Some buyback stores will buy locked phones. Prices depend on your phone's model, capacity and condition as well as the type of lock placed on your phone. For example, blacklisted and finance locked phones can be worth between 55% to 98% of an unlocked phone's value.
There are a couple of benefits to purchasing a locked device. First, it is generally sold at a discounted price. By having you agree to stay on their network, the carrier subsidizes a portion of the cost (or bundles it into your monthly subscription rate). Also, locked phones prevent theft.
Summary: Locked Phone Trade-in Vendors
Yes, you can sell locked iPhones. Many buyback stores will take them as is, but if you can unlock the phone, you may be able to get paid more.
A locked phone only works with a specific carrier. Even if you insert a third-party SIM card on a locked device, you'll get an error message. (An important note: a locked device can still roam on another carrier's network.)
That's all you have now! As you know, you can sell the locked iPhone at different buyback stores, where the price depends on its condition and the type of lock. For instance, selling financed and blacklisted phones may be worth 55% to 98% more than the value of an unlocked iPhone.
While it's not illegal to sell iCloud-locked iPhones, it's important to let the buyer know about your iOS device's limitations. Buyback stores like GameStop can take your iPhone as-is, but don't expect to get paid more compared to a fully unlocked iPhone.
If your phone is locked to a network, it is legal to sell. You can sell your network-locked phone online at Swift Tech Buy as long as it's legally yours, even if you owe money on your phone contract.
Can my mobile service provider refuse to unlock my phone because I owe them money or am currently under contract? Yes. Providers do not have to unlock devices for existing or former customers that are not in good standing.
Yes.
If your phone were stolen and restored from a factory reset, the thief would need access to your Google account to bypass the screen lock. If you don't know the password, that will not work. If you've lost your Android phone and need to get into it, you'll need to know its unique IMEI number.
Sell Network Locked Phones
Get an instant price, send it for free and receive fast payment with musicMagpie! Find out how much you can make when you sell phones by network by selecting the product you want to sell.
You can't sell a phone you've reported as stolen. You can't sell a phone you just find in the street.
A locked phone is only compatible with one carrier or network provider, such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. On the other hand, an unlocked phone is not locked exclusively to one network provider, and it's compatible with different carriers.
According to the claims of major U.S. wireless carriers, unlocking a phone bought after January 26 without your carrier's permission violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) whether the phone is under contract or not. In a way, this is not as bad as it sounds.
You can unlock your Android phone even if you've forgotten the passcode, but you'll usually need to factory reset the phone. You can unlock most Android phones by performing a factory recovery or using the Find My Device website.
Carriers install software on the phone to lock it to their network. If a cell phone is locked, it means it can only be used on that carrier, such as only on Verizon or only on AT&T.
Within two business days after receiving a request, carriers will unlock eligible mobile wireless devices or initiate a request to the OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] to unlock the eligible device, or provide an explanation of why the device does not qualify for unlocking, or why the carrier reasonably needs ...
If the cell phone is locked, it means that it will only work on one specific network. Consequently, if you insert a SIM card that is from a different carrier, it will simply not work. Some companies tie the subscriber ID number in the SIM card to the serial number of a cell phone.
The Cons of Buying a Locked Phone
While you can request your carrier to unlock your device after you have finished paying for it, there are usually hurdles that you will have to navigate. There is often a waiting period before your request to unlock is processed.
Ask your wireless carrier what you can do to bring your account into good standing if it refuses to unlock your phone. Wireless service providers are required by law to unlock your phone for free, as long as your account is in good standing and you've fulfilled all contract terms.
Many of our devices, including all phones bought from us after 1 January 2022, are already unlocked.
iCloud locked iPhones are worth almost nothing and are generally only purchased by companies who scrap them for spare parts. You'll have a very hard time finding interested buyers, as companies like GadgetGone do not accept iCloud locked iPhones. If, however, you came by the iPhone legally, then yes, you can sell it.
Support for FBI
"With Apple's privacy policy for the customers there is no way of getting into a phone without a person's master password. With this policy there will be no backdoor access on the phone for the law enforcement to access the person's private information.
There is nothing you can do. If a used iOS device has been 'Activation locked' then only the previous owner can unlock it, either by providing you with the account ID and password, or by removing it from his list of devices (as he should have done before selling it).
And unlike in the US where locked phones are widespread, most phones sold in Australia are unlocked – with the exception of phones sold with prepaid plans. This is good news because having an unlocked phone means you can easily switch to another telco if you're getting bad service or have found a better deal.