Verizon won't unlock phone

[Gwest3]

Help! I purchased a new unlocked pixel 6 in 2021 from Best Buy and activated it on my Verizon Wireless business account. I purchased it in full and have the receipt.  I'm trying to switch wireless carriers now and successfully transferred my phone number to the new carrier. However, when trying to activate the new eSIM by scanning the QR code from the new carrier I get an error that says my phone is locked by Verizon. After 3 days of talking to tech support and fraud support at Verizon they still refuse to unlock my phone SIM. My SIM lock appeal was denied because  Verizon has no record of me purchasing the phone. Fraud support said Verizon cannot unlock it because I purchased it at Best Buy, and Best Buy support says they don't have any ability to lock unlocked phones. I've already filed a complaint with the FCC. 

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, being on top of your equipment is vital, especially if you are managing your phone status. We want to guide you in the right direction.

For your reference, here is our unlock policy: https://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy.

To verify more details on your business line device, please reach out to our Business Team through any of the numbers found on this link: https://www.verizon.com/business/contact/.

Hope this information helped.

~Gilbert

[Gwest3]

Gilbert, @vzw_customer_support 

Thanks for your reply. Please read my post in full. The Verizon unlocking policy you sent does not apply since I purchased an unlocked phone from Best Buy, not Verizon. I have contacted the business team several times and have no solution to this problem.

[Gwest3]

@vzw_customer_support  

Minor update. I've contacted both Google and Best Buy customer support. Both confirmed that the phone is SIM locked by Verizon and Verizon is the only one who can unlock it. 

[SynthpopAddict]

@Gwest3  sorry to see you've been affected by an IT glitch.  Someone else recently posted about the exact same thing and also had to get the FCC on it before their phone could be unlocked.  I'm shocked that CS can't at least route your request to the correct department.  Never mind that whomever you spoke with earlier couldn't tell by looking at your account that you did use the phone for the required 60 days on Verizon's network in the past.  This fulfilled the unlocking policy requirement and the phone should have automatically unlocked itself.  Sure hope your situation gets sorted out soon.

P.S. - How in the world does a factory unlocked phone somehow get locked by a carrier??? 😯

[Gwest3]

@SynthpopAddict 

Thanks for the reply. I just received another SIM Lock Appeal - Denied email from Verizon @vzw_customer_support  with no useful explanation as to why. Looks like I'm forced to purchase a new phone in order to use a different carrier. 

[SynthpopAddict]

@Gwest3has the FCC responded to your inquiry?  Sorry to see you haven't gotten a resolution.

[Gwest3]

@SynthpopAddict I was notified yesterday that my FCC complaint was served to Verizon. although I have not heard anything from Verizon yet. Maybe they will call me today to address this issue. I've given up calling tech support after my Enable SIM Unlock request was denied again yesterday. 

[ghowell]

Any update on this?  Did contacting the FCC work?  I'm having the same issue.  

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, ghowell. Help is here. Please share some details on what's happening. 

-Natasha

[ghowell]

Hi Natasha,

I'm having the same issue as the original poster.  Purchased phone from Best Buy in fall of 2021.   My phone is still locked and Verizon hasn't been able to help so far (3 calls since Feb 2024).  Best Buy indicates issue is on Verizon side, Verizon say's issue is with Best Buy...

[vzw_customer_support]

Thank you for those additional details, Ghowell. The original poster stated they bought an unlocked, to make sure we're aligned, was yours an unlocked phone as well? This will help with direction. 

-Melissa

[ghowell]

Hi Melissa,

I believe this was to be unlocked.  It was paid in full at the time of purchase.  

[vzw_customer_support]

Thanks so much for that information, ghowell. To best assist, we'll be sending a Private message.👍

~Izzy

[SoulSnatcher]

Fraud support is right. And God help you if you're not a customer anymore or never have been, then you're just wasting their precoous time. Verizon are the worst by far.

I've been trying to get my "unlocked" phone unlocked for a week now and I've had all of the above happen to me and everytime you call back you have to go ggrough all the same explanations and answer the same questions and sit on hold while they verify things again then eventually hang up on you again. My last call today (another hour and a half ordeal) ended with them telling me not o.ly should my phone be unlocked but that it is indeed unlocked already. When I asked them why then does the scrolling banner say network locked? and why when I put in a different carrier sim does it not work and say sorry you can't activate this device on a different carrier network right now? And was promptly hung up on again.

I will never in a million years ever be a Verizon customer and I will always suggest nobody else is either. Nonody should get treated like this.

PS they're trying to get the 60 day unlock requirement removed altogether right now. They don't want to give up their phones even if they're completely paid off. 

Guess it's FCC complaint time for me too.

[vzw_customer_support]

We'd like to help and take a closer look at your situation. To better assist I'll be sending you a Private Message. 

~Maria

[Batmanluver21]

I’m having the same issue but I bought my phone at Walmart and after a week of back and forth phone calls from Walmart and Verizon I can’t get no where. What is the FCC?

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello,Batmanluver21. Help is here. Did you purchase a prepaid device? Please see the link below for our Device Unlocking Policy for the time frame and qualifications to unlock your device. 

https://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy

-Natasha

[Christypruitt83]

I have called several times to get someone at Verizon to unlock my son’s eSIM. I called 1 week ago and they told me it would be unlocked In 2-3 business days but keep denying my request. This is a phone that my husband bought on his company purchasing plan, and not a Verizon retailer or part of Verizon. They have held my phone hostage after trying to move away from Verizon to T Mobile. I had a past due payment and thought that might be the reason,and the only reason I hadn’t paid yet is I was finished with Verizon waiting for the final bill, but I paid that and after being on the call with Verizon for almost 2 hours, they still have not unlocked it. Today they reactivated my Verizon service after I told them that with their policy that it states you have to wait 60 days for them to unlock a phone once activated, and she reassured me that would not be the case, but they still have not unlocked it, the lady told me she needed to wait 15 mins for me to shut the phone down and she would call me back, but never did. I just feel that they are being rude and not helping me out, when my son needs his phone. What happens if he has an emergency and has no way of getting in contact with us. I am a very worried mom at this point and I don’t feel Verizon is being of any help. I need this resolved. I had no problems switching all my other lines, so I don’t understand why this one line is a problem?

[Chela9090]

Honestly this my first being a customer of Verizon in very Ling time oh boy this is bad they have bad customer service really bad always getting disconnected the other day I had a isssed never talk to 6 different agents from fraud department to sales none of them ever help was there for on the computer chat I'm terminating my service today 

[vzw_customer_support]

Chela9090, we never want you to leave the Verizon family, and we're sorry if you've had issues with our customer service in the past. We want to make sure you're always getting the help you need when you reach out. What issues were our customer service team unable to help you with?

~Jesse