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T-Mobile support cannot unlock Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra purchased from Samsung

  • 9 December 2022
  • 18 replies
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C
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T-Mobile support cannot unlock Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra purchased from Samsung.

I purchased a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra from Samsung locked for T-Mobile.

I enabled ESIM.

Then I tried to unlock the phone myself but was getting error message that the phone or IMEI was not on T-Mobile system. Contacted both T-Mobile support and Samsung support several times. T-Mobile support repeated that they could not unlock the phone because it was purchased from Samsung. Samsung support repeated that they legally cannot unlock the phone because the phone is used in T-Mobile network and only T-Mobile can unlock the phone. Contacted T-Mobile Technical support and they cannot help either. Each time T-Mobile said they were escalating the issue and I have to wait 24 to 48 hours. But no luck. My wife is in South Korea and she cannot use a local SIM in her phone.

Any suggestion?

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Best answer by SB113 14 March 2023, 16:54

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18 replies

syaoran
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You need to have the IMEI added to T-Mobile's system.  You could provide your receipt and IMEI to the T-Force Team via Facebook or Twitter and then request the SIM Unlock as long as you meet all of the requirements for T-Mobile's SIM Unlock Policy.

https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/consumer-info/policies/sim-unlock-policy

Syaoran - I am not a T-Mobile Employee but I could use a new job!
B

I have also had a problem with T-Mobile unlocking Samsung s22 Ultra. My phone is paid off,they have my IMEI number, they told me to call Samsung and they told me T_Mobile has to unlock. 

Why is this happening. I am going to miss a great promotion from another provider, because T-Mobile refuses to unlock our phones. Is there anything you can do to help, or should I start going to the Better Business Bureau? We meet all of T-Mobile's unlock policy.

F
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Userlevel 7
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purchased from Samsung or TMO? and how long has it been on the TMO network so far?

***I like many others come onto this site for assistance and to help others. Marking a reply as helpful or correct helps others with like issues when they try to search the site for assistance. I do not work for Tmobile and my suggestions and or opinions are my own**.~~~~ The site here is primarily peer to peer with some TMO moderation to keep the site in order..They do not have account access..The prefered method would be to contact TMO through either calling in (tier 1 support) or by contacting them through either Facebook/Twitter (tier 2 support)**~~~~
B

I have been on TMobile at least since 12/42019. I have upgraded our phones from S21 ultra to S 22Ultra

Feb. 2022

F
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Userlevel 7
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so you upgraded to the S22 and then paid off the S22 and now want it unlocked. how long ago was it fully paid for? Feb 2022 or more recently paid it off? and are you post paid or pre paid?

***I like many others come onto this site for assistance and to help others. Marking a reply as helpful or correct helps others with like issues when they try to search the site for assistance. I do not work for Tmobile and my suggestions and or opinions are my own**.~~~~ The site here is primarily peer to peer with some TMO moderation to keep the site in order..They do not have account access..The prefered method would be to contact TMO through either calling in (tier 1 support) or by contacting them through either Facebook/Twitter (tier 2 support)**~~~~
B

It was paid off in Feb 2022

B

Unbelievable!  TMO says Samsung needs to unlock, Samsung says TMO needs to unlock..they can not unlock a provider's phone. 

syaoran
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Userlevel 7
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Have you considered using a third party unlocking service, like one offered through a cell repair kiosk in your local shopping center? 

Syaoran - I am not a T-Mobile Employee but I could use a new job!
F
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Userlevel 7
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it cant be this complicated to get that device unlocked..something is being left out of the equation here. gotta be..

***I like many others come onto this site for assistance and to help others. Marking a reply as helpful or correct helps others with like issues when they try to search the site for assistance. I do not work for Tmobile and my suggestions and or opinions are my own**.~~~~ The site here is primarily peer to peer with some TMO moderation to keep the site in order..They do not have account access..The prefered method would be to contact TMO through either calling in (tier 1 support) or by contacting them through either Facebook/Twitter (tier 2 support)**~~~~
B

LOL..you would think, right? But no..phones have all been paid off, bill is auto pay, 0 balance.

