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Unlocking a phone... Verizon refused

I just had an interesting discussion with Verizon customer service.

I've been considering a move a to T-Mobile, but I wanted to take my Note 3 (that I purchased at full retail) with me if I left.

Well, I have been out of contract since November and when I requested my phone to be unlocked, I reminded the agent. He said he needed to put me on hold.

After a pause, the agent came back and said Verizon does not unlock devices. At this point I decided to quote the recent decision by the FCC.

Back in December (of 2013) the FCC Commissioner, Tom Wheeler, threatened he major wireless carriers with an FCC ruling requiring phones to be unlocked. To avoid a hard rule, Commissioner Wheeler got he major carriers (including Verizon) to agree to a voluntary policy.

The voluntary policy says that after a contract is completed, a customer can request their phone to be factory unlocked. Following the request, a carrier would comply within two days.

I am confused to how Verizon refused my request when they already agreed to do it.

Here is a link to the story: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/12/fcc-takes-whack-phone-unlocking-ban-now-its-congresss-turn

Comments

unknown

If you read the whole thing, verizon and others have a year to implement it. And there are still hoops to jump through and it may under certain circumstance be denied but verizon must tell you why in writing.

Additionally verizon uses CDMA technology so the phone will not work on T-Mobiles GSM network. Neither on AT&T which is GSM or on Sprint because they don't allow it on their different CDMA network.

Good Luck

ttipgem

Isn't the Note 3, as an LTE device, already unlocked out of the box?

michaeljtimko

Are we reading the same story?

Nowhere in the article does it state that the carriers have a year. In fact, if you follow the hyperlink to Commissioner Wheeler' letter to the CTIA, Mr. Wheeler States that he wants the policy in place during the Christmas 2013 season .

As far using my Note 3 elsewhere. I spoke to T-Mobile this evening and they said my Verizon phone would work if Verizon would unlock it from there network.

Tidbits

The phone is already unlocked... ANY LTE device that is a world phone is automatically unlocked.

unknown

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/12/u-s-carriers-and-fcc-come-to-agreement-over-consumer-unlocking-of-mobile-devices/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57598544-94/confused-about-locked-vs-unlocked-phones-ask-maggie-explains/

I would not lie to you. See the first link where it mentions the year, and the hoop jumping and that the carriers can deny the unlocking.

Good Luck

Verizon_Support

It definitely concerns us that we could lose a valued customer michaeljtimko! Why would you want to use that awesome device on anything other than the best network? The community is correct. The device is already unlocked. Please keep in mind the conflicting network technologies however. The device may not likely be compatible with GSM networks.

JonathanK_VZW

VZW Support

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unknown

Because each phone carrier has software placed on the phone to prevent it from working on another network, before it is shipped from the manufacturer. This is an agreement with the carriers and while the law allows phones to be unlocked, the carrier is not required to do so. And why should they?

They have a captive audience.

We have the only option any consumer has - don't buy.

Or switch carriers. I just moved 4 lines to AT&T. Paid full retail for 3 phones, bought one from Amazon, new for AT&T.

Got a Note 3 for myself AND a Samsung tablet for $100. My old Verizon bill was close to $300 with 3 GB of data. My new bill with AT&T, just under $200 with 4 phones, one tablet and 10 GB of data.

Yes, I did have to buy new phones. But I made my point to Verizon. Your "deals" stink.

18 years with Verizon, and I'm gone.

michaeljtimko

I would leave because Verizon took away unlimited data.

I would leave because Verizon expects me to pay full Price for the phones I want to keep the unlimited I have.

I would leave because Verizon has over-extended the network in my area and I constantly drop down to a 3G signal. We need AWS rolled out in my area, but but try Verizon customer service does not know if or when that will happen.

Finally, I would leave because I Verizon refuses to let existing unlimited data plan holders participate in Verizon Edge. Something that other carriers don't seem to have a problem with.

T-Mobile customers have jump and unlimited data.

Existing ATT customers with grandfathered unlimited data can participate in next.

I would leave because Verizon treats it's oldest customers (unlimited data plans) as second class citizens.

unknown

lizdance40 wrote:
Because each phone carrier has software placed on the phone to prevent it from working on another network, before it is shipped from the manufacturer.   This is an agreement with the carriers and while the law allows phones to be unlocked, the carrier is not required to do so.   And why should they?
They have a captive audience.
We have the only option any consumer has - don't buy.
Or switch carriers.   I just moved 4 lines to AT&T.   Paid full retail for 3 phones, bought one from Amazon, new for AT&T.
Got a Note 3 for myself AND a Samsung tablet for $100.   My old Verizon bill was close to $300 with 3 GB of data.   My new bill with AT&T, just under $200 with 4 phones, one tablet and 10 GB of data.
Yes, I did have to buy new phones.    But I made my point to Verizon.   Your "deals" stink.
18 years with Verizon, and I'm gone.

