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Question about Unlocking with ATT

C

compguy786

Platinum Member
Hello
I used to have a Gophone account with Cingular/ATT a while ago. I got the Nokia Lumia 635 phone on BF. I am trying to get it unlocked but the people at ATT are not able to look up my account. Has anyone come across this issue ? I am not trying to pay $35 to unlock a $39 phone lol. I personally have Tmobile.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I bought my phone in full with a monthly plan. I had a phone number assigned, but never activated it and cancelled as soon as I got home, but kept the phone.

I filled the form out and they denied my unlock request.
I used to have a postpaid account with ATT for a while before that. I tried it with that info and denied it too.

Their unlock system is kind of crappy. They just send you an e-mail a few days later and say denied. They don't give a reason or anything. So YMMV.
 
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I'm pretty sure the 'former AT&T customer' line there only applies to postpaid customer. I was with GoPhone for about 8 years and as soon as the line was deactivated (ported to another carrier, in my case), then my account was gone.

Also, the rule linked above also specifically said that for GoPhone users, the device has to be active on GoPhone for 6 months, so even if they can find your account, you still won't be eligible for an unlock.

Oh, but when I was with GoPhone I did several times ask for unlock codes and they were provided to me without a problem.
 
I also bought the Lumia 635 for AT&T (no contract), but I am currently a AT&T postpaid customer. Will I be able to get the phone unlocked so I can use it on T-Mobile without a waiting period?
 
rudeguy said:
OP: ATT will not unlock your phone for you.

Best to try ebay or an unlocking website. Sorry.
Click to expand...

His other option is to get someone with an active postpaid AT&T account to burn their unlock for him.

compguy786 said:
Im going to activate my gophone acct with them and see if it works then
Click to expand...

It will work, but not until 6 months after the account is active.

ChAoTiCpInOy said:
I also bought the Lumia 635 for AT&T (no contract), but I am currently a AT&T postpaid customer. Will I be able to get the phone unlocked so I can use it on T-Mobile without a waiting period?
Click to expand...

I believe so.
 
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
That's what I keep hearing, but when I search online there's not a lot of information about what I can do because the AT&T unlock website says Postpaid: 6 months active or something like that.
Click to expand...

Did you click the link that's posted on the first reply of this thread? The rules are pretty clear there.

Here's the quote:
Postpaid Phones and Tablets with a Service Commitment: Account has been active for at least sixty days and is in good standing (i.e., it has no past due amount or unpaid balance owed AT&T), and all contract obligations, including any Service Commitment, associated with the device to be unlocked have been fully satisfied.
Click to expand...

So:
1. You have to have that postpaid account for at least sixty days and in good standing
2. The device commitment is fully satisfied (i.e. since this is a gophone, it's already paid off)
 
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cronos said:
Did you click the link that's posted on the first reply of this thread? The rules are pretty clear there.

Here's the quote:


So:
1. You have to have that postpaid account for at least sixty days and in good standing
2. The device commitment is fully satisfied (i.e. since this is a gophone, it's already paid off)
Click to expand...

So that rule applies to me, not the Prepaid/Go Phones rule? That's what was confusing me.
 
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
So that rule applies to me, not the Prepaid/Go Phones rule? That's what was confusing me.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's how I understood it. The unlocking feature is meant for AT&T customers, so what matters is the customer's type first, and then the device.

As far as your situation, if your postpaid account is in good standing and has been active for more than 60 days, you're good to go to ask for an unlock code for any AT&T device that does not have any commitment.

I personally have never been an AT&T postpaid customer, so I can't confirm your situation with my personal experience, but as a longtime GoPhone customer in good standing, I once bought a GoPhone at the store, brought it home, called AT&T and immediately received my unlock code that same day.

Having said that, there's really no harm to simply just submit your request. The worst thing they can do is deny your request.
 
