1)Calling AT&T is the first place to go to request an IMEI unlock. If the account is paid in full, you can usually call them up enough times to get an IMEI unlock done, even if you aren't an AT&T subscriber: 1-800-331-0500.
2)The next place to look is for an IMEI unlock service. I have no idea if they do remote unlocking, but most of them probably use method 1) by calling a million times because the wages in other countries are so ridiculously low($1 a day sometimes) that those sites can pay their team of workers to make hundreds of calls to AT&T for the IMEI unlock or by brute forcing the IMEI unlock server till the proper key is generated.
Many places are scams, so be weary, but many websites are now legit. If you can deal with losing your money, go ahead. The service will cost about $20 on average. Some services that I have some information about(the items outside of eBay haven't been updated since I made this list. Don't pay over $10 for an unlock from a source you don't know):
Ebay is the cheapest($4 average), fastest(within a few hours), has a money-back guarantee, and has tons of feedback reviews:
My eBay listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251203069836&ssPageName=ADME:L:EOISSA:US:1123
If you need to order three or more unlocks, I'll do them for $2 each. My unlock processor usually does them in 12-24 hours, but I lag for like 8 hours in sending the unlock confirmations after they're done. I also offer an under 12-hour guaranteed or your money back service plus a free unlock(I just hope you don't order it while I'm sleeping).
The biggest unlock name out there: fast, reliable, automated. He also has an IMEI checker in his listing to let you know if your iPhone is AT&T and can be unlocked.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Unl...792?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec4b516c0
My competition: Pretty fast(12-24 hours).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Unl...455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abcbe332f
The following info is out of date; you should use it as a starting point only, but the prices and reviews are outdated.
cutyoursim.com 4/5 stars: On the expensive end($145), but I've heard few scam stories.
gsmfather.in 3/5 stars: Terrible customer service, success is random, and refunds take months to process at times. Also, AT&T has relocked IMEIs in some cases for bad accounts, and they will not refund you.
attiphonesunlocked@gmail.com1 count in support of the unlock, done in 48 hours for $50.
officialiphoneunlock.co.uk/$108, 1-2 days stated time, many positive reviews from Google, some negative reviews, owner posts here.
Skype: star_umair_2005unlocked my iPhone 4 in 32 hours for $55.
Most of these sites only take PayPal. Do not add money to PayPal first. If you have money in PayPal, transfer it all to your bank. Then checkout with PayPal in which case you'll be instructed to pay with your backup funding source, which should be your credit card and not your bank account. Bank account disputes are possible, but it's much easier to go through your credit card company. They usually process the refund within a couple days. I won't advise this, but you can usually dispute a couple charges over time with your credit company for purchase you've made online, even if the product was physically delivered to your address and you signed for it. I sold an unlocked iPhone 4 last year, the buyer updated it, and then disputed the charge through PayPal 3 months later. If she had opened a dispute with PayPal, she would have had to return it, but because she used her credit card company, she got her money back within a week, screwing me out of $500.
If you have had any success with IMEI(factory) unlock sites, please post the site name, the time it took for the unlock order to be processed, and the cost. If you have been scammed as well, please post those sites too. I know for a while there was a large list of scam sites, but I can't find that topic anymore, and people were safe to assume that the majority of sites were scams.
