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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In my complaint, I just kept it simple. I stated that I had purchased the phone on 3/25. I included the relevant text from the policy (which AT&T did change on 3/28 - if your purchased on or after 3/28 you may be out of luck). I also explained that I tried to go through the proper channels (calling into support after attempting and failing the unlock on their website). I waited the 48 hours that I was quoted for a resolution by AT&T. Resolution didn't come that is why I am escalating to FCC.
While my resolution wasn't fast by any stretch, I did get a call from the Office of the President within 24 hours.
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.
1. Purchased phone on bestbuy via upgrading my auntie phone number on her ATT account
2. Activated the phone by using my friend ATT sim card. So the phone was on another ATT account.
3. I made a few calls with my friend ATT sim
4. Requested Unlock via Portal got error message saying the Fold 3 was activate on another ATT account ( which is my friend account)
5. Removed the sim and inserted into another unlocked iphone and made a few calls and texts.
6. After several hours , I tried unlock and the request was approved almost immediately . During the unlock process, I selected not a customer.
I am one of those customer who for 15 years did not even look at anything AT&T as if they did not exist and now this fiasco. I am as mad at myself and say to myself - What was I thinking.
I also know that its deliberate on part of AT&T to set these kind of traps. It was not a mistake. If it was a mistake this deal would be dead by now. They must be gaining temporary business at the price of losing long term business. Their stock price performance over last 20 years in comparison to T-moble is testament of that. I am not saying all is well at T-mobile but I believe they have definitely made it affordable for average Joe.
I my complaint to FCC I did mention that it is a deliberate strategy on part of AT&T. I also provided them with Slickdeals forum so that they can speak for themselves.
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.
I also know that its deliberate on part of AT&T to set these kind of traps. It was not a mistake. If it was a mistake this deal would be dead by now. They must be gaining temporary business at the price of losing long term business. Their stock price performance over last 20 years in comparison to T-moble is testament of that. I am not saying all is well at T-mobile but I believe they have definitely made it affordable for average Joe.
I my complaint to FCC I did mention that it is a deliberate strategy on part of AT&T. I also provided them with Slickdeals forum so that they can find for themselves.
1. Purchased phone on bestbuy via upgrading my auntie phone number on her ATT account
2. Activated the phone by using my friend ATT sim card. So the phone was on another ATT account.
3. I made a few calls with my friend ATT sim
4. Requested Unlock via Portal got error message saying the Fold 3 was activate on another ATT account ( which is my friend account)
5. Removed the sim and inserted into another unlocked iphone and made a few calls and texts.
6. After several hours , I tried unlock and the request was approved almost immediately . During the unlock process, I selected not a customer.
In my complaint, I just kept it simple. I stated that I had purchased the phone on 3/25. I included the relevant text from the policy (which AT&T did change on 3/28 - if your purchased on or after 3/28 you may be out of luck). I also explained that I tried to go through the proper channels (calling into support after attempting and failing the unlock on their website). I waited the 48 hours that I was quoted for a resolution by AT&T. Resolution didn't come that is why I am escalating to FCC.
While my resolution wasn't fast by any stretch, I did get a call from the Office of the President within 24 hours.
Name of the person from so called AT&T President's office that I spoke to this morning was Ruth. She told me that she has someone from her team looking into the matter.
I bought mine on 03/24. Filed FCC complained last night. By today morning I received the phone call.
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The 2nd, billing CSR, insisted that I owed activation and prorated fee for 4 days since my phone was activated on 03/25 and service cancelled on 03/29 which was past the 3 day period for activation refund. I contested that as it was incorrect.
My timeline:
Thankfully I had made a few calls with the phone# from Tello on 03/28 & 03/29 which came in handy as proof that the # was not ported to AT&T prior to 03/29. I also stated that if AT&T continues to insist that the service was activated on 03/25, I'll present the same facts in my complaint to FCC and my State AG, including the call logs from Tello. The CSR then offered to check further and confirmed that my # was indeed activated on 03/29 and canceled same day so no charge and the bill was zeroe'd out.
If any of you have been charged only for 3-4 days, I would suggest just pay it and don't bother calling. Its not worth the headache. If you are being charged $100+ then its hit or a miss with the CSR's willingness to remove the activation fee. If you ordered delivery through Bestbuy, have your tracking details handy and provide the UPS tracking# so the CSR is clued in to the actual activation date.
The relevant section of AT&T's legal TOS is 2.4.5 which requires AT&T to refund everything (including activation fee) if service is terminated within 3 days. Past that, up-to 14 days, activation fee may or may not be refunded.
AT&T is playing this game very well knowing that everyone will not contest it.
One other recommendation, try to do it through AT&T chat so you can capture the log and have it for your records.
Good luck folks. BTW, like the phone a lot, no issues so far, and am glad that for a change, I can use the operate the phone with a single hand. The Woot deal with the Samsung cover & S-Pen was just in time as well. Not the same as my S22 Ultra with the Pen inside the phone but this one rocks too. Will use it and trade-in for some good offer.
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