Observer
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7 Messages
ATT branded and locked S22+ won't update
I received an S22+ from ATT as part of the Trade In Program (T-I-P) in Feb 22. Phone was on Android 12, One UI 4.1. Phone received one update, to bring the Android Security Level to June 2022. No updates to either security level or OS since. Wife traded her phone in on the T-I-P in Aug 22. Phone was on Android 12, One UI 4.1. It has been updated 2X, once to Android 13 and the second time to One UI 5.0. Two days ago, it received the January 2023 Android Security Patch.
I have contacted ATT 2X by phone & chat regarding the lack of updates. On one of these calls, they even patched in a Samsung Rep who checked the phone with remote diagnostics. No problems found, or reported to me. Both times, I was told to go to a local ATT store for further troubleshooting.
Visited two separate ATT-branded stores in my area. Both were very kind and did a cursory exam of the phone (prob. looking for signs of water damage or tampering.) Both said there was nothing they could do, and that the roll-out of updates from ATT can take a YEAR OR MORE to complete. The second store even suggested that I go to Best Buy (across the street) and have the Geek Squad examine the phone, as ATT no longer services the phones that they sell, and the stores are merely retail locations to push the phones out. Best Buy wanted to charge me up front for the service (to be refunded if under warranty) and had almost a two week lead time for an appointment. I was told that I would need to wipe all data from my phone and that I would need to re-init the phone when it was returned. They said they were not hopeful that they would be able to fix the problem; they had seen it before with S22 series. The best solution was a phone swap, if approved by Samsung under warranty.
I feel that I have gotten a royal run-around from ATT and Samsung on this issue. Checking with this Forum, I see there are others with this same problem. The suggestions offered by the ATT reps on this forum are identical to those offered on "call-in" or "chat", and are also identical to those offered on the ATT website. AND THEY DON'T WORK!!
What do we need to do to get someone to take a serious look-see at this issue and figure out how to fix it. We were promised 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates when we purchased these phones. So far, ATT and Samsung have not kept their promises!
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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113.2K Messages
10 months ago
If you can find a Samsung mobile service center they may be able to help you with the updates.
Another option is to file an FCC complaint. The fcc complaint just gets forwarded back to AT&T upper management and someone will contact you.
AT&T can push updates based on your IMEI. I'm a little surprised they didn't offer to do so and ask you for your IMEI.
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jimzix
Observer
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7 Messages
10 months ago
The gal at Samsung tech support had my IMEI, as she needed it to Remote Access my phone. She said it was up to the carrier to push the updates. She did acknowledge that an update was "in the wild", which I knew as my wife already received it. Thank you for the advice on the FCC. I may need to go that route, or have an attorney go that route.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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113.2K Messages
10 months ago
Samsung cannot remotely push AT&T updates to your phone. They are available on AT&T's servers. The only way they can be put onto your phone is if AT&T pushes the update to your phone which they can do remotely, or Samsung has to physically have your phone in order to flash the update.
If AT&T won't take your IMEI and push the updates, then do a search for a Samsung mobile service center. They used to have one in every Best Buy but that no longer exists
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ATTHelp
Community Support
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224.9K Messages
10 months ago
Hello, jimzix. Thank you for making us aware of this situation. We would like to help. At this time, we would like to speak with you in private. Please click the message icon in the upper right corner and reply.
We look forward to hearing from you!
TT, AT&T Community Specialist
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jimzix
Observer
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7 Messages
10 months ago
Well. after several hours (via text and phone) this went exactly nowhere. My phone's warranty expires in less than 3 weeks and all AT&T tells me is "be patient." But if something is wrong with the phone that is preventing the update, I will be out of luck and paying for a replacement.
My phone is still running the July 2022 Security Update and Android 12. Oh yes, the phone was hacked once, and payroll information changed, which resulted in no paycheck for 3 weeks. Clearly, the phone is several security updates and one OS update out of being "currently up to date." Yet AT&T second level tech support says their computers say my phone is "up to date."
But AT&T always tells me at the end of each call -- "Thank you for being the best part of AT&T!" How 'bout stopping the fake alligator tears and just push the updates out to all of your users. Treat us like you really believe that your customers are really "the best part of AT&T."
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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113.2K Messages
10 months ago
😮💨
That looks like it's going to be one of those kind of mornings. You don't need an attorney, in fact why pay $300 for something that will do nothing. An FCC complaint is a free complaint that can be done online, it only takes a couple of minutes. The complaint is forwarded back to AT&T and somebody with more than sawdust for brains will contact you.
Why they didn't take your IMEI when you first contacted them, and push the updates that are missing I don't know. I've been through this process myself with a Samsung device, and AT&T pushed the update within 24 hours. That seemed to be enough for it to Cascade the rest of the missing updates, about one every day.
FYI you do have to be in the united states, using AT&T for service, and connect to Wi-Fi to download and complete updates. Do not interrupt an update once it has begun by turning off your phone or using airplane mode.
If you want to make absolutely sure to get this fixed before your warranty expires contact Samsung directly for a warranty replacement. Samsung does not ship you a replacement first, so you will have to find yourself a temporary phone until Samsung can repair or replace yours and ship it back to you. Turn around time can be a couple of weeks. AT&T will ship you a replacement first if you go through their warranty claim process. Even with the convenience of doing warranty through AT&T I would recommend going through Samsung instead
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jimzix
Observer
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7 Messages
10 months ago
Thank you for the encouragement! I am taking it to a Samsung repair facility today, to see if they can flash it. AT&T took my IMEI on each call, and said that "the computers here show that your phone is up to date." They also said several times that they cannot force their systems to push an update to me - the process is automatic. They couldn't even confirm that the device was on the list to be updated, or when it was expected to be updated. But they did remind me, several times that I am "the best part of AT&T."
I have had Samsung devices before that "got stuck" and wouldn't update. Like you, AT&T could push the update out to the phone and it would fix it -- and it never again got stuck. I guess they changed the system. Judging from the number of folks here who have reported the problem (and prob countless more that just put up with it) there is something going on with at least one batch of S22 devices. I would like to think that Samsung and AT&T would take the issue seriously and want to figure out what is happening.
Thank you again for your encouragement. I will keep you updated on how the repair goes.
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jimzix
Observer
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7 Messages
10 months ago
Just got back from the Asurion Repair center -- they were unable to update the phone as their updating machine cannot process Samsung S22 phones yet. Looks like I will be pushing for a in-warranty repair prior to expiration date. I'm very concerned that ATT and Samsung will not fix the phone after the 1 year warranty expires, and ONLY THEN say, "The phone is broken and out of warranty. You lose!"
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jimzix
Observer
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7 Messages
10 months ago
I am happy to report, after clearing the cache and data on Google Play Store, Play Services, and Play AR, and then rebooting, my phone updated -- and updated -- and updated. It took about 3 hours, and 5 separate updates, but my S22+ is now running the January 2023 security patch and Android 13. If someone pushed the "magic, double-secret button" at AT&T to push this out, I say, "Many thanks!"
Oh, after clearing the data and cache areas, I was also "invited" to back my phone up to the Google Cloud, using my Chromebook data account. It would take less than a gig of space, so I accepted. I don't think was a factor; I am only reporting it for completeness and full disclosure.
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ATTHelp
Community Support
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224.9K Messages
10 months ago
That's great news, jimzix.
Special thanks to our ACE, formerlyknownas, for their expertise.
We're happy to hear that, your S22 +, is now successfully running the Android 13 update and the security patch.
We'll be here if you need further assistance in the future. Thanks again for reaching out to AT&T Community Forums!
Nelson, AT&T Community Specialist
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