Unlocking Oneplus 8T+ 5G nightmare

[oZo]

I have a OnePlus 8T+5G. I am a Sprint account holder, but I am using the T-Mobile SIM card. The phone was bought outright, no lease. It was on a Sprint account for over 40 days. I asked to have it unlocked, and they said it could not be active on the account to have it unlocked. I took it off, and put a different phone on the number. I again asked to have the OnePlus unlocked. They said it had to be active on the account for 40 days. I explained it had been, but previous agent said to remove it to facilitate the unlocking procedure. The agent said to activate it again and it should unlock. It has not.
Am I missing something?

[Serial Port]

As a company, Sprint is now fully owned and integrated into T-Mobile going forward. That very well could be the issue if you are on a Sprint legacy plan. If not already unlocked, doing so now will be much more difficult. Technically, Sprint and T-Mobile were completely different companies with separate billing systems. I wish I could offer more encouragement. Best of luck and please keep us updated if you can get this resolved or not.

[october262]

I have a OnePlus 8T+5G. I am a Sprint account holder, but I am using the T-Mobile SIM card. The phone was bought outright, no lease. It was on a Sprint account for over 40 days. I asked to have it unlocked, and they said it could not be active on the account to have it unlocked. I took it off, and put a different phone on the number. I again asked to have the OnePlus unlocked. They said it had to be active on the account for 40 days. I explained it had been, but previous agent said to remove it to facilitate the unlocking procedure. The agent said to activate it again and it should unlock. It has not.
Am I missing something?

see under unlock instructions - https://www.sprint.com/en/legal/unlo...nt-device.html

[oZo]

see under unlock instructions - https://www.sprint.com/en/legal/unlo...nt-device.html

I already have done all of that, but thanks anyway.

[october262]

I already have done all of that, but thanks anyway.

what network are you wanting to take the phone to ??
have you tried contacting somebody higher up beyond customer service ?

[Haas_Dave]

Sometimes the unlock request doesn’t process through for up to 72 hours.

Does the Unlock app give you a specific error code or does it say that your device isn’t eligible for an unlock (usually error 255)?

When I unlocked my 8T, it was using a Sprint UICC and the device was on the line of service at the time of the unlock request. Has the device always used the TNX (T-Mobile) SIM, or did it initially get activated with a Sprint UICC? If you had it on a Sprint SIM/UICC before, maybe you should contact customer support to switch back to that first and try the unlock app process again (the on-device steps will be slightly different: settings, update, UICC unlock).

In some cases, the Unlock app junks up enough that a factory reset is the best way for some devices to get it to work right. Thankfully you can backup most data using the Clone Phone app and copy the resulting backup folder to a computer or flash drive for later restoration.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[oZo]

Sometimes the unlock request doesn’t process through for up to 72 hours.

Does the Unlock app give you a specific error code or does it say that your device isn’t eligible for an unlock (usually error 255)?

When I unlocked my 8T, it was using a Sprint UICC and the device was on the line of service at the time of the unlock request. Has the device always used the TNX (T-Mobile) SIM, or did it initially get activated with a Sprint UICC? If you had it on a Sprint SIM/UICC before, maybe you should contact customer support to switch back to that first and try the unlock app process again (the on-device steps will be slightly different: settings, update, UICC unlock).

In some cases, the Unlock app junks up enough that a factory reset is the best way for some devices to get it to work right. Thankfully you can backup most data using the Clone Phone app and copy the resulting backup folder to a computer or flash drive for later restoration.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Error is 255. It had a Sprint SIM, then T-Mobile. I factory reset it, I just kept internal storage intact. As far as UICC, I'm not sure you can even get a Sprint SIM anymore.
One question though...you said it was using a Sprint UICC when you unlocked it. Was it active on the account while it was unlocked?

[Haas_Dave]

Error is 255. It had a Sprint SIM, then T-Mobile. I factory reset it, I just kept internal storage intact. As far as UICC, I'm not sure you can even get a Sprint SIM anymore.
One question though...you said it was using a Sprint UICC when you unlocked it. Was it active on the account while it was unlocked?

Yes, the phone was active on the account at the time I had it unlocked. I was actually using the device/line when I made the request.

Do you have your original UICC for it? If not, you might have to buy a compatible UICC somewhere (I think you might be able to find a BOYD pack on eBay or Amazon still) and get tech support to move it into that UICC. This may get more difficult to achieve using a new UICC.

I suspect the issue is that the Sprint UICC being initial activation, it's possible the system has to use the initial activation for unlocking.

Had the device been on the Sprint UICC for 40 days before switching to the T-Mobile SIM?

Sent from my KB2007 using Tapatalk

[oZo]

I suspect the issue is that the Sprint UICC being initial activation, it's possible the system has to use the initial activation for unlocking.

