Develop Bugs

SIM unlock lost by LG repair - hard to get back

A small warning here for those who need to send a previously SIM unlocked H932 in for LG repair:
After breaking its glass back, I had to send my TMO V30+ in for repair at LG’s center in Texas. At the same time I asked them to replace the screen under warranty, since there was a small cluster of dead pixels just above the navigation bar. They did all that. Cost $88 (including free shipping) with 11 days turnaround.
They also managed to lose the SIM unlock which I had previously been granted by T-Mobile using their Device Unlock app. Realizing this could be a problem, I had included a letter to LG Repair where I begged them to preserve the SIM unlock. Needless to say, the phone is paid off and all bills were paid (including the extra month TMO auto-charged my credit card and refused to refund).
After receiving it back, my Red Pocket GSMA SIM (AT&T prepaid MVNO) only does 3G, not LTE. The TMO Device Unlock app says the phone is “network locked” and not eligible for unlock.
T-Mobile Customer Service first requested unlock instructions to be emailed to me. After 2 days I received an email saying I had to use the TMO Device Unlock app. Duh. After much experimenting on my own (including with my now inactive TMO SIM card) I went to the T-Mobile store where I bought the phone. They were keen to help, but unable to solve the problem. We did confirm that with an active TMO SIM, everything was fine.
I then called TMO Customer Service again, this time asking for Tier 2. Here they finally escalated the case and requested an unlock from LG and said to expect a solution within 72 hours.
Different from the issue reported by @michy21 in this thread mine is the SAME phone with the same IMEI; it was just wiped by LG repair in a way that lost the SIM unlock. OR it really is a new phone or motherboard and they transferred the IMEI.
I should add that there has been no pushback or reluctance to help from any T-Mobile staff. It’s just that the company has baked everything so hard into the Device Unlock app now, so no human is able to do anything.
The only lesson here is to never buy carrier devices -- as @ChazzMatt has been stressing all along, and as I had been practicing myself in my Nexus days. But unfortunately carrier devices are where the best deals are -- which is the only thing that made it possibly for me to buy this class of phone in the first place.
I'll update this thread with the final outcome. Fingers crossed. I’ll be traveling overseas soon, really hope to have it fixed before.

TheDannemand said:
A small warning here for those who need to send a previously SIM unlocked H932 in for LG repair:
After breaking its glass back, I had to send my TMO V30+ in for repair at LG’s center in Texas. At the same time I asked them to replace the screen under warranty, since there was a small cluster of dead pixels just above the navigation bar. They did all that. Cost $88 (including free shipping) with 11 days turnaround.
They also managed to lose the SIM unlock which I had previously been granted by T-Mobile using their Device Unlock app. Needles to say, the phone was paid off and all bills were paid (including the extra month TMO auto-charged my credit card and refused to refund). Realizing this could be a problem, I had included a letter to LG Repair where I begged them to preserve the SIM unlock.
After receiving it back, my Red Pocket GSMA SIM (AT&T prepaid MVNO) only does 3G, not LTE. The TMO Device Unlock app says the phone is “network locked” and not eligible for unlock.
T-Mobile Customer Service first requested unlock instructions to be emailed to me. After 2 days I received an email saying I had to use the TMO Device Unlock app. Duh. After much experimenting on my own (including with my now inactive TMO SIM card) I went to the T-Mobile store where I bought the phone. They were keen to help, but unable to solve the problem. We did confirm that with an active TMO SIM, everything was fine.
I then called TMO Customer Service again, this time asking for Tier 2. Here they finally escalated the case and requested an unlock from LG and said to expect a solution with 72 hours.
Different from the issue reported by @michy21 in this thread mine is the SAME phone with the same IMEI; it was just wiped by LG repair in a way that lost the SIM unlock. OR it really is a new phone or motherboard and they transferred the IMEI.
I should add that there has been no pushback or reluctance to help from any T-Mobile staff. It’s just that the company has baked everything so hard into the Device Unlock app now, so no human is able to do anything.
The only lesson here is to never buy carrier devices -- as @ChazzMatt has been stressing all along, and as I had been practicing myself in my Nexus days. But unfortunately carrier devices are where the best deals are -- which is the only thing that made it possibly for me to buy this class of phone in the first place.
I'll update this thread with the final outcome. Fingers crossed. I’ll be traveling overseas soon, really hope to have it fixed before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worst comes to worst, sell the phone on eBay while at the same time buying one of the mint LS998 V30+ for $320. Immediately convert to carrier unlocked US998, bootloader unlock and root.
In the eBay listing for this phone stress the T-Mobile band 71, blah, blah, blah -- which you don't need on AT&T MNVO, but would interest T-Mobile users.
Sent via open market LG US998 V30/V30+

