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That’s the theory. But often they’re locked as policy even if you buy the phone outright. I think Verizon locks all phones purchased from them. They’ll unlock
by MBCook 4y ago
That’s the theory. But often they’re locked as policy even if you buy the phone outright.
I think Verizon locks all phones purchased from them. They’ll unlock them after 30-60 days if you ask and don’t owe on the phone.
But why should that be the case at all? If someone gets a subsidized phone and runs away, charge them for the phone and send it to collections. Too many people doing that? Don’t give away phones so easily.
- Overtonwindow 4y agoNo, it’s totally anticompetitive practices. If you buy the phone out right that phone should not be locked at all. The only conceivable reason why it would be locked is so that the carrier is attempting to prevent you from going to another carrier.
- MBCook 4y agoI agree completely. My comment was to point out it’s not just subsidized phones. They lost on number portability. They’ve still got this (for now).
- stevehawk 4y agoVerizon's new policy is that all phones are unlocked automatically after 60 days. I have yet to test this, but publicly that's their policy now.
- dboreham 4y agoMy experience has been that Verizon phones have not been locked for many years. I've used European carrier sims in my Verizon phones many times.
- bdcravens 4y agoYes, though in recent years they've switched that to a 60 day period, to prevent people from signing up and instantly selling on eBay.
- 1123581321 4y agoIt’s definitely anticompetitive. I bought a phone paid-in-full from Best Buy a few years ago and decided a few weeks later to move from Verizon to an MVNO. I learned about the phone-locking when activation failed. Removing the lock was difficult. My first call to Verizon was long and ended with a T2 lying to me that they’d removed the lock. My second call was shorter because I was insistent that I see the change on my end before hanging up. After about half an hour, the T2 gave up and escalated up to T4 and I saw the unlock confirmation via SMS. The whole time they kept trying to make me promise I would not move the unlocked phone to new service, as if that were something owed them from my paid-in-full purchase on a no-contract line. Most people would not have the time and knowledge to solve this, and the carriers know it.
- henryfjordan 4y agoI bought a phone used and refurbed that was locked to Verizon. I know the phone was more than 60 days old so it should at the least be eligible for an unlock per the policies. Went into a store, they said I was being scammed by the seller and to only trust the store (they just wanted to sell me another phone). Phone support said they'd try a few things on their end but in the end the phone was still locked. I think I only ever got to T2. They also said they had no record of the phone ever being activated in their system so I kinda suspect the seller was a verizon store doing shady stuff. Ended up having to return the phone and fight over a "restocking" fee. Paid $40 more at a different seller for a fully unlocked phone even though by Verizon's own policies the first phone should've been unlockable. I wish there was something I could've done to hold Verizon and the seller accountable.
- ticviking 4y agoIn those cases charge it back. Print out the marketing material you based your decision on and charge the store back. Make it clear that you're returning it over it not being as described not over being unhappy with it. Often you'll win. If it's not worth the time to document it maybe it's worth just letting go of.
- 4y ago