I saw BB dropped the price of S24 while I was clicking on it.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sams...Id=6570968
S24 128: $549
S24+ 256: $699
S24 Ultra: $899
If you don't want to try your luck with the SIM swap method to get the ATT version unlocked, then you can choose the unlocked S24 and then connect to ATT for $599 and then cancel the account.
Read on how to unlock the ATT phone after which you can cancel the line to avoid any fees
1. There are two timelines for the cancellation. If you cancel a line before 3 days it was active then the activation fee is waived. If you cancel it within 14 days from activation under buyers remorse then no bill is charged but activation fees need to be paid. The line activates on right when you place the order not the day you receive the phone on hand so you might have to pay the activation fee of $35.
2. You can use a tello/Google viice number and port to ATT but you would have to make sure porting is successful by going to
https://www.att.com/portstatus/.
3. You can use SIM swap method method to unlock the device.
4. When you receive the phone activate it on ATT with the SIM provided. Make sure it shows up on myATT app/in the web so ATT knows and registers the IMEI in the network. Then put the SIM in another unlocked phone, reboot, make some calls and make sure this unlocked phone is now showing under the line in app/web portal.
5. Now go to ATT unlock portal
https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/ and then choose not an ATT customer and use the IMEI of s24 and submit an unlock request.
6.Confirm the unlock request email and receive the unlock code.
7. Only cancel the line after you have unlocked the phone.
Then after unlocking if you are feeling adventurous and want to flash the phone to an unlocked firmware to get rid of ATT bloat you can follow these steps. It's actually very easy to do with Odin.
1. There are many models of s24U but in US two models are imp. S928U is carrier locked version and S928U1 is the unlocked US version. The firmware for these versions are interchangeable so you can flash the ATT model with S918U1 firmware.
2. Download patched odin v3.14.1_3B_PatchedD.zip from
https://xdaforums.com/t/patched-o...1.3762572/ as regular odin does not allow flashing mismatched firmware.
3. Download the firmware from S928U1 XAA version from
https://samfw.com/firmware/SM-S92...U1UEU1AXB7 Extract as there will be multiple files.
4. Connect S24U to the windows PC. Make sure developer mode is turned on in the phone.
5 .Put s24u in download/recovery/odin mode. Power down. Press Volume up and down together and then press Volume up to go into recovery (a green screen would appear).
6. Start odin and then select different files for different categories and then start.
7, It should be now the US unlocked version.
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"Put s24u in download/recovery/odin mode."
"Put s24u in download/recovery/odin mode."
https://www.galaxys24ul
My last hiccup, I have Odin launched but no idea what to do now with this step:
6. Start odin and then select different files for different categories and then start.
edit should I just drag and drop the files into Odin?
My last hiccup, I have Odin launched but no idea what to do now with this step:
6. Start odin and then select different files for different categories and then start.
edit should I just drag and drop the files into Odin?
Once you extract the firmware three will be different files named like the buttons you see in the Odin like AP, BL, HOME_CSC, choose the matching files there.
Also "Userdata" remained blank on Odin, not sure if there's a reason for this?
edit should i "check" the box anyways ?
edit 2: looked it up, guess I don't need it.
Clicked start to run Odin but nothing seems to be happening >.<
edit 3: had to replug in after odin was loaded with files.
It worked, but I'm not sure it worked correctly because the ATT folder is still on the phone along with all the bloatware pre-installed
last edit- factory reset after flashing seems to have solved all problems
Thanks again gadgetNerd and good luck to all others
Also "Userdata" remained blank on Odin, not sure if there's a reason for this?
edit should i "check" the box anyways ?
edit 2: looked it up, guess I don't need it.
Clicked start to run Odin but nothing seems to be happening >.<
edit 3: had to replug in after odin was loaded with files.
It worked, but I'm not sure it worked correctly because the ATT folder is still on the phone along with all the bloatware pre-installed
last edit- factory reset after flashing seems to have solved all problems
Thanks again gadgetNerd and good luck to all others
Glad it worked out well!
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There should not be any line under the account.
I do have another question: Could you provide some pros/cons of flashing the firmware?
My main concern is doing it incorrectly, what risks are there?
Additionally, if there would be any long term negative effects?
Lastly, what's the downside of just keeping the ATT firmware?
What is Sim swap? I have inactive Sim and another locked phone and installment plan. Sim that came with phone is not activated.
This has been working for a long time now. ATT does not care if you unlock a device by fooling the system that a phone you are unlocking is not associated with an account you just created. They care about you cancelling your service. So to that end, you might end up getting a bill which you can voided by the policy and steps I mentioned the wiki.
I went for S24 256gigs AT&T (wanted a small phone). Got a Google Voice phone number, paid $3 to unlock, used that to purchase phone entirely online. Shipping took ~2 days (ordered sunday, delivered Tuesday morning).
Unlocking
Got phone, popped in ATT sim and set up. Popped sim out and put into my old unlocked phone then started refreshing the ATT page. Took ~ 1 hour until old phone showed up on my ATT account. Applied for unlock online (make sure to select not an ATT customer). unlock was approved and unlock code sent out in ~10 minutes. Popped my old sim into new phone (mint mobile sim) prompted for unlock code, typed it in everything worked.
Cancelling plan
Went on ATT chat same day and just told them I don't want my ATT account anymore. Think I got lucky and rep was pretty helpful, process took maybe 15 minutes total. They asked me why I wanted to cancel, I basically just said I didn't want the plan and they didn't prompt any further.
So far a week later, balance is showing up as $0 on my ATT account so will keep an eye on it but looks like I might not even need to contact support again to clear out the 3 day charge.
Thanks again OP!