ChazzMatt said:
Worst comes to worst, sell the phone on eBay while at the same time buying one of the mint LS998 V30+ for $320. Immediately convert to carrier unlocked US998, bootloader unlock and root.
In the eBay listing for this phone stress the T-Mobile band 71, blah, blah, blah -- which you don't need on AT&T MNVO, but would interest T-Mobile users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, Chazz!
I had a suspicion you might suggest that :laugh:
But yes, that would have to be the outcome if I cannot solve it. I'll probably file an FCC complaint first, which michy21 reported had solved her problem. But again, there is no pushback from anybody, which is a positive.
The only attachment I have to this particular phone is my 2 year warranty, which gives me peace of mind. A phone bought used wouldn't have that (or any warranty).
Thanks again!
Edit: Actually, it's not quite true that I have no other attachment to this H932: If/when T-Mobile rolls out B71 in this area, I'll probably give them another try, as they generally have far better network speeds. AT&T service here is acceptable (and widespread) but doesn't blow me away. We only switched because TMO couldn't reach through our concrete brick walls. Red Pocket supports all four carriers, so I can switch to TMO network on my current plan to take advantage of B71.
So my hope is I won't have to part with this phone. AND that @runningnak3d will release H932 root later this year

TheDannemand said:
A small warning here for those who need to send a previously SIM unlocked H932 in for LG repair:
After breaking its glass back, I had to send my TMO V30+ in for repair at LG’s center in Texas. At the same time I asked them to replace the screen under warranty, since there was a small cluster of dead pixels just above the navigation bar. They did all that. Cost $88 (including free shipping) with 11 days turnaround.
They also managed to lose the SIM unlock which I had previously been granted by T-Mobile using their Device Unlock app. Realizing this could be a problem, I had included a letter to LG Repair where I begged them to preserve the SIM unlock. Needless to say, the phone is paid off and all bills were paid (including the extra month TMO auto-charged my credit card and refused to refund).
After receiving it back, my Red Pocket GSMA SIM (AT&T prepaid MVNO) only does 3G, not LTE. The TMO Device Unlock app says the phone is “network locked” and not eligible for unlock.
T-Mobile Customer Service first requested unlock instructions to be emailed to me. After 2 days I received an email saying I had to use the TMO Device Unlock app. Duh. After much experimenting on my own (including with my now inactive TMO SIM card) I went to the T-Mobile store where I bought the phone. They were keen to help, but unable to solve the problem. We did confirm that with an active TMO SIM, everything was fine.
I then called TMO Customer Service again, this time asking for Tier 2. Here they finally escalated the case and requested an unlock from LG and said to expect a solution within 72 hours.
Different from the issue reported by @michy21 in this thread mine is the SAME phone with the same IMEI; it was just wiped by LG repair in a way that lost the SIM unlock. OR it really is a new phone or motherboard and they transferred the IMEI.
I should add that there has been no pushback or reluctance to help from any T-Mobile staff. It’s just that the company has baked everything so hard into the Device Unlock app now, so no human is able to do anything.
The only lesson here is to never buy carrier devices -- as @ChazzMatt has been stressing all along, and as I had been practicing myself in my Nexus days. But unfortunately carrier devices are where the best deals are -- which is the only thing that made it possibly for me to buy this class of phone in the first place.
I'll update this thread with the final outcome. Fingers crossed. I’ll be traveling overseas soon, really hope to have it fixed before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That does not make sense at all. Has the device IMEI have changed at all? Was the actual logic board replaced? The answer is likely no. So why would the device be relocked by LG? You are giving them way too much credit.
More proof that the device should have remained unlocked is that you can access the device with your MNVO (ATT), if it was truly locked you would not able to get a signal or make a call under your MNVO at all. Sounds more like user error or a miss configuration of your carrier, or both.
Also you should not be trying to run a T-Mobile Specific device unlock app under a different carrier sim,
and it might just be reporting wrong information. Had this happen to me several times in the past, when the device was actually unlocked. You said yourself, you were able to use the device on (ATT)!

