One of the most important things you need to be 100% sure before buying a refurbished iPhone or trying to unlock it is to check the iPhone’s Contract Status with an IMEI Contract Checker.
Ignoring to determine the iPhone’s contract status may lead you in buying an iPhone that can become blacklisted at any time or ruin any iPhone SIM Unlock Process!
So, let’s find out:
- What exactly is an iPhone IMEI Contract Checker
- Everything about iPhone Contract Deals
- Why a refurbished iPhone which remains under contract is a ticking bomb
- Why it is better to a Full iPhone Check
What is an iPhone IMEI Contract Checker
iPhone Contract Check is just a part of a Full IMEI Check Service.
It will immediately show:
- if an iPhone is under contract
- when this contract expires
Right now you might be wondering why would someone care about the contract status of an iPhone but soon you will see how important both of them are.
Getting an iPhone Contract deal
Most people prefer to buy a new iPhone through a carrier’s plan to save some money! Carrier’s plans had become increasingly complicated over the years but despite that, some things remain the same!
The moment you will sign a contract with a Mobile Network your iPhone becomes SIM Locked and in most cases, this means that you have to wait for 2 years to ask your Wireless Network to Carrier Unlock your iPhone!
And even when that period of time expires, it needs a lot of paperwork and there are various limitations when you decide to demand from your Carrier to SIM Unlock your iPhone! (there were Telecoms Networks out there that would ask $300 to Carrier Unlock your iPhone)
Basic types of Apple Phone Contracts
Every Mobile network has its own policies about everything but the kinds of iPhone contract deals you can get are almost the same! None of the Carriers will provide you with all the options but you will be able to choose between 2 or 3 of them
The iPhone will be yours when the contract is up but this doesn’t mean that the iPhone will be also SIM Unlocked!
But again, the iPhone will usually remain SIM Locked to that Carrier!
In most cases, you can determine if this is a lease or not! So, pay attention to the Carrier’s fine print!
Early Upgrade iPhone’s Contract Status certainly means that the iPhone is SIM Locked and protected by Apple Warranty or Insurance Plan!
On the one hand, you can upgrade the borrowed iPhone much more often, instead of waiting for 2 years to get the latest iPhone model.
On the other hand, you never own this iPhone and if something happens to it (like getting stolen or breaking) you have to pay for it in full (or even more)
You easily understand that if you buy a refurbished iPhone with lease iPhone’s Contract Status, you have just bought a stolen iPhone!
You own the iPhone from the beginning of the contract but it will still remain SIM Locked to that Carrier for 2 years or even more (if you don’t manage to unlock your iPhone with the Carrier).
Dangers of buying a used iPhone that is still under contract
Things will become even tougher when you buy a second-hand iPhone without using an IMEI Contract Checker first.
- As long as the refurbished iPhone is on contract, 99% is also SIM locked
- The biggest danger you probably never heard about is the following. As long as an iPhone remains on contract with a previous owner, he holds the right to report it as lost or stolen to his Wireless Network.
This means that when you buy the iPhone maybe all will look normal but after a while, it will become blacklisted. Keep in mind that there is no way to SIM Unlock or Unblacklist an iPhone for free. - There is always the possibility that the previous owner will stop paying his monthly contract bills and this will be a disaster because your iPhone will become barred from pending contract bills. And this is just another word for blacklisted.
- Usually an under contract iPhone it is still protected by Apple Warranty, AppleCare+ or an Insurance Plan. If you believe this bonus is a good sign think again because in this case, the previous owner can ask for a replacement as long as one of them is active. This means that the used iPhone you bought will be flagged as replaced and it will become blacklisted.
- On top of that, the iPhone Contract Status can easily void any iPhone Unlock attempt and moreover relock an iPhone you have previously unlocked.
I believe not using an IMEI Contract Checker don’t look so useless after all.
Is iPhone IMEI Contract Checker enough?
I believe you can now see how SIM Lock, Blacklist Status, and iPhone Contract Check are firmly tied together.
- Before you buy a pre-owned iPhone from an online market, a local store or through a personal transaction
- Before you try to network unlock a refurbished iPhone
I already told you what can happen with an under Warranty iPhone but there are even more issues.
The only way to reveal the Overall Lock Status of any iPhone is a Full IMEI Check and nothing less, in order to expose the iPhone’s:
- SIM-Lock status
- Blacklist Status
- Locking Mobile Network
- iCloud Status
- Contract Status
- Warranty Status
- Financial Balance Status
- Insurance Claims Status
- IMEI Replacement Status
- Serial Replacement Status
- Specifications
Do you have any other questions about IMEI Contract Checker? Leave a comment below with your issue and I will aid you ASAP. Until next time, take care iPhone Unlockers.