(removed) The phones are already unlocked. It's not the software it's the hardware why they are not compatible. (removed)

Comment edited as required by the Terms of Service.

Message was edited by: Admin Moderator

unknown

Frankly let t-moible take all the unlimited data customers. Let their network get saturated to the point of uselessness. every unlimited data customers that leaves Verizon frees up the network. There top 5% use 50% of the data. The more of them that leave the more data for the rest of US. If unlimited data was gone 100% caps could and WILL be higher. Caps are lower now because they have to compensate for the needs of unlimited data customers and that's not fair. I pay for my service too. I should have lesser service become some guy thinks it's his right to download 800 GB of data a month for $30.

Verizon_Support

michaeljtimko, We are saddened to hear that you are considering leaving us! Our goal is to provide solutions to your device and data concerns. Have we had the opportunity to review your average data usage to determine the best plan for you? As far as the signal issue, we can open a network ticket to find out what the exact problem is and how we can improve your service. We truly want to keep you as a customer and are willing to go over our plans and device options that would best suit your needs. We understand that you want a new phone and we have the Device Payment Option that may be available to you, check here: http://vz.to/ZILXBT Let us know how we can help.

sheritah_vzw

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michaeljtimko

Sirguy, how do you know 5% use 50% of the network resources. Is it because Verizon told you that. In all my google searches, I have never been able to quantify just what percent existing unlimited data plans play. I would like to get some real numbers out of Verizon. Just how many customers still have unlimited data. What is the average (in GB) th each unlimited data plan holder uses.

Also, in searching the web, I have only found a few examples of extreme mobile data use. I am sure there are more, but they just fall under the radar. I never heard of any one individual using 800 GB. Nobody should be using that much data on a cell phone. I am guilty of enjoying a Netflix movie here are there during the month or streaming something from Hulu. I think the most mobile data I used in one month was 16 GB and that was only because the WIFI toggle got turned off and I did catch it until I tried to make a large game from Play Store.

As to data caps increasing, I don't see that happening. Verizon recently changed Share Everything to More Everything as a marketing ploy. You may get a little more bang for your buck, but I guarantee Verizon is getting the most bang from your bucks. I can say this because prior to Share Everything, when data was unlimited, if you looked at the quarterly SEC 10k documents for Verizon, they would make on average 1 Billion (with a dollars per quarter profit. When they moved to Share / More Everything, that profit went to nearly 2 Billion dollars on the very next quarterly 10k statement.

I follow the stock market, so I keep up on these things.

The thought I will leave you with is one. When we act individually, we are just one person and Verizon can ignore us. We need to act collectively. If we work together, then we can force Verizon's hand. If we threaten to leave en mass, then we threaten their bottom line and thus their profits. Verizon can offer unlimited data, but they choose not to because it more lucrative to make you pay to play. We can get Verizon to offer service fees similar to T-Mobile where the subsidized phone fee drops after you complete the two year contract, but they won't do it as long as we let them double dip.

michaeljtimko

@Sheritah,

I have been parsing as to how to respond to this message. The reason is you did not address my concerns. You essentially stated the company line.

You claim to want to find solutions to my device and data concerns, but when I mention possible solutions that Verizon doesn't like the answer is no.

Let's take Verizon Edge. Edge is synonymous to T-Mobile Jump ATT Next and Sprint One Up. ALL of these plans let customers with unlimited data participate. T-Mobile & Sprint are still unlimited and ATT grandfathered their existing unlimited plan holders into the Next plan. When I asked Verizon why they didn't do the same, the answer is we didn't want to. If three major wireless carriers did it,.then why couldn't Verizon?

Then you attempt to throw out the bone that you call the Device Purchase Plan. I am aware of it because I did it for my Note 3 and actually paid it off early. The problem is the DPP does not offer the flexibility of Edge. I now own my Note 3. I can't trade it in on the next Samsung model and resume payments like an Edge customers can.

Verizon has never been the cheapest, but I stayed because of decent service and the ability to upgrade at a reasonable cost and have unlimited data. If Verizon is not going to offer those terms,then I need to seek them elsewhere. Based on strength of signal and cost, T-Mobile is the way to go.

I have been with Verizon for almost a decade and it appears customer loyalty means nothing because your willing to give up customers.

Kable717

Surprisingly enough I am having the exact same issue. I was talked in to converting my service to an Edge contract. I was told that Verizon and all the other carriers were going to this new system and that I pretty much had no other choice. Keep in mind that this was a representative from a Verizon corporate owned store. Further more I was told that once I paid off my phone I could have it unlocked and I would be able to delete all the bloat ware on the phone and I could switch carriers as well.