jblparisi said:
That does not make sense at all. Has the device IMEI have changed at all? Was the actual logic board replaced? The answer is likely no. So why would the device be relocked by LG? You are giving them way too much credit.
More proof that the device should have remained unlocked is that you can access the device with your MNVO (ATT), if it was truly locked you would not able to get a signal or make a call under your MNVO at all. Sounds more like user error or a miss configuration of your carrier, or both.
Also you should not be trying to run a T-Mobile Specific device unlock app under a different carrier sim,
and it might just be reporting wrong information. Had this happen to me several times in the past, when the device was actually unlocked. You said yourself, you were able to use the device on (ATT)!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. I understand where you come from. And no offense taken
The problem IS a SIM lock (or "network lock" as they call it). But not in the same way you're thinking where nothing works with an alien SIM. Both T-Mobile and LG have confirmed that.
Some details I didn't mention in my opening post (I meant to warn people here, not argue the matter):
1) LG warned me before they began repair that the phone would come back SIM locked, even though I'd included a letter asking if they could avoid it. I also talked to T-Mobile before sending it in, who said to just request an unlock code if needed (obviously that person was clueless).
2) I've seen other XDA users report how SIM locked V30s could connect on different networks, but NOT get LTE. That's what I am seeing too. One of my goals with visiting the T-Mobile store was to verify that there wasn't a problem with the phone itself preventing LTE. But once an active TMO SIM was inserted, everything works flawlessly.
3) I thought the same thing about not running the TMO Device Unlock app with the alien SIM inserted, but TMO's wording in the instructions they sent me are: "Before completing the steps below to unlock your device you must be connected to the internet via a cellular network in order to complete the steps", not mentioning it must be on TMO. And I DO have 3G internet with my Red Pocket SIM. Nevertheless, my second goal with visiting the T-Mobile store was so we could try the Device Unlock app with an active TMO SIM. And regardless of which SIM is inserted, the app reports that the phone is currently network locked and not eligible for unlock. When running this app on an unlocked phone, it shows the date of unlock -- even after a factory reset. They are obviously storing the lock/unlock state on the vendor, modem or carrier partitions or some such place. And on my phone it is in a locked state.
4) There is not much room for user configuration error here: The phone has been factory reset 5-6 times while testing this, with the only configuration being a Red Pocket APN. That same SIM and same APN work flawlessly in my Nexus 5 as well as my wife's V30 (also H932). Even if I mis-typed the APN, I wouldn't have done so 5-6 times -- and I would have caught it during one of the many times I verified the APN.
So I have no doubt that there is some form of network lock in place that is causing this. And again, T-Mobile and LG agree and have promised to solve it.
You are right that LG had no reason to replace the mainboard. But they did replace both the screen and the glass cover. I think it is possible that they sent me a refurbished phone with my IMEI transferred -- which would explain both their warning that the phone would come back locked, and why the Device Unlock app gets confused when seeing a blank (still locked) phone, but T-Mobile's IMEI database claims that the device is already unlocked (as I saw on the screen in the store).
So, we'll see if they manage to solve it or I have to sell this phone as suggested by Chazz.

Would paying a 3rd party carrier unlocking do the trick? Or does even that seem out of the question now? Before Frankensteining was a thing I did that so I could use an H931 on T-mo. It was $10 well spent as far as I was concerned.

jaysus145 said:
Would paying a 3rd party carrier unlocking do the trick? Or does even that seem out of the question now? Before Frankensteining was a thing I did that so I could use an H931 on T-mo. It was $10 well spent as far as I was concerned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the suggestion. I'd have no objection to that at all, but various reports on here had given me the impression that 3rd parties aren't able to unlock the H932 because TMO locked it down so hard (as is the case with Sprint, but for different technical reasons). I could be wrong about that, so definitely something to try.
Thanks again!

Update: It's been four days since I talked to T-Mobile and they promised to escalate my problem and request that LG provide a solution. They said to expect a response within 72 hours, but I haven't heard back from them.
But yesterday, when I tried popping in my Red Pocket SIM (it's in my Nexus 5 until this is solved) everything suddenly worked: Instant LTE, which stayed all day, even as I drove an hour away across town and worked there for a few hours (using hotspot), went on several errands, and back home all last night. LTE Discovery Log showed how it had switched seamlessly between towers, without ever losing LTE. I was certain they had fixed it, and was much relieved.
Then this morning, it had locked itself again. Phone had been on all night, clearly T-Mobile must have pushed another lock. Or rather: One of the TMO services/apps locked it after pulling TMOs servers. No amount of Network Resets, reboot or toggling Mobile Network settings have worked to get it back. I promised T-Mobile not to make any more attempts with the Device Unlock app as it messes things up for them, but I am sure it it would still say "Ineligible for unlock" even though the IMEI is clear in TMO's database (and listed as already unlocked).
As always, the same SIM gives perfect LTE service in my Nexus 5 and on my wife's V30, with the same APN.
I called T-Mobile Customer Care and was unable to persuade them to transfer me to Tier 2. But they did says to expect a call within a day.
It is almost certain I'll have to go the FCC complaint route. It's sad because T-Mobile is otherwise not a bad company. Probably just a small handful of idiots who got this "bright idea" how to protect TMO phones -- which ends up causing so much trouble for legitimate customers.
@jaysus145: Which Unlock service did you use? The ones I looked at which support T-mobile unlock cost $75-150 -- and they don't seem to guarantee success.

TheDannemand said:
@jaysus145: Which Unlock service did you use? The ones I looked at which support T-mobile unlock cost $75-150 -- and they don't seem to guarantee success.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used celllunlocker.net, it cost me $10 to unlock my AT&T version, and took less then a day to complete.

jaysus145 said:
I used celllunlocker.net, it cost me $10 to unlock my AT&T version, and took less then a day to complete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!
T-Mobile called me back yesterday and assured me they were still working on it and they would get this phone unlocked and please sit tight another day. They confirmed there was nothing on the phone's IMEI or my old account that should prevent it.
I'll check out unlocking services if it comes down to it.
Thanks again!

