Database Develop

[Q] I give up on AT&T

Having been an AT&T customer for over 10 years now, I wanted to take my recently purchased Galaxy Note 3 on a trip to Europe, therefore, I wanted to unlock it. I called AT&T and was told (basically) that my phone can't be unlocked except after the 2 year contract period expires. Oh yeah! Forget AT&T...I'm on my own. Anyone have ideas on how to do an unlock on an AT&T Note 3 reliably?

You can try region lock away by chainfire. You have to be rooted for it to work. Good luck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

I agree with the OP. I do not believe that carriers should have any influence or say so when it comes to phones. Why do they need to control them? Like with updates for example. What a nightmare. Why does phone phone have to be locked to them. I'm paying them for service only. UGH.

Chainfire's unlock works on M19 build and baseband. If you are on MJ5, you need to restore with a M19 build / MJ5 baseband and then root, then apply the unlock.
If you don't want to root, the only option is to purchase unlock code.

MattMJB0188 said:
I agree with the OP. I do not believe that carriers should have any influence or say so when it comes to phones. Why do they need to control them? Like with updates for example. What a nightmare. Why does phone phone have to be locked to them. I'm paying them for service only. UGH.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your not paying just for just service. When you get the phone on 2 year plan every month you paying a payment on that phone every month. That's why your bill so high. People don't realize it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

If you don't want to have to worry about any of that then buy the phone out right and don't do a 2 year contract it like buy a car on credit you don't fully own it till you pay it off. On top of that if you don't like waiting for updates and stuff buy an unlocked Un carrier branded phone and get the update when they come out.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

Maybe try this path?
https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/client/en_US/?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

I unlocked mine via a website. Cost me $30 but worked just fine. I am in the UK right now and using my note 3 with a pay as you go sim. I tried the region lock away here on xda but the sim was still locked.
Like you I was so mad when AT&T told me they no longer provide unlock codes. Once my contract expires I am done with them.
Hope this helps. Cheers.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

Just pay one of the many websites out there $30ish to get an unlock code based on the IMEI number. I did it with my AT&T N3 within a week of buying it and it works great Internationally.
I understand it costs money and people assume it should be free but it's a minimal amount of money not to have to deal with AT&T's bone head customer service.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

All carriers are like this from my experience. Keeping the phone locked is the only form of inconvenience they can put on people who do not want to honor their contracts and steal the phone. I called AT&T 2 months after I got my Note 3 on contract to unlock and they told me the buy-out price was 198.00.

Unlocking New Note 4

I expect to buy the new T Mobile Note 4 on or about the day it comes out but about 10 days later I will be out of the country for several weeks. Will I be able to get the unlock code from some 3rd party before I leave. I believe TM requires you use the phone for at least 40 days or more before they will unlock it, even when I pay full price for it.
Thanks
Bill

give them a call. im not 100% sure, but i believe you can get a temp unlock code, and the phone will re-lock when it comes back to USA.

T-mobile can help you with that.
Sent from my SM-N900T using XDA Free mobile app

I'll be in a similar boat as well, instead leaving 20 days later.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

I'm active duty military, and when I bought the N2, I left on deployment soon afterwards. I spent 4 months in Singapore, and T-Mobile would NOT unlock my phone until I'd been a customer for 90 days, or paid off half the device cost. With that said, I ended up unlocking it myself using an exploit in the 4.1.1 T-Mobile Android release. I suspended my plan with no problems, and picked up where I left off when I got back. My phone worked great with Singapore's network, though because I had to be prepaid, data was expensive.

Could someone please clarify the post above about "I ended up unlocking it myself using an exploit in the 4.1.1 T-Mobile Android release..."
What is the exploit to unlock T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4?

c627627 said:
Could someone please clarify the post above about "I ended up unlocking it myself using an exploit in the 4.1.1 T-Mobile Android release..."
What is the exploit to unlock T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None
BAD ASS NOTE 4

c627627 said:
Could someone please clarify the post above about "I ended up unlocking it myself using an exploit in the 4.1.1 T-Mobile Android release..."
What is the exploit to unlock T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He was referencing the Galaxy Note 2.

