Bought att phone in Uk

Hi @brunotoby we understand where you're coming from. It seems like the device is locked to us. It's necessary to contact the original owner of the device to get the device unlock. However, you can try submitting an unlock request by following below-mentioned steps:

• Go to our  Device Unlock portal .
• Select Yes if you are an AT&T Customer, No if you are  not an AT&T customer .
• Enter your telephone # if you are an AT&T Customer . Enter your IMEI if you are a non-AT&T Customer, Email confirmation will also be required.
• Follow the prompts. 
  
  Or conatct us International supporyt team at +1.314.925.6925 for help while your outside US.
  
  
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Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately my wife bought the phone from an online phone company,but that went into administration and closed 2 weeks after she had the phone.They should not have sold her a USA phone.We have submitted an unlock request ,but when I put in a uk sim,it doesn't ask for a code to unlock it. Is there any way you can unlock it if I give you the IMEI number. 

Thanks Gareth 

If the phone is AT&T carrier locked, in your situation you cannot unlock it. Phone if sold with a wireless plan must be active on that plan for at least 60 days. If the phone was paid in full instead, then still you must wait 60 days from the purchase date.

The fact the company has "gone into administration" (sounds similar to bankruptcy) may cause issues. I wonder if they even were a legit Authorized Retailer (3rd party seller) associated with AT&T and were making bad sales to begin with.

You may just have to give up that phone and be more careful with purchases in the future to be sure they will for certain work on your UK carrier. This is where manufacture unlocked is suggested as you get it directly from the maker of the phone and it is unlocked to use with any compatible carrier. Just be sure to check with your carrier before any purchase that it is both compatible and permitted to be used on their service.

For reference about unlock requirements: https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1262649/ 

I suspect there's good reason that this supposed business is under administration which may mean bankruptcy, but I think it might also mean fraud. AT&T does not provide service and does not sell phones in the United Kingdom. So whatever business this was it was not doing business with customers honestly.

I believe you've been scammed. 

You said you submitted an unlock request? Did you receive an unlock code?

What is the brand of phone? Samsung? Motorola?  ?  ?  

Thanks formelyknownas I did have an unlock code but my phone doesn't give me the option of entering it into the phone.The seller was a legitimate business.Part of the business is now owned by the AO group.Dont know if you have them in the USA.Its a samsung s20,seller refurbished phone.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter at this point whether it was a legitimate business or not.  The bottom line is that the business is gone and can’t help.  AT&T locked phones aren’t sold in the UK, so how it got there is anyone’s guess.  The way to unlock a phone locked to AT&T is via the online unlocking portal.  If the unlocking portal won’t work, and you aren’t an AT&T customer who had the phone on their AT&T account, you may not get much help

Looks like I've got a new phone that I can't use then.😡

You have an unlock code? Did you get the unlock code through AT&T's unlock portal? Or was it provided as part of the sale from this business in the UK? 

Samsung s20 should have a 16 digit unlock code.  Installing a non AT&T SIM card should have elicited the message that the "SIM card was not supported",  and then a box should pop up for you to enter the unlock code.  I know they don't lock phones in the UK so this is probably new to you. 

Any of this happen?

I got the unlock code from the AT&T portal.When I put my sim in the phone, it doesn't ask for a code or say that the sim is not supported.That's the confusing thing.

There might be light at the end of the tunnel,as the company that supplies the calls, texts ,etc has just e-mailed to say they are willing to help out  by maybe letting my wife upgrade to another phone without any cancellation fees.We are now waiting for a reply back from them

If the phone is not saying SIM not supported, and not asking for an unlock code, it seems to me it's probably not locked.