https://archive.is/ucvkn
https://web.archive.org/web/20230.../KM1262649
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https://archive.is/ucvkn https://web.archive.org/web/20230223144317/https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1262649
Loved the fold3 but build quality is terrible. Never dropped the phone and after 15 months, there's a black stripe down the middle and the right screen becomes unresponsive to touch. The black stripe became larger and larger. It costs $550 to repair. Many other people reported same issues. Beware.
T-Mobile more expensive and oos already Frown missed it
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Let me save y'all about 4 hours, which is how long it took me to finally get to the right people to make this happen. Here is how I got this handled
I ordered a $5 Tello number, selected e-sim, received number within a few minutes. Make sure to register the pin they give you in the email, it gives you all the port out info access. Theres a code there that is needed to enter in Best Buy portal when you port it over to ATT.
Ported that number in to ATT via Best Buy portal
Picked up phone
Powered on Phone with ATT sim
Finished ALL account creation, including pin number creation etc via ATT email
Spent 3 hours getting tossed around 10 different reps and departments and supervisors via online chat, disconnected multiple times, told no multiple times, etc etc etc.
Don't bother submitting request online for unlock, it will be denied.
Just call technical support, JUST CALL!!! 1800-288-2020. Call from a phone other that the Z Fold 3. Reason you call from other phone is you will want to pop your sim in from other provider to get to the sim unlock prompt while you are on the phone with them. Tell them you need technical support, you may get tossed around one more time, but you WILL get someone that can help you.
Have your link ready that states phones paid in full at purchase can be unlocked without waiting 60 days. I had to legit provide not just the wording, but the exact link. The rep will literally navigate to it and will be super surprised and state that this is the first they've ever heard of this policy and that they always get hassled by the unlock team and ultimately never get the unlock code for the customer.
Have your receipt from Best Buy ready ready to go (I had to legit take pics with my phone and text them to a number they gave me).
After about 10 minutes with the rep, they provided the unlock code.
Make sure to input the unlock code prior to getting transferred over to cancellation department.
Get sent over to cancellation department and submit for cancellation under buyer's remorse policy.
Done and done. Save yourself a lot of time and just call them. I paid $299 plus tax and have a fully unlocked phone on T-mobile with no issues at all. ATT service is shut down, I didn't care about the Tello number, much easier to pay the $5 for a Tello than mess with a number you actually care about keeping. Just cancel the service and it is over and done with.
I obviously can't promise this is gonna work for every single person. I suppose a non-cooperative rep might not wanna go the extra mile for you, but my telephone rep was super helpful and patient. She admitted I had done my diligence with researching the terms and pushed the "unlock team" to help her with the code. YMMV of course, but this worked for me. Just be patient and courteous to the rep. I was frustrated with how long it was taking but you need to acknowledge that each new person you talk to, it is their first interaction with you, they have no idea how long you've been dealing with people. You can avoid a lot of frustration by just calling to start out instead of trying to manage the situation via online chat.
Questions, feel free to ask, perhaps I wasn't completely thorough, but that was basically what I went through. Good luck all.
Port out the line to cancel. Line automatically cancels as soon as the number it ported out (5-10 mins). You can port to Tello for $2.50.
https://slickdeals.net/f/16531969-tello-50-off-selected-plans
These phones are subsidized by the carriers and hoping people would switch or add more lines and stay with them, etc; therefore different carrier may offer different prices.
You can request unlock right away because it's paid in full with no money owed; i.e., no monthly installment,
Yes.
Port out the number to cancel right away (5-10 min, as soon as the number is ported) so that you don't have to deal with rep that doesn't allow you to cancel. You can port to Tello for $2.50.
https://slickdeals.net/f/16531969-tello-50-off-selected-plans
Yes, but you can cancel right away.
I picked up my Fold 3 this morning from bestbuy. ATT variant.
Ordered online with the porting in option as it wouldn't let me order otherwise. Used a random boost mobile number I had and have no intention of porting in a number.
BB didn't ask for anything in store, just gave me the phone and i walked out.
Received att emails after pickup, created account, created ATT PIN, jotted down account number, and saw $60 plan but $0 due.
unboxed and booted with t-mobile sim card, asked for unlock code.
tried to unlock from my att portal, but denied.
tried to unlock using the request unlock website for non att members, but denied via email
Started a chat with att to cancel service and request unlock.
I mentioned having bad service reception in my area and wanted to cancel and wanted to unlock phone to use it for work which was a different provider.
They wanted me to reset the network, but i said not interested just want to cancel.
They also mentioned that i lose my port in number if i cancelled. which was wierd since i never actually ported in the number yet.
Eventually, they said, "Since the total due balance if $0.00 there will be no charges now. Your services with AT&T will be completely shut off."
Then i asked about the network unlock, which they said they sent directly to my phone. Didn't work even though she said it was unlocked on their system. Eventually they provided the unlock code which worked.
Now my fold 3 is cancelled with att service with 0 payments or fees and unlocked so i can use my Tmobile sim.
hope that helps some of ya.
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I was able to port out a couple of days after canceling my service. In suggedt you call in ATT's port-in dept to check what the hold up is.
If they still day it's the bill that is BS.
If you ported in from Tello and have canceled ATT, see what your Tello acct shows. If the phone # is still active on Tello then you have nothing to port back in
Your best bet is to borrow and use a working post-paid ATT sim. Make a couple of calls, see that the ATT account displays Fold3 as the ascribe device and then attempt OTA updates from the phone.If it still fails, then you have to do it offline, using SmartSwitch out Odin.
One other thing you can do is a factory reset and then try OTA update first and SmartSwitch next
Once unlocked I used SmartSwitch to somewhat copy from my V FOLD4 and that took care of the apps, some settings maybe BUT NOT THE OS.
It still says it's at 11 and that the FOLD3 software is up to date.
I even tried leaving my Verizon Sim in it and while using the FOLD3 yesterday with it (and I was able to make calls) but it still said the same thing.
I do see several APPs for ATT remain on the FOLD3, and when the FOLD3 is turned on (not sexually), the ATT logo appears every time. And it registered with VERIZON already even though it doesn't show up as an active cell on my plan.
Anyway other than this ODIN?
I still have a day or so as I have not yet cancelled my ATT service - Maybe I should do that now, or, should I keep that open as an option to "fix things?"
Thank you four your counsel and assistance!
2) Use Odin to flash a carrier unlocked firmware. I listed the instructions couple of pages back.
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"Current status - Denied
We can't unlock your device because your service hasn't been active for at least 60 days. Submit a new unlock request after your service has been active for at least 60 days."
I've got an active at&t account, and have verified that my iphone shows up under manage your devices, not my fold. Any other ideas?
2) Use Odin to flash a carrier unlocked firmware. I listed the instructions couple of pages back.
Notice
Firmware upgrade stopped because SM-F926U has been disconnected. Please check connection and try again.
I tried to reconnect 3 times and it still giving the same message.
Has anyone experienced this ? Any suggestions.
Notice
Firmware upgrade stopped because SM-F926U has been disconnected. Please check connection and try again.
I tried to reconnect 3 times and it still giving the same message.
Has anyone experienced this ? Any suggestions.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sams...0C30R002
For option 2) Using Odin to flash a carrier unlocked firmware, can you perform it using a mac os?
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https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sams...0C30R002
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