SIM Not Valid but unlocked?

I seriously doubt a Senior Engineer told you that. When Verizon recently went through a mass change of unlocking phones there were errors made in the database at Apple (this was more applicable to the 4s) which caused locking issues. It was necessary to call Apple and be elevated to a Senior Engineer who had to make the change necessary. Took about 72 hours.

Did you end up finding a solution to this problem? I have a very similar one. I got a German iPhone 5S and I'm trying to use it in the US. I bought the phone used (originally it was probably bought from Vodafone) and now the Apple Store told me there is some kind of ePlus Lock on it. Any help will be appreciated.

The following may or may not apply to you since your phone is not an iPhone 6/6s. However it may provide insight or steer you in a direction that can help:

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

If it's locked to Sprint, only Sprint can authorize unlocking it. You must be a Sprint customer in good standing and the phone must be active on their network for them to process the unlock request, assuming you (and the phone) meet their requirements.

Call AppleCare and tell them you want to talk to a supervisor or manager. Explain your situation to them so they can resolve the problem.

You spoke to a senior engineer six times?

NO, it is not a similar problem at all.

If you want help with your problem, then start your own thread instead of highjacking somebody else's!!

and when you do we can assist you

i did submited the escalation they asked for the proof of purchase

Can someone unlock my sprint carrier iPhone 6 imei# 355409074218532 I was never a sprint customer I brought the phone from someone who I no longer have contact to My number is 2485739587 if any que

Hey I just received an iPhone 6 from USA en can’t use on my network it shows hcm sprint,what do