Why won't the LG Stylo 5, which I purchased from QLink, work on QLink.

[Android Central Question]

I bought an lg stylo 5 from QLink. I used the phone for a couple months and decided to switch providers and got a new phone. I am now needing to go back to my LG Stylo, but when I put my new qlink SIM card in the phone, it is asking for a Sprint SIM card and saying that my device will only work with a SIM from Sprint. I have called both companies and even boost and T-Mobile. None of them will unlock my phone so that I can use it with qlink. Qlink is saying that they don't sell the phone that I have they're also saying that they don't lock or unlock phones. It's a huge mess and I feel like I paid $250 for nothing.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Are you saying that when you switched providers, you used this same Stylo 5 on Sprint? Some carriers will actually network-lock a phone once you activate a SIM, even if that phone started out unlocked.

You got this phone directly from Q Link, or was it through some 3rd party vendor? Do you have any kind of receipt or invoice of that purchase that you can show them as proof?

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Is that phone on CDMA? As far as I am aware (in the UK so this is not personal experience) the old sprint was on CDMA. Was the old QLink sim a CDMA type, because Your new one may not be CDMA compatible. I am just throwing out a theory. I could be totally wrong about this.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Is there another person in your household who already has a Lifeline Service? The program is limited to one person per household.
https://support.qlinkwireless.com/tag/lifeline-regulations-and-limitations/