I flashed Chillybeans unofficial CM 10.2 and it works great so far. I was wondering if I would still need to SIM "unlock" this phone to use it overseas or on a GSM carrier.
I have been using this old phone as a backup/media player on WiFi and currently is not active on any cellular carrier. I may want to use it when I travel since it a global phone.
Thanks
The phone comes with a pre-installed VZW/Vodaphone SIM Card that, with a current VZW account, allows the phone to roam with additional charges on foreign cdma and gsm networks when abroad.
It needs to be unlocked to use other carrier SIM cards.
The unlock code is stored in hardware memory and is unaffected by rom or modem/radio firmware flashing.
Unless you plan on going global a sim isn't necessary. It works on CDMA. As for unlocking it to another carrier I believe it would have to be flashed to that company unlike the galaxy s4 the sim port on the dinc2 is strictly for global use. I believe there's a forum floating around on here about it. Hope this was helpful and be sure to click thanks if it was.
I mean u can use it on local gsm if its unlocked or ur s-off but u will only get Edge support. But if u just wanna use it on cdma using a cm rom has nothing to do with the sim just need an unlocked bootloader or to be s-off.
---------- Post added at 01:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------
Now if u used htcdev bootloader unlock then ur phone will only work on global and not local gsm u need to be s-off to use on other gsm networks whether the sim is unlocked or not bec its locked through htc not verizon. Sorry bout so many posts i get carried away sometimes lol hope this helps
Thanks for the responses, but I am still a bit confused. OK so for more background, I am rooted, fully S-OFF, and have flashed an unofficial CM 10.2 ROM from this forum link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2049902.
I am pretty new to rooting and modding and I am still a bit confused about the carrier lock. I get that if I buy a Verizon phone they lock it to their network until it's paid for and I should be able to unlock it now that I am no longer a Verizon customer, I have not actually called them to ask for this. Is this "lock" embedded in the actual SIM card, or some sort of partition in the phones memory that rooting/flashing ROMs does not touch? I assumed flashing a ROM deletes almost all the carrier software except for the recovery partition.
I have the manual to this phone, and I cannot find a spec sheet that lists the radios present inside this device. I assumed because it was "global" it had some GSM radios, am I wrong?
Here is the scenario I want to use this: I'd like to visit a friend in the UK, and instead of bringing my current phone, I'd bring the DInc2 toss the Verizon SIM card in the trash, buy a local carrier SIM card, pop it in and pay my charges and use it for the week. I know you can do that with Nexus phones because they are fully unlocked, would I be able to do this with my DInc2 if I got the Verizon unlock code since flashing a ROM does not unlock it?
Thanks.
MY 2 XL unlocked arrived from google today. It's going on the Verizon network. Do I need to root and unlock the bootloader before putting in the verizon sim? Does the verizon sim prevent me from rooting and unlocking after putting it in?
Do I need to unlock the bootloader if I'm not installing a custom rom? I'm mostly interested in root for all the Tasker stuff I like my phone to do.
I'm very worried I'll do something wrong and be prevented from rooting/unlocking after putting the phone on the verizon network. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
ThirtyThirtyWin said:
MY 2 XL unlocked arrived from google today. It's going on the Verizon network. Do I need to root and unlock the bootloader before putting in the verizon sim? Does the verizon sim prevent me from rooting and unlocking after putting it in?
Do I need to unlock the bootloader if I'm not installing a custom rom? I'm mostly interested in root for all the Tasker stuff I like my phone to do.
I'm very worried I'll do something wrong and be prevented from rooting/unlocking after putting the phone on the verizon network. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google offered you two choices to buy. A Verizon version and a unlockable Google version. Which one did you buy? I would try and unlock it now. Your sim won't matter either way. If you bought the Verizon version your toast.
I am sure its unlocked as it did not come with a sim and came from Google. I hope I bought the unlocked version.
I know this is a noob question but if I purchased my phone from Verizon and I got it unlocked
And switched service to Sprint. Does this mean I can't root my device since i purchased it from Verizon? I know IMEI is different then oem but can I get Verizon to unlock this as well?
Verizon doesn't unlock bootloaders, even if you buy the device outright from them and use service from another carrier. Therefore, no root for you.
Hello,
I recently purchased a used Sprint version of the Pixel 3a XL and after receiving it, I see that the bootloader is locked. My plan was to root this device and install a custom ROM to bring over to Verizon since all Verizon phone lock down the bootloader. Apparently I didn't do enough research as I assumed this bootloader would be unlocked.
After checking with Sprint this afternoon and confirming that there is no SIM lock, does anyone know if it is possible to unlock the bootloader? As mentioned, my goal is mostly to root the phone... then 'maybe' install a custom ROM.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
In dev options what does it say under oem unlocking? Is oem unlocking greyed out?
