The Samsung Galaxy S24
celere1's profile

Contributor

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2 Messages

Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 10:29 PM

Unlocking my Samsung Galaxy S3

Hello,  I have received an unlock code from ATT for my S3 with the following very sparse instructions:

 

To unlock your device, simply:

1. Power off the device and remove the SIM card.
2. Power on the device.
3. Enter #0111*, the unlock code, and #. The device powers off and back on.

 

There seems to be a step or two missing. Steps 1 and 2 completed, no details on how to enter unlock mode.  Does the phone require a non-ATT SIM card to be inserted first to put it into the right entry mode? My phone just boots up to its normal screen, and it is not clear how to get into a mode that will accept numeric inputs. Entering from the phone dialing keypad does not work. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Professor

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3.1K Messages

10 years ago

Generally speaking, your phone will request the unlock code when it is booted with a foreign sim in it. Any non-AT&T sim will do, it does not have to have a service contract associated with it.

ACE - Professor

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1.7K Messages

10 years ago

  Step 3.You need to go to your phone dialing keypad.
  Step 4.Enter #0111*, the unlock code, and #. The device powers off and will back on itself.

  Looks like the above not working -____-

 

  If not, get a non-ATT SIM card , inserted ,power on the device,it will ask for unlocking code.
 

 REMEMBER,you only got 10 times to try and unlocking it with a correct code.
 Please don't brick it.
 

Contributor

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2 Messages

10 years ago

Thanks for the recommendation, this worked. As I suspected from a bit of research, this is the only way to unlock the S3. I took the phone to my local ATT shop, and they were unable to do it with the guidance provided. I was able to take the SIM from a Sprint phone, put it in the S3, and power it back on. It goes to a screen that says "Enter UNLOCK code". Touching the screen brings up a numeric keypad. I entered the code directly (no #0111* required as the instructions noted), touched the ENTER button on the screen and got a message back saying "Unlock code accepted."

 

On a second note, it is very annoying that ATT is unable to provide correct instructions. Surely they provide these instructions many, many times a day, and yet they still will generally NOT work on a smart phone with a visual/touch interface - probably only on a flip phone or one with a direct number entry keypad.

 

If anyone on the forum is ATT customer service staff, can you please provide the feedback that the instructions routinely provided are incomplete and will generally (at least often) not work as provided. A bit more information would go a long way to making this entire experience a bit less irritating. I know ATT probably doesn't like unlocking phones to other carriers, but they shouldn't make it more difficult than needed.

 

Thanks again for the response! I have a phone I can take overseas with me now.

Contributor

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1 Message

9 years ago

#1.Remove sim card

Contributor

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1 Message

7 years ago

After following the steps provided by AT&T, my device reads "SIM network unlock PIN" NOT "Enter the device unlock code". HELP!!!

 

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