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

Are any AT&T customers willing to submit an unlock request for my IMEI?

Bawstun

Bawstun

Suspended
Original poster
Jun 25, 2009
2,374
3,000
I've just spent the past 1.5+ hours hanging up and dialing different reps to request my iPhone 4 (OVER 4 YEARS OLD!) to be unlocked from their online site: https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/client/en_US/termsAndCondition

Every time I get the same response. Unless I can tell them who the original owner was, or I'm a current or former customer, they won't do it. It doesn't even matter to them that the phone isn't flagged as stolen or blacklisted. They just refuse to do it.

I purchased this phone through GameStop for $300 as part of their used iPhone program. It was used on StraightTalk as part of their bring your own phone program. Now I'm with T-Mobile, and trying to use my phone on their network.

My IMEI is --- if anyone is willing to help. It's greatly appreciated, because otherwise I'm S.O.L. apparently.
 
Last edited:
I am employed through WalMart, and their "Family Mobile" (a T-Mobile service, like StraightTalk is AT&T) is $39.88 for unlimited talk, text, and 4G data. Because I am also an employee, I receive a 30% discount off of that monthly $39.88. It's literally an impossible price point to beat.

----------

FWIW, I think it's highly unfair (and should be illegal) for them to deny my unlock request on the grounds that I am not a current or former customer, or that I cannot tell them the original telephone number assigned to the phone. How is that my burden of proof? I legally purchased the phone as a used consumer electronic device, it isn't on any contract of theirs, and nothing is any fault of mine! Seriously, how is this OK?

I even offered to e-mail, scan, fax, PHYSICALLY MAIL, etc. the receipt I have from GameStop showing that this phone is mine, and has never had anything to do with AT&T. They still didn't care, lol.
 
Sucks man, but that's their rules.
But you knew you were getting a locked AT&T iphone right? So complaining about it now or about their policies is pointless.
There is 3rd party unlockers but they charge pretty steep now.
 
Since you purchased the phone at GameStop, you should be able to return it and purchase an unlocked iPhone.

My understanding is that to unlock a phone it has to be or have been in service on your account, so unless you send the phone to someone to put their SIM card in it (to register it on their account) AT&T will still deny the unlock.

Of course, I left AT&T soon after the iphone5S was released, so you may want to confirm the info.

AT&T unlocks are very hard to get anymore from third parties, I guess they cracked down on all the unlocking since T-mobile started the "uncarrier" plans.
 
Bawstun said:
I've just spent the past 1.5+ hours hanging up and dialing different reps to request my iPhone 4 (OVER 4 YEARS OLD!) to be unlocked from their online site: https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/client/en_US/termsAndCondition

Every time I get the same response. Unless I can tell them who the original owner was, or I'm a current or former customer, they won't do it. It doesn't even matter to them that the phone isn't flagged as stolen or blacklisted. They just refuse to do it.

I purchased this phone through GameStop for $300 as part of their used iPhone program. It was used on StraightTalk as part of their bring your own phone program. Now I'm with T-Mobile, and trying to use my phone on their network.

My IMEI is 012656000699038 if anyone is willing to help. It's greatly appreciated, because otherwise I'm S.O.L. apparently.
Click to expand...

Why not just return or sell the AT&T one and just buy a T-Mobile iPhone 4?
 
How can you NOT have any friends with att?
(asking strangers on the internet for a big favor is weird/unlikely)
 
FFS for anyone with ATT or even a former customer its not that difficult...i'll go ahead and try doing it

my question is why stick with a measily old ip4...even a 5C is relatively cheap and would be 500000x better.

i'll post back here if the unlock request is successful.
 
Bawstun said:
I've just spent the past 1.5+ hours hanging up and dialing different reps to request my iPhone 4 (OVER 4 YEARS OLD!) to be unlocked from their online site: https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/client/en_US/termsAndCondition

Every time I get the same response. Unless I can tell them who the original owner was, or I'm a current or former customer, they won't do it. It doesn't even matter to them that the phone isn't flagged as stolen or blacklisted. They just refuse to do it.

I purchased this phone through GameStop for $300 as part of their used iPhone program. It was used on StraightTalk as part of their bring your own phone program. Now I'm with T-Mobile, and trying to use my phone on their network.

My IMEI is --- if anyone is willing to help. It's greatly appreciated, because otherwise I'm S.O.L. apparently.
Click to expand...

Just got an email from ATT. Sync your phone in Itunes, it should be unlocked. You're welcome
 
Sceptre said:
How can you NOT have any friends with att?
(asking strangers on the internet for a big favor is weird/unlikely)
Click to expand...
Is it really that much of a big favor to submit an IMEI for unlock? Seems like someone already did it without there really being much to it.

It's nice to know that companies can really put it to the consumers just because they can and because of some obscure Library of Congress BS thing that allowed for it all to spiral into an even bigger pile of anti-consumer irrationale.
 
C DM said:
Is it really that much of a big favor to submit an IMEI for unlock? Seems like someone already did it without there really being much to it.

It's nice to know that companies can really put it to the consumers just because they can and because of some obscure Library of Congress BS thing that allowed for it all to spiral into an even bigger pile of anti-consumer irrationale.
Click to expand...

It's not but you get a limited number of them as an AT&T customer
 
Looon said:
It's not but you get a limited number of them as an AT&T customer
Click to expand...
Ah, that explains it a little more.

That said, the whole thing is still pretty much an industry sham unfortunately.
 
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