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expiredZiemniak posted Feb 21, 2025 01:16 PM
expiredZiemniak posted Feb 21, 2025 01:16 PM

Straight Talk: Pre-Order: 128GB iPhone 16e Smartphone + 1-Mo Platinum Unlimited Plan

(+ $300 back in device credits over 12-months)

$360

$665

45% off
Straight Talk
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Deal Details
Straight Talk has for Pre-Order: 128GB iPhone 16e Smartphone for $299.99 when you activate a new, single line or upgrade on Platinum Unlimited Plan with prices starting from $60/month (w/ Auto Pay, otherwise $65/month). Additionally, you will receive $300 back in device credits over a 12-month period (must stay on the Platinum Unlimited plan for 12 mos. to receive all credits). Shipping is free.
  • Note: This is a pre-order with estimated ship date of 3/4/25.
Thanks to Community Member Ziemniak for finding this deal.

Phone Specs:
  • 6.1 inches Super Retina XDR OLED Display
  • Apple A18 (3 nm) CPU Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz)
  • Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
  • 128GB internal storage
  • 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO11 | Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA11
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • Main Camera: Single 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), PDAF, OIS
  • USB-C Charging (charge cable included)
  • Weight: 5.89 oz

Editor's Notes

Written by StrawMan86 | Staff
  • Terms:
    • Limited time offer. While supplies last. Device taxes and fees apply. Requires new, single line activation or upgrade on Platinum Unlimited Plan or higher. Must stay on the Platinum Unlimited plan for 12 mos. to receive all credits; credits will drop if you change plans or fail to continuously maintain active service. Savings based on full retail cost of device. Not available on extended plans. Limit one device per account.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by Ziemniak
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Straight Talk has for Pre-Order: 128GB iPhone 16e Smartphone for $299.99 when you activate a new, single line or upgrade on Platinum Unlimited Plan with prices starting from $60/month (w/ Auto Pay, otherwise $65/month). Additionally, you will receive $300 back in device credits over a 12-month period (must stay on the Platinum Unlimited plan for 12 mos. to receive all credits). Shipping is free.
  • Note: This is a pre-order with estimated ship date of 3/4/25.
Thanks to Community Member Ziemniak for finding this deal.

Phone Specs:
  • 6.1 inches Super Retina XDR OLED Display
  • Apple A18 (3 nm) CPU Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz)
  • Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
  • 128GB internal storage
  • 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO11 | Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA11
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • Main Camera: Single 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), PDAF, OIS
  • USB-C Charging (charge cable included)
  • Weight: 5.89 oz

Editor's Notes

Written by StrawMan86 | Staff
  • Terms:
    • Limited time offer. While supplies last. Device taxes and fees apply. Requires new, single line activation or upgrade on Platinum Unlimited Plan or higher. Must stay on the Platinum Unlimited plan for 12 mos. to receive all credits; credits will drop if you change plans or fail to continuously maintain active service. Savings based on full retail cost of device. Not available on extended plans. Limit one device per account.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by Ziemniak

Community Voting

Deal Score
+136
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Top Comments

Himanshu1236
57 Posts
18 Reputation
Summary:


Plan Cost: $65/month
iPhone 16e Price: $599 - $300 = $299
Total Before Tax: $299 (phone) + $65 (plan) = $364
Unlocking: Use service for 1 month, then keep the second month idle → Phone unlocks.
Number Options: Get a new number or port out an existing one.
Bonus Credit: Keep the number active for 12 months → Get an extra $300 credit.
campysig
6 Posts
10 Reputation
Unlocked today
Activated March 3
April 2, deactivated
checked earlier today was locked
added another month $30 today
May 2 reactivated
Unlocked no sim restrictions after a couple hours.
Ziemniak
193 Posts
295 Reputation
No ID verification at Straight Talk

1,527 Comments

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May 07, 2025 10:43 PM
381 Posts
Joined Dec 2020
LavenderRose3394May 07, 2025 10:43 PM
381 Posts
Quote from LivelyTree6515 :
Too many comments so I might of missed the part showing how to see if phone is unlocked?
Settings>General>About>Carrier Lock: it'll either say "SIM locked" or "No SIM restrictions" if unlocked
1
May 07, 2025 10:45 PM
1,517 Posts
Joined Oct 2006
minmasterMay 07, 2025 10:45 PM
1,517 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank minmaster

