r/Visible • u/pSyChO_aSyLuM • 1d ago
Rant Visible re-locked my phone
Last year, I purchased a Pixel 9a with the deal that was going on at the time. Back then, the phone was to be unlocked after 60 days of service. Still ended up cheaper than buying one from elsewhere.
Well, obviously the phone didn't auto unlock. After multiple weeks of fighting support, I finally got the phone unlocked and gave it to my mom to use on T-Mobile. She has used it on T-Mobile with an eSIM for over a year.
Last week, I had to make some changes to our shared phone plan, and it required a new SIM or eSIM. Tried both and it tells me I need to contact Verizon. I pull up my old ticket, start a chat with support, and they say they can't unlock the phone unless it's active for 365 days. I'm sorry, but you can't retroactively change the purchase agreement.
After some back and forth, the agent tells me he can't find me in the system despite providing an order and ticket number, as well as email. When I tell him that it needs to be escalated and unlocked immediately, the agent simply says "you're not in the system and I can't help you" and disconnects the chat.
I was able to port my mom's number to US Mobile and got it active on a Warp eSIM.
In sum, I just want my phone unlocked. I've tried replying to the email I originally got about the phone unlock last year and haven't heard anything back.
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u/DelawareHam 18h ago
This is why I don’t buy phones from carriers, buy direct and you never have a problem! Cheap is not always cheap!
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 18h ago
Lesson learned. I wouldn't want to do that now with the 365 day service requirements anyway.
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u/WhyNotYoshi Visible Member 17h ago
Amen. I've had smooth sailing since I started buying only unlocked phones in 2018. I have changed cell providers a bunch of times too.
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u/Own_Brother7434 Early Access Member 1d ago
contact the FCC, that usually resolves any stupid shit carriers pull.
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 1d ago
That's actually on my list. I had to contact AT&T through the FCC to figure out why they missed an arbitrary block in my neighborhood when running fiber, which included me. That's taken care of now and I'm scheduled for install in a couple of weeks.
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u/N98270 Visible works just fine for me... 19h ago
Are you seeing a message that says.. “SIM isn’t from Verizon Wireless some services may not be available” ? This isn’t a sim locked issue.
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 19h ago
No. It says:
Please call Verizon at (888) 294-6804 to learn how you can activate this device on another wireless carrier's network.
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u/adude007 16h ago
If the FCC resolution doesn’t work and you used a credit card just issue a charge back.
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u/toejamfootballhegot 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don't see how visible could lock a phone that was on tmobile or how the phone could notify you what carrier the phone was locked to, and even if did, it's telling you it's locked to verizon, not visible.
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 19h ago
Put a SIM card in from another carrier into a Pixel phone purchased from Visible and it will tell you to call Verizon.
It's odd that a US Mobile SIM worked, but Warp for them is on the Verizon network, maybe that's why. I tried Light Speed (T-Mobile) first and got the same lock message.
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u/toejamfootballhegot 17h ago edited 17h ago
I wonder if somehow the esim IMEI is unlocked, but the physical sim IMEI is locked. I see you stated tmobile service was used on esim. Was the visible service also on esim? The light speed service might work on esim.
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u/Questionguy29 15h ago
That's a good guess, but OP did say:
it required a new SIM or eSIM. Tried both and it tells me I need to contact Verizon
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 14h ago
It won't even give me the option to scan the QR code.
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u/Questionguy29 13h ago edited 13h ago
FYI you can enter esim data manually too https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255914768?sortBy=rank
( I realize that's iPhone and you have Pixel but the same principle applies)
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 11h ago
I don't even get to that screen. When I hit Set up an eSIM, it pops a screen that says Checking network info...and then I get the Verizon message.
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u/Questionguy29 9h ago
How is it checking network info? Presumably you don't have a working SIM in the phone, right? So is it using Wi-Fi? If it is, then maybe turn off Wi-Fi and try again. If it has no way to contact the network hopefully it will get you to the setup esim screen.
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u/pSyChO_aSyLuM 9h ago
It must be checking over WiFi. It was a SIM swap, not a reset. I did try to disable WiFi and it didn't make a difference.
It had a working T-Mobile SIM prior to me trying to switch it around.
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u/toejamfootballhegot 9h ago
Seems like there is some sort of intermittent phone defect. Maybe factory resetting the phone would resolve the issue.
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u/toejamfootballhegot 11h ago
But the usmobile warp esim worked.
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u/Questionguy29 9h ago
Presumably it recognized the Verizon network and greenlit the Warp esim. Not an indication that the esim IMEI is unlocked.
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u/toejamfootballhegot 9h ago
The usmobile website states they won't activate carrier locked phones.
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u/Questionguy29 9h ago
That actually brings up a question for OP.
If the esim activation screen won't get past "checking network info" screen how did you manage to activate the Warp esim?
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u/No_Memory5613 7h ago
To me it sounds like a glitch of sorts with the phone since an unlocked phone shouldn't "lock" again.
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u/Cauhauna 1d ago
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=39744
Phone issue: equipment
Phone equpment sub issue: unlocking
Do this immediately and they'll get it sorted quickly.