switching N5 from sprint to at&t

[urnewfavorite]

I just gave my dad my N5 that I bought straight from play store and used on sprint..... He took it to at&t and they said the phone was locked by sprint and they couldn't activate.....what needs to be done so he can use on At&t? Do I need to have sprint tech unlock it or something?

 

[Rukbat]

1) It has to currently be on an active Sprint account.

2) It has to be fully paid for.

They normally won't unlock phones not currently being used on their network. To unlock the phone, they give you the unlock code.

If you can't get the unlock code from Sprint, you can buy it from people on eBay - look for unlock code.

When you put the AT&T SIM card into the phone, it'll ask for the code. Enter the code (carefully - if you exceed the maximum number of tries allowed, you have to get the PUK from Sprint, and if the phone's not registered on their network, you won't).

 

[Soylent_Green]

The Nexus 5 is already unlocked, AT&T are just being dicks. They want you to buy a new phone from them. Grab a sim from them and pop it in, should work no problem.

 

[bjrosen]

Soylent_greeen is right, if you bought it from Google Play it's unlocked. Just get an AT&T sim and it should be fine, I'm using a Google Play N5 on AT&T and it just worked.

 

[bjrosen]

One more thought, depending on where you are it's possible that the people in the AT&T store might be slow witted. My personal experience (in Nashua New Hampshire) is that they were fairly tech savvy and knew exactly what to do with a Google Play N5 on a non-contract plan with a BYOD discount. But in some places they are clueless. Explain to them that it's a Google Play N5, not a Sprint N5, and that it came unlocked and that it's fully paided for. Also you should make sure that they give you the BYOD discount. Regualr AT&T plans build in the price of the phone but they do offer a discount if you bring your own device.

 

[Soylent_Green]

Soylent_greeen is right, if you bought it from Google Play it's unlocked. Just get an AT&T sim and it should be fine, I'm using a Google Play N5 on AT&T and it just worked.

One more thought, depending on where you are it's possible that the people in the AT&T store might be slow witted. My personal experience (in Nashua New Hampshire) is that they were fairly tech savvy and knew exactly what to do with a Google Play N5 on a non-contract plan with a BYOD discount. But in some places they are clueless. Explain to them that it's a Google Play N5, not a Sprint N5, and that it came unlocked and that it's fully paided for. Also you should make sure that they give you the BYOD discount. Regualr AT&T plans build in the price of the phone but they do offer a discount if you bring your own device.

All Nexus 5's are factory unlocked, doesn't matter if it's a GP version or one from Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T.

 

[Kage_]

Is there any difference in the phones since Sprint is uses CDMA vs Tmob and ATT using GSM?

 

[Soylent_Green]

Is there any difference in the phones since Sprint is uses CDMA vs Tmob and ATT using GSM?

Same exact phone no difference.

 

[anon(631531)]

I'm using an N5 on AT&T, with no problems. Took the sim out of my LG G2, and popped that puppy into the N5. Works great.

 

[stanleywinthrop]

It astonishes me how cellular employees take advantage of the non tech savvy. They really are that bad.

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