AT&T iPhone Unlocking Process Detailed, Successful for Some

[terraphantm]

Originally Posted by Imola Ghost

Just got the 3GS unlocked.

Now...does anyone know of a way to "VERIFY" the unlock to a potential buyer? I took a photo of the message saying it was unlocked in iTunes but wanted to know if there was another way to prove to someone that was interested in buying it?

I can't think of anything, except maybe taking a video of you activating a non-AT&T SIM on your phone.

[Imola Ghost]

Originally Posted by terraphantm

I can't think of anything, except maybe taking a video of you activating a non-AT&T SIM on your phone.

What all USA GSM wireless carriers can use this phone?

[terraphantm]

Originally Posted by Imola Ghost

What all USA GSM wireless carriers can use this phone?

If it's unlocked, any USA GSM carrier will work. T-mobile is the only other national carrier; there are various regional carriers scattered about too.

[Imola Ghost]

Ok, that way I can find a friend that has T-Mobile to see if it works.

Oh, and it appears you can just connect the unlocked phone to iTunes and do an "RESTORE" and once that is done booting back up it will give you the confirmation again and again.

[mhsoofi]

Originally Posted by Spike Lightfoot

What's SAM?

Subscriber Artificial Module, a piece of software that can be downloaded from cydia to Officially activate iPhone as if u activated it with original sim, useful for fixing push notifications, iMessage , FaceTime . In this case it's only used to deactivate iPhone, other methods can be used

[Pirate515]

Originally Posted by brdeveloper

Looks like Apple's business model is very different in USA in relation to the rest of the world. Unlocking a phone is not an issue in Brazil. Actually, it's assured in law. You just have keep paying your carrier's monthly plan or pay a fine proportional to the debt if you want to break the contract.

As far as I have heard, if you are buying an iPhone directly from Apple outside of the US (either retail or online), it automatically comes unlocked (well, you obviously have to pay full retail price for it). If you want a subsidized one for less, you must purchase it from a carrier. It may or may not be locked, and the carrier may or may not have to unlock it upon request or upon fulfillment of contractual obligation (depending on local laws).

It also took a while here in the US to make carriers do discounted ETF's. Took a lot of government intervention to make that happen. The downside is that they almost doubled since then.

[silverbullet361]

Has anyone had luck getting a iphone 4 unlocked that is still in contract?

[boshii]

Originally Posted by silverbullet361

Has anyone had luck getting a iphone 4 unlocked that is still in contract?

Just try it and see.

[macgrunn]

I still have the iPhone 2G (the original iPhone) bought it in New York but i life in the Netherlands. I use my iPhone 2G occasionally although my primary phone is the iPhone 4S, this is already unlocked by the Dutch carrier.

Reading AT&T are unlocking off-contract iPhones, will AT&T unlock my iPhone as well??

[Slouby]

Apparently, people who doesn't have an AT&T account were able to make an unlock request, do you know if anyone is successful ?

[Jameswest09]

You can unlock a 2g I just did this morning

[terraphantm]

Hmm, I contacted them with regards to why my unlock seems to be taking so long. Here's what they said:

Allison: Thank you for contacting Business Data Support. My name is Allison. Before we begin, can I confirm the wireless number that we will be working with is ##########?
You: yes
Allison: How can I help you today?
You: well, I was hoping you could help me confirm that my iPhone's unlock request was indeed placed
Allison: I'll be more than happy to assist you, one moment please.
You: I submitted a request yesterday and got a case number, but so far no email back
I'm concerned since other people I know have gotten emails and had their phones unlocked in a few hours
Allison: Can I please have IMEI number please?
You: sure one second
##############
Allison: Thank you.
I am checking the status. Did you plug this into iTunes on the computer yet?
You: yes I have
Allison: Ok, I show that it is not loading in the AT&T data base you will need to contact Apple at 1-800-myiphone and they will have to manually unlock your device from there.
You: is there some kind of reference I could give them so they know it's authorized?
Allison: Do you have any questions regarding the information we discussed today?
You will want to just give them the IMEI number the unlocking tool we are using is there tool.
They can look up the status from there tool on there side.
You: okay
I'll give them a call
thanks for the info
Allison: Do you have any questions regarding the information we discussed today?
You: no that's about it
Allison: If you need additional assistance specific to your device, you can view our website at http://www.att.com/biztech. We welcome your feedback; please take a moment to complete our Customer Satisfaction Survey. Thank you for your business and have a pleasant day.
Chat session has been terminated by the specialist.

