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Lockon

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 7, 2010
132
14
Took the Verizon physical sim out of my Mini 5, but there’s no option to sign up for other services. There’s only a scan qr code option. Am I going to have to buy a fully unlocked iPad directly from Apple in order to try other networks? Thanks.
 

chscag

macrumors 601
Feb 17, 2008
4,622
1,946
Fort Worth, Texas
I don't know about your Mini 5, but I took the sim card out of my Verizon iPad and replaced it with one from T-Mobile. Worked great. I don't think your Mini 5 is locked to Verizon. The new sim from T-Mobile was $10.00.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,613
12,743
@chscag
OP is talking about the eSIM slot, not the physical Nano SIM one.

@Lockon
Possibly. AT&T did that on older Embedded Apple SIM iPads purchased from them. The Verizon ones had the Embedded Apple SIM completely disabled. This is why I'm hesitant to buy a new iPad from carriers.
 

Lockon

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 7, 2010
132
14
If you bought the iPad from Verizon, there is no eSIM option available for other carriers. I don’t know if adding the carrier manually works, as I haven’t tried.

This must be the case (I bought the iPad used). I inserted inactive AT&T and T-Mobile physical sims, and the iPad connected to their networks. So it may be just the eSIM that is locked. Very frustrating.
 

Lockon

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 7, 2010
132
14
@chscag
OP is talking about the eSIM slot, not the physical Nano SIM one.

@Lockon
Possibly. AT&T did that on older Embedded Apple SIM iPads purchased from them. The Verizon ones had the Embedded Apple SIM completely disabled. This is why I'm hesitant to buy a new iPad from carriers.

Thanks. Bought this second hand. Didn’t think to research this issue. Guess it’s time to sell it, and try again.
 

Kegs22

macrumors newbie
Jul 22, 2019
4
0
United States
Don’t buy an AT&T one either—they lock their eSim too (at least my 10.5 Pro embedded Apple SIM). I was able to get it unlocked, but it was a bit of a process.
 

Lockon

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 7, 2010
132
14
Don’t buy an AT&T one either—they lock their eSim too (at least my 10.5 Pro embedded Apple SIM). I was able to get it unlocked, but it was a bit of a process.

Did At&t customer service help unlock it? I figure calling Verizon is a mute point.
 

Kegs22

macrumors newbie
Jul 22, 2019
4
0
United States
Yes, AT&T customer service helped unlock it. The person I bought it from also called AT&T on my behalf, not sure if that was necessary or not. And then I needed to restore the iPad while tethered to iTunes on a computer to complete the unlocking process. For sure I would try restoring your iPad via iTunes while it is connected to a computer.

Regarding unlocking, I am referring to the embedded Apple SIM. The removable SIM was usable from the get go. By the way, several reps at AT&T claimed the iPad was unlocked when it really wasn’t. And if I went the AT&T unlock website and entered the IMEI #, it said it was unlocked when it wasn’t. So it took an AT&T rep who knew what they were doing to make the necessary change (and I went through several reps, including 2 at a store who didn’t have a clue).
 
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