Troubleshoot your device issues
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Community Support

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2.7K Messages

Friday, November 24th, 2017 1:25 PM

AT&T Device Unlock Help - Solutions & FAQS

​Learn what you need to do to unlock your device and the requirements ​

Notice

If you are not the original owner of the device​ and are denied a device unlock, you will need to reach out to the original seller/ owner. AT&T is unable to assist. Read below for more information. 

To unlock your device, you need the right keys. By keys I mean, device eligibility. Unlocking your phone seems cut and dry but there are requirements it must meet first.  Below you learn which set of keys you'll need before your device can be unlocked. You'll also find information about why your request may have been denied (​​scroll toward the bottom of the page​​)​​.​

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​How to request a device unlock​

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​Check the status of your request​

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  1. ​Go to our ​​Device Unlock portal​​.​​ ​
  2. ​Select ​​Yes​​ if you are an AT&T Customer, ​​No​​ if you are ​​not an AT&T customer​​. ​​ ​
  3. ​Enter your telephone # if ​​you are​​ ​​an AT&T Customer​​. Enter your IMEI if you ​​are a non-AT&T Customer, Email confirmation will also be required.​​ ​
  4. ​Follow the prompts. ​
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  1. ​Click the link in your *Text message to check your status. If you are a **non-AT&T customer, click the link in your Email follow steps 2-4.​​ ​
  2. ​Go to our ​​Status Portal​​.​​ ​
  3. ​ Enter your IMEI Number & Request Number.​​ ​
  4. ​Follow the prompts.​
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​*AT&T customers will receive a unique Text that can be used to check the status of your unlock request without the need of entering your IMEI Number or Request Number.​

​**Non-AT&T customers will receive an email and must follow steps 2-4 above.​

​Things to know:​

  • ​The device unlock process usually takes minutes and we will let you know when your request is complete. For non-AT&T customers If prompted, please confirm your request in the email we send you.​
  • ​AT&T cannot unlock devices from other wireless carriers.​
  • ​Business customers can submit an unlock request through the same ​​Device Unlock portal​​.​
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​Email Confirmation ​

​In some instances, you may need to confirm an unlock request via email. In some instances, the email is routed to your primary email folder, in others, it may have been routed to spam. So, check spam and trash to make sure the email did not go there. ​

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​Website Troubleshooting​

​If you have an issue with the site, delete cache, cookies, and restart your browser. In some instances, you may need to use another browser. ​

​General Requirements for All Unlock Requests​

  • ​The device must be designed for use on, and locked to, the AT&T wireless network.​
  • ​A device bought at full price must wait 60 days from that purchase date to be eligible to unlock (Prepaid requires 6 months of service & Postpaid is 60 days from the date of purchase if paid in full)
  • ​It must not be reported lost or stolen​​.​
  • ​It’s not associated with fraudulent activity​​.​
  • All the device’s service commitments and installment plans are completed, and all early termination fees are paid in full.​
  • ​The device is not currently active on a different AT&T customer’s account.​​ ​
  • ​If you performed an early upgrade, you must wait the 14-day buyer’s remorse period before you can request to unlock your previous device.​​ ​
  • ​Visit our Unlock Support page for the ​​full requirement list​​. ​
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​ ​​eBay & Non-AT&T Purchases​
​Before purchasing a device from a non-AT&T authorized dealer or sites like eBay, make sure the seller performs the unlock request. In some instances, you will have to contact the seller to perform the request. If the device was purchased by another provider, they should have online resources to unlock the device. If you purchase the device and it is NOT unlocked AT&T will not be able to unlock the device.​​ ​​ ​

​​​Postpaid Customers​
  • ​ ​​If your device was purchased on an installment plan, your account must be active for at least 60 days, with no past due or unpaid balance.​ ​

​AT&T Prepaid​

  • ​ ​​The device must be active for at least six months of paid service.​
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​ ​​Non-AT&T Mobility Customers​
  • ​You currently do not or you’ve never had an AT&T wireless account and you meet the General Requirements for unlock requests.​ ​
​Deployed Military Personnel (Current AT&T Customers Only)​
  • Current AT&T customers who are active and deployed military personnel, and have provided deployment verification, need to meet all the General Requirements, except those related to the device's service commitments, installment plans and early termination fees.​​ ​
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​Have you submitted an unlock request that has been denied and you are unsure why?​

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​Chat with us​​ so we can look at your request further. (Scroll down to find the chat option)​

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​Important:​

​ ​​AT&T reserves the right to deny any unlock request that it concludes would result in an abuse of this policy or is part of an effort to defraud AT&T or its customers. AT&T further reserves the right to alter this unlocking policy at its discretion without advance notice.​
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​ChrisZ, AT&T Community Specialist​

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AT&T Help

Need help with an account specific question?  Post a new question here on the forums by clicking the "Ask a Question" button.
For additional support, please visit us at our AT&T services hub.

