Confirmed: AT&T offers complimentary unlock of in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel

Finally. A bit of closure. AT&T has confirmed the long-lived speculation of its policy to unlock in-contract iPhones for our military men and women deployed overseas. To qualify for the complimentary service, active military members must have an account in good standing and provide the carrier with deployment verification -- that's it, no other hoops to jump through.

The revelation was made today as part AT&T's new Device Unlock Portal, which allows off-contract iPhone owners to apply online to have their handsets unlocked. Previously, this unlock service was available only through the carrier's retail outlets, online chat support or by dialing 611. As a quick rehash of the non-military policy, all users -- either current or former AT&T subscribers -- must have completed their contractual obligations to AT&T, and the phone cannot be flagged as lost or stolen. All those eligible should certainly apply for the service, as an unlocked iPhone is infinitely more useful when traveling abroad -- a reality that deployed military members know all too well.

[Military photo via Shutterstock]

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Confirmed: AT&T offers complimentary unlock of in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S III gets SIM unlock option via app

Samsung Galaxy S III gets SIM unlock option via app

Stuck with one carrier with your new superphone? Not for much longer, at least, if you're using the I9300 version of the Galaxy S III and are willing to dabble with some rooting. The app is free, but requires said root access, unlocking your phone baseband and opening up the device to any and all (radio-compatible) SIM cards. Its creator, Supercurio, ensures us that important data is backed-up before the operation, although an automatic restore option isn't yet included in the beta version. Unlock the SIM-swapping potential by hitting up the source below.

Samsung Galaxy S III gets SIM unlock option via app originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T purportedly unlocks in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel

AT&T purportedly unlocks in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel
AT&T has gotten a good amount of attention lately for unlocking off-contract iPhone handsets, but a recent report from MacRumors suggests that the carrier is extending the same privilege to members of the US military currently serving overseas. While we haven't been able to verify the report, we'd like to believe that news of AT&T's goodwill gesture is indeed genuine. Naturally, we're rather curious to know whether this policy extends to AT&T's entire range of handsets. So, if you or a loved one is on active deployment, be sure to give this a try and let us know your experience in the comments below.

[Military photo via Shutterstock]

AT&T purportedly unlocks in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: AT&T now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones

PSA: AT&T now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones
In case you've been living under a rock (or enjoying the weekend holidays), AT&T on Friday revealed its plans to start unlocking out-of-contract iPhones. However, customers looking to take advantage of the deal will have to meet a few requirements first, which include having an account in good standing (so pay those past due fees before inquiring), a fulfilled contract, paid an early termination fee or that a handset upgrade was done. The unlocking process can be achieved at any brick-and-mortar shop, online via chat or by dialing AT&T's 611. For what it's worth, we tried this and found it to be pretty straightforward. In this writer's case, it only took about 40 minutes after the initial approval went through. The most tedious step was that required restore, after which we were greeted with a joyful "congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked" message. Still, users are reporting mixed results: depending on whose account you believe, AT&T is asking users to wait 72 hours, or telling folks the unlock will complete on April 16th. Be sure to let us know in the comments how it's all turning out for you.

PSA: AT&T now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th (update)

AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th
We've just received word of a spicy strategy change, to be enacted this Sunday, that's sure to please the AT&T iPhone-loving masses. On Easter, select Ma' Bell customers with iPhones -- those off-contract with accounts in good standing -- will be able to request a carrier unlock for their device. Once freed, any micro-SIM can be used -- provided its carrier's frequencies are supported -- by the smartphone. An AT&T spokesperson was able to confirm that "a policy change concerning iPhones" would indeed be rolled-out on Sunday, but declined to elaborate further. That sound you hear? International Love, being quietly spun from the corner office of Ralph de la Vega.

[Thanks, John Crawford]

Here's AT&T's official statement on the matter:

Beginning Sunday, April 8, we will offer qualifying customers the ability to unlock their AT&T iPhones. The only requirements are that a customer's account must be in good standing, their device cannot be associated with a current and active term commitment on an AT&T customer account, and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee.

AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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