AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th [ Edited ]

[TerraPhantm]

I wonder how they determine whether the iPhone is associated with a contract or not. Any iPhone exchanged by apple under warranty will technically not be the one associated with that account... Take my replacement 4S for example; it actually has the part number of unlocked iPhone 4Ss, but it's definitely locked to AT&T

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

You will likely have to contact the person who sold you the phone. From the way the AT&T statement was worded, it seems like only AT&T customers in good standing whose phones are off contract will be able to request unlocks.

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jipple wrote:

As I understand it, from the 8th of april iphones can be unlocked which are out of contract with AT&T. I bought a AT&T phone on ebay which was still in the box and plastic. However, I am in the UK. Is there anyway I can get this unlocked?

Jon =]

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[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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New Reality wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

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Maybe because the press release has the terms of unlock that SPECIFICLY states this, or did you not read the restrictions. No account no unlock - period. Unless the phone is unlocked prior to being put on fleabay or cragslist the person that purchases it cannot call att and say "You pwease unlock my iphone" the answer will still be the same - No way. As far as a "contrct in good standing" that is already been discusses, especially for upgrade eligibility - missed payments, late payments equate a moved upgrade date. I define a "account in good standing" as one that ha paid on time for the duration of their contract woth us, not sure how you would consider it. The thousands of current att iphones (some brand new in box never been activated) that are on fleabay and craigslist, the ones that that where purchased playing the international currency game prior to 04/08 are not going to be unlocked according to the att upper manangemt statments that was made.

So you are going to submit your "currently on contract phones" after they are no longer associated with a active term commitment?

"Beginning Sunday, April 8, we will offer qualifying customers the ability to unlock their AT&T iPhones. The only requirements are that a customer's account must be in good standing, their device cannot be associated with a current and active term commitment on an AT&T customer account, and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee."

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For a guy who always throws the TOS at people, when it's convenient, all of a sudden you're putting stock in what some AT&T executive may have said.  Is it in writing from AT&T?

I thought you were the guy who had to see it in writing, from AT&T, before you would believe anything.

For example, if a customer missed a payment due to job loss, but caught up, is that deemed an account in good standing?

Weren't you the guy who, last week, said there will be no AT&T unlocks in the foreseeable future?  Didn't you write that?

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only the shadow knows for sure about this - and he ain't admitting anything

Why yes, yes I did -

http://www.allwords.com/word-foreseeable.html

still not avaiable for people that buy the phone off fleabay to play the currency game - it is a unlock for current att contract holders only

at least you don;t have to worry about it, since yours is already unlocked

[New Reality]

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wingrider01 wrote:

only the shadow knows for sure about this - and he ain't admitting anything

Why yes, yes I did -

http://www.allwords.com/word-foreseeable.html

still not avaiable for people that buy the phone off fleabay to play the currency game - it is a unlock for current att contract holders only

at least you don;t have to worry about it, since yours is already unlocked

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The good news is AT&T is at the least changing its policies for its customers.

I would not expect them to unlock fleabay handsets.

However, AT&T "can" create another revenue stream by charging $50 to unlock any AT&T iPhone, regardless of where it was purchased. The reality is if AT&T locked it came from AT&T sp what's the big deal.

Let's say there are 1 million fleabay handsets out there, probably much higher than that, 50 million bucks for virtually no incremental cost isn't something I'd ignore. Charge $75 bucks,  people will pay.

So, be nice to your current customers, charge an unlock fee for all other AT&T sourced Iphone handsets.

Hello AT&T, anyone listening??

[the gryphon]

This could potentially benefit me greatly. I'll get the 4 unlocked for travel and use it then. I can keep one extra iphone lying around.

[cacophony555]

Wingrider01, I don't think you're interpreting the statement correctly. If ATT were requiring that the person be a current customer they would have said "current and in good standing" (a common phrase used in various places on the ATT site).

Per the NY Times article: "Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

Good standing means no delinquent payment, not reported stolen, no collection agency invovlement, etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with being a current customer.

[cacophony555]

Wingrider01, I don't think you're interpreting the statement correctly. If ATT were requiring that the person be a current customer they would have said "current and in good standing" (a common phrase used in various places on the ATT site).

Per the NY Times article: "Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

Good standing means no delinquent payment, not reported stolen, no collection agency invovlement, etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with being a current customer.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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cacophony555 wrote:

Wingrider01, I don't think you're interpreting the statement correctly. If ATT were requiring that the person be a current customer they would have said "current and in good standing" (a common phrase used in various places on the ATT site).

Per the NY Times article: "Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

Good standing means no delinquent payment, not reported stolen, no collection agency invovlement, etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with being a current customer.

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the accout must be in good standing, not sure how you are interpeting that statment but for an account to be in good standing it must be active, a deactivated account or someone calling in with no account does not equate to an account in good standing, read the first part of the statement, especially the statement "we will offer qualifying customers".  Someone calling in from europe for a iphone purchased via fleabay is not a qualifying customer

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

Wingrider01, I don't think you're interpreting the statement correctly. If ATT were requiring that the person be a current customer they would have said "current and in good standing" (a common phrase used in various places on the ATT site).

