Unable to update an LG V40 ThinQ from Oreo to Pie

Thanks Sean! The tutorial you sent me for updating my LG V40 ThinQ ironically used Pie 9 in the example. LG said: Upon checking the IMEI number of your device, this is the V405UA1BK model, the original carrier is AT&T and was manufactured in 10/01/2018.

For your reference, the unit with an IMEI/MEID number [EDITED] should have the following information:

Model Number: V405UA1BK

Serial Number: 810KPLC0067488

Manufacturing Date: 10/01/2018

Device Color: Black

Clearly, the AT&T Pie update has been pushed out quite a while. I was pretty sure my phone was unlocked because I bought it new from a reputable vendor last April and I've had SIMS from both T-Mobile and AT&T which worked fine. LG's position is that since it was manufactured as an AT&T phone, AT&T has to do the update once and then LG can do future updates. I seem to be in a "catch-22". What should I do? I am an AT&T prepaid customer so I was assured the software update process would work by 2 AT&T techs.

I'm 75 and have been in computers since 1967. I've managed tech support for a 45,000 employee network so this isn't my first rodeo. I really believe my 22 pages of documentation should go to an AT&T support manager who is in a position to revise protocols to reduce wasted time. I'm at [email scrubbed]

Rather than dump all 22 pages of chat documentation on you, I made an "executive summary". Will some AT&T employee PLEASE get this to real human AT&T Tech Support manager who cares about the service AT&T is providing. I was unable to find a "customer advocate" anywhere in the AT&T organization.

Here’s the “executive summary” of 15 AT&T chats and 3 LG chats on why my LG V40 ThinQ phone won’t update:

10/4/2019 LG Denis says my phone was originally manufactured as an AT&T locked phone; therefore AT&T has to update it.

10/10/2019 AT&T Decima said if you have TracFone prepaid you are not an AT&T customer therefore no update.

10/12/2019 AT&T Daniel said my phone would be eligible for update if I sign up for an AT&T prepaid plan

2/1/2020 I sign up for an AT&T Prepaid plan

2/3/2020 AT&T Felipe confirms update should take place with an AT&T Prepaid plan

2/7/2020 AT&T Romeo opens a new ticket. Ticket opened on 2/1/2020 had my e-mail address as COM and it should have been NET and was closed accidentally.

2/12/2020 AT&T Trying to find status on the ticket, Bruce says “we’re working on it”

2/17/2020 AT&T Addy escalates the problem and says the update will happen in 24 hours.

2/19/2020 Samantha says the update will happen within 24 hours. Got a text from AT&T saying the “update was on its way”. She gave me a number to call if it doesn’t work.

2/21/2020 Samantha gave me a number to call if the update didn’t download so I called (edited per guidelines). I called it and it turned out to be the LG help desk who repeated what they told me back in October, it was manufactured as an AT&T locked phone and AT&T has to do the update from Oreo to Pie. He suggested I do a factory reset on the phone. I did the factory reset and checked for updates, but the message still said my phone was at the current software level. Next, I restored my data and tried the software update again. Response was “you are using the latest version for your phone”.

2/21/2020 I called AT&Ts 611 number and explained the problem to Rodely. She and I went back & forth for 40 minutes and she concluded that my LG V40 Thinq phone was too old to be updated to Pie. I told her LG confirmed the phone was manufactured on 10/1/2018 as an AT&T locked phone and sold to me in April of 2019 so I sincerely doubt that a top of the line LG phone is too old to be updated. I asked her for either a phone number for an AT&T tech support manager or an e-mail address so I could provide the 22 pages of documentation I have accumulated since 10/4/2019 covering 15 AT&T chats. She said she couldn’t give out that information.

(22 pages of the actual chats are available to support the executive summary.)