41rw4lk said:
In dev options what does it say under oem unlocking? Is oem unlocking greyed out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, unfortunately it is grayed out :-/
I would say that it is in fact sim locked. I have a TMO version and oem unlocking was greyed out for me. I had to hit up TMO and request a sim unlock to enable oem unlocking. You should persist and see if you can't get someone to sim unlock it. Might be worth popping the sim out and doing a factory reset, then boot it and see if oem unlocking is still greyed out, though it was for me. That was TMO though, but I doubt there is any difference as far as carrier locking is concerned. Does it say contact your carrier under oem unlocking? Another sign that it is sim locked.
41rw4lk said:
I would say that it is in fact sim locked. I have a TMO version and oem unlocking was greyed out for me. I had to hit up TMO and request a sim unlock to enable oem unlocking. You should persist and see if you can't get someone to sim unlock it. Might be worth popping the sim out and doing a factory reset, then boot it and see if oem unlocking is still greyed out, though it was for me. That was TMO though, but I doubt there is any difference as far as carrier locking is concerned. Does it say contact your carrier under oem unlocking? Another sign that it is sim locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this... once I noticed that OEM locking was grayed out (and after doing some reading), I called up Sprint and provided them the IMEI number and they indicated that it should already be unlocked and I can take it to Verizon (I assume all this means the phone is paid off and it is carrier unlocked).
I purchased this device online and there was not any kind of SIM card shipped with it. Also, I have not yet tried activating it on Verizon as I wanted to see if I could unlock the bootloader first.
gil_happy said:
Thanks for this... once I noticed that OEM locking was grayed out (and after doing some reading), I called up Sprint and provided them the IMEI number and they indicated that it should already be unlocked and I can take it to Verizon (I assume all this means the phone is paid off and it is carrier unlocked).
I purchased this device online and there was not any kind of SIM card shipped with it. Also, I have not yet tried activating it on Verizon as I wanted to see if I could unlock the bootloader first.
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Click to collapse
Curious what Sprint number you called? They keep giving me the run around about needing the old account owners information and pin/password.
pyroboarder said:
Curious what Sprint number you called? They keep giving me the run around about needing the old account owners information and pin/password.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't remember exactly which number I called, but I think during the automated prompts, I stated 'IMEI'. Once I was connected, I told them that I was looking to purchase a second hand phone and I needed to verify some info and they told me (not sure if it sounded like I knew what I was doing and made it sound like I was calling for a good reason, etc). I'm sure you've been here as well:
https://www.sprint.com/en/shop/bring-your-phone-to-sprint.html
Apologies for thread necromancy...
The short answer is yes, you can unlock the bootloader of a Sprint Pixel 3a. There are some caveats:
Only the original owner of the phone can ask Sprint to unlock the device.
You must have paid off the device, it can't be carrier subsidized.
You have to be running the stock ROM for Sprint.
I just went through this with two pixel 3a's I bought from the sprint store. I paid full price, but they came locked anyway. Won't make that mistake again, I'll buy the unlocked variants from google direct or best buy or whatever.
Sprint customer service was very friendly when asking to unlock them since I'm still a customer. All they needed was the IMEI numbers after I'd authenticated myself to the agent. If they ask for the MEID instead, give them the IMEI regardless. That's the difference between a 5 minute and 35 minute call and a transfer to "advanced tech support." From the stock rom phone app, dial *#06# will bring them up.
Once the phone is carrier unlocked, the option to unlock the bootloader will work as you expect.
HTH.
Hi, I think you are referring to carrier lock vs bootloader lock.
Correct, I am. However, you can't unlock the bootloader on a stock pixel 3a without first carrier unlocking it. The installed version of android won't let you. That was discussed much earlier in the thread.
I should also add that the 3A has an e-SIM. In the past on CDMA carriers, running the stock ROM was a requirement to reactivate the device on a new carrier. Haven't tried that on a newer device, but I wouldn't bring a phone running LineageOS to Verizon and expect it to properly activate.
Junkeon said:
I should also add that the 3A has an e-SIM. In the past on CDMA carriers, running the stock ROM was a requirement to reactivate the device on a new carrier. Haven't tried that on a newer device, but I wouldn't bring a phone running LineageOS to Verizon and expect it to properly activate.
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Click to collapse
I tried reactivating my old 3A and lo, the lineageos 18.1 carrier sim activation tool gave me no joy after waiting hours for it to try. Reflashed to stock, and it activated within moments.
Hi
I have been able to flash the unlocked non carrier specific firmware on several Verizon Samsung phones over the past few years. Through my employer, I was able to get a free Motorola One 5g UW that I want to take and use on ATT. I know it has the antennas. I can put my sim in, and it shows cricket, but it is locked through Verizon. Is it possible to flash a Motorola from one carrier specific firmware over to another like the Samsungs ? Verizon says it will unlock after 60 days, but even still, it will have Verizon bloatware on it. Thanks in advance.
It doesn't work
Radio in AT&T and VZ versions are different.
Moreover, both bootloader are dead locked and there's NO WAY to unlock