Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Will AT&T unlock a newly purchased phone?

Blorzoga

Blorzoga

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 21, 2010
2,560
66
Let's suppose I buy an iPhone for $199 and immediately cancel the plan and pay the $325 early termination fee. Will AT&T then unlock the phone if I request it? And if so, wouldn't that save $124, since the same phone unlocked from Apple is $649? What am I missing?
 
aziatiklover said:
Yes att will unlock it as long u pay everything up front. Factory unlocked iphone 4s started at $699 without tax. ETF paid plus $10 for each month remaining!
Click to expand...

You're misunderstanding my question. The 4s starts at $649. If I buy a phone at $199, as though i'm starting a contract, but then immediately cancel the contract and pay the ETF of $325 ( it's MINUS $10 per month, not plus), then wouldn't I be getting an unlocked phone for $524?
 
Blorzoga said:
You're misunderstanding my question. The 4s starts at $649. If I buy a phone at $199, as though i'm starting a contract, but then immediately cancel the contract and pay the ETF of $325 ( it's MINUS $10 per month, not plus), then wouldn't I be getting an unlocked phone for $524?
Click to expand...

If im not mistaken, you need to pay for the first month as well. So $524 + first month. I dont think At&t is that dumb. you're better off buying an unlocked one.
 
wordoflife said:
If im not mistaken, you need to pay for the first month as well. So $524 + first month. I dont think At&t is that dumb. you're better off buying an unlocked one.
Click to expand...

In theory it would be prorated. Normally they would tell you to just return the phone... but you might be able to claim you lost it or something along those lines. In that situation you could probably get away with a protated charge of however much 1 day costs.


Anyway OP, they should unlock it, but you might have trouble getting them to do so. Even for my iPhone 4 which is out of contract (due to my upgrading to a 4S), I had a lot of trouble getting them to unlock it. They were saying I had to wait 2 years even though the contract was essentially terminated.
 
wordoflife said:
If im not mistaken, you need to pay for the first month as well. So $524 + first month. I dont think At&t is that dumb. you're better off buying an unlocked one.
Click to expand...

You're probably right. After activation fee, first month, etc etc, i'd probably save like a nickel.

----------
terraphantm said:
In theory it would be prorated. Normally they would tell you to just return the phone... but you might be able to claim you lost it or something along those lines. In that situation you could probably get away with a protated charge of however much 1 day costs.
Click to expand...

Only problem with that would be when I ask them to unlock my "lost" phone.

----------

From the AT&T user agreement:

"If you purchase Equipment directly from AT&T in connection with your Agreement, but you terminate within 30 days and fail to return the Equipment to AT&T, you will be subject to an Equipment Fee in the maximum amount of the difference between the no-commitment price of the Equipment and the amount you actually paid for the Equipment"

Probably the same as when you purchase from Apple.
 
Just get the factory unlocked from Apple directly. Easy and painless (except for the price tag :eek:) and no dealings or contract BS with ATT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back