Per the NY Times article: "Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

Good standing means no delinquent payment, not reported stolen, no collection agency invovlement, etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with being a current customer.

[aristizzle]

I highly doubt this is true, as there is never an "official press release" about a very important policy change before all the AT&T employees are trained and educated about the new policies. I have not heard anything in any meetings, received any emails, or went through any trainings on this "new" policy so I'm calling this fake.

[cacophony555]

If "good standing" includes active, then why would AT&T use the phrase "current and in good standing" in various places on their site? it would be redundant.

Also, from the definition of "good standing" on wikipedia:

"A person or organisation in good standing is regarded as having complied with all his or its explicit obligations"

I think you're reading too much into the term "qualifying customers". We shall see soon though.

[cacophony555]

aristizzle, so you're saying you think all 60 news sources got it wrong?

https://news.google.com/news/story?q=at%26t+unlock+iphone&hl=en&prmd=imvnsu&biw=1253&bih=920&um=1&ie...

including the New York Times, which got independent verification from AT&T:

"Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

[aristizzle]

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cacophony555 wrote:

aristizzle, so you're saying you think all 60 news sources got it wrong?

https://news.google.com/news/story?q=at%26t+unlock+iphone&hl=en&prmd=imvnsu&biw=1253&bih=920&um=1&ie...

including the New York Times, which got independent verification from AT&T:

"Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T, confirmed the news in an interview on Friday. “The only requirement is that the account has to be in good standing,” he said. “And it can’t be associated with a current long-term commitment with AT&T.”"

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That's exactly what I'm saying. I guess we will see what happens tomorrow...

[cacophony555]

I think the chances that this is fake is basically zero. AT&T would have issued a correction statement by now if that was the case.

[New Reality]

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aristizzle wrote:

I highly doubt this is true, as there is never an "official press release" about a very important policy change before all the AT&T employees are trained and educated about the new policies. I have not heard anything in any meetings, received any emails, or went through any trainings on this "new" policy so I'm calling this fake.

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Obviously,  you are not high enough on the org chart to rate a pre-release memo.

It's not fake,  April Fools day has come and gone.

[bbowen72]

I wonder what the "upgraded under one of our upgrading polices" means?

I upgraded my 3G to a 4 as soon as I can but it stuck me with another 2yr commitment.  I'm due to expire in July.

[21stNow]

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kijo wrote:

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21stNow wrote:

My question, for those familiar with iTunes unlocking, do you have to have a foreign SIM card in the iPhone to initiate the unlock process?

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In the UK, and I assume it will be similar for the USA, to  unlock through iTunes a sim card that is from a network which is different to that to which the phone was locked to has be be inserted and then synced to iTunes to complete the unlock process.

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Thanks.  I got my T-Mobile microSIM card yesterday so that I am ready to go.

@bbowen, it sounds like you upgraded through AT&T, which should put your old iPhone in the clear to be unlocked.  I think that the wording means that you did a normal, early or no-commitment upgrade on your device, and had it formally changed in AT&T's system.  If you had upgraded by buying the phone from ebay or somewhere else, AT&T would still hold you to the iPhone 3G contract, so the iPhone 3G could not be unlocked now.  However, that would be a moot point since a 3G contract would have expired by now, anyway.  My interpretation of it ...

[dwill05]

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bbowen72 wrote:

I wonder what the "upgraded under one of our upgrading polices" means?

I upgraded my 3G to a 4 as soon as I can but it stuck me with another 2yr commitment.  I'm due to expire in July.

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I suspect it means just that.  Usually you are allowed to upgrade prior to your 2 years being up.  So, if you became upgrade eligible after say 20 months and used your upgrade and signed a new 2-year contract, you fulfilled your previous contract as far as AT&T is concerned, even though it didn't run the full 24 motnhs.  It sounds like they are looking for people who completed their contract in one of three approved ways:

1)  You fulfilled the contract by keeping it for 24 months, or

2)  You did a phone upgrade after you became eligible, which effectively fulfilled the contract, or

3)  You dropped the contract and paid the ETF, which also effectively fulfilled the terms of the contract.

[bbowen72]

Still doesn't make sense.   If you took the upgrade then your under a new "long term commitment".

My 3G was stolen and is long gone.  I'd love to use the 4 in May when I go to Canada.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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cacophony555 wrote:

If "good standing" includes active, then why would AT&T use the phrase "current and in good standing" in various places on their site? it would be redundant.

Also, from the definition of "good standing" on wikipedia:

"A person or organisation in good standing is regarded as having complied with all his or its explicit obligations"

I think you're reading too much into the term "qualifying customers". We shall see soon though.

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Suspect you are ignoring it because you are in denial - seems prety straight forward - qualifying customer not sure what you can read into that, epsecially is the word customer is spelled out as it is in the press release.

