Unlocking phone for travel SIM

[dblin94]

Hi @CS_Agent my sister and I need to unlock our phones from PM to use our travel SIM cards (didnt know that the phones we purchased auto-locked to the first carrier it uses). Could you help us with that ASAP? 

[CalgaryBen]

I have to rescind my recommendation to use imei.info for Apple products, as I just used it, and the information provided is nowhere near as comprehensive as the report I obtained last year. YMMV. Not sure what changed, but the info they did provide is mostly the same as what can be obtained for free.  I was looking for purchase and warranty dates, but this was missing.  Apple's warranty checker also no longer provides specific dates, so maybe it's a change on the GSX side...

[CalgaryBen]

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@srlawren wrote:

@CalgaryBen good to know of a solution that works and can be recommended to Apple users.  I suppose they can probably also get Apple to check for free if they take their device into an Apple Store? 

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Yes, "geniuses" at the Apple Store can provide this information if you have your device in-hand (i.e. they may be less willing if you just provide a SN or IMEI but no hardware).  Their screen has the same information provided by imei.info and more.  I recently did this as I was interested in the purchase date and warranty expiry on a used phone I had bought, and they happily provided the info.  It was "free", but I was also there for a battery replacement (had scheduled an appointment), and had to navigate through Christmas shoppers and a packed store!  While I'm cheap, not having to deal with crowds is worth the $2.99USD 

[srlawren]

@CalgaryBen good to know of a solution that works and can be recommended to Apple users.  I suppose they can probably also get Apple to check for free if they take their device into an Apple Store?

I did try a free check of my own Android IMEI on imei.info after seeing you mention it, and it correctly identified my phone.  Essentially it gave me the same type of info that GSMArena might give, a spec sheet.  It looks prettier than GSMArena mind you.  

[CalgaryBen]

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@srlawren wrote:

@CalgaryBen does imei.info have access to Apple's GSX database?  I guess so eh?  Is it only with the paid check?  Just curious--I'm not an iPhone guy (as you probably already know, since I keep tagging you for your expertise in iPhone-related threads) but helpful to be aware of.

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Yes, exactly right!  imei.info is just the site I've used in the past and can vouch for (i.e. reliable, accurate, and I haven't received unsolicited spam as a result of using them)... there are certainly others out there.  I'm guessing the $2.99 USD fee goes towards royalties/fees that imei.info likely has to pay to Apple for being able to use their API.  I'm not sure what type of info is available from imei.info for Android or other devices, but wouldn't mind knowing, so we can recommend it as a one-stop shopping site!  I just wouldn't recommend them for unlocking, since the fees are up arond the $50USD range!

[srlawren]

@CalgaryBen does imei.info have access to Apple's GSX database?  I guess so eh?  Is it only with the paid check?  Just curious--I'm not an iPhone guy (as you probably already know, since I keep tagging you for your expertise in iPhone-related threads) but helpful to be aware of.

[CalgaryBen]

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@dblin94 wrote:

We had purchased the phones from Best Buy (Canada) in Dec 2016. Since we were using PM prior to that and just popped in our SIM cards, we didnt think that the phones would lock because we didnt buy them from a carrier.  I guess those phones do lock after whatever first SIM card gets put in. 

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@dblin94 glad you got it unlocked!

Some additional information (more for the benefit of other readers -- you might not care since you've got things sorted):

• Telus and its subsidiaries are quite easy to deal with for unlocking, in my experience.  Even if you aren't a customer...
• Bell, on the other hand, has always been a challenge (and contrary to the spirit of unlocking rules, they often decline requests to unlock if you aren't an active account-holder). You can always ask a friend/colleague on Bell to help, but I've often found it easier just to pay a seller on eBay (expect to pay around $1-3) to unlock Bell-locked phones.  Some will argue that it should be free, etc., but to me, paying this fee means not having to find the right department, wait on hold, get transferred, etc.
• I have no experience with unlocking of Rogers phones, but eBay is also a viable route.
• If you're ever buying a phone (or have a phone) and want to know/confirm its history, I recommend getting its IMEI and then checking against imei.info. They offer some free services, and one of the paid services ($2.99 USD) is a check, which provides information similar to the following (some data masked out for privacy, but you'd get the full info): Edit: you can check at imei.info, but the information is long longer as comprehensive, and IMHO isn't worth the fee (the following is an example from Dec 2017, but I just ran this now in Dec 2018 and it basically only shows the first 3 lines and the last 1 line, which you can readily find for free).

