When you get the “no service” message and you are totally sure that there is no Hardware or SIM Card issue then you probably holding a Blacklisted iPhone.
But don’t rush into using the first iPhone Unlock Service you will find online because there are many facts you really need to take under serious consideration.
Of course, you can unlock a blacklisted iPhone but it is not possible for all networks or blacklist reasons. So, let’s find out our options.
What is a Blacklisted iPhone
Every iPhone (every Mobile phone actually) is verified by its unique IMEI Number and all of them are stored inside GSMA Databases.
An iPhone will become blacklisted as soon as:
- The original owner reports the iPhone as lost or stolen to his Mobile Network
- When it is flagged as replaced due to insurance claims or an illegal hardware replacement
- When the iPhone is flagged as fraud. This can happen due to an illicit purchase or when the phone is involved in illegal activities (e.g. it was used in a bank robbery)
- There are pending contract bills
So, whenever something of the above applies, the IMEI of the iPhone will become bad and the signal will be lost.
One way to identify if an iPhone is blacklisted: No Service
Of course, the “no service” message is not enough. A Blacklist IMEI Check is the only service that can show the exact Blacklist Status, why an iPhone was Blacklisted, when, which Mobile Network blocked it and inside which country.
Blacklisted iPhone Restrictions
Since every iPhone has a unique IMEI number, Mobile Networks use it to mark it as Blacklisted. The “no service” issue is applied to all Wireless Carriers ONLY inside the country it was blacklisted. This means that the blacklisted iPhone is totally usable in all other countries as long as it is unlocked.
For example, a Blacklisted/unlocked Verizon USA iPhone will be functional to Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia but there will be issues in America.
You see there is an exception for the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Puerto Rico. These countries share their Blacklists and this means that as soon as an iPhone becomes blacklisted to any of them, it will simultaneously become blacklisted to all of them.
How to Unlock a Blacklisted iPhone
iPhone IMEI unlock is the best alternative when the Wireless Network refuses to SIM Unlock your iPhone. Of course, every Network has it’s own iPhone SIM Unlock Policy but all of them has a common requirement: The iPhone must not be blacklisted.
Thankfully, there is an advanced IMEI Unlock method for Blacklisted iPhones but it can only be applied to a limited number of Networks under very specific conditions.
As I already explained, you will still not be able to use the iPhone inside the nation it was blocked even after the unlock because it is still a blacklisted iPhone after all. In order to do so, you need to clean the IMEI of your iPhone from the Blacklist Status.
Nonetheless, Blacklisted iPhone IMEI Unlock gives you the ability to use it when you travel abroad with any Mobile Network you want. You can also sell it to a country where it’s not blacklisted as a fully unlocked iPhone at its maximum second-hand market value since it is network unlocked indeed.
How to clean a Blacklisted iPhone
A blacklisted iPhone can become clean again if the reason it was blocked no longer occurs.
iPhone Blacklist Removal is available for a few networks inside the USA
- You can unblacklist a Verizon Blacklisted iPhone no matter why it was blocked
- You can unblacklist a Blacklisted T-Mobile iPhone as long as it is reported as lost, stolen or fraud
- You can unblacklist a Blacklisted Sprint iPhone when it has unpaid bills. (In this case, you will be able to use Sprint Network again but not any other)
You can also use another approach if your iPhone was Blacklisted inside the USA due to lost, stolen or unpaid contract bills reason: You can find the original owner of the Blacklisted iPhone!
- You can convince him to report he found the iPhone and it will become unblacklisted in an instant
- In the case of unpaid bills, you can also try to do the same or pay on his behalf. Keep in mind that the Mobile Network won’t accept your money if you try to go straight to them.
Of course, a proof of purchase would be an excellent indication you did not steal the iPhone you want to unblacklist. Otherwise, this method might get you in trouble.
What to do when unlocking a Blacklisted iPhone is not an option
Unfortunately, IMEI Unlock for iPhones with bad IMEI and Blacklist Removal is quite limited. In case none of the solutions above can be applied to your iPhone there are a few other options.
Ask the iPhone seller to refund you
If you used an online market like Amazon or eBay to buy the Blacklisted iPhone there are procedures to follow and possibly get a refund. The same goes for local retailers.
On the other hand, if you used Craigslist or a personal transaction then this might be impossible.
Sell it for spare parts
This is also practical. Of course, you won’t be making much but at least you will cover a part of your loss.
Use it as a Wi-Fi entertainment Console
The signal is lost forever from a blacklisted iPhone but there are countless other uses we cannot ignore.
- You can still use it as a game station
- Download or watch online your favorite movies and TV series
- There is no need to buy a new mp3 player or iPod
In fact, you can do literally anything you want… except making or receiving calls.
Conclusion
Dealing with a blacklisted iPhone is not the easiest thing in the world but I gave you all the available solutions you have at your disposal.
But let me give you a last piece of advice. I saw some sites still suggest changing the logic board from a Blacklisted iPhone with a Clean’s one as an Unblacklist method. Please DO NOT use this piece of crap because even if it works for a few days, the iPhone will become blacklisted again as replaced due to the illegal Hardware Replacement.
And this time IMEI Unlock and Blacklist Removal won’t be an option anymore.We constantly check if other Mobile networks become supported both for Blacklisted iPhone Unlock as well as for Unblacklist services so, visit us from time to time for new updates or become a member of our community.