Database Users

IS AT&T SGSIII carrier-locked when paying for the full price?

I'm attempting to buy the AT&T SGSIII with the full price since it's probably the cheapest you can get among all the options.
As I am going to use it on Rogers network in Canada, I would like to know if it's carrier-locked even i pay for the full price???
I know Android phones are pretty easy to get unlocked. I just don't want the hassle.
I plan on driving down to the Seattle this upcoming weekend and nail one!!! Cannot wait anymore!

Even if you get it without commitment, the device will still be locked. AT&T won't unlock it for about six months (I don't know the exact length). Why not just try cellunlocker.net? It unlocked my phone in thirty mins. It's just 25$ so give it a try
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

amgpower63 said:
Even if you get it without commitment, the device will still be locked. AT&T won't unlock it for about six months (I don't know the exact length). Why not just try cellunlocker.net? It unlocked my phone in thirty mins. It's just 25$ so give it a try
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
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Wow..... 6 months.... So, if i get it unlocked through cellunlocker.net, and I flash back to the factory setting and have AT&T unlocked it for me 6 months later?? Will they still honor the warranty??
Sorry for my noob question. Coming from iPhone and not quite familiar with American carrier.

AT&T says they have a 6 month period when they have exclusivity on the phones, but they obviously don't have exclusive rights in the US. Also, they've been unlocking iPhones that were purchased outright, so you can use that to your advantage.

noahattic said:
Wow..... 6 months.... So, if i get it unlocked through cellunlocker.net, and I flash back to the factory setting and have AT&T unlocked it for me 6 months later?? Will they still honor the warranty??
Sorry for my noob question. Coming from iPhone and not quite familiar with American carrier.
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Click to collapse
Once you do a sim unlock, it's unlocked forever. No need to get a code from AT&T when it's available.
AT&T is interested in selling phones for it's network, not selling to people looking to sell or take them somewhere else.

zaisaroni said:
Once you do a sim unlock, it's unlocked forever. No need to get a code from AT&T when it's available.
AT&T is interested in selling phones for it's network, not selling to people looking to sell or take them somewhere else.
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Click to collapse
there's a way to unlock the phone allay, check the dev section in the international s iii forum

noahattic said:
I'm attempting to buy the AT&T SGSIII with the full price since it's probably the cheapest you can get among all the options.
As I am going to use it on Rogers network in Canada, I would like to know if it's carrier-locked even i pay for the full price???
I know Android phones are pretty easy to get unlocked. I just don't want the hassle.
I plan on driving down to the Seattle this upcoming weekend and nail one!!! Cannot wait anymore!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not just wait until tomorrow when Rogers releases the same phone?
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda premium

dLo GSR said:
there's a way to unlock the phone allay, check the dev section in the international s iii forum
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it work with the US variant? Last time I checked, it was only for I9300 version...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

SIM Unlock

Does anybody now if the ATT S4 is unlockable already? Amazon.com is selling it for 700$ and im thinking about buying, since the international is hard to find.

if you buy the phone full price, you can get the code from AT&T but they wont budge easy. prepare for a fight but it can be done, ive done it several times my self.

XsMagical said:
if you buy the phone full price, you can get the code from AT&T but they wont budge easy. prepare for a fight but it can be done, ive done it several times my self.
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The problem is I dont have ATT service..

edgarzin said:
The problem is I dont have ATT service..
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I wouldnt worry about that, just give them a call and tell them you bought the phone full price and have the receipt in hand. They will play dumb, i always ask for a manager when on the phone with them.

I bought mine full price and att said the unlock codes were not available yet and not confirmed when they will be.
Sent from my Galaxy S4

tony1208 said:
I bought mine full price and att said the unlock codes were not available yet and not confirmed when they will be.
Sent from my Galaxy S4
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That's terrible!

tony1208 said:
I bought mine full price and att said the unlock codes were not available yet and not confirmed when they will be.
Sent from my Galaxy S4
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That my friend is a bold-faced lie. No locking is done without a key available to unlock it. They just don't want to share.

