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noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,226
6,791
Los Angeles, CA
I filled out an unlock request online. I was granted the request. I successfully unlocked it by connecting it and backing up and restoring it

My question: do I need to re-unlock it every time I restore my phone? it's unlocked now but what happens when I restore it to sell it? Does it stay unlocked for good once I do it?
 

GraphicsGeek

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2008
533
0
I filled out an unlock request online. I was granted the request. I successfully unlocked it by connecting it and backing up and restoring it

My question: do I need to re-unlock it every time I restore my phone? it's unlocked now but what happens when I restore it to sell it? Does it stay unlocked for good once I do it?

It's permanently unlocked by the IEMI number of the phone. So you don't have to do anything else in the future.
 

mjar

macrumors newbie
Apr 26, 2012
24
1
Yes, it will be unlocked always.
I have ATT number but i can't unlock it because i don't have SSN. Do they request SSN ?
 

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
I am curious did you unlock it already (and are you still under contract)?

I have my iPhone 5 on the way am going to unlock my 4s as soon as I can...but they probably won't do it until the new one is activated right?
 

noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,226
6,791
Los Angeles, CA
I am curious did you unlock it already (and are you still under contract)?

I have my iPhone 5 on the way am going to unlock my 4s as soon as I can...but they probably won't do it until the new one is activated right?

Got 4s using my moms upgrade so my 4 contract is up.
 

rritterson

macrumors 6502
Jul 10, 2008
357
1
DC USA
I filled out an unlock request online. I was granted the request. I successfully unlocked it by connecting it and backing up and restoring it

My question: do I need to re-unlock it every time I restore my phone? it's unlocked now but what happens when I restore it to sell it? Does it stay unlocked for good once I do it?

Now that's it's unlocked, it will stay that way. The lock/unlock status only changes during activation of the phone, which only happens when the phone is new or when you restore the phone. At that time, the phone calls home to an Apple server to check whether the IMEI is unlocked or not, and as yours has already been labeled unlocked, it will stay that way.

In theory, AT&T could ask for an IMEI to be relocked and the next time someone activated the phone it would become locked again, but I've not seen that happen anywhere.
 

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
Got 4s using my moms upgrade so my 4 contract is up.

oh ok Friday can't come soon enough, my eBay auction on my 4s ends Thursday (selling it unlocked), get my 5 Friday and hopefully ship the 4s that same day after unlocking....this week is going extremely slow :mad::D
 

falcora

macrumors 6502
Oct 8, 2011
390
4
It says that your contract must be fulfilled before they will approve your unlock request? How did you do it for your 4S? Did they just approve it anyways?
 

noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,226
6,791
Los Angeles, CA
It says that your contract must be fulfilled before they will approve your unlock request? How did you do it for your 4S? Did they just approve it anyways?

See above. My original contract was for an iPhone 4 and it is now up. I added a 4s last year by using my moms upgrade. The phone is attached to my contract, which is now up.
 

slookx24

macrumors member
Mar 13, 2009
47
0
See above. My original contract was for an iPhone 4 and it is now up. I added a 4s last year by using my moms upgrade. The phone is attached to my contract, which is now up.

I did the same thing, but Apple wouldn't unlock my 4S. Used my sister's upgrade to get the 4S, then added that to my own line. My old contract (iPhone 4) ended in August. I requested an unlock last week with AT&T since I was currently out of contract, but they said the 4S I'm using is associated with another account (my sister's) that is still under contract. So, they would not unlock it for me. BS.
 

noobinator

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 19, 2009
7,226
6,791
Los Angeles, CA
I did the same thing, but Apple wouldn't unlock my 4S. Used my sister's upgrade to get the 4S, then added that to my own line. My old contract (iPhone 4) ended in August. I requested an unlock last week with AT&T since I was currently out of contract, but they said the 4S I'm using is associated with another account (my sister's) that is still under contract. So, they would not unlock it for me. BS.

I just used the online request form and was granted the unlock 3 days later. Maybe try online if you called in.
 
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