T-Mobile appears to have quietly updated its activation policy, and the change is catching many customers by surprise. Users are discovering that phones locked to T-Mobile’s network can no longer be activated on Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that use T-Mobile’s own infrastructure, such as Mint Mobile and Tello.
For years, a well-known workaround allowed customers to use a locked T-Mobile device with one of its MVNO partners. While T-Mobile’s official policy states that locked devices will not work on other carriers, this was not strictly enforced for MVNOs on its network. That appears to have changed.
The issue gained traction after a Reddit user, ken830, reported their experience. “I just got two Motorola Edge (2024) phones for my parents to use on T-Mobile MVNOs (Mint and Tello) and it seems the phones are locked out and refuse to work with their SIMs,” they wrote in June 2025. They noted that their previous locked Samsung phones from a few years ago worked fine on the same MVNOs.
This is not an isolated incident. Another user confirmed the change has been rolling out for some time. “If memory serves it would’ve been sometime around 18-24 months ago that new devices weren’t working on the MVNOs,” commented user loganwachter. “I started with Samsung devices first, and then I thought of the pixel 8 series for Google devices. Seems it’s across the board now with their activation policy.”
Technically, T-Mobile is simply enforcing its existing policy. The company’s website clearly outlines the eligibility criteria required to unlock a device. However, the shift from a lenient to a strict enforcement has effectively closed a popular loophole for consumers seeking to pair a subsidized phone with a lower-cost plan.
For customers now facing this issue, the primary solution is to pay off their device in full and meet T-Mobile’s other requirements to have the phone officially unlocked before they can port their number to an MVNO. While contacting T-Mobile is an option, it may be of little help if the policy change is company-wide.
