Unlocking Gear S2

Hi, @sgmidf!

I hope you’re well and welcome to AT&T Community Forums! I know the flexibility and convenience of a smartwatch can definitely enhance your lifestyle in this digital age.

In most cases we’re able to unlock devices, but there are a few that are cannot be unlocked.

The devices that cannot be unlocked are:

• AT&T Microcells
• Wireless Home Phones
• Personal Hot Spots
• Wearables and Smartwatches

At this time, there isn’t a process in place for those devices to be unlocked. In your case, the SIM is non-removable on the Gear S2. The devices that can be unlocked can be found in our Device Unlock Code Instructions.

I do apologize for any trouble this may have caused you! I’ll be happy to send feedback about the unlock site to help improve the unlock process for everyone.

Have a great rest of your week!

Anabel, AT&T Community Specialist

How did they give you an unlock code on a device that can't be unlocked?   

Neither AT&T nor Samsung have a solution.

I've contacted both to resolve issue of watch not being able to get SIM provisioned on another carrier.

Have receive unlock code as well but niether Samung, AT&T, or anyone knows how to enter it.

The Gear S2 is worthless to me if it cannot receive and call on another carrier.

Waiting for solution before requesting full credit from AT&T or Samsung. 

Extremely frustrated after spending endless hours with both companies support and run around...

Unfortunatly bought both models sport & classic.

Will wait a few more days befor starting to give them very bad reviews!!!

how is it att and samsungs fault you bought branded watchs to use on another carrier

Return.  If you purchase a non branded watch, it will work on GSM carriers.  

GLIMMERMAN76

The watches were bought because AT&T stated "Unlocked" to be used on other carriers.

The basic premise is that the eSIM will be completely standardised across manufacturers.

Not only does it give you the freedom to switch operator at the end of a contract without having to wait for a new SIM in the post or visit a mobile phone shop, you will be able to upgrade your account from a pay-as-you-go plan to a contracted one with the minimum of fuss.

It should also be easier to swap devices when you upgrade. Currently, you might switch from a device that requires a micro SIM to one that only supports nano SIMs. With an e-SIM, you need just register the new device.

The term "eSIM" relates to a new standard being promoted by the GSMA - the association that represents network operators worldwide.

It will come in the form of an integrated SIM chip, one that cannot and need not be removed from a device - something that consumer electronics manufacturers are also keen to adopt for connected items around the house as part of the Internet of Things.

The information on it will be compliant or rewritable by all operators, meaning a user can decide to change operator with a simple phone call. A new SIM will not be required, nor should there be any time delay in switching the e-SIM to its new purpose. There will also be no physical swapping over required by the user.

I hope this helps clarify things for you.

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@lizdance40 wrote:

Return.  If you purchase a non branded watch, it will work on GSM carriers.  

 

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@lizdance40Yeah, no kidding.

I was thinking of getting a wearable watch, but with AT&T's policy on "no VoLTE on non-branded devices", you CANNOT purchase a non-branded device, for use, I think this is particularly unfortunate.

BOTH the device and any associated phone-devices must also be branded, or nothing will work, unfortunately.

I talked to several CSRs, trying to figure out if there was a way around this, but I sure couldn't see it.  Maybe, if you muck with some of the config/boot files, but it's not exactly a scale-able solution.

I'm curious too, sort of the reverse, if anyone has gotten this to work, with non-branded devices.  

Lots of posts on AndriodCentral and similar, about frustrations trying to get these to work, on AT&T, using non-branded.  There were a couple that did, but it was definitely obvious they didn't use a "stock" configuration, by any means.

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@pgrey wrote:

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@lizdance40 wrote:

Return.  If you purchase a non branded watch, it will work on GSM carriers.  

 

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@lizdance40Yeah, no kidding.

I was thinking of getting a wearable watch, but with AT&T's policy on "no VoLTE on non-branded devices", you CANNOT purchase a non-branded device, for use, I think this is particularly unfortunate.

BOTH the device and any associated phone-devices must also be branded, or nothing will work, unfortunately.

 

I talked to several CSRs, trying to figure out if there was a way around this, but I sure couldn't see it.  Maybe, if you muck with some of the config/boot files, but it's not exactly a scale-able solution.

 

I'm curious too, sort of the reverse, if anyone has gotten this to work, with non-branded devices.  

Lots of posts on AndriodCentral and similar, about frustrations trying to get these to work, on AT&T, using non-branded.  There were a couple that did, but it was definitely obvious they didn't use a "stock" configuration, by any means.

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my lg urbane 2 lte which is the att version works with numbersync on my pixel xl.  But then again numbersync is a joke and eats battery.  I use the watch as a standalone device if I need one.  There never was an unlocked gear s2 for the us market.  each carrier had there own as the sim card is built into the watch which is where the problem comes with unlocking them.

@Yuvshe

Apple has an imbedded SIM in the Apple iPad Pro also.  But none of the US carriers are adopting the usage of the eSim.  Until all manufacturers and carriers make the switch, I don't see the eSim replacing the cumbersome method in use now.  They sure aren't supporting it on the devices that have it now.  

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@GLIMMERMAN76 wrote:

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my lg urbane 2 lte which is the att version works with numbersync on my pixel xl.  But then again numbersync is a joke and eats battery.  I use the watch as a standalone device if I need one.  There never was an unlocked gear s2 for the us market.  each carrier had there own as the sim card is built into the watch which is where the problem comes with unlocking them.

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@GLIMMERMAN76Yeah, I notice the ulocked ones are international versions, they ones you can find.

I thought though, like @lizdance40, if they used the eSIM (I obviously haven't read enough on th subject, because I admit I figured they were using those, from my specifications reading anyway).

The way it is now though, if you want a S2 3G, for example, you have to have carrier branded (and locked essentially, the wearable) models, both the device and phone, right?  

This is the message I got from everyone, and there was no way around it (obviously becase of the non-branded issue and enhanded LTE, the ongoing one), at least short of some unorthodox modifications of the wearable anyway.

This is somewhat contrary to all the documentation on the eSIM model, from GSMA, at least the tech docs.  They would have you believe that it should function with the eSIM flawlessly, and just pair to that phones' SIM.  
Hence, the reason I called a CSR a couple of times, since the info out there is so non-concrete, in terms of which carrrers did what (it looks like TMo supports/uses the eSIM, not sure who else, figuring out who "doesn't" isn't quite as easy).  The first call, they were wanting/ready to sell me one to pair to my Nexus 6P, although they eventually figured out it wouldn't work.  The second call was much more brief, the person knew it wouldn't work, from the start.

I don't understand, what exactly, they have to NOT adopt the eSIM implmentation.   That part's a real head-scractcher, along with a one-off VoLTE LTE and mixed-up enhanced LTE implementation, I guess.

I  hear you, on the numbersync