My applications support department only gives support to "qualifying customers" with the products we create and market, aka you have a valid contract with us and it is current no contract no support, they are not "qualifying cusotmers"

A closed or no account is not a qualified, it is not in good standing

[animefreekben]

Chat InformationPlease wait for a chat representative to respond.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Shane Bourque'

Ben : hello?

Shane : Mr. H, thank you for completing the pre-chat survey. I will be more than glad to assist you with your phone unlocking. It is my priority to assist you with your current inquiry and to respond to any other questions you may have about your device or service. One moment please while I access your account.

Ben: thank you

Shane: At this time, we have no news pertaining to the unlocking of the iPhones. Apparently we are supposed to hear something tomorrow about the process and who will qualify, etc. If you wanted to call into customer care tomorrow (they would be the only ones to unlock them) they will have more information. They can be reached at 1-800-331-0500 or by dialing *611 from your mobile phone.

Ben: i just called them haha

Ben : and they said they werent

Ben: but I know I will qualify since I have an off contract one

Shane : Yes, but we are not quite sure what the exact process will be as they have not announced anything for sure as of yet. You can hope that it all qualifies, but like I said tomorrow will be your best bet to check back with us as we are supposed to have more information then.

[edited for privacy]

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

You need to ask tomorrow. Anything else is premature and they really only know what we have all read online.

[TerraPhantm]

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wingrider01 wrote:

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cacophony555 wrote:

If "good standing" includes active, then why would AT&T use the phrase "current and in good standing" in various places on their site? it would be redundant.

Also, from the definition of "good standing" on wikipedia:

"A person or organisation in good standing is regarded as having complied with all his or its explicit obligations"

I think you're reading too much into the term "qualifying customers". We shall see soon though.

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Suspect you are ignoring it because you are in denial - seems prety straight forward - qualifying customer not sure what you can read into that, epsecially is the word customer is spelled out as it is in the press release.

My applications support department only gives support to "qualifying customers" with the products we create and market, aka you have a valid contract with us and it is current no contract no support, they are not "qualifying cusotmers"

A closed or no account is not a qualified, it is not in good standing

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Why do they say "...and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee" if that's the case? As far as I'm aware, they don't let you pay the etf unless you're actually closing the account. At least I was told I couldn't when I asked a few months ago.

[animefreekben]

I think that since we have been members since 1997 that we should automatically receive an unlock..but no! we have to pay crazy amounts for our bill even though weve been here since Cingular

[cacophony555]

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TerraPhantm wrote:

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wingrider01 wrote:

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cacophony555 wrote:

If "good standing" includes active, then why would AT&T use the phrase "current and in good standing" in various places on their site? it would be redundant.

Also, from the definition of "good standing" on wikipedia:

"A person or organisation in good standing is regarded as having complied with all his or its explicit obligations"

I think you're reading too much into the term "qualifying customers". We shall see soon though.

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Suspect you are ignoring it because you are in denial - seems prety straight forward - qualifying customer not sure what you can read into that, epsecially is the word customer is spelled out as it is in the press release.

My applications support department only gives support to "qualifying customers" with the products we create and market, aka you have a valid contract with us and it is current no contract no support, they are not "qualifying cusotmers"

A closed or no account is not a qualified, it is not in good standing

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Why do they say "...and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee" if that's the case? As far as I'm aware, they don't let you pay the etf unless you're actually closing the account. At least I was told I couldn't when I asked a few months ago.

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Exactly. The ETF clause  makes it quite clear that the customer does't have to be a current customer to get the unlock.

[smalcom]

I wonder if what they are trying to say is that the iPhone will be unlocked if:

1. It is not the currently active iPhone.

2. The account is in good standing (however they choose to define good standing.)

3. The account is current (another phone [iPhone or other smartphone?] is registered.)

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

I think you. An still have the phone on the line. You just need to have satisfied your contract.

[TerraPhantm]

Hypothetically speaking let's say I had an iPhone on contract, lost it, and then bought one for full retail. Would that count as an iPhone not associated with a contract?

[bfridakis]

I have a 3GS that meets the qualifications for unlock listed on all of the articles I've read.  I live in Rome, Italy now and want to get the phone unlocked, which I understand is possible starting today.  Anyone know how I can get this done--through ATT?  Through Apple?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[br8thw8]

I have a question. How does one get the unlock performed? Do I have to go into an AT&T store? Or can AT&T do it over-the-air? And if so can they do it OTA in Japan? I'm currently in Japan temporarily and would like to unlock my iPhone while I'm here. But then go back to AT&T once I return home.

[hisansingh]

I terminated my AT&T account early and paid them early termination fee because I had to move out of US. Now I want to unlock my iPhone. Is it possible and what is the procedure if it is? Any email addres i can mail to?

Thank you for any help.

Sanjay

[gotagun]

Hi everybody... Someone could just make it clear how to unlock an eligible iphone 4..?

Thank you very much.