Final update on this (and solution):
T-Mobile solved the server side problem with a manager override, so that the Device Unlock app now says "Permanent Unlock approved". But it continued reporting "Unlock Failed" nevertheless. Some say because the phone is already unlocked, personally I think because the servers report the phone as previously unlocked. The app also says "Phone is currently network locked" when first running.
Notably, the connection problem persisted, and T-Mobile (after discussing with LG) said it had to be a bad SIM card or a problem with that SIM ICCID and my phone's ESN. As previously described, I get perfect connection and service using the same SIM in my Nexus 5 and in my wife's V30. T-Mobile said that was all they could do.
I then decided it was time to take the matter in my one hands. After much searching and countless Factory Resets and Network Settings Resets, I managed to get the phone working right with the following steps:
1) Remove Google account to disable Device Reset Protection.
2) Factory Reset from the Service Menu: *#546368#*932# (replace 932 with your model number, though this is likely a T-Mobile only problem). From there SVC Menu - Factory Reset (R&D Only). This takes quite a bit longer than normal Factory Reset.
3) Initial setup with WiFi, no Google account. No APN. Phone shows usual connection slowness.
4) Airplane mode, then WiFi on.
5) T-Mobile Device Unlock app, Permanent Unlock. Got the same "Unlock Failed, but Approved" message.
6) Enter APN.
7) Network Settings Reset (Android Settings - Reset menu). Wait for reset to complete. It may go straight to LTE already here.
8) Power off/on.
After this, everything is back to normal. Instant signal and LTE connection, even after subsequent Factory Reset. It's such a relief :laugh:
Edit: I should add that it is quite possible that not all of these steps are required. Probably the Service Menu Factory Reset was the key to undo what LG had done during the repair. I am merely listing all the steps which I used, and which brought my phone back to life.

lg g8 sprint is worldwide unlocked?

I bought a lg g8 sprint unlocked refurbished for 370 dollars, the seller said it works on all GSM unlocked, will i use it in brazil, will i have some problem in using on GSM Operators?

You shouldn't have any problems, I've got the US T-Mobile version that is unlocked which works fine in the UK. Only way is to test it...

I bought an unlocked VERIZON G8 (also a CDMA network like Sprint) I was able to activate it in MetroPCS and data and text messages worked but I wasn't able to get the phone to make or receive calls.
Hopefully you won't have the same problem. I had to return mine. I suspect the phone app was the problem. It had a lot of options specific to Verizon. I wish I would have tried a 3rd party phone app...

sprint is cdma or gsm?
SantinoInc said:
I bought an unlocked VERIZON G8 (also a CDMA network like Sprint) I was able to activate it in MetroPCS and data and text messages worked but I wasn't able to get the phone to make or receive calls.
Hopefully you won't have the same problem. I had to return mine. I suspect the phone app was the problem. It had a lot of options specific to Verizon. I wish I would have tried a 3rd party phone app...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

juninhoak said:
sprint is cdma or gsm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint is CDMA. Just because a phone is unlocked and has a clean IMEI does NOT mean it will work 100% on another carrier

SantinoInc said:
Sprint is CDMA. Just because a phone is unlocked and has a clean IMEI does NOT mean it will work 100% on another carrier
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the seller said that my g8 will work 100% or any gsm unlock carrier, should i trust it?

juninhoak said:
the seller said that my g8 will work 100% or any gsm unlock carrier, should i trust it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my experience I would say NO.

wilpang said:
You shouldn't have any problems, I've got the US T-Mobile version that is unlocked which works fine in the UK. Only way is to test it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what about the price? 370$ for 10/10 no signs of use, without box clean imei

Is it a seller from China?

juninhoak said:
what about the price? 370$ for 10/10 no signs of use, without box clean imei
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get it via eBay? Sounds like a bargain though

I should get mine next week from USA for a similar price.

I had read that the Sprint one will work if it's unlocked. The Verizon one should as well. I'm thinking if there are issues, it would be due to carrier specific software?
Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk Pro.

I am using an unlocked Sprint G8 in Switzerland and it's working fine. But check what bands are used by your carrier and whether the different carrier versions support them.

Hoping someone can assist. I bought a LG G8 on Ebay from what appeared, and appears, to be a legitimate seller. The IMEI comes up clean on swappa and all other verification sites. The phone IS unlocked and works perfectly fine on my carrier, Telus, in Canada.
The issue I have is that each time the phone boots up, restarts, etc, I get the messages seen in the attached:
1) Activate Your Device - Please wait while we activate your device for network service. This may take several minutes.
2) Activation Incomplete - This device has not been registered with an account. Please contact your service provider to configure this device for network service.
When I contact Sprint they claim that I need to contact the original account holder as only they can unlock the device, and activate it, and it will only be unlocked if in good standing and active at least 50 days. They also claim the only method to unlock is via them.
I was hoping for some advice here on how to get rid of this nag screen, or what I can say to get Sprint to resolve this.
Thanks!

Other than the 'nag' screen the rest of the phone is fine, you can make calls and use 4G?
I have a T-Mobile one which I will sell because I couldn't get it unlocked via US T-Mobile, they wanted it activated in the US and get a prepaid 100 dollar SIM card.

wilpang said:
Other than the 'nag' screen the rest of the phone is fine, you can make calls and use 4G?
I have a T-Mobile one which I will sell because I couldn't get it unlocked via US T-Mobile, they wanted it activated in the US and get a prepaid 100 dollar SIM card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, 4g and calling works.

