Unlocking My Previous AT&T Phone
September 28, 2015 10:07 AM Subscribe
I just bought an unlocked iPhone 6S, and am using it with AT&T (I'm currently off-contract with them entirely). I need to get AT&T to unlock my previous phone (iPhone 5C) so I can sell it to a friend who's on Verizon. Problem is, the 5C shows "no service", because AT&T (correctly) thinks the 6S is the phone for the account.
Here's what happened: I was going to sell my old 5C, which was previously unlocked by AT&T, but I shattered the glass yesterday, and, rather than repair, Apple gave me a new 5C. But this one, of course, is locked. And I don't know how to get AT&T to unlock it, because when I put in my old 5C sim, the phone says "No Service" (I suppose because only the 6S is associated with my account).
How do I get the 5C up and running on my account so I can have AT&T unlock it so I can sell it to my friend?
Also (to bury the lede), is my assumption correct that an unlocked AT&T iPhone 5C can be used by a Verizon customer? Some web info says "yes", some "no" (but even if not, I'll still want to unlock this phone).
Here's what happened: I was going to sell my old 5C, which was previously unlocked by AT&T, but I shattered the glass yesterday, and, rather than repair, Apple gave me a new 5C. But this one, of course, is locked. And I don't know how to get AT&T to unlock it, because when I put in my old 5C sim, the phone says "No Service" (I suppose because only the 6S is associated with my account).
How do I get the 5C up and running on my account so I can have AT&T unlock it so I can sell it to my friend?
Also (to bury the lede), is my assumption correct that an unlocked AT&T iPhone 5C can be used by a Verizon customer? Some web info says "yes", some "no" (but even if not, I'll still want to unlock this phone).
How do I get the 5C up and running on my account so I can have AT&T unlock it so I can sell it to my friend?
The simplest answer to this question is change the SIM from your 6S to the 5C.
posted by General Malaise at 10:28 AM on September 28, 2015
The simplest answer to this question is change the SIM from your 6S to the 5C.
posted by General Malaise at 10:28 AM on September 28, 2015
Response by poster: kickingtheground - thanks, but I need more support than that. There are authoritative-sounding verdicts going both ways out there.
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:37 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:37 AM on September 28, 2015
Response by poster: Genereal Malaise - does the SIM need to be in the phone when AT&T techs get to my unlock request in their queue? If so, I'd need to not use my 6S for a few days.
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:38 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by Quisp Lover at 10:38 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: Pretty sure you can still request to have it unlocked, I think I've done it with a phone that had no service. The page is here, and there's a link to a help page there, too.
Here are complete instructions for switching carriers for the 5c, from Forbes of all places. Can't guarantee that it's correct, but it seems pretty thorough.
posted by Huck500 at 10:41 AM on September 28, 2015
Here are complete instructions for switching carriers for the 5c, from Forbes of all places. Can't guarantee that it's correct, but it seems pretty thorough.
posted by Huck500 at 10:41 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: i unlocked my 5 well after i had started using my 6 (both had their own sim cards, though.). i believe the unlock got sent over wireless, so as long as you have a connection there, you should be able to unlock it.
posted by koroshiya at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by koroshiya at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: Absolutely not.
This has also been my experience as Verizon customer. Verizon has special nonsense that means the Verizon phones have to stick with Verizon and vice versa. You can read this page for more.
posted by jessamyn at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
This has also been my experience as Verizon customer. Verizon has special nonsense that means the Verizon phones have to stick with Verizon and vice versa. You can read this page for more.
posted by jessamyn at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You don't have to have the 5C up and running to unlock it. Use that unlock page and enter the 5C's info but use your phone number - the one that is on the 6S now. I did it with my old 4S and it worked on T Mobile.
posted by soelo at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by soelo at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: Verizon's website says that an iPhone built for AT&T won't work. Maybe they're wrong. But I recently tried to switch with an iPhone 5 (not C) and it did not work. I bought a new phone.
posted by three_red_balloons at 10:45 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by three_red_balloons at 10:45 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You don't have to have the AT&T phone running to unlock it. I unlocked a phone I bought from a friend and there was no sim in it at the time; I used the form linked above (or an earlier version of it). I think the phone does have to be connected to the world somehow, but you can have it on wi-fi.
posted by mskyle at 10:55 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by mskyle at 10:55 AM on September 28, 2015
Response by poster: Great help, everybody, much obliged.
Re: AT&T -> Verizon, okay, I'm a believer. My friend's gonna be disappointed (anyone else interested in a light blue mint condition 5C? Hopefully unlocked?)
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:01 AM on September 28, 2015
Re: AT&T -> Verizon, okay, I'm a believer. My friend's gonna be disappointed (anyone else interested in a light blue mint condition 5C? Hopefully unlocked?)
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:01 AM on September 28, 2015
Response by poster: Just a crazy question...since Apple just gave me this phone brand new a couple days ago, and I'm off-contract with AT&T, is there any chance they'd swap it for a Verizon 5C? I'd guess not...there's no incentive on their end. But worth asking....
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:23 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:23 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: There's totally a chance. Ask them.
posted by aubilenon at 11:28 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by aubilenon at 11:28 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: Apple wont even let you swap colors, much less carriers. Their system is set up to not allow that. I argued quite a bit with someone there about this on the color-front at one point.
And that said, check out this. The non-verizon 5c doesn't even support the radio type or frequencies needed for verizon.
The confusion on the net is because, starting with the iphone 6, they really ARE the same phone. People have successfully activated 6's from other carriers on verizon(just like they were doing with nexus 6's, and one or two other phones).
The unlock page has been posted above, and at&t will likely approve the unlock in less than a day.
posted by emptythought at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2015
And that said, check out this. The non-verizon 5c doesn't even support the radio type or frequencies needed for verizon.
The confusion on the net is because, starting with the iphone 6, they really ARE the same phone. People have successfully activated 6's from other carriers on verizon(just like they were doing with nexus 6's, and one or two other phones).
The unlock page has been posted above, and at&t will likely approve the unlock in less than a day.
posted by emptythought at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: Here's some more info... seems to support your phone not working on Verizon.
posted by Huck500 at 12:10 PM on September 28, 2015
posted by Huck500 at 12:10 PM on September 28, 2015
Best answer: I had warranty work done at the Apple Store on an unlocked (previously locked) phone, and they gave me a new locked phone back. When I noticed it, I took it back and they swapped it for an unlocked one. No guarantee, but you might want to try that, even just for resale purposes.
posted by blue_beetle at 5:09 AM on September 29, 2015
posted by blue_beetle at 5:09 AM on September 29, 2015
Response by poster: Following up:
Apple completely refused to swap it for a Verizon phone. Strong "we don't do that" reaction.
I asked if they could unlock the phone, and the genius told me it seemed to already be unlocked. I'd requested it with AT&T, but they hadn't gotten back to me. Guess it went through.
thanks, all.
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:13 AM on October 2, 2015
Apple completely refused to swap it for a Verizon phone. Strong "we don't do that" reaction.
I asked if they could unlock the phone, and the genius told me it seemed to already be unlocked. I'd requested it with AT&T, but they hadn't gotten back to me. Guess it went through.
thanks, all.
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:13 AM on October 2, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kickingtheground at 10:11 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]