What is the unlocking policy on AT&T GoPhones?

**8_8** · 07-30-2012, 05:01 PM

Tried to research this on Forum, but unclear on what the policy is. Does anyone know what is the process for unlocking an AT&T branded GoPhone? Recently purchased a Samsung a157 Prepaid GoPhone and so far happy with this basic phone, but wanted to know if it can be unlocked for use abroad when traveling. The phone is currently being used on AT&T post-paid. Called customer service and they just said the unlock code was unavailable and didn't provide any other details when asked why. Seems they just enter the phone's imei and it either provides an unlock code or not. This phone has not been activated with GoPhone service at all.

**Frontierjustice** · 07-30-2012, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by 8_8

1. Does anyone know what is the process for unlocking an AT&T branded GoPhone?
2. Samsung a157 Prepaid GoPhone.

Okeh..
1. I haven't done this for a few years. The WCDMA is not the Europian standard. An unlocker on eBay offers an unlock code for $25 .... gasp!
2. Not bad, 3G, quad-band ... good luck!
Regards, FJ

**TMOCustomer** · 08-12-2012, 11:35 PM

I think a 6 month period of time factors into their policy but i don't remember the details. If you don't get an answer here try the regular ATT foru. It is much more active.

**manofstill2012** · 08-13-2012, 05:54 PM

Good luck with that I have never gotten them to unlock an phone, 2 gophone account more then an year an it was an no go, just go to eBay and get the unlock code like I did .

**St420** · 08-16-2012, 01:46 PM

i was told its six months and they will unlock it. a few yrs back i had a lg neon and they unlocked it with no issues. just gave them a call and they had me fax the recipt to them and they called back and gave me the unlock code. This was about three yrs ago though. dont know if things have changed since them.

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**efparri** · 08-16-2012, 02:27 PM

The Samsung SGH-A157 has only the 3G bands, Band II (1900) and Band V (850), used by some carriers in North America and South America. As such, you would only get GSM voice and GPRS/EDGE data speeds elsewhere. The phone could not be used at all in Japan and South Korea since those two countries do not have GSM networks.

**ppa** · 08-16-2012, 06:49 PM

Two years ago I bought an AT&T TouchPro2 and paid full retail. I called the same day and asked for an unlock code and they gave it to me right away. I had been with GoPhone for about a year at the time.

**johnhere** · 08-16-2012, 09:47 PM

I've had them unlock it right after I got the phone so it's worth trying. I had always heard 6 months but I've bypassed that a few times.

**mmthomas** · 08-18-2012, 12:12 PM

I don't know the "policy", but I have had all my requests to unlock fulfilled eventually. Sometimes with multiple requests to different agents. Latest is an iphone unlock which took 3 calls, once a month, until the iphone was unlocked. I did get multiple reject requests, but concrete reasons never given. I have had gophone account for 6 years.