Tmobile will NOT give me unlock code until bill is paid? Can they do that?

[maf2k8]

Ok so my cousin has a or should i say HAD a Flex Pay account ( i always thought they were pre paid accounts with a fancy name ) but anyways, he no longer uses tmobile and i have att and would like to use his samsung SGH-T139 with my ATT sim.

He called tmobile last night and there were no issues, they said they would email the code and instructions withing 24-72 hrs, but he just got a email stating until the bill is paid off in full they cannot give him a unlock code.

Can they do this? I have no idea if he paid full retail price for the phone ( i think he did ) but if he did, dont they by LAW have to provide a unlock code for him if he wants one regardless of if he has a outstanding balance?

here is the email.........

"Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. We have received your SIM Unlock Request. Unfortunately, we are unable to process your request at this time due to the past due status of your account. You can make a payment by logging into the T-Mobile Web Site www.t-mobile.com or through our automated system by dialing 611 from your handset or 1-800-937-8997 from a landline phone. Once the past due balance on your account has been paid, please contact us to have another SIM Unlock Request submitted."


I just need a backup phone for my ATT line and he has this phone sitting in the drawer so i told him to get the code.

Any help or advice would be great, thanks.

[Antenna]

the customer must be in good-standing in order to use the unlock policy. That means he must have a zero balance

[jet1000]

dont they by LAW have to provide a unlock code for him if he wants one regardless of if he has a outstanding balance?

There is no such law. In fact, there's no such law that says the carrier has to give out unlock codes at all.

He could have gotten the phone unlocked before he let the account go bad. Once the account is bad, he's at their mercy.

[newguy78]

As stated earlier, tmo is not obligated to give you the code. In fact tmo is the first carrier I've worked for that would release the unlock code. The only way to avoid paying the balance on the account, is if he purchased the phone at full retail price, and still has the receipt. At that point you would have to fax the sim unlock team with proof showing the device was paid at full cost.

[dutchtender]

tmo has every right to withhold the unlock code, which they provide as a free service for the customer's convenience.

[mikethaler]

PacBell/Cingular/att had a policy in the past (at various times) never to give out an unlock code. I think att now does.
TM always did - after you've been a customer for a short time (3 months?). Of course, I always assumed they wouldn't give it to a dead beat customer.

[mrcamp]

Yeah. Both tmobile and AT&T give out the unlock code, however, like others said, the account has to be in good standing. AT&T is even more lenient in that, there is no limit to how many unlock codes you can receive in a certain time. If you have 10 phones on an account, you can get the unlock codes for them on the same day if you want. I have received the unlock code for every single AT&T phone I have. In most cases, I get it right on the phone.