I'm having some trouble transferring my phone number from an old iPhone 7 to a new iPhone 14 Pro Max that I got from my dad. My dad used the new phone with T-Mobile for a couple of years, and I've been with Straight Talk. I've successfully transferred everything but the phone number. Initially, I found out that the new phone was locked, so my dad called T-Mobile, and they said they unlocked it. After that, I tried to transfer my number, but I got an error saying the eSIM wasn't supported. I contacted my carrier, who said my number is safe, but I need to set up the eSIM first. The problem is, I can't remember the pin for my account, which was set up years ago. I also called T-Mobile again, and they claimed the device isn't associated with their network anymore, even though I think it should be. I ended up factory resetting the phone, and now I'm back to square one with no options besides setting it up with a QR code or manually, which isn't helping. Any advice on how to move forward?
2 Answers
Have you considered just setting up the new phone with a temporary number, and then talking to your carrier after to switch it back to your original number? Sometimes that can simplify the process instead of dealing with the unlock issues right away.
Check your phone's settings by going to Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. If it shows anything other than 'No SIM Restrictions', it means the phone is still locked to T-Mobile. Apple recommends that after the carrier successfully applies the unlock, you may need to erase the phone and restore it from a backup. That might be your next step!
Thanks for the tip! I will definitely follow up with them and be more assertive about asking how to erase and restore properly.
I tried that, but when I went to set it up, the site said I didn't have coverage in my area, which isn't right. I think I might try using my dad's address instead.