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Does changing an android phone OS unlock the carrier?

MyCPUIsOnFire

Hello!

 

I bought a Motorola Moto G7 Supra used, and it is carrier-locked to Cricket.

 

Is there any way to carrier-unlock the phone without Cricket's cooperation?


My current plan is to wipe the phone and replace Android with LineageOS, Ubuntu Touch, or /e/. Would doing any of these allow me to use the phone on a different network?

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The issue isn't the hardware; it's that the person I bought the phone for didn't pay for the full 6 months needed to unlock the phone before switching to a new phone, and I don't want to buy a cricket account for just a couple of months.

 

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2 hours ago, huilun02 said:

So does he still own the phone?

No - I own the phone, and the phone was fully paid off my the previous owner, but they didn't use the phone for 6 months before switching to Apple. So, they owned the phone, but I bought it from them, and I now own the phone.

 

The only problem is that the phone wasn't on a cellular plan for 6 months, so I can't unlock it.

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@MyCPUIsOnFire

To answer your question, no, changing the os on the phone would not be able to unlock the phone. You will either need to meet the requirements of the carrier to unlock it, or purchase an unlock code from a third party selling service.

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39 minutes ago, m9x3mos said:

@MyCPUIsOnFire

To answer your question, no, changing the os on the phone would not be able to unlock the phone. You will either need to meet the requirements of the carrier to unlock it, or purchase an unlock code from a third party selling service.

Are there any reputable places to purchase an unlock code? It seems that doing this would require me to give them my IMEI number, but most websites say not to give away my IMEI number, as then anyone could impersonate my phone.

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