Here is a full story. I was an ATT customer since 2008, never missed and never late with payments. Recently I got in a situation that I need to work in remote area with no internet service so need to use my phone as hotspot. My current ATT plan had only 3 GB of data and I needed more. ATT wanted me to switch to unlimited plan what is almost twice as expensive, so I decided switch service to Comcast Mobile with unlimited data and $40/ month cheaper. 

ATT was my first and only mobile service provider, so this switch to a new carrier happened a first time.

 Chronology of events.

03/25 - got my phone #1 - iPhone SE unlocked in 2 hours after placing request.

03/26 - got my transfer PIN

03/27 - went to Comcast store to complete transfer. They were able to do it for iPhone SE with no problem, but were not able to complete transfer for my second iPhone 14 Plus. This phone I bought in November of 2022 at Best Buy store and paid in FULL right there. Comcast employee said that there is a delay with ATT and I need to wait for a two hours. In three hours nothing was done. Another call and answer from ATT - wait for another 24 hours. Nothing happened after that again. I went to local ATT corporate store and asked manager for help. He called ATT customer Service, provided all info about my phone abd account standing - no help. The same time I was informed that my account was closed and a new ID was generated for me.

03/27 at 4:58 PM - I placed a request to unlock my phone and got e-mail with standard answer to confirm request in 24 hours and check on status later, what I did.

03/27 at 9:09 PM - got e-mail that my request was denied for" too many" requests and may to try again in 30 days.

How it looks for me - I checked ATT instructions to unlock a phone and did not find any info about number of requests I may place. So, I was punished for not knowing ATT rules and being too annoying trying to get my fully paid iPhone 14 Plus with a ban for 30 days.

Almost a $1000.00 phone is useless right now with no guarantee that will be unlocked in 30 days.

I can not be left without service for that long, so I bought  another the cheapest possible phone for $150.00.

All together - punished with ban to use my newer and fully paid thousand bucks IPhone plus $150.00 for buying an another replacement phone.

@PapaFi 

So you knew you had to unlock the iPhone SE, and did so before switching. But suddenly, what? forgot? that the same process would have to be performed in order for the iPhone 14 to work on another provider? 

Please make that make sense?

By the way Comcast performs transfer/port of phone numbers not phones. The fact that you can use or not use your BYOD phone is because of the carrier lock. If you ported both of your phone numbers to Comcast, your at&t account closed, you now cannot unlock the iPhone 14 until your final bill is paid.  

Final bill is generated on the usual date.

Only after AT&T processes payment for your final bill Will your iPhone 14 be eligible for unlocking.

The only place to purchase an unlocked iPhone is when you purchase an iPhone directly from Apple as a SIM free device. Any other place you purchase an Apple iPhone it is automatically locked to the first carrier activated.

Original goal was to use SE as a hotspot while on a trip and keep 14 Plus ( my honey's phone) with ATT. When I learned all deals at Comcast store I decided to switch 14 Plus also. I said that this transfer was my first one in my experience ( I had only  company's phones  before), so how I should know rules of this game.

Final bill is paid, have I wait for 30 days anyway?

?

You baffle me. You knew enough of the rules of the game to know that you had to unlock the iPhone SE.  

You can try calling AT&t support, with your account information they may be able to verify your account is closed and paid off and agree to unlock your girlfriend's phone

Not my GF, but my wife for 44 years already ))). I tried to call them from ATT corporate store with a help of store manager - useless time spending.

Imagine the situation - insurance company locks a car for 30 days for not placing request to switch to different insurer. And why it takes 30 days? What is the reason for that long? Thanks not a 30 years.

This is a clear situation - phone is my property and ATT knows it. I don't owe anything to them. Just let's is go!