Do any of you have a Unlocked Verizon G8 and have it successfully work on a GSM network...in particular were you able to make and receive phone calls? That is where I had a problem.

Sean09 said:
Hoping someone can assist. I bought a LG G8 on Ebay from what appeared, and appears, to be a legitimate seller. The IMEI comes up clean on swappa and all other verification sites. The phone IS unlocked and works perfectly fine on my carrier, Telus, in Canada.
The issue I have is that each time the phone boots up, restarts, etc, I get the messages seen in the attached:
1) Activate Your Device - Please wait while we activate your device for network service. This may take several minutes.
2) Activation Incomplete - This device has not been registered with an account. Please contact your service provider to configure this device for network service.
When I contact Sprint they claim that I need to contact the original account holder as only they can unlock the device, and activate it, and it will only be unlocked if in good standing and active at least 50 days. They also claim the only method to unlock is via them.
I was hoping for some advice here on how to get rid of this nag screen, or what I can say to get Sprint to resolve this.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue as well. I deleted sprint bloatware via adb. But I can't find a way to get rid of the nag screen. The phone is certainly unlocked though. I also can't enable wifi calling.

Guys, im using my G8 sprint unlocked on "TIM" and "VIVO" the 2 biggest carriers from brazil, working fine calls, 4g, sms, and mobile data, by the way, this fone is freaking nice for the price, i paid 380 + 120 taxes on ebay, in brazil galaxy s10 costs 900 usd with exynos processor

I have to take some of what I said back. I did a factory reset of my Sprint LG G8 and it is worse than before. I can't edit or add/select a proper APN. Right now the working APN has a mix of Metro and Sprint. MMS doesn't work, forget group texts. I have to send it back. It may be somewhat unlocked, but way too much of a hassle. And with no bootloader unlock, I'm stuck.

Need help with Verizon Galaxy Note 10+ temporary lock.

Hi everyone,
I've got smashed Galaxy Note 10+ from eBay, fixed it and found out that it has a kind of carrier change temporary lock. IMEI is clean, not blacklisted or anything. Technically the phone is unlocked and it fully works with my non-US carrier SIM card for around 5 min or so. But after that a ridiculous nonsense message about carrier change pops up and the phone becomes blocked. It looks like the phone is connecting by itself with Verizon servers, they detect other carrier SIM card and block GSM functionality. I flashed international U1 firmware already but it didn't help. Verizon tells some 60 day activation cap - the phone will be unlocked automatically after 60 days since Verizon account activation. Is there any way to fix it / block the phone from communicating with Verizon? I have no idea how long should I wait since the phone was wiped before sale.
Thanks in advance.

Sounds like the seller might have received an insurance replacement due to the damage. Maybe the phone is blocked by Verizon because it should have been disposed of and/or should no longer be used in their network. Just a guess.
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

burrzoo said:
Sounds like the seller might have received an insurance replacement due to the damage. Maybe the phone is blocked by Verizon because it should have been disposed of and/or should no longer be used in their network. Just a guess.
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is not going to be used in the USA. Again, it works for few minutes. It's not blocked straightaway.

WarVic said:
The phone is not going to be used in the USA. Again, it works for few minutes. It's not blocked straightaway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's just the way the network lock works.....you'll need to wait the 60 days...(probably closer to 30 now...but no way to know)
If you can't wait there are paid solutions that you can use... cell unlocking services.
No amount of firmware changing etc will have an effect on the network lock.....sorry.
Also i disagree with the other poster....sounds like you confirmed its not blacklisted....what you're experiencing is the typical network lock behavior.....pay or wait it out.
Btw any before and after pics?
What did you pay for smashed device? How much spent repairing?
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

louforgiveno said:
That's just the way the network lock works.....you'll need to wait the 60 days...(probably closer to 30 now...but no way to know)
If you can't wait there are paid solutions that you can use... cell unlocking services.
No amount of firmware changing etc will have an effect on the network lock.....sorry.
Also i disagree with the other poster....sounds like you confirmed its not blacklisted....what you're experiencing is the typical network lock behavior.....pay or wait it out.
Btw any before and after pics?
What did you pay for smashed device? How much spent repairing?
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I paid US$230 for smashed device, $320 for screen assembly with housing, $15 for back glass cover (haven't receive it yet), $40 for S-pen. Screen assembly is original despite being bought from AliExpress. It looks like brand new now. Just waiting for back cover and unlock.

Yikes! That thing got brutalized
Not a bad deal....too bad the damn screen assemblies cost so much!
Thanks for the info.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

louforgiveno said:
Yikes! That thing got brutalized
Not a bad deal....too bad the damn screen assemblies cost so much!
Thanks for the info.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I like and dislike Samsung Galaxy flagships. Screen is always damn expensive but the possibility to fix completely smashed device is very high. Actually I repaired few Galaxies in much worse condition than that. At the same time, recently I had an iPhone XS Max with relatively light screen damage and was unable to repair it due to face ID failure (logic board fault). Cheers!

