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Post Machine
Didn't you see this line?Originally Posted by alpinestars
The person requesting the unlock is: (i) a current AT&T customer; or (ii) a former AT&T customer who can provide the phone number or account number for the account.
Earl F. Parrish
My screen is bigger than yours
Why are these phones not contract free and unlocked anyways? They should automatically be unlocked after 2 years of being under contract, you shouldn't have to request it.
Furthermore, you should be able to provide the IMEI number for the phone and they should be able to look it up in their system and find the account. They undoubtedly have all of this on file anyways.
Just absolutely stupid. So glad I left AT&T to screw them over by using their service on Straight Talk.
I buy broken/used iPhones (4 & 4S) on any carrier! PM me info about your phone and your asking price and I'll get back to you!
Post Machine
bpaulson,
As stated previously, until recently no unlock was available for any iPhone in the US (in or out of contract). I won't try to justify why it was done that way.
No GSM carrier automatically unlocks the phone once the contract has been fulfilled and it has always been that way. Fact of the matter is that the consumer must request the unlock, like it or not.
The reason phones are not sold contract free in the US to all customers is simply because most consumers cannot or will not pay full price for their phones. Yes, the US phone pricing sucks, but it's what we use and not likely to change anytime soon.
If I'm annoyed and you're annoyed, does that make us a paranoid ??
Sarcasm is a fine art...
"Don't believe everything you think"
It's not a matter of if you win or lose, it's how you assign the blame
Post Machine
Sorry, have to go there again! If it wasn't for subsidies the prices of phones would not be that high, even Apple depends on carriers to be able to sell phones and then get revenue from them.
Recently I bought a Samsung printer that had a Samsung retail price on $214.00, but I got it at Staples for 100 bucks. So I investigated some more and found out that the only devices that are sold at retail (inflated x2) were wireless devices. So you have the horse behind the cart.
Post Machine
CA, pay close attention to the last sentence that you quoted from my prior post. That's the key phrase to remember. In a perfect world pricing would work as you described, but as I statedDon't get me wrong, I do agree with you in principal.it's what we use and not likely to change anytime soon.
Post Machine
Yes mam, I'll make a note (Samsung note!)!
I've got more phones than fingers
Think I understand. There are different degrees of imperfection, right? The lowest, basest world of imperfection would be Staples, right? But far above and toward perfection would be OPEC. Much higher and near attainment of nirvana would be the diamond cartel. But the the acme of nirvana is iphone pricing. Does that sound right?
Post Machine
Don't over-complicate it. While I don't like it any better than anyone else, there is little to nothing I or anyone else on this forum can do to change the current pricing model.
I've got more phones than fingers
I really wish the tmobile model had taken off. Retail for phones but cheaper monthly rates.
Has a car phone
Unlock can be any customers at & t. Who can help? need to go just to chat at & t like, and write one message from your account
Phone Collector
Yes I saw that line, but it never mentions anything about the original owner.
I interpreted that line as:
1. You must be an AT&T customer to request an unlock.
OR
2. You must be a former AT&T customer who can provide the phone number or account number for your old account.
That's the way I interpreted it because nowhere in that help article does it mention "you must be the original owner" or "you must have the account number of the original owner." It doesn't even have the word "owner" anywhere.
Post Machine
Most AT&T customers get an iPhone as an original owner. It would be counterintuitive to pay full price or aftermarket price for a locked iPhone when you can get a subsidized one for as little as $200.00. One can also purchase an unlocked iPhone from Apple for the same price as the unsubsidized locked one from AT&T.
Last edited by efparri; 05-27-2012 at 10:47 AM.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
This is an important read from Wikipedia concerning IMEIs and mobile phone theft, more after the jump:
"Blacklist of stolen devices
When mobile equipment is stolen or lost the owner can typically contact their local operator with a request that it should be blocked. If the local operator possesses an Equipment Identity Register (EIR), it then will put the device IMEI into it, and can optionally communicate this to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) which blacklists the device in all other operator switches that use the CEIR. With this blacklisting in place the device is bricked and becomes unusable on any operator that uses the CEIR, making theft of mobile equipment a useless business proposition, unless for parts."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...tity#section_1
Q: Would you patronize a streetwalker?
A: No, I would treat her as an equal.
Likes small screens
There is also fast turnaround service now for factory unlock. A bit pricey though.
Check here:
simunlocks.com
it's trusted.
My screen is bigger than yours
That you have to be the original account holder of the iPhone to have it unlocked is bunk. I have a refurb iPhone 4S that I bought on Newegg that I use on Straight Talk. I am not and never have been an AT&T wireless customer. I called the AT&T 800 number, requested the unlock, provided the IMEI of the iPhone and faxed the receipt showing the full purchase price. When I restored in iTunes, I got the "Congratulations! Your iPhone has been unlocked." message.
Straight Talk unlimited everything plan for $45
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