It is perplexing to all the customer service agents I have spoken too and yet there is another person on this thread who apparently had/has the same problem...SOOOOOO...Agent I spoke to from TMo today was very kind and sent a message for their tech. to call Samsung..apparently Samsung needs to hear from them and cannot arbitrarily unlock a provider's phone...that was her take on it.

l haven’t tried a third party to unlock it. 

S

Just adding my experience if anyone comes this after googling.

Had the same runaround with regular tmobile customer service saying Samsung has to do it.  I even explained the whole problem which the IMEI not being in system and how samsung has no control over carrier locks.  The person just kept talking in circles.

I messaged tmobile support via Twitter as suggested and that seems to be more productive.  They replied immediately this is no problem and they will add my IMEI to the system and I should be able to unlock in 72 hours.  We'll see.

 

This is common enough tmobile really should have a training for the regular level customer service.  They need to stop telling people to contact Samsung as the default answer.

C

I am having the same issue!!! I am beyond frustrated. 

F
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Userlevel 7
Badge +16

I am having the same issue!!! I am beyond frustrated. 

then if your phone was also one that was either bought from somewhere other than TMO or brought in from another carrier then your phones info more than likely isnt in TMOs system and will need to be added to match up with what your phone actually is.

 

then they can unlock it

***I like many others come onto this site for assistance and to help others. Marking a reply as helpful or correct helps others with like issues when they try to search the site for assistance. I do not work for Tmobile and my suggestions and or opinions are my own**.~~~~ The site here is primarily peer to peer with some TMO moderation to keep the site in order..They do not have account access..The prefered method would be to contact TMO through either calling in (tier 1 support) or by contacting them through either Facebook/Twitter (tier 2 support)**~~~~
L

I’m having the exact same problem trying to unlock my S22 Ultra that I purchased from Samsung (and locked to T-Mobile) in FEB 2022.

The phone has been fully paid off for a long time. I wanted to give my phone to a family member on a different network but I couldn’t unlock the phone through the website or through the “Permanent Unlock” feature in the Settings Menu.

Customer support confirmed that I’ve been on the network over 500 days, my phone was fully paid off, and the IMEI is listed. They said there is conflicting information within the system and blamed it on server miscommunication with Samsung.

 

One system says I have not been on for 40-60 days while the help desk independently verified that I have been on the system for over 500 days continuously.

I’ve called 3x over this matter and was told something different each time.

gramps28
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Userlevel 7
Badge +14

You need to reach out using messenger on one of Tmobile’s social media accounts like the correct answer states.

L

You need to reach out using messenger on one of Tmobile’s social media accounts like the correct answer states.

Thank you! Tmobile on Twitter was able to immediately fix the issue and I was able to unlock my phone.

B

Unbelievable!  TMO says Samsung needs to unlock, Samsung says TMO needs to unlock..they can not unlock a provider's phone. 

I am currently having the same issue. TMO says they sent an email to Samsung to unlock.  Did this work for you? I am shocked at the poor service and runaround TMO has provided. 

J

Hmmm...this is weird going back and forth because I 1st got a Samsung S22 through T-Mobile financed thru them and couldn't even get a temporary unlock when traveling to my family members for service from their network...but move along to when I brought that S22 onto my parent's GO5G+ plan and still was unable to get my device unlocked permanently or temporarily as I owe on it now, we added another line I dropped my s22 and with the new line I purchased the Galaxy Z Flip5 5G financed through my parents T-Mobile plan and promotion, but through Samsung.com as a T-Mobile customer rather than through T-Mobile directly, for shits and giggles a week after I got the flip 5, I decided to request a temporary unlock just to see as technically I don't owe any money on it because we have a promotion paying it but I still have to have it on for 2 years but it allowed the temporary unlock and then I proceeded to try permanent and low and behold it got approved and my phone is now permanently unlocked....so buying through Samsung.com as T-Mobile customer using phone embedded network unlock option under connection settings in android got me a full network unlock....so basically my point here is whether purchased through T-Mobile or samsung.com, seems to me that the phone communicates with T-Mobile to unlock even though I'm fully Network unlocked phone says it I can run any carrier T-Mobile represents my phone on theirs as not Network unlocked, so yeah there's an issue there that is weird

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