Can a carrier lock a factory unlocked iphone?

[dbrcreative]

Hi all,

I just received my Public Mobile SIM card and trying to activate it in my factory unlocked iphone 6. I keep getting the attached message in iTunes.

I bought this iPhone 6 (model A1549) at Apple almost 3 years ago and paid FULL price (~$800). So I know it's a factory unlocked phone. Is it possible that my previous carrier Fido, who I still have a balance owing, could lock my phone somehow to their network to force me to pay up?

I've checked my IMEI online and it is not blacklisted in any way.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Cellexcite]

You can carrier unlock any phone.  A carrier cannot relock an unlocked phone. Apple can however cloud lock the phone if it is reported lost or stolen. It doesnt matter where you go if its cloud locked it wont be able to be unlocked by anyone but apple. I hope this helps answer your question. 

[kav2001c]

This entire thread is pretty irrelevant now however a SIM locked phone used to be sold by 3rd party vendors to recoup costs on prepaid services and lower inventory costs (not needing stock for Bell / Telus / Rogers / Freedom) since first SIM would lock the device

It would be extremely unlikely to ever see a SIM lock phone in a carrier store (eg Why would Telus WANT to sell a device that could be locked to Rogers? @computergeek541 )

Apple also WILL lock an unlocked phone but only for very specific reasons (usually MCC violations if somene is importing them en masse)

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@computergeek541 wrote:

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This isn't because of something that is done by the carrier when you insert the sim card, but with some phones (particularly Samsung and iPhone but only when sold as a carrier phone), they automatically lock to the carrier of the first sim card inserted.  This isn't because the carrier somehow sends a magically signal to the phone, but rather because of the way the phone's software is programed.. 

iPhone devices sold as factory unlocked by the Apple Store will never get locked, no matter what type of scare tactics a carrier may try to use. 

I am unsure why are you bringing AT&T up here as they are an American company, but please note that this message board is a Canadian specific support forum for the carrier Public Mobile. 

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[computergeek541]

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@Seamus1200 wrote:

I am a phone salesman and i’ve Had a lot of quest come back because they threw a prepaid sim in a i phone and tried to change the sim in a few weeks and couldn’t. AT&T themselves have told me while I was trying to help my guest, once a SIM card is placed in a iPhone that carrier can lock it to 6 month of service before unlocking it

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No, carriers cannot lock a phone and don't have any control of over this.  However, some unlocked phones can lock themselves to a carrier. 

This isn't because of something that is done by the carrier when you insert the sim card, but with some phones (particularly Samsung and iPhone but only when sold as a carrier phone), they automatically lock to the carrier of the first sim card inserted.  This isn't because the carrier somehow sends a magically signal to the phone, but rather because of the way the phone's software is programed.. 

iPhone devices sold as factory unlocked by the Apple Store will never get locked, no matter what type of scare tactics a carrier may try to use. 

I am unsure why are you bringing AT&T up here as they are an American company, but please note that this message board is a Canadian specific support forum for the carrier Public Mobile. 

As for relevance to Canadian customers,  all carrier device cell phones must be sold as unlocked, and if for some reason the device is unlocked, the carrier must unlock it for free.

[Seamus1200]

I am a phone salesman and i’ve Had a lot of quest come back because they threw a prepaid sim in a i phone and tried to change the sim in a few weeks and couldn’t. AT&T themselves have told me while I was trying to help my guest, once a SIM card is placed in a iPhone that carrier can lock it to 6 month of service before unlocking it

[kav2001c]

@dbrcreative Apple & Samsung both sell SIM locked phones depending on where you purchased it from

This means phone is UNLOCKED until you insert a SIM card

Once that SIM is inserted the phone locks to that specific network

To install a second SIM card at a later date you require an unlock code

[Luddite]

@dbrcreative @TheOldVR This is the thread ye seek: http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardware/SIM-Not-Supported-been-using-this-phon...

Check out the solution: originally locked to Rogers >> unlocked by Rogers >> relocked to Rogers! 

[dbrcreative]

Yeah @TheOldVR that isn't exactly my case. My iPhone was purchased directly from Apple. It should, in no way, be locked to any provider. Thanks for the help!

[TheOldVR]

@dbrcreative... to be fair, I believe the situation that I am mentioning relates to a device that was locked to a provider and then unlocked by paying a fee to the provider.

I'd be extra ticked if a phone purchased directly from Apple somehow became locked....

[dbrcreative]

Really @TheOldVR ?? That's just crazy... pay full price for a device so you can be free from carrier ties, just to have the device re-locked by Apple? Doesn't make sense. I'll search for the other thread that you speak about. Thanks.

[TheOldVR]

There is another thread on this same topic right now, and go figure... Apple sometimes does re-lock iPhones!