Att can definitely unlock it they just choose not to. Regardless I got mine unlocked today with cellunlocker.net took about 15 minutes and cost $24.99. Got my GS4 on T-Mobile for now.

androidoholic said:
Att can definitely unlock it they just choose not to. Regardless I got mine unlocked today with cellunlocker.net took about 15 minutes and cost $24.99. Got my GS4 on T-Mobile for now.
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Further proof that the unlock code is available!

I was at AT&T. We looked up the information while in the store. If you sign the 2 year contract they will give you the unlock code after 3 months. If you pay full price and go prepaid service you have to wait 6 months before they will give you the code. I read it right from the AT&T's sales reps. tablet.

buyslake said:
I was at AT&T. We looked up the information while in the store. If you sign the 2 year contract they will give you the unlock code after 3 months. If you pay full price and go prepaid service you have to wait 6 months before they will give you the code. I read it right from the AT&T's sales reps. tablet.
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Click to collapse
I've read several accounts of people who recently bought an Att phone at full price and with no contract who where able to unlock their phone through Att. You really have to be vigilant. I just ordered an s4 from amazon and will try to unlock it tomorrow to use with my T-Mobile sim.

I unlocked mine through a code purchased from a website. Not helpful if you're trying to get ATT to do it, but proof it can be done!
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium

C0mbe said:
I unlocked mine through a code purchased from a website. Not helpful if you're trying to get ATT to do it, but proof it can be done!
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
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Click to collapse
I don't know if it's against policy to list the website but if not please let me know. Also, how much did it cost you?

C0mbe said:
I unlocked mine through a code purchased from a website. Not helpful if you're trying to get ATT to do it, but proof it can be done!
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Which website? I am looking to buy an unlock code as well.

androidoholic said:
Att can definitely unlock it they just choose not to. Regardless I got mine unlocked today with cellunlocker.net took about 15 minutes and cost $24.99. Got my GS4 on T-Mobile for now.
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Click to collapse
Great to know.
Stroked from my Dirty Nocturnal'd Galaxy S4

buyslake said:
I was at AT&T. We looked up the information while in the store. If you sign the 2 year contract they will give you the unlock code after 3 months. If you pay full price and go prepaid service you have to wait 6 months before they will give you the code. I read it right from the AT&T's sales reps. tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if we're buying this full price as a gift? Sighs, would they give unlock code?

If you unlock using a code bought from one of this website offering this kind of service would it be a permanent unlock? You won't have any problem updating firmwares, OS, or anything?

buyslake said:
I was at AT&T. We looked up the information while in the store. If you sign the 2 year contract they will give you the unlock code after 3 months. If you pay full price and go prepaid service you have to wait 6 months before they will give you the code. I read it right from the AT&T's sales reps. tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DropZite said:
If you unlock using a code bought from one of this website offering this kind of service would it be a permanent unlock? You won't have any problem updating firmwares, OS, or anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is SIM unlock (to be used on multiple carriers), will have nothing whatsoever on the firmwares or OS.

Has anyone tried using the unlock method that wlrked on the note 2 and s3?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

ktetreault14 said:
Has anyone tried using the unlock method that wlrked on the note 2 and s3?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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Since it requires 4.1.1, there will be no luck on 4.2.2.

[Q] Month-to-Month and off-contract

Hey guys,
Just wanted to ask if anyone knows whether AT&T's "month-to-month" means that you have to activate the phone, with a new plan, on AT&T only. I talked to a Verizon rep yesterday and unfortunately that's true with VZW (so I can't pay the full price and run away, i have to open a new line with them).
The good news is that "all of [their] 4G phones are sim-unlocked" (quoting Verizon rep here). But what's the good in that if I have to start a line of service with them?
Can someone ask for me pretty please (AT&T's live chat is for their customers only)?
This would be rather annoying; i'd prefer not to buy the Canadian version because I'd have to wait for everything to be confirmed compatible.
1) AT&T's has a back mic that no one else has. SUPRISE!
2) TMO's has a 2.4MP front vs 2.1MP for all other versions?? SUPRISE!
3) I'm not going to even mention Verizon's.
4) F320 G2s are veryyyyy expensive on the web and so far don't have much support here.
5) Telling from the above, the Canadian D803 is probably going to come up with another surprise of its own.
Thanks.

