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AT&T iPhone 4S unlock.. is it possible?
- Thread starter njgroovy
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I wonder if it's even legal that ATT won't unlock your phone after your contract is up when you've ended paying every single cent it cost...
ATT routinely unlocks other phones.. just not the iPhone. I wonder why the iPhone is different. When they had exclusivity I could see why, but now that they don't have it.. why do it?
Bingo. I tried participating in a thread on the ATT forums on this topic, but the fanboys are a tad rabid on there so I never got anywhere.
Things have changed. They don't have exclusivity any more.
My network in the UK, O2, unlocks iPhones for free since they don't care what you do with the phone so long as you honour your contract.
To put in an unlock request, there is a form on their website. The interesting thing is I have heard of people on AT&T and other networks having their phones successfully unlocked using this form. It seems they don't check the phone is locked to O2 - they just send the IMEI to Apple and it gets unlocked.
If it works, after around a week or two, when you sync your phone over USB a message will be displayed saying your iPhone is unlocked. Then you have a legit, factory unlocked iPhone with no need to JB.
Here is the link:
https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help?qid=1&q1=2&route=unlocking&case=Handset Unlocking Form
Just enter Pay Monthly, Apple iPhone, and then a UK mobile number, e.g. 07960XXXXXX. It doesn't seem to matter what answers you give for the security questions - they don't seem to check, although if you want an example of some real answers, give a last bill date of earlier this month with an amount of £35 on tariff iPhone 35 (18 month).
To put in an unlock request, there is a form on their website. The interesting thing is I have heard of people on AT&T and other networks having their phones successfully unlocked using this form. It seems they don't check the phone is locked to O2 - they just send the IMEI to Apple and it gets unlocked.
If it works, after around a week or two, when you sync your phone over USB a message will be displayed saying your iPhone is unlocked. Then you have a legit, factory unlocked iPhone with no need to JB.
Here is the link:
https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help?qid=1&q1=2&route=unlocking&case=Handset Unlocking Form
Just enter Pay Monthly, Apple iPhone, and then a UK mobile number, e.g. 07960XXXXXX. It doesn't seem to matter what answers you give for the security questions - they don't seem to check, although if you want an example of some real answers, give a last bill date of earlier this month with an amount of £35 on tariff iPhone 35 (18 month).
Law makers can help on this case, their nose is on so many unnecessary things, this is good thing to do!
at least after fulfilling say 6 or FULL (24) months contract.
at least after fulfilling say 6 or FULL (24) months contract.
They have not changed enough yet, AT&T is still the exclusive GSM carrier in the USA so they still don't have to unlock the iPhone.
Dave
Now that the 4S is the same across US carriers, I don't see how AT&T can maintain their past unwillingness to unlock. I was in AT&T's site today and saw an unlock SIM button on my profile. I have no reason (at this time) to unlock so I didn't mess with it, but maybe someone else will.
next year
iPhone 4S from Verizon/Sprint will have more resale value than ATT iPhone 4S because of this locked to ATT
iPhone 4S from Verizon/Sprint will have more resale value than ATT iPhone 4S because of this locked to ATT
Really? I checked mine but couldn't see it. How long have you been an AT&T subscriber? Do you currently have an iPhone with them?
picture or did not happen.
i do not see that option i am with ATT at least for 3 years now and two iPhone 4
are you seeing that option under iPhone or some other phone ?
What needs to be unlocked is the phone, not the SIM.
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How can this possibly work? They ask for phone number there. Should I put my USA phone number if I wanted to try?
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Just tried. I had a UK number and used 2 other UK numbers. Let's see what happens.
Just tried. I had a UK number and used 2 other UK numbers. Let's see what happens.
I have, and after some escalation -- I explained that Verizon is unlocking, and while the policy may have made some sense when att had an exclusive, it makes no sense now. They reiterated that it was a decision made by corporate and that they were powerless to do anything -- I asked if the could escalate the question to corporate, and give me a call back with an answer -- and they promised to do so. I suggest you do the same, and maybe they will get the hint.
They have not changed enough yet, AT&T is still the exclusive GSM carrier in the USA so they still don't have to unlock the iPhone.
Dave
well, since the GSM is what's unlocked on the verizon iPhone it's getting rather moot.