I contacted AT&T through their chat and asked them about purchasing a no contract Lumia phone and getting it unlocked. They said the phone would need to be activated for 24 hours. I'm assuming this means they looked at my account and saw what I would need to do. The only thing I'm unclear about is what does it mean to be activated?
 
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
I contacted AT&T through their chat and asked them about purchasing a no contract Lumia phone and getting it unlocked. They said the phone would need to be activated for 24 hours. I'm assuming this means they looked at my account and saw what I would need to do. The only thing I'm unclear about is what does it mean to be activated?
Click to expand...

That might just simply mean to insert the SIM of of postpaid account in the phone you're trying to unlock (and leave it in there for 24 hours). And you are right, it does sound like they want to see the phone active on your account (possibly to discourage someone asking a friend with AT&T postpaid account to unlock your phone).

I'm surprised that they asked you to do that, though. Did you try to just go the link provided above, check the box, click agree, and enter your information? I would think that considering you have all the requirements, everything will be automated (make sure you entered the IMEI number correctly) and you don't even have to interact with them.
 
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cronos said:
I'm surprised that they asked you to do that, though. Did you try to just go the link provided above, check the box, click agree, and enter your information? I would think that considering you have all the requirements, everything will be automated (make sure you entered the IMEI number correctly) and you don't even have to interact with them.
Click to expand...

I'm still waiting for the phone in the mail. I will try just going to the AT&T Unlock page and entering all the information without swapping sims. Best case scenario, they'll unlock it without me needing to have it on my account. Worse case scenario, I have a locked AT&T phone for backup purposes (and GPS with Nokia HERE).
 
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
I'm still waiting for the phone in the mail. I will try just going to the AT&T Unlock page and entering all the information without swapping sims. Best case scenario, they'll unlock it without me needing to have it on my account. Worse case scenario, I have a locked AT&T phone for backup purposes (and GPS with Nokia HERE).
Click to expand...

Ah okay. Yeah, better to just wait for the phone to come, get that IMEI, and try submitting that unlock request form. And let us know!

I do have ulterior motive here as well. I got my own 635 last Friday as well and have been playing with it quite a bit (my first WP experience). It's a really neat phone and I think WP has so much potential. I have no immediate plan for not using AT&T compatible SIM card in this phone, so it currently does not need unlocking, but in the future I may want to do it.
 
cronos said:
Ah okay. Yeah, better to just wait for the phone to come, get that IMEI, and try submitting that unlock request form. And let us know!

I do have ulterior motive here as well. I got my own 635 last Friday as well and have been playing with it quite a bit (my first WP experience). It's a really neat phone and I think WP has so much potential. I have no immediate plan for not using AT&T compatible SIM card in this phone, so it currently does not need unlocking, but in the future I may want to do it.
Click to expand...

It feels like a decent mid tier phone. I was shocked and liked it. It has good specs besides the internal RAM. I mean its quad core, 8GB memory, nice screen and solid feel. I am highly impressed and for that price its a good toy to even keep around if that !
 
AT&T do unlock phones but just like everything they do there is no set criteria. You just have to speak to a right person at a right moment.
 
cronos said:
Ah okay. Yeah, better to just wait for the phone to come, get that IMEI, and try submitting that unlock request form. And let us know!
Click to expand...

I submitted the unlock request using the IMEI number from the packaging (didn't open the box yet). Got an email saying my unlock request has been approved. Will try the unlock code in when I get home.
 
how long does it take? I bought a phone from someone on ATT, they called in to get the lock code and ATT sent them an email with and unlock request number (I think this is just the ticketing system number). What is the time frame I'm looking at.
 
The rep on the phone told me within 24 hours but I presume it is instant. As for the process it took about 30 minutes over the phone being transferred to different personnel and answering same questions over and over again.
 
holden j caufield said:
how long does it take? I bought a phone from someone on ATT, they called in to get the lock code and ATT sent them an email with and unlock request number (I think this is just the ticketing system number). What is the time frame I'm looking at.
Click to expand...

Took 2-3 business days. Unlocked fine and everything.
 
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