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AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are the biggest carriers in the US. However, there are also a bunch of smaller regional carriers, as well as MVNOs that piggyback on the networks of these carriers. Unfortunately, if you want to roll your T-Mobile-locked phone into a carrier’s MVNO, T-Mobile’s activation policy will cause you headaches.
T-Mobile activation policy headaches
According to posts on Reddit, multiple users are complaining that, thanks to the carrier’s updated activation policy, if you have a T-Mobile locked phone, you might not be able to use it on the carrier’s MVNOs.
Redditor ken830 says, “I just got two Motorola Edge (2024) phones for my parents to use on T-Mobile MVNOs (Mint and Tello) and it seems the phones are locked out and refuse to work with their SIMs. Their current phones are also locked ‘free’ Samsung phones from a T-Mobile trade-in deal a few years ago and they work just fine. They are still locked. I’m wondering when they made this change or is it a phone specific issue?”
Another Redditor, loganwachter, a mod over at the Mint Mobile Reddit community, says that this isn’t a new issue. It turns out this policy change took place about 18-24 months ago. It started with Samsung phones first, before moving onto other devices.
This isn’t the first time T-Mobile and its MVNOs have encountered issues. Recently, one of T-Mobile’s earlier MVNOs complained about the carrier “failing” to live up to its promises.
It’s not T-Mobile’s fault
So, is this another case of T-Mobile failing its customers? Not necessarily. The carrier has been getting a lot of hate recently over some of its more controversial decisions. This includes forcing the T-Life app onto customers and making employees push it. However, in this instance, it might not be T-Mobile’s fault, at least not entirely.
Like most carriers, T-Mobile has its own criteria for unlocking its phones. Some of the more basic requirements include paying off all outstanding bills. You also have to make sure you’re no longer contracted to the carrier.
This means that, previously, T-Mobile might not have been particularly strict about enforcing the activation policy. However, this update suggests that T-Mobile is starting to crack down on it. So, if you have a T-Mobile-locked phone and want to use it with an MVNO, make sure to get it unlocked first.
This article first appeared on Android Headlines
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