How do I unlock a Verizon Galaxy S3?

[thisgrilledche]

Verizon breached our contract and have provided the rudest "customer service" I've ever had to deal with, and I have dropped them as my carrier. I have a phone (that I paid for) that Verizon is refusing to release for me to use with a different carrier. How can I force this phone to be able to be used with my new sim card, so as to not allow myself to be bullied by another corporation?

 

[ocnbrze]

Verizon breached our contract and have provided the rudest "customer service" I've ever had to deal with, and I have dropped them as my carrier. I have a phone (that I paid for) that Verizon is refusing to release for me to use with a different carrier. How can I force this phone to be able to be used with my new sim card, so as to not allow myself to be bullied by another corporation?

welcome to AF!!!!!!!

unfortunately unlocking your phone is now considered illegal in the US. plus isn't verizon a cdma carrier? if so then no sim card.....am i wrong?

either way if you do something like what you are asking then most likely verizon will issue your esn to be bad and trying to go around that will not be discussed here.

any discussion on esn or unlocking will get this thread locked up.

good luck.

 

[DragonSlayer95]

Verizon is cdma yes, but they use sims for their 4g technology.

I think that's all the sim slot is good for though.

 

[ocnbrze]

Verizon is cdma yes, but they use sims for their 4g technology.

I think that's all the sim slot is good for though.

ahhh yes that is right.....duh....LOL

 

[thisgrilledche]

So even though I paid for a phone and they are the ones in breach, I am not allowed to use my own property?

 

[EarlyMon]

Sorry, ridiculous as it sounds, yes.

The recent exemption expired and the Library of Congress has ruled under copyright law that phones in the USA can only be unlocked by the carrier.

A petition against this went up to the White House and was in the news for a bit. Honestly no idea where it's all heading now, it became a bit of a political football.

It's our policy as staff to stay out of political matters and we're not passing any personal judgements on you or anything either. We're just the messenger.

To learn more about this debacle maybe Google for -

cell phone unlocking law

Wish we could be more helpful.

We do have a Politics and Current Affairs subforum under our regular Lounge, there's a thread about the petition there and you may find some of our members more current on information on that, not sure, but worth a look.

All I can do is wish you sincerest best luck on this.

PS - btw, it seems that a lot of people writing on this confuse carrier unlocking with bootloader unlocking, two entirely different things. If you find yourself reading about bootloader unlocking or worse, jailbreaking, you're either reading about a different topic or you've hit an author who's technologically clueless.

 

[thisgrilledche]

Well, I own the device, so I am not going to give up. What exactly should I be searching for?

 

[EarlyMon]

Well, I own the device, so I am not going to give up. What exactly should I be searching for?

I can tell you how to search for articles on the law, and have.

I've never been familiar with any general purpose unlocking procedure for a Verizon phone. There have been various unlocking services, many of these have shut down since the exemption expired.

That's all I can offer.

Any problems with the thread close, drop me a line, cheers, thanks!