How to unlock a Verizon Galaxy S5?

[Casper Eleam]

I share a contract with a buddy, who's name the contract is in, and he just up and stopped paying the bill. Now our phones have been shut off and I have no service. I figured I would unlock the phone, buy a Straight Talk sim card package and install that. I call the local Verizon shop in town to ask how to unlock it, and they say it isn't locked at all. Then I call the Verizon hotline and ask customer service; they say it's definitely locked. I get online to research it, and everyone says it is UNlocked. Now, can you stop slapping me around?

Is the damn phone locked? If it is, can I unlock it without making an outward call? I can't make calls on my device.

 

[anon(5600632)]

Unless you pay full price upfront for an unlocked phone, every carrier locks the phone to its own network . If you did not unlock it, it is locked. Only way to unlock it is to get the permission (instructions and a code) from Verizon, who will not give it to you if there is money owed on the contract.

 

[bigmatt503]

Newer Verizon wireless phones are gsm unlocked out of the box. You need to check what cellular bands that straight talk uses and if your Samsung s5 has those bands. So to answer your question your phone is already unlocked.. I've have first hand knowledge when I had a htc droid dna on tmobile and that is a Verizon branded phone

sent from my nexus 7 on lollipop 5.0

 

[anon(5600632)]

Thanks - I wasn't up to date on that.

 

[Rukbat]

You need to check if Straight Talk will accept that particular phone. Go to Straight Talk Compatibility Test, put in the phone's ESN (on the label under the battery) and see. If they will, go to Walmart and buy a Straight Talk Verizon CDMA kit for $7. (If the page says they won't accept the phone, there's nothing you can do - it's up to ST's contract with Verizon.)