*I am an AT&T employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent AT&T's position, strategies or opinions.

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1 Attachment

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

I don't fail to realize anything about any aspect of this situation. Don't be rude. 

I know everything that you are telling me and everything that you could logically tell me, and I still think AT&T is wrong about this particular group of policies...because it IS WRONG... You are not going to convince me of something that just isn't true, so we can move on past that and perhaps discuss other things, or you can decide to insult me a bit further as if my perspective just doesn't matter... up to you... let's not though, okay 🙂 I am as brilliant and intelligent as you are. I just do not believe the righteousness of what you are trying to convince me of.

Related to that, there is that old 'subsidized phones' excuse for their pricing being mentioned again... I am sick of hearing that from people... I think anyone that has been through the same sorts of things that I have been through with AT&T is sick of hearing that too. Take a look at the manufacturer cost lists for what it takes to make one of these phones, then compare that to what AT&T sells them for... If they are subsidizing anything it is to pay for their retail store locations and bonuses to the corporate partners. Subsidizing what? So ,that is just not true... They are NOT losing money when the markup on every single one of their phones is over 200%. Just with the iPhone X itself, their markup from the manufacturer costs for that phone is 308%...   308%..... The workers that make it in China make about $1.78 an hour...no, seriously... which places the employee hourly costs between $12.50 to $30 per phone. The rest of the costs of the manufacturing are for parts and shipping to the states... leaving AT&T to make a killing with their 308% markup... That whole 'but their phones are subsidized, so you really need to pay the full price so that AT&T will at least break even and not starve to death' excuse is just propaganda to fool the consumers into having a faulty understanding of the situation. I won't have any of it... Like I said, I would be willing to pay for a phone that sells for $200 and costs $25 to make. Because I found one that I like that sells at AT&T free and clear for about the same cost as I can get from Walmart as a GoPhone holds no relevance in my situation. One is 'subsidized' and one is not. Same price... However, now that AT&T has effectively irritated me with their stupid policies, I will make it my life's hobby to refuse to pay full retail price for a phone forever. Sounds fun and financially rewarding, doesn't it? Matter of fact, I will make it my life's goal to keep anyone else from ever doing it again either... 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' See what these sorts of policies create in the consumer base? People like me.. and much worse... I am done setting my money on fire and throwing it away for the new shiniest gismo that they can come up with. You can come up with all of the logic in the world to justify their actions and their policies, but to me that is like trying to convince someone which coprolite in a bucket of other coprolites is the cleanest one to eat. You cannot convince me of anything contrary to what I know to be reality. It won't happen... A coprolite is a coprolite. 
 
 
😉

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

6 years ago

@GLIMMERMAN76

I also recall telling @DPenhead that ATT wouldn’t unlock a new prepaid phone until it did it’s 6 months on ATT.   https://forums.att.com/t5/Android/Unlock-code-does-not-work/m-p/5341788#M99217

 

B5C60EA7-E5E9-43CC-878F-94713AB39F59.jpeg

 

@DPenhead

You DID NOT have the discussion in December with ATT reps on the forum.  You discussed it with me, and I do not work for ATT.  Neither do any of the other people responding unless it says “employee” or ATTCares.  

Back in December You said you were unlocking the phone from ATT prepaid, to use on ATT postpaid.  Which makes zero sense as Many if us have purchased prepaid phones and used them on postpaid accounts.  Are you trying to use the phone with a different carrier?  If so what carrier?   

You do know these cheapo phones have no CDMA and only US 3g bands as well as limited LTE right?   These bargain android phones are not world phones

The phone is still under warranty.  You can contact ATT for a warranty replacement.   

 

1 Attachment

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@DPenhead I love all these ace people “were not employees of att were consumers like you” they are not employees but they are obviously incentivized by ATT. “Look here, I have an email that proved their portal actually worked at unlocking one phone, not sure what yall compaing about”. ASK ONE person to try to unlock their eligable phone and see what happens, it almost never works. You can replicate their locking behavior so incredibly easily. And no one can unlock their phones, which is why you hear so many people having these rediculous issues. These ACE guys could have actually faked like they were actually experts. But the things they continue to say in this form is hilarious. So, im happy to hear others are watching this comical insanity. I am gonna make a blog posts and a few youtube videos showing the unlock process on ATT. And answers posted from this fourm ans others.