I'm not sure what you're asking. If you want this phone at a subsidized price, you have to be on a contract with one of the providers that have the G2. If you want to buy it outright you can buy it anywhere for full retail price. You don't have to be a customer to pick up the G2 at full retail price. Or at least I don't think you do. Then you can use whatever carrier you want so long as the hardware is compatible with the carrier (for example, straight talk would work in an at&t G2 or an unlocked Verizon G2, I believe). What are you asking, more specifically?
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

colbyfink said:
I'm not sure what you're asking. If you want this phone at a subsidized price, you have to be on a contract with one of the providers that have the G2. If you want to buy it outright you can buy it anywhere for full retail price. You don't have to be a customer to pick up the G2 at full retail price. Or at least I don't think you do. Then you can use whatever carrier you want so long as the hardware is compatible with the carrier (for example, straight talk would work in an at&t G2 or an unlocked Verizon G2, I believe). What are you asking, more specifically?
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Ok. Let's just say I want to buy the Verizon G2. I need to know if I can pay $600 up front at a store, then take it back to Canada to put it on TELUS. What Verizon is telling me is that I have to open a line with them (I'm guessing for one month) first, basically activate it with Verizon first.
I need to know if this is true or just BS, and if AT&T does the same.

They may have changed the rules to be that way but I've never known at&t to do that.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Your buying the phone. Not service
When you open the line you open a contract unless prepaid.when you open a contraxt you should not be paying full price for the phone. When you buy the phone at full price its yours. You do what you want. I buy full price phone all the time. And i dont even need a account with thrm. Go in ask for the phone and say device only . Your buying the hardware
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

jason4962 said:
Your buying the phone. Not service
When you open the line you open a contract unless prepaid.when you open a contraxt you should not be paying full price for the phone. When you buy the phone at full price its yours. You do what you want. I buy full price phone all the time. And i dont even need a account with thrm. Go in ask for the phone and say device only . Your buying the hardware
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Thanks man. I'll do that.

jason4962 said:
Your buying the phone. Not service
When you open the line you open a contract unless prepaid.when you open a contraxt you should not be paying full price for the phone. When you buy the phone at full price its yours. You do what you want. I buy full price phone all the time. And i dont even need a account with thrm. Go in ask for the phone and say device only . Your buying the hardware
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Oh but one more question though, will they unlock it for me right then and there? What about AT&T?

Verizon usually makes all of their devices unlocked out of the box if they have GSM radios. At&t may unlock it or may not. If they don't there is a website that I saw in the General section that will unlock the G2 for a few dollars.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

colbyfink said:
Verizon usually makes all of their devices unlocked out of the box if they have GSM radios. At&t may unlock it or may not. If they don't there is a website that I saw in the General section that will unlock the G2 for a few dollars.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Isn't that illegal in the US though?

Bit of a grey area. The sites are still around and functional so I guess there is a reason they aren't closed down.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Full retail price AT&T Note 3 Sim Unlock

My Note 3 was paid in full. I called AT&T yesterday and talked with 3 representatives.
The 1st one told me to wait a year till the end of my contract and hung me up.
The 2nd one told me to wait at least 60 days and hung me up.
The 3rd one told me to contact with Samsung to unlock. I gave him an earful and he setup a "high priority case" for getting me the unlock code.
This morning, I got the code and successfully unlock my Note 3......