Might be worth checking with Apple to see if your phone was re-locked... and then see if they can help unlock it if it is.

[dbrcreative]

@Mana I will check with a moderator to see if there's an issue with my activation.

@computergeek541 I didn't think a carrier could lock a factory-unlocked iphone... but I just wanted to be sure... thanks for the info.

@Samianauman  @Luddite  I have tried resetting Network Settings, All Content and Settings and DFU mode with iTunes and still to no avail. I will need to book an appointment with the Apple Store to get this resolved. I tried putting another carrier's SIM card (not Fido) into my phone and it still gives an issue with activation. And it's not Public Mobile either.

Thanks for all your help. If there's a moderator around ( @CS_Agent ) maybe they could check to make sure all is okay with my PM account and SIM card.

Thanks all for your help!

[computergeek541]

Carriers don't get to request that factory unlocked iPhones get locked.  The prcoess at the carriers is set up so that they can request Apple unlock an already-locked carrier device, but not the other way around.

Your issue needs to be resolved fully by Apple.  They'll need to either re-unlock your device or replace it.

[Samianauman]

Check my other post also yes you can try dfu mode as well

Try other peoples sim but from non fido users

[dbrcreative]

I did try resetting Network Settings and also resetting All Content and Settings on the iphone. Completely wiped it out. I'll next try to DFU the iPhone with iTunes and see what happens then.

[Samianauman]

Did you tried network reset or factory reset?
I would say leave your pm sim in phone. And back up your phone first then try a full factory reset if that doesn't help then find a family or friend who's not with fido and try their sim in your iPhone if there sim works then its your sim card issue and if there sim doesn't work and you receive same msg then take your phone to Apple store with pm sim to get checked also when you try your friends or family sim in your phone also try your pm sim in their phone if someone with telus or koodo or if someone using unlocked phone

But I would first try factory reset option and once phone boot up connect Wi-Fi then follow the screen setup wizard when you plan to factory reset leave your pm sim in your phone as well

[dbrcreative]

OK, so I've been able to remove the SIM card and continue with booting up the iPhone without the SIM inside. No carrier shows on the homepage (top corner). But when I go into Settings > General > About > Carrier, it does show "Public Mobile 28.0". However, attempting to activate the iPhone with the PM SIM card doesn't work at all. Any ideas how to continue? 

[will13am]

I am not an iOS user, but I found this.  Does it apply to this situation?

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201270

[Mana]

@dbrcreative First try you sim in another unlock phone just to make sure that it's not a sim issue.

if it turns out to be a sim issue, you can request a mod for a replacement sim or just buy another sim.   You can also ask the mods to confirm that your account has been activated correctly, just to avoid any account activation issues. 

If it's not a sim issue or account activation issue, then take your phone along with your working sim back to the Apple Store and explain the issue. They should be able to either fix your phone or give you a replacement phone. 

Good luck. 

[sheytoon]

Take it to an Apple store, they should be able to fix it.

[kayli]

I had this same problem with my phone. I bought it from Best buy out right as an unlocked phone but found out that Bell locked the phone when I tried to use a roamMobility sim in USA. After 30 days, I just had to call them to unlock the phone and it was done on the spot. 

[Luddite]

You can try a total erase and reset as outlined here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306

OR return to Apple Store and complain. 

[Samianauman]

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@dbrcreative wrote:

I bought the phone at Apple without Fido's involvement. Bought the phone and simply swapped SIM card from old phone to new phone. Previous contract was over and just went from month to month since then.

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Thanks for comfirmation 

Then yes fido can't locked your phone 

As luddite said try different sim 

Also try network reset while leaving your pm sim inside as well with usb connected with iTunes 

See if you still get same msg or not then try full factory reset but do I fill backup first 

[dbrcreative]

I bought the phone at Apple without Fido's involvement. Bought the phone and simply swapped SIM card from old phone to new phone. Previous contract was over and just went from month to month since then.

[Luddite]

To confirm it's a phone issue, try the SIM in another phone, and a different one (i.e. not Fido ) in yours. That is the message for a locked phone.  

[Samianauman]

If you bought it outright from Apple then as far I know it's your own phone fido won't be able to locked it to their carrier try removing sim and reinsert back also try network reset option
I think fido have no rights on your personal phone only if you bought it full price from Apple
But also when you purchase a phone from Apple did you also sinnup for fido at the same time I mean did you sign-up for contract if yes then its locked to fido Apple do sell phones under carrier locked too even though you pay full price paying full price is an optional lets say if I signup with fido now its my choice to get the phone on tab or pay full price even if I pay full price phone will still be locked to fido

Unless if I just buy a Apple phone outright without connecting any carrier plan then you go get a plan later on with bring your own device option
I always buy own phone then use byod option plans