I'm not sure I'll bother calling them since I'm pretty sure they'll just send me back to AT&T. But I really don't feel like waiting 30 minutes or more for another representative.

[yaredna]

Originally Posted by boshii

Just try it and see.

I am on the line with them. Purchased 6/17/2010, eligible for iPhone 4s since day of intro, but decided not to upgrade to 4s.

Bottom line:
.1. I can wait until 6/17/2012 to unlock iPhone 4
.2. I can pay ETF and unlock, but that would mean canceling my AT&T account
.3. I can upgrade to iPhone 4s, and then unlock iPhone 4

Since the iPhone 4 was introduced in June 2010, no one has yet reached the 2-year time. So most unlocks of iPhone 4 have been with either ETF/cancellation (now or prior to today), or upgraded to iPhone4s and kept the iPhone 4 as backup / gave to family member

And trust me, I tried. Here is the excerpt of the chat:

Colleen Coneita: Please allow 2-3 minutes to review your account.
ME: ok
Colleen Coneita: I am sorry for the inconvenience but your phone will be eligible to unlock after 06/17/2012
ME: What would be the cost to prepay to unlock now ?
Colleen Coneita: There is not prepay to unlock the iphone.
ME: I purchased the iPhone 4 the day it was released. Are you saying and confirming on the record that AT&T is not unlocking currently any iPhone 4 ?
Colleen Coneita: Your phone will be eligible to unlock after 06/17/2012
ME: My information says that you can file a case for the unlock of iPhone 4 for customers in my situation, and the process takes 24-72 hours to complete
ME: Could you check with your supervisor ?
Colleen Coneita: The requirement is the iphone need to be out of contract.
ME: Are you also implying that the only way to unlock my iPhone is to cancel my contract? That would not be a very smart move from AT&T. Could you confirm one more time, on the record, that to unlock an iPhone 4, I have to pay my early termination fee and cancel my $300/month account with ATT?
Colleen Coneita: I am sorry but the contract needs to be completed for us to process a case for the unlock code.
ME: You have not answered directly my question: I offered to pay the ETF without termination, and you responded indirectly that I cannot. If I understand correctly, the only way to unlock my iPhone 4 is to cancel pay the ETF AND cancel the contract, since we cannot pay the ETF without canceling our contract with AT&T. Correct ?
Colleen Coneita: You can not pay the etf and not cancel your account.
ME: Exactly. Therefore, you are telling me that the only legal way to unlock my iPhone 4 is to cancel my contract with AT&T. Could you confirm by stating that fact as I said it ?
Colleen Coneita: You can process an upgrade and get the iphone 4s .
ME: Got it. In other words, I have to carry two phones: the unlocked, and the locked, or wait until 6/17/2012. Got it. Thanks
Colleen Coneita: When you process the upgrade and active the phone and change the contract you can request for the unlock code on the iphone 4.
Colleen Coneita: You're welcome.
Colleen Coneita: Is there anything else I can assist with today?
ME: No thank you
Colleen Coneita: You're welcome.

[iPhoneMBAUser]

Originally Posted by silverbullet361

Has anyone had luck getting a iphone 4 unlocked that is still in contract?

Mine is, I got on chat with at&t this morning and they just asked for IMEI and email add, that was it, I was told that I'll receive an email on the 17th for instructions to unlock OR if I was ineligible. I guess I'll know come April 17. Anyone else?

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by iPhoneMBAUser

Mine is, I got on chat with at&t this morning and they just asked for IMEI and email add, that was it, I was told that I'll receive an email on the 17th for instructions to unlock OR if I was ineligible. I guess I'll know come April 17. Anyone else?

same

[macgrunn]

Originally Posted by Jameswest09

You can unlock a 2g I just did this morning

Do you life in the States or just like me outside the USA, and how did you do it??

