Tutor
•
2 Messages
AT&T refusing to unlock phone. What to do?
I paid off my phone in order to reduce my monthly bill. As a matter of principal, I requested that my phone be unlocked. Their online system says that I did NOT pay of my phone and refuses to unlock it, even though my account says "under no contract". I have called customer service everyday since and they keep submitting trouble tickets "on my behalf" and everyday I receive emails saying the ticket has been closed because my phone isn't payed off, even though the rep says that they put in the comments that the account IS payed off.
I can find no way to escalate this issue within at&t itself. I am filing a dispute with the CC company, but only because i seem to have no other recourse.
My intent wasn't to move away from AT&T, but now, they are making it very hard to stay a customer.
Does anyone know of a "back door" to a higher level of customer service inside at&t ???
Mensan
Tutor
•
2 Messages
7 years ago
Issue resolved.
My advise to anyone... use social media.
One of their people, who monitors the social media channels, called me fixed in 20 minutes what 4 phone and 1 chat rep couldn't do in 4 days.
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
118.4K Messages
7 years ago
If has been ouR experience that until your new bill shows the paid off Next installment agreement, the computer portal does not see the phone as paid off.
Once new bill comes out, the phone can be unlocked.
If you want it unlocked sooner, you have to go through hoops.
There are significant problems with the portal. Either over taxed or just malfunctioning.
If your phone is paid off, and you owe nothing to ATT, you can get unlocked. But no promises as to how easy.
0
0
Gary L
ACE - Expert
•
16.5K Messages
7 years ago
@Mensan And if it's in the first two weeks after paying it off, it's overly difficult sometimes.
If you're not in a rush to unlock it just wait until both those have past and try again.
0
0
saortega
Tutor
•
2 Messages
7 years ago
ATT is unbelievable. They refuse to unlock 2 of our 4 phones. They agreed to unlock all, then when we switched to T-Mobile moved 2 lines, now all of a sudden 2 cannot be moved. My youngest son has an iPhone 5 - super old and paid off years ago. Suddenly his phone and my husband's phone (iphone6) are both under some mysterious contract that we can only get out of by paying $250. We have spoken to ATT no less than 5 times. Each time we were told it was approved and would clear in 15-10 minutes. Six hours later we talk to yet another "supervisor" who refuses to help, and even accused of trying to get something like "others" have done illegally. He even said we could "google' ways to get out a contract with ATT and that is why we now are being charged $250. Did I mention we were customers for 10+ years. This is exactly why we are leaving and I feel they are criminal in the manner in which this has been handled.
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
118.4K Messages
7 years ago
@saortega
What is the $250? Your service bill? ETF on other phones? ATT will let you unlock when your bill is $0.
0
saortega
Tutor
•
2 Messages
7 years ago
each month. So earlier today they told me they would be unlocked. Now 6
hours later mysteriously the two phones that they refuse to unlock are
under contract....even though they were paid off long ago. I am now stuck
between T Mobile and ATT....2 lines have been moved and now I can't move
the other 2. I have no idea how to resolve the issue...and I refuse to pay
$250. My biggest issue is that 4 people told me it was unlocked, but now
this last "supervisor" states I am lying. I asked him to check the phone
records - when you call it says the call is monitor for quality assurance.
0
Leocamp
Contributor
•
2 Messages
6 years ago
Wow, this is the exact same thing that is happening to me. It's like they are trained to just give you the runaround so that you can't cancel your service without purchasing new phones from somewhere else. I have never experiences such a unethical situation. I will go to find a new carrier immediately, purchase my new phones and cancel my at&t service! I will then pursue getting reimbursement for the new phones I was forced to buy since AT&T wont unlock my paid for phones. Boy am I glad I just spend two and a half years with a company that dosen't care one bit about the people it is serving. It is my right to change carriers and it is my right to be able to use my phones that are paid for! I have waited 1 week to have this issue resolved and was just now told I had to wait another 3 to 4 weeks.!
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
118.4K Messages
6 years ago
Unless you pay off and unlock phones BEFORE you switch, your phones remain locked, legitimately, until your final bill is paid. You can complain the the FCC, but the CTIA agreement is on ATT’s side in every way.
0
0
Leocamp
Contributor
•
2 Messages
6 years ago
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
118.4K Messages
6 years ago
@Leocamp
I dont think your reading my post.... Once you cancel service, ATT will not unlock any phones until you owe them nothing for service as well as phones.
You have to unlock phones BEFORE you leave.
ATT has every right to do this.
0
0