Locked iphone 4

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@Waynesgurl2 wrote:

I am seeing several questions about getting unlock codes and I have not come across my question that I have yet. so please accept my apology if this has been answered somewhere past the 7 pages I have already read through.  I bought a used iphone 4 on ebay. It is NOT unlocked and the auction listed AT&T as the service provider only.she did not specify that this phone was unlocked just that the carrier was AT&T. The previous owner stated she did a phone upgrade. I am interested in doing AT&T's bring your own phone program and am wondering, if I took this phone into an actual store or did what I needed to do for the no contract plan online, will I be issued a new SIM card for me to use being the one in it is obviously going to reflect the previous owners info when checked. I am assuming anyways that would be the case. Or will this phone somehow be flagged because she didn't unlock it or remove the SIM card before she auctioned it? She reset it back to factory settings and removed all her information on it is what she posted in her listing. And she refuses to make any attempt to obtain an unlock code or unlock it. she said all I needed to do was go to a store or do it online and obtain a new SIM and activate it. but I am not sure if this is true or not, or am I stuck with a phone I can never use?                                                                                     

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My wife received an iPhone 4 from my brother after he upgraded to a 5S. He had previously had it on his AT&T account and performed the first part of this procedure prior to giving it to her.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5661

We simply took it down to the local AT&T store and added it to our mobile share plan as a bring your own device phone. AT&T simply gave her a free SIM.

Unlocking is only necessary if you're planning to use the phone on another carrier. If you're using it with AT&T and as long as the seller didn't report it lost or stollen, there's no need to unlock it. Just take it to your nearest corporate AT&T store and they'll get you set up with a new SIM card.

Thanks so much, greatly appreciated. i guess my concern was, when I used several online sites to check the IMEI number, every one of them said it had an Active SIM. I was wondering if she had perhaps forgotten to remove this phone from her account or something and if I attempted to even add it to a plan with AT&T, being the SIM was Active, i would run into some kind of problem setting up a plan.

I had emailed prior to posting my original post here and had not heard anything back from AT&T so I came here. I received a response and am now more confused as ever. because what i will copy and paste in here is contradictory as to what was suggested to me in here. I wonder if AT&T has changed their rules? This is what I received..........................................

Hello,

I am one of the manager's on the Social Media Team for AT&T. In order for you to use this phone with us the phone will have to be unlocked already by the customer that you are purchasing the phone from.
If the phone is not unlocked we will not be able to unlock it for you because one of the eligibility requirements is that you must be currently on service with us or have been on service with that device.  I would proceed with caution since they already stopped responding to you.
This link will give you our unlock request form with all the eligibility requirements as well att.com/deviceunlock
If you decide to purchase a phone through us please visit soc.att.com/SSl3

I hope this information helps  you make your decision.

Thanks
Emilia
Social Media Manager


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