WarVic said:
This is why I like and dislike Samsung Galaxy flagships. Screen is always damn expensive but the possibility to fix completely smashed device is very high. Actually I repaired few Galaxies in much worse condition than that. At the same time, recently I had an iPhone XS Max with relatively light screen damage and was unable to repair it due to face ID failure (logic board fault). Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not bad for such an amazing screen

WarVic said:
Hi everyone,
I've got smashed Galaxy Note 10+ from eBay, fixed it and found out that it has a kind of carrier change temporary lock. IMEI is clean, not blacklisted or anything. Technically the phone is unlocked and it fully works with my non-US carrier SIM card for around 5 min or so. But after that a ridiculous nonsense message about carrier change pops up and the phone becomes blocked. It looks like the phone is connecting by itself with Verizon servers, they detect other carrier SIM card and block GSM functionality. I flashed international U1 firmware already but it didn't help. Verizon tells some 60 day activation cap - the phone will be unlocked automatically after 60 days since Verizon account activation. Is there any way to fix it / block the phone from communicating with Verizon? I have no idea how long should I wait since the phone was wiped before sale.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you call Verizon? Give them IMEI and they should be able to tell you what's up

oneandroidnut said:
Did you call Verizon? Give them IMEI and they should be able to tell you what's up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live 13000km away from USA so the call to Verizon could be not cheap. I had an online chat with them via Messenger and they asked me my Verizon account details to answer my question. Obviously I don't have them. From now I'm looking for not crazy expensive unlock service.

oneandroidnut said:
Did you call Verizon? Give them IMEI and they should be able to tell you what's up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just had one more conversation with Verizon. It seems that they're bloody dickheads! They claim the Verizon does not lock phones which is pure lie. And their temporary carrier lock system is a bloody mess. They're unable to manage it at all!!! Just look at my conversation history with Verizon support:
"We greatly appreciate this (IMEI) information, Victor. After further review, we do show that this IMEI is not currently showing a carrier lock to our network....
I know this is confusing and that you just want to get full use out of that phone. While we don't lock any locks on the phone, it is true that takes 60 days from sale of the phone for a phone to be unlocked. We would suggest that you get in contact with the seller of this phone and instruct them to get in contact with Verizon or alternately, reach out to the selling platform you used and your local carrier. Keep in mind also that Verizon sold phones are not guaranteed to work with other carriers. We would not be able to provide any further support beyond this. I hope this helps clarify and if you have any additional concerns, we are happy to help out. "

WarVic said:
Just had one more conversation with Verizon. It seems that they're bloody dickheads! They claim the Verizon does not lock phones which is pure lie. And their temporary carrier lock system is a bloody mess. They're unable to manage it at all!!! Just look at my conversation history with Verizon support:
"We greatly appreciate this (IMEI) information, Victor. After further review, we do show that this IMEI is not currently showing a carrier lock to our network....
I know this is confusing and that you just want to get full use out of that phone. While we don't lock any locks on the phone, it is true that takes 60 days from sale of the phone for a phone to be unlocked. We would suggest that you get in contact with the seller of this phone and instruct them to get in contact with Verizon or alternately, reach out to the selling platform you used and your local carrier. Keep in mind also that Verizon sold phones are not guaranteed to work with other carriers. We would not be able to provide any further support beyond this. I hope this helps clarify and if you have any additional concerns, we are happy to help out. "
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Is the phone a verizon branded one? what is the model #?

oneandroidnut said:
Is the phone a verizon branded one? what is the model #?
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No, it's just a standard SM-N975U, not a Verizon branded one. Actually I was able to easily flash it into unlocked N975U1 version. But still that damn Carrier change message pops up and blocks GSM capability.

WarVic said:
No, it's just a standard SM-N975U, not a Verizon branded one. Actually I was able to easily flash it into unlocked N975U1 version. But still that damn Carrier change message pops up and blocks GSM capability.
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because its a carrier variant and is sim locked

elliwigy said:
because its a carrier variant and is sim locked
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As I sad earlier, I had a chat with Verizon twice regarding this phone. They checked it by IMEI and told me that it is NOT SIM locked. This is the only useful piece of info I've got from them. Despite of that, they were unable to help me with that Carrier Change issue sending me to original owner / Verizon account holder of this phone. So it's not a carrier variant and not sim locked.

