Cricket Locked MY phone?

  • 30 April 2021
  • 1 reply
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I have been a Cricket customer for over a year...

I bought a new iphone XS at Best Buy with no sim card and no cell service contract, was told it will work with all providers.  I removed the sim card (Cricket) from my old device, installed in my new phone and powered up, it worked immediately.  About a month later I tried to switch service to Verizon who told me phone was compatible.  Tried their sim card and doesn't work because Cricket locked my phone.  Yes, MY PHONE, that I paid for in full. I have not been able to get Cricket to unlock my phone.  I had to pay for another months service Or lose my number and still have a locked phone. 

What gives a "bring your device, pay as you go" company the right to lock my phone?  I have spoken with Cricket support every day to get this resolved to no avail. They keep promising to call me back, still waiting.

Verizon charged me for sim card and first months service before they would try the sim card. They told me when I asked for refund that this was a non-refundable purchase.

Cricket needs to get their act together.  I have a $1,000.00 door stop that is too thin to even work as a door stop. I am being held for ransom at Cricket because I don't want to lose my number.  Of course if I go past the cut off date, I will lose the ability to access Cricket support.

What am I supposed to do at this point? 


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In case you didn’t know, when you purchase a phone from a third party source (Walmart, BestBuy, Target, manufacturer, etc.), even though at beginning it’s unlocked, the first carrier to be activated in the phone is that one that locks it and depending on that carrier’s unlock policy then you can use it with a different provider. 

The unlock policy is not related to whether a phone is paid or no. it’s related to tenure of active paid service on that specific device. 

It would’ve been the same if you activated Verizon first on the phone, and you wanted to get Cricket a month later. It’d be lock to Cricket. 

What you can do? Have service on that phone of Cricket, for 6 months+

That’ll save you lots of headaches. 

And remember from now on to make sure everything’s fine before trying changing carriers in the future.

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