New Member
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2 Messages
Are unlocked BYOD iPhones locked by AT&T in any way (to AT&T service, to AT&T network, to USA)?
Are unlocked BYOD iPhones (such as if purchased direct-from-Apple) locked by AT&T in any way (to AT&T service, to AT&T network, to USA/no-travel, etc.) for any period of time after starting pre-paid or post-paid service with AT&T?
Online, I have seen mention of carriers having a brief initial lock-period after starting new service to somehow combat sales of stolen phones, but have also seen mention that sold-by-Apple (with no-SIM) iPhones start unlocked, and then stay that way.
Thanks.
ATTHelp
Community Support
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231.3K Messages
4 years ago
Greetings @re2020,
We understand you have questions in regards to, if a unlocked BYOD iPhone is locked to AT&T network or service. To answer your question, Yes, once a device is brought to AT&T it is locked to AT&T. If you get postpaid service it's locked for 60 days and if you decide to go to prepaid it will be 6 months. Let us know if this answered your question.
Jacob, AT&T Community Specialist
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
4 years ago
you can goto a apple store and by a unlocked iPhone and ATT cant relock it.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
4 years ago
That depends on what version of the phone you buy. If you buy the SIM card free version from Apple, it is unlocked and will remain unlocked. If you buy a version where you select a carrier and it comes with a SIM card, your phone is subject to apple’s flex lock policies where the phone is locked to the first carrier activated on.
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re2020
New Member
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2 Messages
4 years ago
Thanks to all for clarifying things.
Carrier/service terms checked online seemed never to mention if BYOD/factory-unlocked phones are different (except in one instance: "if you bring your own device to use with [xxxxxxx] service, the device locking policy does not apply."
And also observed it's rarely explicit in user posts about an "unlocked" phone unexpectedly locked on new service or an update, whether the phone was sold SIM-free by Apple, by a big-box reseller, or originally by a carrier and then unlocked.
Never was able to find any official summary of Reseller Flex Policy, and Apple does not seem to make note of the difference with SIM-free iPhones they sell directly. And despite what Apple doc HT201328 implies with "Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone" - it technically looks like Apple's servers maintain policies for each device, which makes the difference understandable.
Thanks again.
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