WarVic said:
As I sad earlier, I had a chat with Verizon twice regarding this phone. They checked it by IMEI and told me that it is NOT SIM locked. This is the only useful piece of info I've got from them. Despite of that, they were unable to help me with that Carrier Change issue sending me to original owner / Verizon account holder of this phone. So it's not a carrier variant and not sim locked.
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i think ur confused lol... if it was originally sold by verizon then it is a Verizon Variant..
and clearly you are sim locked as thats the exact message ypu get when its sim locked as well as you dont get service with the other carrier..
based on what u posted whoever you talked to has no idea what theyre talking about especially if theyre telling you they dont lock phones which meansthey also didnt even bother to look up their own policy for it and instead just made stuff up off the top of their head..
but hey, dont take my word for it.. it wont work as u need tho until vzw unlocks it or u pay for a service to unlock it.
Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

elliwigy said:
i think ur confused lol... if it was originally sold by verizon then it is a Verizon Variant..
and clearly you are sim locked as thats the exact message ypu get when its sim locked as well as you dont get service with the other carrier..
based on what u posted whoever you talked to has no idea what theyre talking about especially if theyre telling you they dont lock phones which meansthey also didnt even bother to look up their own policy for it and instead just made stuff up off the top of their head..
but hey, dont take my word for it.. it wont work as u need tho until vzw unlocks it our u pay for a service to unlock it.
Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk
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Yes, I'm confused indeed. Confused by Verizon which says one thing but does other. They clearly said that "we don't lock our phones" but apparently they do it! Bloody bastards!

Did you manage to unlock the device?

WarVic said:
Yes, I'm confused indeed. Confused by Verizon which says one thing but does other. They clearly said that "we don't lock our phones" but apparently they do it! Bloody bastards!
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Did you manage to unlock it?

Tarar said:
Did you manage to unlock it?
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No, I sold it. As I can see there is no unlocking solution right now. No hope that it will be available any time soon.

How are Consumer Cellular Note 10 Carrier Locked? Help Needed

I have a Note 10 Plus N975U1 that was sold as a Consumer Cellular device through Target. The phone came with the N975U1 unlocked ROM installed on the phone and there is no carrier apps or Consumer Cellular identification anywhere. The only reason I know it's Consumer Cellular is because of a message that popped up for something, can't recall what now.
Anyway, the phone acts just like an unlocked model. Put in various sim cards and the phone reboots through the blue recovery screen to update carrier software for the sim you are using. APN settings are available and can be edited. Everything is just like an unlocked model.
Except, it connects to the network for a couple minutes or so and then stops working. It acts like the Verizon versions do before they are unlocked by Verizon. Except the Verizon versions give you a little pop up stating the phone can't be used on another network. This model has no message.
I am guessing that they are locked using the same mechanism that Verizon uses for locking their devices now except they just are not showing anything to let you know.
Is anybody aware of exactly how this is done and any third party who can unlock it? I have tried a couple different unlocked ROM s as well as an AT&T and Verizon just to see what happens. Same problem.
Thanks

Have a link from the target site to the phone you bought?
I have a feeling that the phone is not actually unlocked or it may not be as what it appears exactly. You can run the IMEI number using swappa and see if the phone is indeed an U1 variant or just the normal carrier N975U.
It maybe possible (not sure how exactly) that your using an international variant that was flashed and configured to look like a N975U1. For example the phone listed here is an international variant that is compatible with US LTE, but I have some serious doubts with how compatible it really is. From past experiences with a local store that sells unlocked Note 10+ units for Net10, I discovered they are not actually US models and are really international models. They were flashed and configured in a weird way (best I can describe it) that it would work for the most part, work with Net10, but it would not work with the other providers here locally. It would at first appear to work but then fail all together.. It wasn't until I started digging into the IMEI number and what it belonged too that I discovered the truth of what the model actually is, and I then promptly returned the phone to the store I bought it from.
If the phone is just network locked and a genuine N975U1 model it would just seem that you only have to use the phone with the service for a certain period of time before they will unlock it. Consumer Cellular would be the best place to go to get (and ask about getting) the phone unlocked.
https://www.consumercellular.com/Help/phones-and-services/5

I resell used phones and specifically phones from Consumer Cellular. All the previous Samsung models used to come unlocked, but about the time the S10 was released, all their Samsung phones came with this unusual lock. I've tried working with countless unlockers and no one has been able to remove it. Once it connects to the internet, it downloads some google update and the phone loses voice/data service. I've wondered how they do this too. A few other models I have that have the same lock are the A10e A20 J7 S10/+ S20/+ Note 10/+. Really really frustrating as I've been searching for a long time now. If anyone knows anything, please let me know. I have hundreds of these that need to be unlocked. Also to clarify, yes they are all the U1 factory unlocked models.

Edit: Apparently when a carrier locked device is flashed to U1 firmware BEFORE unlocking, there is no software prompt to unlock the device. It probably was a carrier locked N975U originally. Maybe on Consumer Cellular firmware, there would be a prompt to unlock it?

These are the guys but they only do commercial work. I am pretty sure they never fail unlock.
https://www.swiftunlocks.us/

Guyinlaca said:
Edit: Apparently when a carrier locked device is flashed to U1 firmware BEFORE unlocking, there is no software prompt to unlock the device. It probably was a carrier locked N975U originally. Maybe on Consumer Cellular firmware, there would be a prompt to unlock it?
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These are not the U versions. I've sold CC phones for years and they are and have always been U1 models. Not only does it say it in the software, but even on the back glass. They are locking these things with an update somehow.
I'll reach out to swiftunlocks, but I would put a big bet up that they can't unlock it either. I'm connected with some of the top unlockers in the world as this is my business and no one has any idea. If anyone is reading this and wants a phone to test, I'll even send you one if you think you can unlock it. It's worth a lot of money to me to find a solution. The worst part is that these phones are all paid off and eligible to unlock through the carrier, but since "I'm not the original owner" they won't help me.