[terraphantm]

Originally Posted by macgrunn

I still have the iPhone 2G (the original iPhone) bought it in New York but i life in the Netherlands. I use my iPhone 2G occasionally although my primary phone is the iPhone 4S, this is already unlocked by the Dutch carrier.

Reading AT&T are unlocking off-contract iPhones, will AT&T unlock my iPhone as well??

Are you unwilling to use bootneuter for some reason? Unlike the unofficial unlocks for newer phones, the iPhone 2G can be unlocked permanently via bootneuter. Even if you restore, it'll stay unlocked.

[macgrunn]

Originally Posted by terraphantm

Are you unwilling to use bootneuter for some reason? Unlike the unofficial unlocks for newer phones, the iPhone 2G can be unlocked permanently via bootneuter. Even if you restore, it'll stay unlocked.

If i have to restore i'll need to unlock because i don't have a AT&T simcard, i live in the Netherlands.

[yaredna]

Originally Posted by iPhoneMBAUser

Mine is, I got on chat with at&t this morning and they just asked for IMEI and email add, that was it, I was told that I'll receive an email on the 17th for instructions to unlock OR if I was ineligible. I guess I'll know come April 17. Anyone else?

When did you purchase the iPhone 4, and have you upgraded to iPhone 4s ? See my previous message above re: refusal of ATT to unlock mine, despite having been eligible for iPhone 4s upgrade since it was announced.

[coolpal]

Originally Posted by nilk

I read that instead of restoring you "Simply run Redsn0w or SAM and Deactivate, then plug into iTunes".

thanks for the response.. that sounds a lot easier.. will give it a try when I get home tonight.

[iPhoneMBAUser]

Originally Posted by yaredna

When did you purchase the iPhone 4, and have you upgraded to iPhone 4s ? See my previous message above re: refusal of ATT to unlock mine, despite having been eligible for iPhone 4s upgrade since it was announced.

No on the 4s. I upgraded my 3gs to 4, which was what, 2 years ago? My contract is still on until June of this year. I doubt that I'll be eligible for the unlock (it doesn't hurt to try though), which sucks because I'll be out of US in a few weeks, I actually need the unlock.

[amp79423]

Have any of you lucky unlockers gone to straighttalk's service? If so, have you been able to use mms without the jailbreak workaround? My contract is up in June and I'm planning on going that route if possible. Thanks!

[Undecided]

This is what I got via chat:

The unlock code for your iPhones is currently not available. I would be more than happy to submit a request for the unlock phone to the device manufacturer for you. This process can take up to 7-10 business days to get a response from Apple. Once we have received a response from Apple, an email would be sent to you containing the code and the steps to unlock your phone. Please be mindful that this is just a request and Apple may deny releasing the unlock code. May I have the best email contact for you to provide in this request?

I'm guessing that it is because I got all my iPhones from Apple?

[ZinkDifferent]

Apparently AT&T will unlock *any* iPhone, not just recent 4, 4S or 3GS.

I just called their tech support, and over the course of 30 minutes provided their tech with the IMEI numbers for my two original iPhone 1st Generation (4GB and 8GB versions), and my old iPhone 3G.

I received confirmations within minutes of the rep confirming the unlock was "confirmed", and upon plugging into iTunes, and restoring the iPhones, received the iTunes confirmation upon completing the restore.

There is a limit of 5 iPhones per account per 12 months period, though, from what I was told - not sure if this is based on the 5 years the account has existed, or the 5 users limit on family plans.

The whole process too 20-30 minutes on the phone with the tech, and the actual unlock was pretty instant once Apple received the IMEI numbers (and I was under the impression that the techs had access to a tool with direct access to Apple's database).

[yaredna]

Originally Posted by iPhoneMBAUser

No on the 4s. I upgraded my 3gs to 4, which was what, 2 years ago? My contract is still on until June of this year. I doubt that I'll be eligible for the unlock (it doesn't hurt to try though), which sucks because I'll be out of US in a few weeks, I actually need the unlock.

I will be surprised (and happy for you) if they allow you, prior to June. Let us know what the email says, by April 17. We're very interested.

Check also above my previous post where I related my conversation with their chat service rep.