Can you unlock note 4 via root?

I have a dilemma in that I am on ATT, and I don't pay for my service but have an upgrade available and want to get a note 4 on tmobile for the unlocked bootloader, because the ATT note 4 has a locked bootloader. My plan is to buy a note 4 on ATT, sell it, than use the money to buy a note 4 on tmobile outright through a friend that is on tmobile. I went into a tmobile store to ask about this, and they told me to unlock a phone like the note 4, it would take about one month. I do not know if that is true, but I do not want to wait one month.. My question is that once I would root a tmobile note 4, is there a way to unlock the phone via a software hack?

lovenokia said:
I have a dilemma in that I am on ATT, and I don't pay for my service but have an upgrade available and want to get a note 4 on tmobile for the unlocked bootloader, because the ATT note 4 has a locked bootloader. My plan is to buy a note 4 on ATT, sell it, than use the money to buy a note 4 on tmobile outright through a friend that is on tmobile. I went into a tmobile store to ask about this, and they told me to unlock a phone like the note 4, it would take about one month. I do not know if that is true, but I do not want to wait one month.. My question is that once I would root a tmobile note 4, is there a way to unlock the phone via a software hack?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No there isn't, but there are pay services available to sim unlock. Also, as long as the phone is used on the tmo network for a bit.. (I've used one for an hour before) and you have a T-Mobile account that's established, they usually will unlock it regardless of the 30 day policy.

and if they don't unlock it, theres other sites that can unlock for like 20-30 bucks, wait time is like 15mins

pham818 said:
and if they don't unlock it, theres other sites that can unlock for like 20-30 bucks, wait time is like 15mins
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a bunch, that does not sound too bad at all. I don't have to worry much about unlocking the phone then.

What about flashing to a new rom? Will that unlock the sim?
Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but it seemed an appropriate place to ask.
---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------
I'm also quite interested in how the unlocking services get unlock codes. I can only assume some kind of code generator? Although if that was the case, why hasn't anyone on xda figured out the sim unlocking algorithm? (don't take that the wrong way, I'm just genuinely curious as to how it all works. I am grateful to everyone who helps and submits their work here.)

No, flashing a ROM isn't recommended. The HTC One (M8) and One (M7) do have a few hacks which allow the phone to be unlocked with root, but there's nothing yet developed for the Note 4. A custom ROM on the Note 4 or other Samsung phones can actually be counterproductive since the software signatures don't match the hardware. If you have an unlock code and are running a custom ROM, you'll probably have to revert to stock jut so that the code works. Had to do that on my ONe X a few years. back.
If you're still looking for a code, I recommend http://androidsimunlock.com. Use the service for my Note 4 last week with no issues. Prices are fair (Samsung unlock codes are always a lot more than HTC and Motorola codes) and I got my code in about an hour.

lovenokia said:
I have a dilemma in that I am on ATT, and I don't pay for my service but have an upgrade available and want to get a note 4 on tmobile for the unlocked bootloader, because the ATT note 4 has a locked bootloader. My plan is to buy a note 4 on ATT, sell it, than use the money to buy a note 4 on tmobile outright through a friend that is on tmobile. I went into a tmobile store to ask about this, and they told me to unlock a phone like the note 4, it would take about one month. I do not know if that is true, but I do not want to wait one month.. My question is that once I would root a tmobile note 4, is there a way to unlock the phone via a software hack?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your friend buys it through an already active tmobile line then they should unlock it no problem. Just have your friend tell them they are buying the phone to take a trip over seas. The only reason they tell you to wait a month is because that's when there commission kicks in for the sale of a new phone line. If it's just a new phone for an already active line they should not care.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

I paid for an unlock code and it didn't work. T-Mobile is making me activate an account to get an unlock code.
My phone was unlocked until it came back from Samsung for repair. Its been a nightmare to deal with. I don't trust Tue unlock services after getting ripped off.