Also, I filed a FTC complaint as well. It's pretty simple: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

​I sorta copied what someone generated with ChatGPT from another forum, you may want to reword it:

Straight Talk Wireless has misled customers by changing its unlocking policy after activation and then refusing to unlock phones unless users pay for 60 days of service—despite previously advertising that devices would unlock automatically 60 days after activation. This retroactive policy shift was applied without notice or consent, effectively holding customers' phones hostage and coercing additional payments. These actions likely violate state Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Acts (UDTPA), the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S. Code § 45) which prohibits unfair or deceptive business practices, and breach fundamental contract law by altering terms after agreement without mutual assent. Because the harm is uniform and widespread, this conduct supports a strong nationwide class action lawsuit.
Last edited by minmaster May 7, 2025 at 03:48 PM.
4
May 08, 2025 01:20 AM
593 Posts
Joined Jun 2007
zyg0teMay 08, 2025 01:20 AM
593 Posts
Do I need the phone near me for ST to unlock it? (eg. when on the phone would I need to power cycle or confirm anything with the phone physically present?)

Trying to avoid paying another month, but the phone is also already shipped to my non-tech savvy parent.
I'm on day 62 and no unlock yet per https://sickw.com/
May 08, 2025 01:51 AM
30 Posts
Joined Oct 2013
egospawnMay 08, 2025 01:51 AM
30 Posts
Paid for the second month and the phone still hasn't unlocked on day 62 . Filed FCC, FTC complaint. On hindsight, I should have used my credit card and not privacy.com and now I cannot even chargeback.
May 08, 2025 04:46 AM
931 Posts
Joined Nov 2019
BrilliantRylothMay 08, 2025 04:46 AM
931 Posts
Quote from egospawn :
Paid for the second month and the phone still hasn't unlocked on day 62 . Filed FCC, FTC complaint. On hindsight, I should have used my credit card and not privacy.com and now I cannot even chargeback.
Same I thought paying for second month would unlock my iPhone 13 I activated back in February like many people have reported but it is still locked like wtf.
May 08, 2025 05:56 AM
121 Posts
Joined Nov 2014
RefX32May 08, 2025 05:56 AM
121 Posts
I was on day 63 (paid for 1 month only). Still did not unlocked. So I bought Bronze plan for $35 + tax. Lame. Even worse, phone is still locked.
1
May 08, 2025 07:09 AM
1,345 Posts
Joined Mar 2007
IntelslackerMay 08, 2025 07:09 AM
1,345 Posts
I chose to file a FCC complaint.

Phone is still locked, did not pay for month #2 but I purchased phone on March 7.
1

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May 08, 2025 08:06 AM
584 Posts
Joined Dec 2010
IregulateMay 08, 2025 08:06 AM
584 Posts
Suppose to unlock 5 days ago since I payed for a second month. Today a I got tired of waiting for the no sim restriction and installed a free trial eSIM from cricket and then it unlocked. So maybe try that or any free trial eSIM.
May 08, 2025 08:53 AM
103 Posts
Joined Apr 2015
hanwuji319May 08, 2025 08:53 AM
103 Posts
Quote from Iregulate :
Suppose to unlock 5 days ago since I payed for a second month. Today a I got tired of waiting for the no sim restriction and installed a free trial eSIM from cricket and then it unlocked. So maybe try that or any free trial eSIM.
how do get the free trial, I tried but it says" phone is locked' and it can not continue
May 08, 2025 11:15 AM
1,115 Posts
Joined Aug 2018
Kraken09May 08, 2025 11:15 AM
1,115 Posts
Quote from RefX32 :
I was on day 63 (paid for 1 month only). Still did not unlocked. So I bought Bronze plan for $35 + tax. Lame. Even worse, phone is still locked.
Call the unlock department (888) 442-5102
May 08, 2025 01:07 PM
8 Posts
Joined Mar 2019
ScarletCabbage519May 08, 2025 01:07 PM
8 Posts
Welp. Looks like I am in the same boat as some others.
Ordered 02/25/2025
Activated 03/06/2025
Made some test phone calls and sent a few test text. Stuck in a drawer and here on day 63 still showing SIM locked. I've factory reset the phone, restarted a few times, etc. So, if reading correctly, my options are
  1. Pay for another month and wait up to another 60 days?
  2. File the complaints and dispute with CC
May 08, 2025 03:34 PM
254 Posts
Joined Oct 2004
SenseOfScienceMay 08, 2025 03:34 PM
254 Posts
Quote from SenseOfScience :
Any other data points? I activated mine on 03/04/2025. Plan expired on 04/03/2025.

