How to unlock an Iphone

If it was active on another persons account wouldn't it have service? Active is just that, that the phone has service this phone is not active, and it's impossible to have the previous owner unlock it as the phone hasn't had service in a while was used mainly as an ipod until i picked it up so he doesn't remember all the details that att wants to get it unlocked. I am begining to think my only option is to pay someone other then att&t to unlock it for me. Why doesn't att&t offer a paid unlock solution for used phones as other people are sure capitalizing off this service.

Heres another email received today, for another phone that Im trying to get unlocked, an iPhone 4S purchased over 13 months ago, 

Thank you for contacting AT&T about unlocking your mobile device.

Unfortunately, your unlock request was denied because:

You haven’t fulfilled your service commitment.

Questions?

Visit us on the web at www.att.com/bizdeviceunlock; call us at 800.331.0500; or dial 611 from your AT&T Wireless phone.

Sincerely,

AT&T Business Customer Care

Kathryn S.

This is ridiculous

If you purchased the phone 13 months ago, your 2 year contract is not complete and AT&T will not unlock a phone that is still under contract. It is part of the requirements.

Maybe you missed this news:

"President Barack Obama signed a bipartisan bill into law Friday that aims to make it easier for consumers to change their cell phone service providers without paying for a new phone.

The bill, known as the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, reverses a decision made by the Library of Congress two years ago that said it was illegal for consumers to "unlock" their cell phones for use on other networks without their service provider's permission. That means that providers like AT&T or Verizon could legally keep a consumer's phone "locked," in which case the person would face large costs switching carriers or attempting to link to other carriers overseas while traveling"

AND 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/517

wildturk, all he needs are the credentials for his AT&T account (his phone number, SSN, passcode if there is one) plus the IMEI for the phone which you have.

deb0106, the bill you keep quoting makes it legal for people to get their phones unlocked (it had been illegal for a while), but it does not put any requirements on the carriers to unlock them.  The changes in AT&T's policy must be coming from somewhere else.  (Also, the "last Friday" was actually August 1st if you go to the link to the bill.)

If you are still under contract with the carrier, you can have your phone unlocked by a reliable 3rd party.  It will cost about $60....do some research online or ask friends.

wouldn't it be more profitable for att&t to have a pay to unlock service if a few requirements are met? Seems like these reliable 3rd party people are making a killing off this service.

AT&T DOES unlock phones IF there requirements are met and they don't charge. They have recently changed their requirements so that people that buy the phones second hand and have never had an AT&T account can still get phones unlocked. The phones must meet certain requirements before they can be unlocked.

how mush does it cost to unlock an iphone 6 plus by online payment