave me the MSL code to be given to a GSM carrier but I call BS on that. Strange thing is the damn phone recognizes the AT&T SIM card as a 3G card all right but still says "Invalid SIM Card".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No expert here, but dont you need an AT&T SIM card that has your phone unique ID info programmed into it so it registers on AT&Ts network?
I thought the MSL would just unlock an area in the phone where you would change DNS type info to AT&T's towers/network.