I have a note 4 that I got at a yard sale and is locked because the person whom owned it died what should I do so I can use it

Question around Unlocking with TMO

For those of you who have either paid off your phones or bought them outright, how does TMO handle unlocking the phones? Do you lose any features or functionality like wifi calling etc? Been with TMO for about 3 years now and all of my phones have been unlocked( Nexus 4, Nexus 5, One Plus One, Moto X Pure).
I am paying for the phone up front and I just want to make sure that I understand all the factors with unlocking a carrier branded phone.
Thanks

Hugg727 said:
For those of you who have either paid off your phones or bought them outright, how does TMO handle unlocking the phones? Do you lose any features or functionality like wifi calling etc? Been with TMO for about 3 years now and all of my phones have been unlocked( Nexus 4, Nexus 5, One Plus One, Moto X Pure).
I am paying for the phone up front and I just want to make sure that I understand all the factors with unlocking a carrier branded phone.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't change anything other than allowing you to use a non-tmo SIM card
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

arcanexvi said:
Doesn't change anything other than allowing you to use a non-tmo SIM card
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks , that's good to know. Last year I had to buy a pre paid sim for coverage down in St John. It also helps if you sell the phone as well, since it works with CDMA as well.

The minimum requirements for free unlock through T-Mobile is:
1) phone must be 100% payed off
2) T-Mobile account must be active for at least 3 month
Because of the #2 they just lost $900

Who told you 3 months. It's 40 days... $100 if prepaid.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

The guy in the store told me 90 days, then I called by phone and they also said 90 days. But even 40 days is too much.

Their policy is 40 days. If you are already a customer and meet the requirements it's a couple of days. My GS7E took 48 hours. Might as well buy the Verizon version or the AT&T version. You could wait for the unlocked version.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 06:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:35 AM ----------
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1588 for future reference.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

I've unlocked a phone 24hrs after receiving it. Since I was going away on an international trip.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

mardukeme said:
I've unlocked a phone 24hrs after receiving it. Since I was going away on an international trip.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how? what phone?

I've got the Note 4 and Note 5 T-Mobile versions and both are unlocked. I've tried Sprint and Straight Talk SIMs cards and they work fine. I bought both my devices on Swappa
Sent from my SM-T713 using XDA-Developers mobile app

The policy with the Galaxy S7 was 90 days, has to be paid off..... BUT they had a second non-public policy for people going out of the country. After the 14 day return policy, if the phone is paid for outright, then they will permanently unlock the device. They're thinking for the change in this policy, is that if you want to you can "temporarily" unlock the phone via the unlock app, then come back to being locked, just the way they want you to be!
Just a heads up, and my personal experience with T-mobile

You can always pay a server to unlock it. I believe it's $20
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

SIM unlock

I have a brand new G6 in the box I want to give to my friend but T-Mobile says I need to put it on their network for a few months before they will unlock it. Pretty BS about it since I bought it outright and never once had a plan on it. I want to give it as new and don't want to open it. Saw some sketchy sites online and other posts here seem to be for different types of unlocks. He has ATT and just wants to use it there. Am I screwed?

Mine came with an app pre-installed that would permanently sim unlock it.

joedeuce said:
Mine came with an app pre-installed that would permanently sim unlock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah they call come preloaded but apparently it won't work and you won't get the code unless its on the network and T-Mobile allows it from their end.

mdl054 said:
Yeah they call come preloaded but apparently it won't work and you won't get the code unless its on the network and T-Mobile allows it from their end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you on TMO? If so, swap your sim card into it. Call them (611) and tell them the imei you want to unlock then run the app.
I just did that a few days ago. Also the handset must be paid off completely first.
Sent from my LG-H872 using XDA Labs

brossovitch said:
Are you on TMO? If so, swap your sim card into it. Call them (611) and tell them the imei you want to unlock then run the app.
I just did that a few days ago. Also the handset must be paid off completely first.
Sent from my LG-H872 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on TMO and I would just do that but they told me I had to wait 40 days. Is this not accurate? I'm afraid of opening the box only for it to not work and I can't sell it as brand new in box anymore. Or is that all bs and it will just work immediately? I bought the phone outright in April.

