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Root Swapping sim to an other phone without letting MetroPCS know.

bfldworker

bfldworker

Android Enthusiast
I am absolutely convinced that MetroPCS locks sim cards to the IMEI or serial numbers of the phones.

Is there a way to bypass said lock so I can swap phones out as I wish or do I need to call MetroPCS every single time?

I have several unlocked phones I want to play around with, I have made a APN for MetroPCS on each of the phones and made sure they are selected. So I am convinced they lock the sim to IMEI.
 
Yeah. It's one active phone per sim. I hate it too. It's damn near impossible to get someone on the phone if you call with a Metro number, so when I call, I use my Google Voice number.
 
I wish there was a legal way if spoofing a IMEI number even for a short time. Ah well, looks like I have to speak to a customer service rep at a store.
 
bfldworker said:
I am absolutely convinced that MetroPCS locks sim cards to the IMEI or serial numbers of the phones.

Is there a way to bypass said lock so I can swap phones out as I wish or do I need to call MetroPCS every single time?

I have several unlocked phones I want to play around with, I have made a APN for MetroPCS on each of the phones and made sure they are selected. So I am convinced they lock the sim to IMEI.
Click to expand...
T-Mobile Pre-Paid might be a better option,as the rates are identical,less the $30 Plan,which T-Mobile doesn't have:
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-monthly-plans#get-started
 
bfldworker said:
I am absolutely convinced that MetroPCS locks sim cards to the IMEI or serial numbers of the phones.

Is there a way to bypass said lock so I can swap phones out as I wish or do I need to call MetroPCS every single time?

I have several unlocked phones I want to play around with, I have made a APN for MetroPCS on each of the phones and made sure they are selected. So I am convinced they lock the sim to IMEI.
Click to expand...
When i had a sim card for BYOD, i could switch phones just by swapping sim cards. I went and bought a phone from Metro store the other day and found that i now have to call to activate phones. I think it may have something to do with the type of device initially used with the sim card. BYOD activated sim cards may be the answer.
 
WaxysDargle said:
When i had a sim card for BYOD, i could switch phones just by swapping sim cards. I went and bought a phone from Metro store the other day and found that i now have to call to activate phones. I think it may have something to do with the type of
device initially used with the sim card. BYOD activated sim cards may be the answer.
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Part of the reason they're locked to
MPCS, at least temporarily, is the devices are sold at or below cost.
So, they get the difference in locking it to their network.
I bought a phone outright from Metro & couldn't use it on another network until three billing cycles passed.
 
KOLIO said:
Part of the reason they're locked to
MPCS, at least temporarily, is the devices are sold at or below cost.
So, they get the difference in locking it to their network.
I bought a phone outright from Metro & couldn't use it on another network until three billing cycles passed.
Click to expand...

They aren't talking about the device being locked to MetroPCS. They are talking about the fact that you have to call MetroPCS(free) or pay $15 at a metro store every time you want to switch phones. So if I have service with MetroPCS and I have 2 unlocked phones that can be used on any gsm carrier, I still have to call MetroPCS every time I want to switch from one phone to the other.
 
Masterchief87 said:
They aren't talking about the device being locked to MetroPCS. They are talking about the fact that you have to call MetroPCS(free) or pay $15 at a metro store every time you want to switch phones. So if I have service with MetroPCS and I have 2 unlocked phones that can be used on any gsm carrier, I still have to call MetroPCS every time I want to switch from one phone to the other.
Click to expand...

True,I misread the original question. :paperbagdroid:
An odd practice by MPCS to say the least,regarding moving the SIM Card to another phone.
My apologies to all in this thread if my ramblings led to any confusion. :paperbagdroid:

The device lock policy is another story.
At least in my brief time w/MPCS,I couldn't SIM Unlock the phone until I had service w/them for 3 full billing cycles,even though the device was paid off.
Again,the devices are discounted to lure people in & the temporary SIM Unlock policy on the device is a reasonable expectation.

On the other hand,that SIM Card locking policy is WHACKADOODLE..... :wtfdroid:
 
KOLIO said:
True,I misread the original question. :paperbagdroid:
An odd practice by MPCS to say the least,regarding moving the SIM Card to another phone.
My apologies to all in this thread if my ramblings led to any confusion. :paperbagdroid:

The device lock policy is another story.
At least in my brief time w/MPCS,I couldn't SIM Unlock the phone until I had service w/them for 3 full billing cycles,even though the device was paid off.
Again,the devices are discounted to lure people in & the temporary SIM Unlock policy on the device is a reasonable expectation.

On the other hand,that SIM Card locking policy is WHACKADOODLE..... :wtfdroid:
Click to expand...

The only thing is that metro will give each customer only one discount per 90 day period, and even if you buy the phone at the full price with no discount, as far as i know they still won't give you the unlock code until you have used the phone on their network for 90 days. Like you said, if the phone is purchased at a steep discount this makes sense, but if the phone was bought at full price then it just seems greedy. I believe it's the same way even if you buy the phone used and that phone was active with MetroPCS for several months, that you would still need to use it with metro for 3 months before they will give you the code(even though the previous owner could have already gotten the unlock code).

With that said, I think you might still be able to buy an unlock code from a 3rd party if waiting 3 billing cycles for a "free" unlock code isn't an option for you. If I am wrong about any of this let me know and I'll fix my post.
 
Masterchief87 said:
The only thing is that metro will give each customer only one discount per 90 day period, and even if you buy the phone at the full price with no discount, as far as i know they still won't give you the unlock code until you have used the phone on their network for 90 days. Like you said, if the phone is purchased at a steep discount this makes sense, but if the phone was bought at full price then it just seems greedy. I believe it's the same way even if you buy the phone used and that phone was active with MetroPCS for several months, that you would still need to use it with metro for 3 months before they will give you the code(even though the previous owner could have already gotten the unlock code).

