Can I unlock phone without AT&T SIM card?

[jeffp25]

I have an AT&T Galaxy SII Skyrocket, with about 3 months left on the contract. According to the AT&T site, I've been eligible for an upgrade for about a month and I want to upgrade to a Note 3. My SII takes a full size SIM card and from what I've seen the Note 3 takes a mini SIM card, so I'll have to get a new SIM card when I upgrade. The problem is that I want to unlock my old SII when I get the Note 3, so that I can use it with a European SIM card when I travel and according to the AT&T site I can't unlock the SII until the end of the year when the contract runs out. 

So, if I go out and get a Note 3 today, swap my SIM card for a mini SIM card, and in three months contact AT&T to unlock the SII, will I be able to unlock the old phone when it can't connect to the AT&T network? 

[Rayosun]

Once you upgrade, the SII will no longer be under contract and you should be able to request the unlock.

The Note 3 however will not be eligible as it will under a new 2 year agreement. However a different route you can choose is AT&T Next if you don't want to be under a contract.

The way it works is you get a device at $0 down initially. No contract. However, you will charged the monthly service charges + monthly installment charge which is about $27 or $32. So it would be your plan + 27 or 32 dollars. The installment charges is basically you paying off the phone in 20 monthly payments, and you can pay it off early if you would like, it depends on you.

[21stNow]

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jeffp25 wrote:

I have an AT&T Galaxy SII Skyrocket, with about 3 months left on the contract. According to the AT&T site, I've been eligible for an upgrade for about a month and I want to upgrade to a Note 3. My SII takes a full size SIM card and from what I've seen the Note 3 takes a mini SIM card, so I'll have to get a new SIM card when I upgrade. The problem is that I want to unlock my old SII when I get the Note 3, so that I can use it with a European SIM card when I travel and according to the AT&T site I can't unlock the SII until the end of the year when the contract runs out. 

So, if I go out and get a Note 3 today, swap my SIM card for a mini SIM card, and in three months contact AT&T to unlock the SII, will I be able to unlock the old phone when it can't connect to the AT&T network? 

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Slight correction, your Galaxy S II uses a mini-SIM card and the Note 3 uses a micro-SIM card.  Phones haven't used full-sized SIM cards in so many years that most people don't know what they are.

On to your question.  You have to have a non-AT&T SIM card to perform a SIM unlock on the SII.  You can use the European SIM card if you have it already or you can find someone that you know that uses T-Mobile or one of its MVNOs and ask to use his/her SIM card to unlock your phone.  It would take two minutes or less, then you can give the SIM card back to that person.

[jeffp25]

The Next plan sounds like a bad idea to me. I can get the phone on a regular two year contract for $300. In the store they quoted me $32 a month, with a minimum of 12 months, so that's $380 - but if I pay for less than 20 months ($640) I have to return the phone. If I'm willing to keep the phone for at least 20 months, I may as well save $340 and get the normal contract.

[jeffp25]

I have a UK SIM card (microSIM) in my old iPhone 3GS, so I have that covered. My wife has a SIM card in her Verizon Galaxy S4 - I wonder if that can be used to trigger the unlock sequence?

[21stNow]

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jeffp25 wrote:
I have a UK SIM card (microSIM) in my old iPhone 3GS, so I have that covered. My wife has a SIM card in her Verizon Galaxy S4 - I wonder if that can be used to trigger the unlock sequence?

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The iPhone 3GS used a mini-SIM, so that should work if the S II used the same size SIM card.  The VZW SIM card might work, but I think that it is a micro-SIM card so you would need an adapter to put it into your S II.

[jeffp25]

They make reliable micro-to-mini SIM card adapters? I may have to get one of those.

[21stNow]

Yes, I use them all the time.  I get mine from Amazon, but if you don't want to wait T-Mobile stores sell them, as well.  The T-Mobile price is high compared to what you can get them for online, but it is not a prohibitive cost.  One thing to remember, don't store an empty adapter inside of your phone as an empty adapter can damage the SIM card slot.