Sim Not Supported

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Level 1

8 points

Sim Not Supported

In January 2019 i purchased an AT&T Unlocked iPhone XS from my local Walmart. After purchasing i’ve tried activating my phone with both Softbank and AU in Okinawa, Japan, both told me that my phone was locked to a carrier. I called apple and they told me to restore my iPhone from iTunes, so i did. They also stated that in the system my phone says unlocked. I purchased a sim card from Tmobile and had it shipped out here and we called and activated the card along with my phone and still every time i insert a sim card my phone shows the picture below. Someone please help, did i just waste $1300 on a phone i can’t use??

iPhone XS, iOS 12

Posted on Mar 19, 2019 3:40 AM

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Answer 1

kaila01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 19, 2019 5:26 PM in response to stedman1

when i first turned the phone on i inserted a straight talk sim card, but i’ve never activated the phone. i contacted straight talk and they said the phone isn’t locked to them. apple said that in their system is says unlocked. who do i contact? how do i find out who it’s locked to?

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Answer 2

Mar 19, 2019 6:31 PM in response to kaila01

when i first turned the phone on i inserted a straight talk sim card, but i’ve never activated the phone. i contacted straight talk and they said the phone isn’t locked to them. apple said that in their system is says unlocked. who do i contact? how do i find out who it’s locked to?

If it was not activated, then it has not yet locked to any carrier.

However, iPhones bought from the likes of Walmart, Bestbuy etc... in the U.S. will only activate with a U.S. sim card, any U.S. sim card. At which point they will lock to whichever carrier was used for activation.

If you activated the iPhone with the T-Mobile sim, then its now locked to T-Mobile. T-Mobile requires you have their service for 40 days before they will unlock the iPhone.

Unlock your T-Mobile wireless device

https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1588

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Answer 3

kb1951

Level 10

124,937 points

Mar 19, 2019 4:35 AM in response to kaila01

Walmart does not sell unlocked phones. The message that you are getting shows that your phone is not unlocked. You will need to contact the carrier it is locked to to get it unlocked.

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Answer 4

kaila01 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 19, 2019 5:16 PM in response to kb1951

walmart stated when purchased outright they are unlocked, and they still stand by that.

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Answer 5

Mar 19, 2019 5:19 PM in response to kaila01

It would appear they lied. All such phones sold by Walmart, will lock to the first US Cellular provider SIM used. Unlocked iPhones can be purchased at Apple, not Walmart, not BestBuy.

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Answer 6

kb1951

Level 10

124,937 points

Mar 19, 2019 5:20 PM in response to kaila01

If they say so. As noted, your phone is locked to a carrier. You need to contact them to get it unlocked.

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Answer 7

Mar 19, 2019 5:22 PM in response to kaila01

The only one who sells a truly unlocked iPhone is Apple.

Everyone else lies when they claim to be selling one.

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Sim Not Supported

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