Sprint Corporation, an American Telecommunications company based in Overland Parks Kansas provides wireless service and is an internet provider to over 54.5 million US customers.
The 4th largest mobile network operator in the United States. Sprint telecommunications has also been dealing with providing customers with iPhone’s with monthly rentals operating on the Sprint Network to unlock sprint iPhone.
Ways to Unlock Sprint iPhone
However, you might find yourself in a conundrum after you bought a sprint iPhone and had to move somewhere else and the network coverage of the Sprint Network is quite poor.
In such cases and many more, you might want to switch to other service providers. You might wonder as to how you would go about doing it and what criteria must you qualify.
unlock sprint iPhone can be in order to switch to some other cell services that you might prefer. There are several ways to do this task and the magnitude of their difficulty changes with various factors that play a role here.
Although the Sprint service is used by a major chunk of the US population, Due to some or the other reason like maybe cheaper data plans better network coverage by other service providers, you decided to jump ship.
Sprint obviously cannot stop you from doing this but it sure can make the process tough.
There are several methods to do this depending on whether you are the owner, legal, illegal etc.
Let’s begin with the unlocking of the handsets.
Before we get into the intricacies of the whole operation, there are many eligibility criteria you need to be following. Do note that you are assumed to be the first owner of your iPhone in this case.
Unlocking requirements
For the people using devices bought prior to February 2015, you are not eligible for SIM Unlock. However, there is a quick MSL turn around for that too. MSL stands for Master Subsidiary Lock. More on this is at the end of the article.
For Devices bought after February 2015, keep reading.
There are different types of devices and the eligibility criteria for all of them are different.
Sprint Post-paid Devices
unlock sprint iPhone from Sprint’s network under the following circumstances:
- The device is SIM Unlock capable. This is of vital importance considering the fact that there are a few many devices. Especially the ones bought before February 2015 that are not Unlock Capable and to unlock them you would have to use back alley methods which we do not recommend.
- The device must be or have been active on the Sprint network for a minimum of 50 days.
- The device is paid for entirely and this includes late fees, monthly EMI’s and more.
- The associated account is in good standing.
- The device has not been reported as lost or stolen, associated with fraudulent activity, or otherwise flagged as ineligible to be unlocked.
For SIM unlock-capable devices (generally most devices launched after February 2015). It will automatically unlock post-paid devices when they becomes eligible.
Sprint Forward Devices
Sprint Prepaid will assist with unlocking a Sprint Forward device under the following circumstances:
- The device has not been reported as lost or stolen or otherwise flagged as ineligible to be unlocked.
- The device has been active on the associated account for at least 12 months with the account active at that time.
- Sprint Forward customers must contact Customer Care to request that their device be unlocked. If you believe you meet the above requirements and would like to request that your SIM unlock-capable unlock sprint iPhone, contact Sprint Prepaid Customer Care by dialling 855-639-4644.
Inactive Devices
For inactive devices, customers must contact Sprint Customer Care to request that their SIM unlock-capable device be unlocked. May have to take steps to perform an over-the-air update to ensure the unlock programming has been relayed to the device. Additional validation may be required to ensure eligibility.
Even after all this the Sprint official statement in the end reads
“Sprint makes no guarantee that an unlocked device will work on another carrier’s network. Whether another carrier will accept and activate a device is subject to that carrier’s policies and capabilities.”
Unlocking for military personnel
Sprint is extra generous for the members of the military deployed overseas and if you are one of those brave men or women. Sprint has a pretty favorable unlocking policy in place for you.
- The device is capable of international SIM unlock.
- The subscriber is an active member of a branch of the United States military as well as family members who are on the same account as deployed personnel.
- The subscriber has been issued overseas deployment papers.
- The person requesting the SIM unlock is a current Sprint customer that can authenticate as the Account Holder or an Authorized Contact.
- The account is in good standing.
- Each phone number on the account is allowed up to two unlocked devices within a 12 month period.
Military personnel deployed overseas can contact Sprint Worldwide Care to unlock the device SIM slot. Sprint Worldwide Care can be reached via chat or email from sprint.com/swwsupport or by calling 888-226-7212.
In case you have queries regarding the unlocking and eligibility and more you should visit the website below. It answers all the Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )on the subject.
Let us Begin the Unlocking
Sprint iPhone unlocking on AT&T is actually quite straight forward and simple. Not a lot of hassle involved.
All you have to do in order to unlock the device is call their customer care by dialling *2 from your Sprint mobile device or call 888-211-4727. Sprint Forward customers must contact Customer Care at 855-639-4644 to request that their device be unlocked.
You would be surprised to know that this is basically it as far as the unlocking process is involved. All you have to do now is wait for their instructions as you contact them via customer care.
There are also many other unlocking services in the market. Which offer even more competitive prices and each have their own individual advantages and disadvantages.
There are many services like DoctorUnlock.net, Directunlocks.com, Unlock Authority, Unlockpolice and Key2iPhone that can help you get the task done more conveniently. Each comes with its own pros and cons and we would recommend you do a thorough analysis on them before proceeding further.
However, since it is our job, we do have other editor choices as far as unlocking is concerned. Do note that they are only a recommendation and we urge you to go through their terms and conditions before proceeding further with any of those.
- For people living in the USA, Canada or UK, net is your best bet and an almost sure shot.
- If you’re anywhere in the rest of the world, then we would strongly suggest using DirectUnlocks.
Not Able to Unlock?
There might be some of you who wouldn’t be able to change their Operator as they do not pass the eligibility test.
Since the eligibility criterion to change operators is quite extensive, you need to identify which criteria were you not able to fulfil.
In case your mobile was bought before February 2015, you are simply not capable of changing services. You wouldn’t be able to do it even through you satisfy all the other requirements.
This is primarily due to the fact that prior to the development of the voluntary commitment contained in CTIA’s Consumer Code for Wireless Service (“Unlocking Commitment”) carriers were not required to, and many carriers did not, develop their devices to be capable of being unlocked.
Sprint strongly encourages owners of such devices to consider Sprint’s Buyback Program. This may enable them to trade in their old devices to receive an in-store credit toward the purchase of a new device or to receive an account credit.
For more information, visit sprint.com/buyback.
Concluding
There are many ways in which you could get unlock sprint iPhone free from the shackles of the Sprint network. All of the methods mentioned here are completely legal and do not hamper your warranty etc.
Do read through the eligibility list mentioned above though before you attempt to unlock your device using any of the above methods as they are EXTREMELY important.
