Quick question: AT&T Wireless SIM unlocking.

[randomness]

I have heard that AT&T Wireless is particularly uncooperative about unlocking handsets. For that reason, I'm considering T-Mobile instead. (I want a quad-band GSM phone, and I think those two carriers are my options around here, here being Connecticut.)

T-Mobile's policy is that they'll give you an unlock code after 90 days, which for my purposes is sufficient.

Am I wrong about this? AT&T Wireless's site is not being particularly helpful here.

Thanks, all.

Comments

[quezz.livejournal.com]

You're right about T-Mobile, with the exception that if you are going abroad before that, you can call Customer Service and ask for the codes earlier. I did that before traveling this summer, and I've unlocked every phone I've had since I signed up almost five years ago.

[obra.livejournal.com]

Both offer unlocking. I've gotten an unlock out of both of em. Of course, you may want to get a proper phone from a third party ;)

It's all about where you'll use the phone.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Of course, you may want to get a proper phone from a third party ;)

Heh. I have too many handsets already...

[awfief.livejournal.com]

I may be spreading rumors but I was recently told that it's the law that after a certain period of time any provider has to unlock for you. I was told 30 days, but again, this is just something I was told while with someone who was trying to purchase an unlockable phone from a retail store (which, if the salespeople are to be believed, don't exist....this was not a salesperson who mentioned the unlock law.)

Anyway, it's something to look into.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

I got Cingular (before they changed their name to AT&T) to allow my phone to be used in Europe within a few days of purchasing it because I was planning a trip soon. I had to spend time on the phone with their "International Provisioning Department" (I think that's what it was). They mostly wanted to verify that I wasn't a poor credit risk. I don't remember if they unlocked my phone or not.

With Ann's previous T-mobile phone we had a problem because in the UK T-Mobile doesn't use the bands her tri-mode phone used. So before our next trip, I had them unlock it so I could use a SIM from a competing firm.

[emilymorgan.livejournal.com]

I couldn't get it out of them, even though they gave me a get out of jail free card for ending it early, since I'd moved to a place where I simply had no bars of service in my home. It could have been bad luck with the particular representative and manager I talked to, though.

[nathanjw]

I got T-Mobile to unlock my phone without any difficulty. Of course, that phone failed and I'm back on the older phone that I bought unlocked in the first place... not that either of them have been used for real with another network's SIM.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

between zubatac we've gotten unlock codes out of T-Mobile for at least 3 or 4 different handsets, not all of them 90 days after we buy the phone. i suspect that the fact that they can trivially look up that we've kept using T-mobile helps, but if you tell them something reasonable about upcoming travel they are equally reasonable about giving you the code.

[chain saw with a magician (from livejournal.com)]

I've heard the policy phrased slightly differently - that they will unlock one phone per "line" per customer per 90 days. The cunlocked my last one a week after I got it, and I didn't even buy it from them.

From reading on the web, it sounds like AT&T's policy is about the same, excepting iphones: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1404306

[silk-roses.livejournal.com]

I just had to call at&t and ask them to unlock it because I was going abroad. It took a few days, but my case got approved and they sent me a code. :)

[maggiebex.livejournal.com]

I thought my phone would roam abroad without unlocking, and it didn't, so I went to teh store and they ahd no idea what I was talking about. I am ashamed to admit that I don't know heads or tails about this "unlocking" stuff, but if anyone can tell me how to use my AT&T phone in Europe I will love you forever.

Also, might need a new phone soon. Suggestions?

[silk-roses.livejournal.com]

I just called at&t customer service and said "hey, i'm going to london, i need my phone to work there with another SIM card, I've been a cingular/at&t customer for a long time, i need my phone to be unlocked, please do what i say" and they took down all my details and sent me a code somewhere between 3 to 5 businessdays after i put in my request. They were very helpful, but it was a long phone call with a lot of waiting and transferring, just fyi.

re: new phone - think about what features you need in a new phone. for me, the most important additional feature is QWERTY keyboard for efficient texting. I'm actually thinking about switching to Verizon when my contract expires so that I can get an enV2 or that cute little samsung slide-y phone.

[uberjay.livejournal.com]

That's great! A couple years ago I was informed that they were quite anti-unlock. Also, I'm fairly certain they will not offer to unlock an iPhone for you, no matter what you say. (of course, you can do that yourself, if it's a first-gen model.)

It's one of the reasons I'm on T-Mobile right now. At the time they seemed much more customer-friendly.

[jab2.livejournal.com]

very belatedly, because i was traveling back from europe--tmobile will give you an unlock code in less than 90 days if you call them and tell them you'll be traveling abroad. i got mine in 45-60 days (then didn't use it, but that's a different story to do with the high rate of pickpocekts in madrid in relation to the tightness of the jeans style over there in relation to the size of a pda phone...)

At&t Q&a

[glassgirllover.livejournal.com]

Nice,,I want to ask one question to this community..I want to unlock my mobile from the AT&T Network US i found the unlocking instructions in the site mobileunlockguide (http://www.mobileunlockguide.com/)@free of cost for the Nokia 6600..