mdl054 said:
I am on TMO and I would just do that but they told me I had to wait 40 days. Is this not accurate? I'm afraid of opening the box only for it to not work and I can't sell it as brand new in box anymore. Or is that all bs and it will just work immediately? I bought the phone outright in April.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They specifically told me they will unlock a phone immediately upon payment of its balance.
I dunno. I think policy is 40 days. But my customer service location is really good and rated #1 in the country. Otherwise I don't know. You should be able to get it unlocked, especially since you're a customer. Id even try yo use TForce. They're pretty awesome too
Sent from my LG-H872 using XDA Labs

I got a used LG G6 from ebay and Tmo rep said that the balance is not paid off so i can't unlock it. Should i use 3rd party to unlock it? I am seeing some places charge $100+ to unlock. It's not like the phone is stolen or anything. Should I just return the phone?
Jeremy

DeathBlimp said:
I got a used LG G6 from ebay and Tmo rep said that the balance is not paid off so i can't unlock it. Should i use 3rd party to unlock it? I am seeing some places charge $100+ to unlock. It's not like the phone is stolen or anything. Should I just return the phone?
Jeremy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would return it. It is rather unscrupulous of the buyer to sell you a phone that has not been paid off.

And eventually, if it is not paid off it will be black listed and locked out of TMO network based on IMEI
Sent from my LG-H872 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

The 40 days is policy that the phone needs to be actually activated and working for the 40 day counter to start. They do not have to be 40 consecutive days, but 40 days of being alive, working and connected. The Op said that the phone was paid off, so that shouldn't be an issue for the op. Just the 40 day counter.

No need for 60 days continuous use on T-Mobile network. Insert valid T-Mobile sim card to register the handset at least once on their network. You can then take the sim card out (use with any T-Mobile MVNO or don't use it at all - your choice). After 60 days have passed, insert valid T-Mobile sim card again and use the unlock app to permanently unlock your handset. I've done that with my handset and it got permanently unlocked.

Hi there,
I've managed to unlock a T-Mobile G6 a few days ago, using a third party service. Specifically, here: https://www.unlockscope.com/unlock-lg-g6-032413
It was pricier than I was expecting, but anyway, it worked and now it's on AT&T.

androm3da said:
No need for 60 days continuous use on T-Mobile network. Insert valid T-Mobile sim card to register the handset at least once on their network. You can then take the sim card out (use with any T-Mobile MVNO or don't use it at all - your choice). After 60 days have passed, insert valid T-Mobile sim card again and use the unlock app to permanently unlock your handset. I've done that with my handset and it got permanently unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know if the same SIM needs to be used after the 60 days (T-Mobile quotes 40 days), or can a different SIM be used? I ask because I purchased a T-Mobile locked phone from someone who had it activated after purchase but apparently not for long enough as I can't get it unlocked in the unlock app even though it's now been long enough. I didn't encourage the seller to put his SIM back in the phone at time of purchase and I don't have easy contact with him anymore. I do however know someone else with a T-Mobile plan but I don't want to try using a different SIM if that might screw with the day count. Might you have any insight?

I used a different T-Mobile sim from the one I initially inserted to register on their network.
It could officially be 40 days even though I waited 60 days instead. Was in no rush to unlock.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------
Also you have to meet certain terms and condition before you can unlock the handset. I.e. you can only unlock 2 devices per calendar year. The handset should be paid in full etc. There are some other requirements I don't recall exactly please look it up.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

androm3da said:
I used a different T-Mobile sim from the one I initially inserted to register on their network.
It could officially be 40 days even though I waited 60 days instead. Was in no rush to unlock.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------
Also you have to meet certain terms and condition before you can unlock the handset. I.e. you can only unlock 2 devices per calendar year. The handset should be paid in full etc. There are some other requirements I don't recall exactly please look it up.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info! One last question since I have to meet up with someone to get do it. Is it something that should work right after putting the SIM in or does it have to be in the phone awhile? All other conditions have been met as far as I'm aware so if what you're saying still works, it should do the trick.