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

Alright, then I discussed it with you. As far as I am concerned you are representing AT&T right now. I don't know who you work for, if you do this for free, or anything else about you other than you tow their line... What I know is that you represent some aspect of AT&T here. I also spoke directly with AT&T directly about this, as well as going into 5 stores now to try to work through anything with them. I have not had any money since I had major surgery in December. So, I accidentally bought a $50 phone with the little amount of money that I had left at that time that stuck me with a $50 brick and no way out of my situation other than to try to work through it without any money. I did not set out to use to be stuck with a GoPhone and I would have bought the $50 model at the AT&T store at that time if had known it was the same price as Walmart.... I bought a Phoenix 2 a little over a year ago and did exactly the same thing that I am doing now. Same exact situation.... Nothing has changed. Everything you claim is exactly what I knew I was getting into. The timeframe for it being locked, why it was locked, etc. I don't care about any of that and it actually does not matter at all. People believe it does, but it doesn't. The difference I am encountering is that it worked a year ago like I am telling you that it works and it doesn't work now on this particular phone. An AT&T supervisor told me over the phone that this would work exactly like I am telling you that this works... And, it does, to a point. What it does not do is see a brand new micro-SIM. Would you know why it does not? That would be a productive solution to helping me resolve this issue. Telling me over and over again how it says on the box that I cannot do this is pointless because the box is lying and that rhetoric is not true. Is it just this phone? Or, is it something that they have changed with the operating systems installed on the phones now? These are helpful solutions... Do you have answers to my specific questions? 

 

 

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@DPenhead it’s hilarious anyone with a paid off att locked phone can see their portal doesnt work a large part of the time. Most faimilies have at least one in the home. Everyone in this forum has numerous emails they could post supporting and corroborating the same experience. Once you destroy your brand name and reputation it DOESNT come back.

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

Okay. Let's break this down to the facts. Maybe I am not understanding some aspect of this, so let us try this again a different way, shall we?

1 - My phone IS unlocked with the unlocking code that was given to me by AT&T directly. They put me through a process to verify my email and information, then gave me the code. I wrote it down. I used it on my phone within 5 minutes and instantly received a notice on my phone telling me that it was unlocked. 

 

2 - The phone is unlocked.

 

3 - It does not read a brand new MicroSIM card, but will use anyone else's MicroSIM card without an issue at all and the phone operates perfectly with their card from their phone in this phone. I have only tried it on the AT&T network and I have shown people in the AT&T store that it works just like I am saying that it does. I can access the internet via WiFi with it, but I do not need a SIM card for that. The phone operates flawlessly, except the menu for editing the Access Point Names is greyed out. 

 

 

What am I missing? Why will this not work for me? Am I missing some aspect to this process? I have 100% permission from AT&T management for this to work and my phone IS UNLOCKED. Does anyone have a solution? I grow weary of debating about right and wrong... What does that accomplish? I know there is a solution to this... Would flashing it resolve it?  

 

Thanks. 🙂

Mentor

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50 Messages

6 years ago

@GLIMMERMAN76 you say its a problem with apples server because they control the unlock? Wrong. All that ATT has to do is send an authenticated api call to the apple server with the IMEI they would like to unlock. Apple would prefer if phones were kept unlocked so their customers could go to the carrier which provides the best experience. Remember they use iphones too. The only people that like ATT are those that receive incentives for making opinionated arguments, misleading comments, and undefinitive statements, on this forum. Yeah you get a great price, your phones unlocked, while us real customers get screwed. at-least you guys put a expert by your posts so we know who is completely full of it and whose a real customer. @DPenhead these guys must think customers know nothing about technology.

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

We tried 4 different brand new nano-SIM cards, in two different phones, in 5 different stores. None of those work because it will not read new SIM cards from any network. I have a blank SIM card from another network and it also does not see it. It will however operate perfectly with any nano-SIM card that has been activated on any other AT&T phone and is currently being used on that phone as a paid and up-to-date customer of AT&T...just like I am...

1 - It is NOT the SIM card that is bad.

 

2 - It is NOT the SIM card reader that is bad.

 

3 - The phone works perfectly with another SIM card in it.

 

 

Any other ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

Dave

 

 

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

6 years ago


@JoeJohn wrote:
@GLIMMERMAN76 you say its a problem with apples server because they control the unlock? Wrong. All that ATT has to do is send an authenticated api call to the apple server with the IMEI they would like to unlock. Apple would prefer if phones were kept unlocked so their customers could go to the carrier which provides the best experience. Remember they use iphones too. The only people that like ATT are those that receive incentives for making opinionated arguments, misleading comments, and undefinitive statements, on this forum. Yeah you get a great price, your phones unlocked, while us real customers get screwed. at-least you guys put a expert by your posts so we know who is completely full of it and whose a real customer. @DPenhead these guys must think customers know nothing about technology.

The iPhone unlock is strictly an Apple server function.  When activated through a carrier with a universal phone it locks the phone to apple servers.  

I don’t know who you think gets a great price.  I don’t get an price break from ATT, I don’t work for them.  Neither does @GLIMMERMAN76

 

Mentor

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32 Messages

6 years ago

'Does your ATT SIM card work in other phones?'

Not for that phone. I have a SIM for my current AT&T phone, but it is my backup phone with a cracked screen from a few years ago and the SIM is a different size. It is bigger.

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