<p>Sorry but I really can’t understand it and have been reading a lot of contradictory info on the web. Can an iPhone5 from Sprint (which we purchased and have had under the 2 year contract that just ended) be unlocked by Sprint to be used with another carrier in the US such as Sprint? I am so confused and have read contradictory information as to whether this is possible or not. </p>
<p>We have four iPhone 5 devices and really would prefer not to HAVE to purchase new phones if we can have them unlocked so they can be used with another carrier, like Tmobile (which looks to be our next carrier).</p>
<p>Really appreciate anyone’s experiences and knowledge because there is a lot of confusing info. Would like to hear successful & unsuccessful experiences, as well as when they occurred, in case things have changed over time (for better or worse). Thanks!</p>
<p>Have read that there are some online companies that promise “guaranteed results” to help you unlock your phone. Do you have any knowledge whether any of these services are legit and successful for long term unlocking so the phones can successfully be used by the competitor’s carrier in the US? Have read that you can get Sprint (& some others) to unlock for while you are out of US but NOT for inside the US. The services claim a 70-95% success rate at unlocking phones.</p>
<p>Maybe I’ll have to call Tmobile and Sprint and figure out what the options are from their perspective. We did buy a pair of new Nokia Lumina 635 phones that are Tmobile. Just trying to get a better idea of what our kids’ options are–whether they can use their Sprint iPhone 5 with Tmobile or will have to buy new ones as well.</p>
<p>You just ask Sprint to unlock it for you. They have to do it. You will then have an unlocked phone, which can be used with any carrier. This can all be done remotely. All you have to do is call Sprint.</p>
<p>You have to make sure your model of iphone 5 is compatible with T-mobile’s unique frequencies. You may end up not being able to use LTE or previous versions of high speed data. My guess is that a Sprint model from a couple years back will not be completely compatible with T-mobile. T-mobile is very friendly to people switching to their network, so you likely could get a great deal for new phones for you kids. </p>
<p>The challenge with all of the cell phones is that different carriers use one of two systems (GSM or CDMA) for the basic phone service, and when on those systems, only use specific wavelengths. Think of it as having to choose between only receiving AM or FM radio signals, and then within the AM or FM options, having your dial broken so that you can only receive certain stations. The high-speed data is on other wavelengths, just as TV is broadcast on different wavelengths from radio, so depending on the carrier and the age of the cellphone device, there are additional limitations to take into consideration. </p>
<p>If you really do need to move to T-Mobile because of coverage issues, I agree with @Parent1337 that your best move would be to contact T-Mobile and get advice that is specific for the phone you have.</p>
<p>Provided Sprint has decent coverage where the phone owners need it, you could move to their no-contract plan. I did that a couple of months ago. We have a 2GB Data Share Pack (larger data amounts are available for different prices). $25/mo. for 2GB shared data (happykid is the only one who actually uses the data), $25/mo. for each line with unlimited talk and text. This comes to $100/mo. for the three lines and the data. We have a $2.50 discount as credit union members, and taxes/fees/whatnot for our location come to $25.73. If I recall correctly, at the time I made this change, Sprint was also offering a no-contract $50/mo. “unlimited” data option with a single line. I found the website confusing, so I made the changes with a Sprint customer service agent by telephone. They were really quite helpful.</p>
<p>Has anyone here tried Ting? How are they? Looks like their data is pretty expensive. </p>
<p>S wants data. We are leaning toward TMobile because they have 2.5 Gb LTE per line for 4 lines @ $100. That should be good for us. If S wants unlimited LTE data, it just bumps the price up a bit and he can use his phone as a hotspot, which he wants. </p>
<p>I second the above. Fwiw, I just added a new iPhone to our plan and the older iPhone5 was immediately disabled by ATT and the result was a unlocked phone. I did not have to request an unlocking. I placed a SIM card in it and it recognized it. My take is that the carriers have (finally) discovered that keeping phones blocked after their initial contract expires is more work than warranted. </p>
<p>I think that (re)using a GSM phone (one with a SIM card) is now easier. Although I did not have to do, I also think that doing a factory reset on an “unlocked” phone might yield a virgin phone that is not associated with any carrier. Fwiw, that is what almost every phone reseller does in Mexico for 10 bucks or less. They wipe every mention of the former carrier and as a bonus you end up with functions on your iPhone you never saw before – one of them having the ability to pick your carrier with a feature that appears below the “cellular” button. That feature is also available upon request with ATT for people who travel abroad frequently with … locked phones. </p>
<p>Well I went into the sprint store and the 4 employees there said if you unlock you can use it with any carrier in US after returning from an international trip. </p>
<p>Am just trying to figure out what the options are. The kids may want to have their sprint iphones unlocked so they can be used on TMobile. </p>
<p>Instead of choosing a service that splits the data, why not go with a provider who lets a family share data. Since you and your H would unlikely use 5Gb’s, but your son may use more than 2.5Gbs…ESPECIALLY if he uses his phone has a hotspot while using a computer or tablet. </p>
<p>We had 15Gb of data to share, but AT&T doubled it to 30Gbs last fall. Don’t know if they’re still doubling data now. </p>
<p>I know that, at least, they have a 10Gb Mobile Share plan that a family can share. This would let your son have access to more data during the months he needs it. </p>
The plan we are switching to will be $100 for 4 phones for 2.5GB of LTE data apiece, which seems like a pretty good deal to me. I’m not too concerned about S–if he needs more data, he can go to unlimited for just a bit more. What are your rates for AT&T for 4 lines with LTE data? Our heads were spinning trying to understand the different plans, and Tmobile sounded like a reasonable amount of data for a good price for 4 phones.
Can’t remember f 4lte unlimited data is $30 more or SOMETHING close to it. It would still be less than 50% of what we currently pay to sprint for terrible data speeds. If both kids want unlimited, it would only be $140/mo with H and I having 2.5gb LTE data.
When one of my kids lost his iphone, Grandma gave him her old one, which was for a different carrier. We couldn’t figure out how to convert it…both carriers were not helpful at all, and our internet research didn’t help, either. We ultimately went to a “We Fix Used Phones” type of place and traded it in for a compatible model, paying a service fee to do so (I think it was like fifty bucks…the guy has to make money to stay in business). So for fifty dollars we had a phone that kept DS going until the next time we were eligible for new phones.
Than. We may just use the iPhones as iTouch devices (no phone service) and just get new phones with Tmobile. Thanks. S has pretty much resigned to idea that we will need to get new Tmpbole phones and he’s researched more than we have. Both carriers have said can’t convert. We may gift our old 'honest inlays, who love Sprint.
We just switched to TMobile. 2 lines, unlimited everything (Inc. 4G data) for 100. Used one unlocked phone &one new phone. How do you like the Nokia 635? Thinking of upgrading to it. Unlocked works fine except only uses 3G due to age.
DS seems to have told me that he does not use (and does not WANT to use) the biometric fingerprint scanner on his new iPhone 6 (on purpose.) He used the old school “password” instead and talked about two levels of protections that I really have no idea about. I guess he just does not trust it. It is somewhat strange to me. I guess there are not many iPhone 5S, 6, and 6 Plus users who intentionally disable that fingerprint scanner on the “home” button.
I guess it will be a while (if ever) before he will be using that Apple Pay function (is it based on some technology called “near field communications”?)
We have not yet activated our TMobile for our Nokia phones, so aren’t sure what we think of 635 yet. I believe it will handke LTE fine. Will switch from Sprint the end of the month.