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How to unlock an iPhone 6 Plus?

lcarneiro

I bought a pre-owned supposed unlocked Iphone 6 Plus recently from GameStop in a trip in USA, but when I arrived in Brazil and tried to work with a Brazilian carrier SIM I discovered that it was actually a locked phone. Then I called Apple to make sure it was locked and they confirmed it. Apple support told me to get in touch with you guys from Verizon who were the original carrier for this phone to ask to unlock. Please need your help, as I don't have a valid USA phone number I'm trying this communication channel, if you could give me an e-mail or the steps I need to follow so I can get in touch with you and solve this, I would be glad. I expect hearing from you. Thanks.

Comments

MiiHere

Are you certain it was a Verizon iPhone? All phones are unlocked from Verizon, however with At&T and T-mobile you have to unlock them for use.

MiiHere

You could also verify that the phone isn't stolen by using this link:

Set Your Location

lcarneiro

I'm sure, I've got the receipt from GameStop with the phone original specifications.

MiiHere

Human error does occur. Try the link provided and let us know what happens.

lcarneiro

Since I bought at GameStop, I'dont think so. But Iwill check it out using the links. Thanks a lot. Do vou know if the Verizon support usually check the question at the community? Thanks again.

MiiHere

Sometimes it takes 24+ hours.

MiiHere

Can you tell us what happens when you do insert a SIM card?

Weth

Verizon iPhones are all sold unlocked, so something else is going on.

Gamestop only sells pre owned (used) phones. So it is very possible this phone was reported lost or stolen and is now blacklisted. That is different than locked But will not activate. Verizon will not remove a blacklisted phone Unless the original owner is involved. It could have also been mislabeled a Verizon phone.

lcarneiro

When I insert the SIM card It start's saying "helo", "olá", etc...then it identifies the network and 4G appears at the left upper position, but the name of the brazilian carrier doesn't. Then it asks to choose a network connetion, wireless or 4G, whatever option I choose, a message appear at the next screen saying: "Invalid SIM, the SIM card you have inserted in this iPhone belong to carrier who is not compatible with the activation policy assigned for the activation server. Please insert another SIM card from a compatible carrier or ask your carrier to unlock this iPhone. Please get in touch with Apple to obtain more information." That's what ir says.

Spire

You may have experienced something similar to an issue that is a problem for some U.S. SIM Free iPhone 6/6s owners wanting to use their phones internationally.

This problem is still going on and relatively unknown until people experience it. It appears to be an issue with iPhone 6/6s models that were offered as "Service Replacement" phones by Apple and assigned an "incorrect policy" from Apple's servers. (See below.) The error occurs when the Apple Server tries to validate the iPhone's IMEI number, there is a lack of synchronization between the databases of Verizon Wireless and Apple servers.

The phones will work with U.S. domestic carriers but not with international SIMs when the user receives a "SIM Not Valid" alert.

If the Apple customer support person you talk to is uninformed of this issue, what needs to be done is to escalate the case to a Level 2 Support Technician or a Senior Level Advisor who will agree to forward a request to the Apple's engineers who can fix it from their side. This is the only way to fix it by getting the "policy" corrected.

When properly identified, what Apple will tell you is that you have "a replacement device with an incorrect activation policy" (which takes 30 minutes to 24 hours for engineers to correct). Sometimes the iPhone needs to be restored after Apple makes the change to the policy for the phone, before it will work with an international sim.

Most people who have run into this issue get stuck in a loop where Apple tells them their phone is locked to AT&T or Verizon. (Yes, we all know Verizon can not legally lock phones.) AT&T or Verizon will accurately say the phone is not locked to their servers. The result is a frustrated phone owner. Unfortunately many find out only when they get overseas.

The SIM Free iPhone "appears" to be locked "internationally" when in reality it is an Apple server setting that essentially acts like an international lock. It can require quite a bit of patience to be nice and persistent with Apple Customer Service, and repeated calls/visits to find someone who is open to the idea, since it is an obscure problem relative to the number of total Apple customers, but a large problem for those in need of international phone use. "Service Replacement" iPhone 6/6s appear to be identified by model numbers starting with an "N".

Should someone plan to use the phone internationally, or want to get more value upon resale, it would be wise for anyone who has received a replacement SIM Free iPhone 6/6s to check their phone. This information is also good for future buyers of iPhone 6/6s who wish to use the phone internationally. There have already been cases where honest owners have sold their phone, not knowing it would not work overseas when the buyer has expectations of it working globally. Neither party is typically at fault, since the SIM Free 6/6s iPhones are promoted as unlocked to begin with.

When contacting Apple Support, it is strongly recommended to provide the AppleCare+ work order created during the "replacement" and the "order number". This will ensure that the "replacement phone" has the same "policy" as the original phone to ensure that all International SIM's will work. Receipts from your original phone prior to the replacement might help also.

The following information can be viewed with the aid of a reputable IMEI GSX (Global Service Exchange) checker for $1–2:

The policy for the phone to work domestically and internationally should read:
US Verizon LTE MM N61/N56/N51/N48/N42 = Fully Factory Unlocked for U.S. + Worldwide Use

As opposed to something like:

US GSM/VZW N61/N56 Service Policy = Unlocked Domestically / Locked Internationally

Good luck,

Spire

justinimel

To anyone who has this issue, THIS IS AN APPLE PROBLEM. Do not let them tell you it is Verizon, it is not. You need to talk to a Senior iOS Advisor who actually knows what this stuff is. They will have to fix it on Apple's servers and you will have to factory restore your iPhone from iTunes to deploy the new policy. Verizon can do nothing for this, if Apple tells you it is a Verizon problem the advisor you are talking to does not know what they are talking about.

To summarize, I just had this resolved by Apple without calling Verizon once. This is how I know it is an Apple issue. Apple has to have their server push the proper activation certificate to your device or it will not work. There is nothing Verizon can do for this. Verizon and Apple need to fix a glitch in the communication between their servers which causes Apple to deploy the wrong activation certificate when you get a replacement device from Apple Care. Fundamentally, however, it is Apple that controls whether your device is locked, not Verizon. Verizon will say whether or not it should be locked by their corporate policy (they can't because of the FCC), but the lock itself is built into the software of the iPhone, which Apple controls via their activation server.

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