As of this morning 05/03/2025 (60 days), https://sickw.com/ reports sim is locked.

I'll probably give it another day or two just to make sure it doesn't unlock on its own and then buy another month of service.
Quote from CorNut :
Please report back, today is day 59 for me and I hate the idea of paying $30 because they changed their policy after we activated.

I'm reading mixed responses on their reddit. It seems like it'll still unlock under the old policy but people are convinced they need to buy another month. It seems like straight answers are hard to come by so I'm looking forward to your experience. my hope is day 61 (since I initially activated it pretty late in the evening) it'll automatically unlock. I have a gut feeling it'll unlock but nobody ever waits until day 61 to truly test it. Thank you for being patient and willing to give it a true test.

If I need to buy a month, I will on the one for my mom but the second one (mine) I'll go the FCC complaint route to see what happens. she's on the iPhone XS and it's on its last leg so it's a lot more important.
Despite being patient and hoping this would work itself it out it seems I'm in the same boat as most others. My device remains locked. Not sure how best to move forward since there seems to be mixed reports on when the device will unlock after buying another month of service. Annoyed
May 08, 2025 03:59 PM
212 Posts
Joined Sep 2009
AntZeroMay 08, 2025 03:59 PM
212 Posts
I first activated my iPhone 16e on March 6th. I looked at the data points in this thread on May 4th and on May 5th decided to buy another month of the Bronze $35 plan. Checked today and my phone still showing "SIM LOCKED".
I then called the unlocking dept # provided on this thread and asked the agent when it would be unlocked or if it can be unlocked now.
The agent took down the IMEI # and stated that it will be auto unlocked on June 4th.
I was hoping for earlier but will have to play the waiting game and report back by then.
May 08, 2025 04:23 PM
4,323 Posts
Joined Jun 2007
dvdrdiscsMay 08, 2025 04:23 PM
4,323 Posts
Quote from AntZero :
I first activated my iPhone 16e on March 6th. I looked at the data points in this thread on May 4th and on May 5th decided to buy another month of the Bronze $35 plan. Checked today and my phone still showing "SIM LOCKED".
I then called the unlocking dept # provided on this thread and asked the agent when it would be unlocked or if it can be unlocked now.
The agent took down the IMEI # and stated that it will be auto unlocked on June 4th.
I was hoping for earlier but will have to play the waiting game and report back by then.

I wouldn't even mind waiting another month except information has not been consistent. There's a good chance in June, they will give some other excuse and ask you to wait another month.

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May 08, 2025 04:50 PM
1,807 Posts
Joined Nov 2005
CorNutMay 08, 2025 04:50 PM
1,807 Posts
Quote from SenseOfScience :
Despite being patient and hoping this would work itself it out it seems I'm in the same boat as most others. My device remains locked. Not sure how best to move forward since there seems to be mixed reports on when the device will unlock after buying another month of service. Annoyed

from what I gathered, they changed it. It was 60 days from activation as long as you purchased a second month. Seeing people were doing that, now it seems like they changed it so it won't unlock until the 60th day of service. File a FCC complaint, use some bullet points I posted a couple days ago (post # 1195). Find a way to work in the words "reasonable", "foreseeable" "detriment". read over that and it should make sense.

My second 16e's 60 days is up on the 16th, what I did was sign up for another month so I'll have service when day 60 hits. I'll use that to see if having service on day 60 will allow it to still unlock or if it's truly 60 days of service no matter what. I'll update as soon as I know.
Last edited by CorNut May 8, 2025 at 09:54 AM.
1

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