After having My Galaxy Note 3 for 3 weeks I suddenly can not get reception at my house. So today I went in to talk to Verizon about my phone. It turns out they made some changes on one of the local towers and I no longer have any reception at my house. Not only that but they will not sell my a booster. So I asked if I paid off my phone could I switch to another carrier. I was then told that currently they do not unlock phones and that I would have to have the other carrier unlock it. Well guess what, no they won't. I went to T-Mobile and Sprint and they both said that they could not unlock my phone even with proof of ownership and both carriers also said that even if they could they would not let my phone on their system any ways. T-Mobile said it was because their system operates on GSM and that my phone happens to be a CDMA phone, while Sprint told me that they would need to flash my phone with their version of the firmware which they could not do.

So, remind me again what exactly I am getting here for paying full price for my phone?

Kable717

Interestingly enough I am having the exact same problem.

ttipgem

As noted in this thread, the Verizon Galaxy Note 3, being a 4G LTE phone, is already unlocked.

Verizon_Support

Kable717,

Let's get to the bottom of this, I know it's important to have your phone functioning the way you need it to. Did you pay full retail for the phone in one purchase or paid for it with Edge? The phone is unlocked for glboal travel, but if purchased through us on Edge, it is designed to work on our network.

AdaS_VZW

Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport

igovirginmobile

Why would Verizon follow a law or rulling if there is no stick to back it up? As long as they can take your money AND make deals with other busineses to put crapware on your phone that you can not remove to make more money Verizon does not care what happens.

Kable717

Thank you for replying to my post and the information. After looking over my original post I feel I need to clarify a few things, so please bare with me. I was aware that the phone was unlocked as far as being able to use it for global travel. I guess the big issue here is the term "unlocked" and what I mean and what you mean. I am talking about having root access and or the ability to delete some of the bloat ware off my phone. i.e. VZ Navigator, VZ Cloud, NFL Mobile, Verizon Tones, etc.

A few months ago we started having receptions issue with our Verizon phones at our home. Suddenly one morning we started noticing that our calls would drop and that we getting poor reception in our back bedroom. I called Verizon support and after researching the issue we were told that we could buy a signal boaster or get home service. We wound up getting home service and things seemed to be fine.

A few months later I went in to my local corporate Verizon store, which was about a month ago, to get a new phone and to discuss some new reception issues I was having at home with our Verizon phones. We had had some reception issues before, but now we suddenly had no reception at all. Any ways, the Verizon representative I talked to was very helpful and told me that Verizon was switching all of their customers over to the new Edge program and explained all the benefits I would get on the new program in exchange for paying full price for my new phone. I was told that the new Edge program would allow me to upgrade my new phone any time I wanted as long as I had paid off at least half the purchase price of the phone and that if I paid off the phone and then choose to upgrade I would get a $300 credit towards my next phone. I explained that my family does not upgrade very often so that was not much of a benefit. So, the representative went on to tell me how I could unlock my phone after paying the full price of the phone and I would have complete access to the phone and I could also switch carriers and take my phone with me. Again I replied that switching carriers was a nice option, but again not something really big in the scope of things unless Verizon suddenly started having service or customer service issues. However, being able to have complete access to my phone was a really enticing option since I could get rid of any bloat ware and I could customize my phone without worrying about an issues with Verizon regarding my service. So, I went with the Edge service and got a Galaxy Note 3.

Any ways fast forward about 3 weeks. We were still having reception issues and so the issue of buying my phone out and switching carriers came up. Again I went in to Verizon to discuss my reception issues and I was told that we could purchase a cell signal booster for approx. $300, but only if Verizon approved that we could use a booster at all, or I could buy out my phone and switch carriers on the one phone and use it for home use. That lead in to the discussion of unlocking the phone and switching carriers. But after discussing the issue it came out that Verizon could not unlock my phone and that after purchasing the phone I would have to go to the new carrier and have them unlock it. So, before buying out my phone I went to T-Mobile and Sprint. Both of them gave me different reasons, but basically came to the same result which was that they could not unlock my phone and our they would not allow my phone on their system any ways and so if I purchased service from them I would need to purchase a new phone.

So, my biggest issue right now is cell reception at my home. That is the main issue. However, I would also like some clarification on the benefits and my rights under the Edge program. The main question there is what am I actually getting for paying the full price of my phone? Can I unlock my phone if I pay it off and by unlocking I mean do I get full access to the phone it's self, not unlocking the SIM and having access to other carriers? If not, then the staff at my local Verizon store need to be re-educated and the information that Verizon is putting out about their Edge program needs to be clarified, because right now the only real option I see is the ability to upgrade my phone any time I want instead of every two years.

Right now I am making monthly payments on my phone via the Edge program; however, I am more than willing to pay off the phone right now if it means I can have the phone unlocked and as such I can have complete access to the phone including deleting any applications I don't need.

Tidbits

If the device is an LTE device it is UNLOCKED by default and CAN'T be locked. It's not like the 3G, and older devices as they don't follow block C rules.

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