"Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked"

[heyloo]

I just got off a Live Chat session with an AT&T representative and got some answers about these off-contract iPhone 4Ss.

When asked about my AT&T iPhone 4S that I purchased off-contract from an Apple Store, the rep told me that as long as you purchased from an Apple Store and the device was unlocked, the device will always stay unlocked.

The wording of the answer seemed a bit specific regarding purchases made from an Apple Store, so I asked if I had purchased an off-contract phone from an AT&T Store it would've been different.

The rep replied that it 'would definitely be a different story'. Apparently Apple and carriers have an outstanding contract that when Apple hands the devices over to the carriers, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc, the contract notes that the carriers will always receive phones that are locked to the respective carriers. Any phones distributed by AT&T, for example, are locked to AT&T regardless of it being off-contract or not.

However any phones distributed by Apple aren't restricted and they have the full rights to unlock the phones that they distribute. AT&T, therefore, does not have any rights to re-lock these phones that the manufacturer (Apple) decided to sell unlocked.

I'm not sure if there were any people that purchased the 4S from AT&T that came unlocked - I don't recall reading about any differences between those units sold from an AT&T store and from Apple. The rep told me that due to the strict agreement, no off-contract iPhones purchased directly from AT&T will have come unlocked and AT&T does have full rights to determine if the phone should be locked or not.

As long as the iPhone was purchased from Apple, the rep assured me that my iPhone 4S will stay unlocked.

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The rep's reassurance is certainly a huge relief, having purchased from an Apple Store. Also having been one of the few(?) people that was able to get the iPhone 4 unlocked by CutYourSim several months ago, while the service has been since shut down, neither Apple nor AT&T has come around to lock these phones again. My iPhone 4 continues to remain unlocked, so I could say that it does seem most likely that these unlocked phones will remain unlocked.

That said, it doesn't help that I do feel a bit uneasy after hearing about which party has the rights to lock the iPhones and such... I'm going to have to decide if I feel comfortable enough to justify not returning my phone for an unlocked one within my 30 day period.

 

[KPOM]

I just got off a Live Chat session with an AT&T representative and got some answers about these off-contract iPhone 4Ss.

When asked about my AT&T iPhone 4S that I purchased off-contract from an Apple Store, the rep told me that as long as you purchased from an Apple Store and the device was unlocked, the device will always stay unlocked.

The wording of the answer seemed a bit specific regarding purchases made from an Apple Store, so I asked if I had purchased an off-contract phone from an AT&T Store it would've been different.

The rep replied that it 'would definitely be a different story'. Apparently Apple and carriers have an outstanding contract that when Apple hands the devices over to the carriers, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc, the contract notes that the carriers will always receive phones that are locked to the respective carriers. Any phones distributed by AT&T, for example, are locked to AT&T regardless of it being off-contract or not.


That said, it doesn't help that I do feel a bit uneasy after hearing about which party has the rights to lock the iPhones and such... I'm going to have to decide if I feel comfortable enough to justify not returning my phone for an unlocked one within my 30 day period.

This makes sense, and also explains what happened with Sprint. Apparently Sprint and Apple had a miscommunication with the early iPhones which is why they were shipping unlocked for use outside the US. This has since changed. It also explains why Apple is the only retail outlet selling the unlocked iPhone 4/4S in the US. They can sell phones however they want, but their deals with the carriers give the carriers the right to lock the phones that they (the carriers) sell. It's a little bit different with Verizon and Sprint, since by virtue of their CDMA interface they can determine which devices are provisioned to their network.

 

[thatdrewguy]

As long as the iPhone was purchased from Apple, the rep assured me that my iPhone 4S will stay unlocked.

Unfortunately as it has already been shown by the widespread discrepancies in the ability to purchase the device only phone you are left to the apple store you go to if a problem arises in the future.

I've since returned my device only 4S after using it for 28 days and have the website unlocked version on order. I don't want to be stuck some day with a problem with the phone and have some genius tell me I bought the AT&T locked phone.

 

[benguild]

Unfortunately as it has already been shown by the widespread discrepancies in the ability to purchase the device only phone you are left to the apple store you go to if a problem arises in the future.

I've since returned my device only 4S after using it for 28 days and have the website unlocked version on order. I don't want to be stuck some day with a problem with the phone and have some genius tell me I bought the AT&T locked phone.

I said before that I asked the Genius bar and they said it was flagged as an Apple authorized unlock, so that would never have happened. But, your loss I guess.

AT&T has no authority over these phones. And Apple has nothing to lose since they already made the full retail sale.

 

[Akinzo]

I said before that I asked the Genius bar and they said it was flagged as an Apple authorized unlock, so that would never have happened. But, your loss I guess.

AT&T has no authority over these phones. And Apple has nothing to lose since they already made the full retail sale.

This is a copy of my chat with an Apple Store Rep

 

[GadgetGeek407]

so wait does this mean any att phone that apple store or apple.com sends even the ones ON contract are unlocked?