  Apple info: 3558xxxxxxxx166

  Model	IPHONE SE LB 64GB GRAY
  IMEI Number	3558xxxxxxxx166
  Serial Number	DXxxxxxxxxXL
  Coverage Status	Apple Limited Warranty
  Coverage Start Date	03/17/17
  Coverage End Date	03/16/18
  Product Sold by	VERIZON WIRELESS - D239301
  Initial Carrier	US Verizon
  Purchased In	United States
  Estimated Purchase Date	2017-03-17
  Registered Purchase Date	2017-03-17
  Sim Lock	Unlocked

At this point the information isn't too useful since you've successfully unlocked, but if the process hadn't gone so smoothly, this might've been a good step to gain some insight into subsequent steps...

[Carld123]

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@dblin94 wrote:

Managed to get in contact with Telus and got it unlocked! Thanks for all the advice everybody! 

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@dblin94

Have fun on your excursion 👍

[dblin94]

Managed to get in contact with Telus and got it unlocked! Thanks for all the advice everybody! 

[BarryS]

@dblin94  I’m not sure how Best Buy sold phones in 2016, but I think your best bet is to try Telus and see if that works. Waiting for a response from the PM mods is not very quick.  Hope it works!

[dblin94]

@BarryS Yeah that might be the case, but doesnt quite make sense as we had just purchased the phones without any sort of plan or carrier. 

Looks like contacting Telus is what we’ll have to try unless there’s a better way to contact the PM mods

[CalgaryBen · Accepted solution]

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@dblin94 wrote:

We had purchased the phones from Best Buy (Canada) in Dec 2016. Since we were using PM prior to that and just popped in our SIM cards, we didnt think that the phones would lock because we didnt buy them from a carrier.  I guess those phones do lock after whatever first SIM card gets put in. 

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 Ah, okay... yes, these would be carrier locked to Telus/Koodo/PM then, at the point of sale (AFAIK, the only place to get carrier-agnostic unlocked iPhones, at the time, was through Apple, or else to pay the $35-50 unlocking fee through the carrier).  To be clear, iPhones do not have a concept of "auto-locking" to a carrier; prior to Dec 1, 2017 or so (in Canada), they were added to an activation eligibility database when a carrier purchases the phones for resale.

You can definitely go through PM mods, but due to prolonged response times, you may want to call TELUS directly.  From their website: "If you’re not currently a TELUS customer but have a TELUS device, you can contact us to unlock your device by calling 1-866-558-2273."

Good luck!

[Carld123]

@dblin94

As @CalgaryBen mentioned iphones do not autolock to the sim...chances are best buy sold you a telus iphone which would also work with pm...unlocking is just a call away

[BarryS]

@dblin94 I’m guessing that even though you purchased the phones in 2016, from Best Buy, at that time they would be locked to Telus (as they are the owners of public mobile). Perhaps give them a call?

[dblin94]

We had purchased the phones from Best Buy (Canada) in Dec 2016. Since we were using PM prior to that and just popped in our SIM cards, we didnt think that the phones would lock because we didnt buy them from a carrier.  I guess those phones do lock after whatever first SIM card gets put in. 

[BarryS]

@CalgaryBen Most phones purchased through a mobile provider pre 2017 were locked to that provider. Regulations were changed and phones sold after 2017 are not locked. Providers are now obligated to give unlock codes for any phones they sold that were previously locked to their service. 

[CalgaryBen]

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@dblin94 wrote:

We have iPhones, but i heard that we can just go to the Apple store and get it done there? 

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Where did you purchase the phones from, and when?  iPhones do not auto-lock to a carrier.

[BarryS]

@dblin94 Easiest way is to contact the original provider (Rogers, bell,etc.).  Most have an automated unlock option. You provide the IMEI number, they give you an unlock code, provided the phone has not been reported stolen. 

[dblin94]

We have iPhones, but i heard that we can just go to the Apple store and get it done there? 

[stonechucker]

You should be able to get a code from a local Telus or Koodo store.  They are the same network.

[mimmo]

If it's a samsung phone contact Samsung directly it will be easier. 

[dblin94]

FYI i have my phone model # and IMEI already