https://archive.is/ucvkn
https://web.archive.org/web/20230.../KM1262649
Code:
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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good luck
3/24 - Place my order. Go through the port process online. Show up at BB right before they close to pick up my phone. They say there is an issue with the port. Can't release the phone until it's resolved. Their phone people are gone for the day.
3/25 - Back to Best Buy. 2.5 hours in store as BB tries to work with AT&T to get this resolved. I eventually leave the store with the phone and waiting for my number to port.
3/26 - Number not ported. Check AT&T and my account is closed. I try to unlock my phone and get the 14 day error on the unlock portal. I call (my first interaction with AT&T). 45 minutes later I am assured that the problem will be resolved. Rep says the request has gone to the "Back office". I will get a ticket number in 24-48 hours. Then another 24 hours for the unlock to be processed. Spoiler - 10 days later and no ticket has been generated.
3/28 - Waited my 48 hours. No response. No interest in starting over again, I file my complaint with the FCC based on the recommendations of those in this thread.
3/29 - Receive a phone call (no email or text like others received) asking me to call back the person from the Office of the President. This was a result of the FCC Complaint. I call back. Get VM. Leave my information and, as per the VM, my preferred time (any time after 2:30 PM).
3/30 - No calls after 24 hours. I call back and leave the same VM but include my working cell number and email.
4/4 - No call back Friday - through Monday. I call on Tuesday (4/4). Get a VM again but this time it doesn't let me leave a message. It just hangs up after saying that the person can't take my call. Frustrated I start an online chat. 45 minutes later I have a new case number and every assurance that the situation will be resolved in 24 hours.
4/5 - I wake up to a response from AT&T. Literally, this is the email "We have finished working on your case number xxxx and the case has been closed." Zero mention of what was done. How it was resolved. Nothing. Fire up the chat again. First rep looks into the system to see the details. He posts "Device Reason: Device DENIED for unlock ; IMEI NOT ACTIVE -IMEI tracked, close case. Email sent to the customer". I ask what this means. He can't answer. He tells me that Tech Support can answer this. It won't be a problem though. I get transferred. That person tells me that chat can't do anything but if I call into 800-331-0500 they will resolve this immediately. Ironically, this is the first number I called 10 days ago. I immediately call. After spending 5 minutes of prompts and holding, the call disconnects because I'm outside their working hours.
Finally, I call my Office the President person back. Of course, get a VM. I ask her to get back to me.
I had a bad experience with Google Fi a couple years ago. Somehow AT&T has managed to top them. I have now spent 5+ hours on this. 1 long phone call, 2 long chats, 4 unreturned phone calls from the Office of the President and 4 reps that have told me that this isn't a big issue and that they would have it resolved.
Kudus to AT&T for figuring out to rise above the rest with the absolute worst customer experience possible. There is no scenario where I would ever consider being their customer again. The level of incompetence is just staggering. That's across their awful process, telephony system, agents on the phone, agents in chat, and the cream of the crop folks over in the Office of the President.
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Once again did these:
1) Put ATT sim into Fold. Made calls, used data, the phone showed in account.
2) Removed sim and inserted into unlocked Iphone Xr. Made calls, data, after an hour iphone appeared in account.
3) Tried to unlock via ATT.com/unlock and got error again: The device you want to unlock is active on another AT&T account. The account owner needs to remove the device from their account first. For assistance, call 800.331.0500.
Damn ATT. Looks like sim swam doesn't work anymore?
Tried to unlock with ATT sim in Fold as current customer via myAtt. Error: you have to be on active service for 60 days until unlock.
I had to reorder my Fold, because first time Best buy or ATT ruined port-in completely. Reordered on 28th March, the date when they changed they policy.
Am I still eligible to get unlock with FCC help?
Talked to Facebook ATT support, chat support,
frightened them that I have to have to file complaint with FCC and they calmly agreed that I can do whatever I want and they don't care.
I am glad the fiasco is over. Still just shaking my head that this took so much time and effort. AT&T has got to know that when they treat people like this they lose customers for life + others who read about it will not stay away.
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