I think it may be the network it's on. Sprint's servers are trying to unlock it, but it has a T-Mobile SIM. I was told you can't go back to the Sprint network once you're on the T-Mobile (even if still technically a Sprint customer). I don't know if I believe that.
The folks at customer care and tech support say the phone IS unlocked. But the "app" on the phone used to request unlock says it can't be unlocked.
The real reason I want to unlock it is so I can unlock the bootqloader and change the rom to the generic one. I can't even start to do that without the phone being SIM unlocked. More importantly, the phone needs to 'believe' it's unlocked. And no matter what the people at Sprint say, the phone doesn't agree.

[Haas_Dave]

Yeah, it is possible. I mentioned on Reddit in the past that the OnePlus cloud unlock system might still be used on Sprint's setup. I have also read issues on Reddit with some other devices, including some Samsung, not SIM/UICC unlocking after converting to TNX.

As far as being thorough, the best way I believe to proceed would be to get the original Sprint UICC or a compatible UICC (SIMOLW516TQ) and use that temporarily in the device. It is possible it may not need to be an active UICC, but I can’t confirm. The SIM change should kick the device back to the Sprint carrier setup and allow you to check the unlock status that way.

The other ways would be to:
1) Wait until you are fully migrated to T-Mobile and try again. This might also require a new 40 day wait.
2) Focusing on your specific needs, one or both of the following might work
A) if you are only planning to convert to the EU or International version of OxygenOS: there is a conversion process posted on XDA that works without bootloader unlock. You would only have have to flash it back to the T-Mobile specific ROM if you ever wanted to SIM unlock. (I eventually used this method to convert my device, so I can confirm this process is stable)
B) There is also a way to un-“grey” the OEM unlocking switch, so that you can get the means to acquire the unlock code, request the OEM unlock token from OnePlus, and unlock the bootloader. It is mentioned on this XDA post. This might be helpful if you don’t plan to move from Sprint/T-Mobile but still want to use custom ROMs.


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[zapjb]

What a mess. My sympathies. Hope OP gets sorted.

[oZo]

Yeah, it is possible. I mentioned on Reddit in the past that the OnePlus cloud unlock system might still be used on Sprint's setup. I have also read issues on Reddit with some other devices, including some Samsung, not SIM/UICC unlocking after converting to TNX.

As far as being thorough, the best way I believe to proceed would be to get the original Sprint UICC or a compatible UICC (SIMOLW516TQ) and use that temporarily in the device. It is possible it may not need to be an active UICC, but I can’t confirm. The SIM change should kick the device back to the Sprint carrier setup and allow you to check the unlock status that way.

The other ways would be to:
1) Wait until you are fully migrated to T-Mobile and try again. This might also require a new 40 day wait.
2) Focusing on your specific needs, one or both of the following might work
A) if you are only planning to convert to the EU or International version of OxygenOS: there is a conversion process posted on XDA that works without bootloader unlock. You would only have have to flash it back to the T-Mobile specific ROM if you ever wanted to SIM unlock. (I eventually used this method to convert my device, so I can confirm this process is stable)
B) There is also a way to un-“grey” the OEM unlocking switch, so that you can get the means to acquire the unlock code, request the OEM unlock token from OnePlus, and unlock the bootloader. It is mentioned on this XDA post. This might be helpful if you don’t plan to move from Sprint/T-Mobile but still want to use custom ROMs.


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Thanks for the excellent reply! Very detailed, and with links!
I have, as of last night, requested a Sprint SIM card kit from customer care, and will switch back to the Sprint network temporarily in the hope that will allow the servers to send the unlock signal to the phone. But I won't migrate to T-Mobile until absolutely forced to, as I have a SWAC unlimited plan.
The intent is to SIM unlock, bootloader unlock and flash the regular OnePlus rom.

[oZo]

Sprint sent me a T-Mobile SIM...lol. They NOW say (since yesterday) that there are NO Sprint SIMs to be had. But check the nearest store. No store near near me have any Sprint SIMs. I tried an old Spectrum SIM (Verizon MVNO) and it said my phone was locked, so it's not just a glitch from the T-Mobile unlock app on the phone. The idjits at Sprint have absolutely NO idea what they are doing. I guess I will sell it as a SIM-locked T-Mobile phone.

[Serial Port]

I guess I will sell it as a SIM-locked T-Mobile phone.

I think you would be incorrect to sell it that way. From what you described; it is a locked Sprint phone...

Probably only good for spare parts at this point. Not much $ value in my opinion. Good luck.

[oZo]

Perhaps you misunderstood me. People sell network locked phones all the time. It is not blacklisted, nor does it have money owed on it. It works on any T-Mobile system. It may even work on Sprint, but I can't determine that. The issue is with Sprint/T-Mobile, not me.