 

[ClutchThese]

so wait does this mean any att phone that apple store or apple.com sends even the ones ON contract are unlocked?

^^^HUH?

No. It means that if a phone is locked... it's locked. If the phone is unlocked, it can't be RELocked. If you purchase an ATT phone that is UNLOCKED (meaning you bought it at Full price) it simply means you're getting the GSM version without it being tied to ATT.

Not sure where you came up with your statement.

 

[newtopgun]

Hi All,

Is it still possible to buy a phone from apple at full price. I want an unlocked phone, but shipping times at apple store are 1-2 weeks and I am leaving the country in next 2-3 days. That's why I am looking at this option.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[KPOM]

Hi All,

Is it still possible to buy a phone from apple at full price. I want an unlocked phone, but shipping times at apple store are 1-2 weeks and I am leaving the country in next 2-3 days. That's why I am looking at this option.

Thanks in Advance.

I'd log on to the following website shortly before 9:00pm tonight:
http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/

They actually now list the unlocked iPhone as a choice. If that works, great. If not, then attempt to reserve an AT&T iPhone. If you are successful, then go to the store tomorrow and buy it "device only" and it will be unlocked.

 

[Diode]

Anyone know if Best Buy will sell device only (and thus unlocked) or is it only the Apple retail stores?

 

[newtopgun]

The problem is that its very hard to get these using the Apple reservation system, that's why I was looking thru this route.

Has anyone bought a AT&T phone at fulll price from apple recently and tried to use it with some other network.

Thanks.

 

[DeepInLove]

"Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked"

My friend gave me a Iphone 4S ATT with model MD270LL/A, Can it unlocked ???

 

[terraphantm]

My friend gave me a Iphone 4S ATT with model MD270LL/A, Can it unlocked ???

if it's locked, it cannot be unlocked officially. Unless AT&T decides to change their unlocking policy. Which most likely won't happen any time soon

 

[DeepInLove]

if it's locked, it cannot be unlocked officially. Unless AT&T decides to change their unlocking policy. Which most likely won't happen any time soon

But i read some people in this topic has been unlocked with model MD270LL/A ??? I want to contact with att but i down know how ...

 

[LoloBond]

I just got this message on my Sprint Iphone and I put my friend's At&t sim and all I it ask me was to activate the sim card. That means my phone is fully unlock?

 

[LoloBond]

Maybe my phone got unlocked because Sprint reset my contract?

 

[newtopgun]

Hi,

Has anybody here updated to 5.1. Is the unlock still working after update?

Thanks

 

[HeatherA]

Yep... updated yesterday to use the new iPhoto.

 

[newtopgun]

Does it asks for AT&T sim again?

 

[PLin]

I originally purchased a full price AT&T iPhone 4S 64GB at the Apple Store (MD269LL) that ended up being unlocked and showed the Congratulations message like others had reported in this thread.

I recently had it swapped at the Genius Bar for some problems, and I noticed that the replacement they gave me is MD257LL, which is actually the factory unlocked model. The strange thing is that I no longer get the Congratulations message when I restore. However, I've confirmed that it is unlocked by installing SIM cards from different carriers.

 

[IO01]

I recently had it swapped at the Genius Bar for some problems, and I noticed that the replacement they gave me is MD257LL, which is actually the factory unlocked model. The strange thing is that I no longer get the Congratulations message when I restore. However, I've confirmed that it is unlocked by installing SIM cards from different carriers.

That's right. I read somewhere that for the phones that are factory unlocked, you won't get the Congratulations thread if you restore. A friend of mine who got the factory unlocked 4S (mine is the AT&T off-contract that is unlocked) can confirm.

 

[PLin]

That's right. I read somewhere that for the phones that are factory unlocked, you won't get the Congratulations thread if you restore. A friend of mine who got the factory unlocked 4S (mine is the AT&T off-contract that is unlocked) can confirm.

This must be new for the 4S. I ordered a factory unlocked iPhone 4 from the Canadian online store when they were first released in 2010, since they weren't available in the US until later, and I still did get the Congratulations message.

 

[newtopgun]

What happen's when we upgrade. Does it still does a re-activation and look for its original sim?

 

[DMDiL]

Att just unlocked my iphone4, and i got Unlocked noticed on itunes... i lost my 5.0.1 jailbreak along with it.. so now i have ios 5.1.. my Question is, will this unlocked will stay on my iphone4 forever. will it go away after jailbreaking or restoring and stuff like this?

 

[trife]

Att just unlocked my iphone4, and i got Unlocked noticed on itunes... i lost my 5.0.1 jailbreak along with it.. so now i have ios 5.1.. my Question is, will this unlocked will stay on my iphone4 forever. will it go away after jailbreaking or restoring and stuff like this?

Once you're unlocked, you'll forever be unlocked. Jailbreak away, my friend.