With that said, I think you might still be able to buy an unlock code from a 3rd party if waiting 3 billing cycles for a "free" unlock code isn't an option for you. If I am wrong about any of this let me know and I'll fix my post.
Click to expand...

That sounds about right to me,money grabs for the most part..........
Since MPCS uses the Device Unlock app,the device SIM Unlocking is a bit different:
Make sure whatever site you use,do not buy a generic unlock code,or,a code to where you enter the code manually,it doesn't work.
The unlocking is done remotely,you'll be notified when your device is unlocked & verify via the Device unlock app.
Make sure you use something similar to this:
https://www.unlockbase.com/phone-unlocking-service/metropcs-device-unlock-app-official-unlock/
 
I don't want to unlock the phone. I have S6 Edge I want to use instead of a ZMAX and when I put the SIM card in the Edge I do not get service. Trying to get a live person on the customer service number is maddening to the least. I was wondering if there is a way around having to speak to metro or going to a store.
 
bfldworker said:
I don't want to unlock the phone. I have S6 Edge I want to use instead of a ZMAX and when I put the SIM card in the Edge I do not get service. Trying to get a live person on the customer service number is maddening to the least. I was wondering if there is a way around having to speak to metro or going to a store.
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Can't you do it online? There is an "active phone" on their website. It checks to see if the phone and the sim are compatible and available to the network.
 
yknujssab said:
Can't you do it online? There is an "active phone" on their website. It checks to see if the phone and the sim are compatible and available to the network.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this works. I haven't tried this yet. Maybe someone can confirm??
 
I've done it online a few times but half the time it didn't work and the last time I tried to do it online, it tried to trick me into giving up the $50 promotional unlimited plan that I'm grandfathered in on. Screw that. The only thing that sucks about it is I'm stuck with crappy metro phones. If I get a phone that isn't a metro phone and activate it on my account my bill instantly goes up $10 for the same service and I lose the promotional plan for good.

Ever since then I've just called the 800 number. It can be a bit of a pain getting a live person on the phone and once you do you usually end up speaking to someone that works in a call center in India, but once you get used to it its not that bad.

I just wish I could get a nexus without my bill going up.
 
yknujssab said:
Can't you do it online? There is an "active phone" on their website. It checks to see if the phone and the sim are compatible and available to the network.
Click to expand...

When I do try to swap phones it gives me a error. And trying to contact someone with a pulse is a exercise in patience.

This phone is a unlocked T-Mobile variant of the S6 Edge & MetroPCS says it will not work. I know the phone is not black listed in any way. That is why I was hoping there was a way to get it on the network without having to jump through hoops.
 
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When you need to call, call with a non-MetroPCS number. It's a lot easier to get a real person. They're more interested in getting new customers than taking care of the ones they've got.
 
bfldworker said:
When I do try to swap phones it gives me a error. And trying to contact someone with a pulse is a exercise in patience.

This phone is a unlocked T-Mobile variant of the S6 Edge & MetroPCS says it will not work. I know the phone is not black listed in any way. That is why I was hoping there was a way to get it on the network without having to jump through hoops.
Click to expand...

Double check your IMEI online. Swappa has an IMEI checker and there are others online.

As Arkansawdave74 said above, call with a non Metro phone.
 
bfldworker said:
When I do try to swap phones it gives me a error. And trying to contact someone with a pulse is a exercise in patience.

This phone is a unlocked T-Mobile variant of the S6 Edge & MetroPCS says it will not work. I know the phone is not black listed in any way. That is why I was hoping there was a way to get it on the network without having to jump through hoops.
Click to expand...
when you call the customer service number, once she starts listing options hit zero and wait, she will say something stupid about not being able to do that... hit zero again - she will say something a little different about being able to best help you with a recording. keep hitting zero in short intervals and eventually she puts you through to a rep.

if you hit zeros too quickly it will hang up on you
 
bfldworker said:
This phone is a unlocked T-Mobile variant of the S6 Edge & MetroPCS says it will not work.
Click to expand...

Who at MetroPCS said that? A phone rep? Store rep? The website?

Because, I've used an unlocked T-Mobile and unlocked AT&T just fine on my Metro plan.
 
bfldworker said:
When I do try to swap phones it gives me a error. And trying to contact someone with a pulse is a exercise in patience.

This phone is a unlocked T-Mobile variant of the S6 Edge & MetroPCS says it will not work. I know the phone is not black listed in any way. That is why I was hoping there was a way to get it on the network without having to jump through hoops.
Click to expand...
tmobile phones dont need to be unlocked or anything to join metro pcs ever, though metro phones DO have to be unlocked to leave their network, even to join tmobile. run the imei check like earlier posted. its probably fine. if the website told you that just disregard it. their website has always had horrible bugs and they have never addressed them.
 
I went into a MetroPCS store and was told that MetroPCS does not support any Galaxy S phone from an other carrier because of network incompatibility. I called bullsh!t because they are on T-Mobiles network and it is a T-Mobile phone. I figured that they just wanted to sell a phone to get spiffs.

I know the phone is unlocked. I have tested AT&T, MetroPCS & FIDO (Canada) sim cards it in and not once has it asked for any unlock code.

I am just tired of running around in circles. I will try calling them from my Google Voice Number and see what happens.
 
Yeah don't believe the store employees. The end up calling Metro PCS if there is an issue for anything anyways lol. They really have no power.
 
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