Shatter65 said:
These are not the U versions. I've sold CC phones for years and they are and have always been U1 models. Not only does it say it in the software, but even on the back glass. They are locking these things with an update somehow.
I'll reach out to swiftunlocks, but I would put a big bet up that they can't unlock it either. I'm connected with some of the top unlockers in the world as this is my business and no one has any idea. If anyone is reading this and wants a phone to test, I'll even send you one if you think you can unlock it. It's worth a lot of money to me to find a solution. The worst part is that these phones are all paid off and eligible to unlock through the carrier, but since "I'm not the original owner" they won't help me.
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My friend, did you finally find a solution to unlock samsung phones locked to consumer cellular, i have a few phones locked to them and i would like to know if theres a way to unlock them

seth81 said:
My friend, did you finally find a solution to unlock samsung phones locked to consumer cellular, i have a few phones locked to them and i would like to know if theres a way to unlock them
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I personally use samkey.org

Verizon unable to unlock my SM-N976V phone

Please move it to correct forum if this is not the right one.
I bought Samsung Galaxy Note Plus 10 5G in Oct 2019 from Verizon (all paid). I ported my number from Verizon to AT&T 5 days ago (after 9 months of using it with Verizon). My account is disconnected from Verizon and I have received the port is completed e-mail from them. AT&T has confirmed that the sim is fully activated.
But Guess what, When I put the sim in mobile it says another carrier is not allowed to be used on this phone ! For last 4 days I have wasted more than 10 hours staying in Verizon store and on call with customer care and they have no idea what is going on ! Customer care says the phone is fully unlocked. After 3 days of constant trying one of the representative said you have to reactivate the old account again and then try unlock again from the backend (which I have no control of !) . And, guess what, none of those good people are reactivating the account.
Verizon store guy doesn't help, just says talk to customer care and customer care says its unlocked so they can't do anything.
What should I do ?

About the only things I can suggest are:
If you have flashed firmware that is not the Verizon carrier firmware then flash it back to Verizon carrier firmware.
If you have disabled any carrier applications on the phone please re-enable them.
Make sure they are attempting to unlock the phone while you are within native Verizon coverage
I am not sure if a non-carrier branded firmware exists for the Note 10+ 5G, but non-carrier firmware has caused network unlocking issues before. The second idea is just in case you may have used a package disabler and disabled something necessary for network unlocking the phone. Last one is from past experiences where I wasn't able to complete phone activation because I wasn't within Verizon's native coverage area. The coverage I was in, while not roaming (or extended area) was not actually native Verizon coverage... I would tend to believe this would possibly be the same for network unlocking the phone.
Otherwise get a hold of Verizon and hound them to get it unlocked. Not much else can be done really... If the phone qualifies for being unlocked they should unlock it.

Filed fcc complaint
I have filed FCC complaint. I never changed anything in the mobile (didn't even know firmware flash was a thing until now when I started looking for solutions), used it for general purpose. I am in the same area where I bought it. Verizon store guy tried everything from simple reset to factory reset wiping everything out but nothing worked.
I have also ordered a prepaid Verizon sim. I will put that in and will try to get the phone unlocked.
I will post my results after 2-3 days.
Thanks for the quick reply !
scottusa2008 said:
About the only things I can suggest are:
If you have flashed firmware that is not the Verizon carrier firmware then flash it back to Verizon carrier firmware.
If you have disabled any carrier applications on the phone please re-enable them.
Make sure they are attempting to unlock the phone while you are within native Verizon coverage
I am not sure if a non-carrier branded firmware exists for the Note 10+ 5G, but non-carrier firmware has caused network unlocking issues before. The second idea is just in case you may have used a package disabler and disabled something necessary for network unlocking the phone. Last one is from past experiences where I wasn't able to complete phone activation because I wasn't within Verizon's native coverage area. The coverage I was in, while not roaming (or extended area) was not actually native Verizon coverage... I would tend to believe this would possibly be the same for network unlocking the phone.
Otherwise get a hold of Verizon and hound them to get it unlocked. Not much else can be done really... If the phone qualifies for being unlocked they should unlock it.
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Click to collapse

Got it resolved.
Final Update:
Since I had filed FCC complaint online, Verizon Executive Relations department contacted me and She was able to unlock from her side with the help of 'Technical Management' employee on call.
dagarwal82 said:
I have filed FCC complaint. I never changed anything in the mobile (didn't even know firmware flash was a thing until now when I started looking for solutions), used it for general purpose. I am in the same area where I bought it. Verizon store guy tried everything from simple reset to factory reset wiping everything out but nothing worked.
I have also ordered a prepaid Verizon sim. I will put that in and will try to get the phone unlocked.
I will post my results after 2-3 days.
Thanks for the quick reply !
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