reddream1893 said:
My Note 3 was paid in full. I called AT&T yesterday and talked with 3 representatives.
The 1st one told me to wait a year till the end of my contract and hung me up.
The 2nd one told me to wait at least 60 days and hung me up.
The 3rd one told me to contact with Samsung to unlock. I gave him an earful and he setup a "high priority case" for getting me the unlock code.
This morning, I got the code and successfully unlock my Note 3......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am not having great luck getting mine unlocked. did you go through a certain phone number or anything like that?

so the purpose of the code is to unlock the phone and be able to use with other carriers. My belief was that if you buy a phone full price, it would be automatically unlocked? Isn't that so?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

I bought mine "unlocked" at full price. I dont trust att. How does one know for sure it is unlocked? I am using a Straight Talk SIM but that runs on att system.
kraz
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

tristanstewart said:
i am not having great luck getting mine unlocked. did you go through a certain phone number or anything like that?
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Click to collapse
i just called 611

privatewarrior1 said:
so the purpose of the code is to unlock the phone and be able to use with other carriers. My belief was that if you buy a phone full price, it would be automatically unlocked? Isn't that so?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
No. Even with full price, the phone is locked. AT&T style.

krazman325 said:
I bought mine "unlocked" at full price. I dont trust att. How does one know for sure it is unlocked? I am using a Straight Talk SIM but that runs on att system.
kraz
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Actually it doesn't say "unlocked". It just says "no contract". It's still locked.

reddream1893 said:
Actually it doesn't say "unlocked". It just says "no contract". It's still locked.
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Click to collapse
Where on the N3 does it say "no contract"? If you are referring to the purchase ad, I bought it from amazon and it said "unlocked".
kraz
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Buying a phone from At&t at full price DOES NOT mean its unlocked. I bought two Note 3's, one full priced (from At&t Next) and one on contract.
Called the next day for unlock codes, the woman told me to call in 15 days and only the one that was paid in full could be unlocked. They just didnt have the codes in the system. I've been with At&t a few years now and my account is in good standing. Usually after a month or so I call and they give me the unlock, contract or not. But I just went ahead and ran chanfire's unlock app and it worked. Both phones unlocked. Much easier than having to hassle with At&t. I'm on At&t so I really dont care/need the unlock. But its nice to have I guess.

tyiphius said:
Buying a phone from At&t at full price DOES NOT mean its unlocked. I bought two Note 3's, one full priced (from At&t Next) and one on contract.
Called the next day for unlock codes, the woman told me to call in 15 days and only the one that was paid in full could be unlocked. They just didnt have the codes in the system. I've been with At&t a few years now and my account is in good standing. Usually after a month or so I call and they give me the unlock, contract or not. But I just went ahead and ran chanfire's unlock app and it worked. Both phones unlocked. Much easier than having to hassle with At&t. I'm on At&t so I really dont care/need the unlock. But its nice to have I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats kind of how things went for me. in the past ive called in for an unlock and got it though those other times were after id had the phone for awhile.
this time the first person said to go to the unlock site and request it and if it was denied to call back and try another route. theyd look over my account history and all that stuff in that case. anyways, on the unlock site as soon as i put in my imei number it said it couldnt be done. i called in and the person i talked to this time said something about the unlock codes not being in the system. he sounded sincere about it and it made sense, but to be honest i really didnt believe it. i just didnt see why they wouldnt have them. in the end i ran the unlock app and its been going fine since saturday.

I have a question, If I have an Note 3 from AT&T and unlock the Note 3 and has been reported lost, I can use it with Straight Talk?

DaNnY549 said:
I have a question, If I have an Note 3 from AT&T and unlock the Note 3 and has been reported lost, I can use it with Straight Talk?
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If its "reported lost" why do YOU have it? And why are you trying to use it?
kraz
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

DaNnY549 said:
I have a question, If I have an Note 3 from AT&T and unlock the Note 3 and has been reported lost, I can use it with Straight Talk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone will be back listed with At&t. Pretty much it won't be able to be activated on At&t again. If it's unlocked it should work. However, I have seen some stores check the phone's IMEI status and they only take phone's with clean a IMEI/ESN.
But you've already given the impression that you are guilty of some suspicious activity with that post. Just be careful, and always stay legit!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

I just asking because I have a bussiness with my Phone! I have Insurance and you know.... I have a person interested in My phone... THanks anyway

Any at&t phone with a sim card will work with straight talk. Ive had straight talk for over a year now. Couldnt b happier!! Anyways, im buying the N3 at full retail on wednesday, from AT&T, and i know for a fact it will work on straight talk. AT&T is offering white and black correct? Im going with the white. ?
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

zounduser said:
Any at&t phone with a sim card will work with straight talk. Ive had straight talk for over a year now. Couldnt b happier!! Anyways, im buying the N3 at full retail on wednesday, from AT&T, and i know for a fact it will work on straight talk. AT&T is offering white and black correct? Im going with the white. ?
Sent from my HTC Butterfly s using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Works just fine on Straight Talk. I've been using it for a week or two...
What the previous poster said about it working on AT&T if the phone has been reported lost. If its an AT&T based MVNO such as Straight Talk, Net10, AIO, or Go Phone running on the AT&T network a lost and blacklisted phone WILL NOT work even if it's unlocked. You shouldn't have any problems using it on T-Mobile or using a T-Mobile based Straight Talk card since AT&T and T-Mobile aren't sharing blacklisted IMEI's.
And about those "lost" phones... Nothing sketchy there at all.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

reddream1893 said:
My Note 3 was paid in full. I called AT&T yesterday and talked with 3 representatives.
The 1st one told me to wait a year till the end of my contract and hung me up.
The 2nd one told me to wait at least 60 days and hung me up.
The 3rd one told me to contact with Samsung to unlock. I gave him an earful and he setup a "high priority case" for getting me the unlock code.
This morning, I got the code and successfully unlock my Note 3......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will it work if you upgraded to SM-900A for Sim Unlock to any carrier??? Will they do it you think vs you paid full price??

Sim Unlock
There's SIM unlock instructions from other post in General section, just root the phone and use Chainfire's Region Lock Away. And its free.
Please keep in mind, once you root your phone ISIS mobile wallet will not work... Which is fine, I don't use it enough to care about it.
---------- Post added at 05:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------
Here are the links to SIM unlock from this XDA developers, please thanks them for their hard work.
ROOT instructions:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2475552
Region Lock Away - will also unlock carrier - Confirmed on 2 Note 3s on AT&T.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2470551
Please thanks if I've helped in any ways.
If your phone is reported "lost or stolen" it will be blacklist from the original carrier and eventually to all US carriers.

ATT for cricket?

im going to buy an s8+ but kinda impatient to wait till the 9th for unlocked version lol. was wondering if i can get the att version and work with cricket with no issues and if att will unlock my phone since im paying full price

It'll work no problem. You'd have to find a buddy on att and buy it out right for you and you give them the money. They won't let you buy it if you don't have an att account
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

osmosizzz said:
It'll work no problem. You'd have to find a buddy on att and buy it out right for you and you give them the money. They won't let you buy it if you don't have an att account
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Buying it on Samsung won't work?

954wrecker said:
Buying it on Samsung won't work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure. You can try it out
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

You can buy it at Best buy or Samsung at full price and just use your cricket sim card it should work fine. Plus I wouldn't trust the unlocked versions due to how they handled the updates last year (although I don't know if buying an at&t variant will guarantee you updates). I preordered mine from Best buy and had no issues. Plus I have bought at&t phones from Best buy before with no problems, I just tell them I am buying it in full and won't be using a provider. Hope that helped!

ANY ATT phone works on cricket service. Reason is, its handled by ATT. No unlock needed.
So long as its not on any black lists.
Also keep in mind. Cricket is getting the S8 on its own too. Just go into the store .