From: https://slickdeals.net/f/17077762-at-t-128gb-samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra-5g-w-added-line-or-new-customer-activation-350-35-activation-free-w-free-s-h?v=1&page=9&sr
Unlocking and Flashing to OEM Firmware
1. ATT changed their unlock policy on 3/18 to require 60 days of service before they can unlock a fully paid device. Previously, it used to be right away if you have paid in full.
2. There two timeline 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.
3. You can use a tello number and port to ATT but you would have to make sure porting is successful by going to https://www.att.com/portstatus/. Many from z fold 3 got stuck in porting limbo and got the ATT account cancelled.
4. As with many deals here, a SIM swap method is found which can be used to unlock the device. This was working recently but not sure if ATT would fix it by the time you try it. The steps are as follows.
a. Pay in full for the phone.While your payment will quickly reflect in your account it will be at least a few hours before it updates for the unlock request.
b. 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.
c. Now go to ATT unlock portal https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/ and then choose not an ATT customer and use the IMEI of ATT phone and submit an unlock request.DO NOT attempt more than twice or you will be blocked for 24 hours.
d.Confirm the unlock request email and receive the unlock code.
e. 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 S24 ultra 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 S928U1 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://samfrew.com/model/SM-S928U1/region/XAA/ Extract as there will be multiple files.
4. Connect S24U to the windows PC.
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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ATT requires 60 days active before unlocking the phone. However, there is SIM Swap method which worked well in the past for unlocking paid-off ATT phones right away.
0. Do the following steps after paying off the phone fully and then waiting for a day or so for the unlock portal to get the paid off status.
1. ATT changed their unlock policy on 3/18 to require 60 days of service before they can unlock a fully paid device. Previously, it used to be right away if you have paid in full.
2. There two timeline 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.
3. You can use a tello number and port to ATT but you would have to make sure porting is successful by going to https://www.att.com/portstatus/. Many from z fold 3 got stuck in porting limbo and got the ATT account cancelled.
4. As with many deals here, a SIM swap method is found which can be used to unlock the device. This was working recently but not sure if ATT would fix it by the time you try it. The steps are as follows.
a. Pay in full for the phone.While your payment will quickly reflect in your account it will be at least a few hours before it updates for the unlock request.
b. 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.
c. Now go to ATT unlock portal https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/ and then choose not an ATT customer and use the IMEI of ATT phone and submit an unlock request.DO NOT attempt more than twice or you will be blocked for 24 hours.
d.Confirm the unlock request email and receive the unlock code.
e. 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 s22 ultra but in US two models are imp. S908U is carrier locked version and S908U1 is the unlocked US version. The firmware for these versions are interchangeable so you can flash the ATT model with S908U1 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 S908U1 XAA version from https://samfrew.com/model/SM-S908U1/region/XAA/ Extract as there will be multiple files.
4. Connect S22U to the windows PC.
5 .Put s22u 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.
Finally i received end of 3rd day. it was memorial day holiday when i ordered hence the delay. Was able to cancel it 4th day. Will likely get bill including the activation fee which will see if can get waived . Thanks OP
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Sometimes it's just better to go with a reason that flies under the radar. It looks like some people are being denied the opportunity to pay off the device. So I just want to go prepared.
You are going there to pay the phone off so don't mention cancelling the account. After paying off, you do the cancellation online.
After when the bill comes.
EDIT: You can also do it before if you see the bill already.
Bought Verizon S24 Plus at Walmart Sun 6/8 (paid $22.xx tax).
Verizon created account 6/8
Walmart created label quickly but took time to send it. UPS eventually delivered on Mon 6/16 (8 Days)
Note: I received the monthly bill before phone arrived approx. $107.xx
6/14 after phone arrived, went to Verizon web page and created account and linked phone (it was an eSim on phone)
6/14 made some phone calls to start 60 day countdown timer on phone.
6/14 Went to Verizon corp store to pay off phone. Was an hour wait but only took a few minutes to pay off phone. Verizon rep was going to let me pay by CC but computer system wouldn't let him (under 30 days) so paid cash $360.
6/14 (waited a few hours for computer system to sync even though I had receipt that PPD was paid off and showed $0 on account) and did chat with customer service to disconnect line. Went something like this:
---------
CS: This is NAME, how can I help you?
ME: Hi NAME, I received my new Verizon line and activated it today. I would like to cancel the line under your buyer's remorse policy. The signal is not very good at my house.
CS: (Something about trying steps to improve reception)
ME: No thanks, I think I will just disconnect my line under your buyer's remorse policy
CS: OK (went through steps to disconnect) I had to approve each step.
Line disconnected.
ME: Thank you NAME. Since I used the line for less than 1 day, and I'm canceling under your buyer's remorse policy, can you waive the activation fee?
CS: OK and waived fee.
ME: Do you know what my final balance will be?
CS: $72 (approx.)
ME: That seems kind of high since I used line for less than 1 day
CS: You should receive an adjusted bill in a few days and most of that should be removed.
----------
6/20 Logged into Verizon account (since line disconnected can only see bill under accounts). Final bill $22.02
Now, just need to wait until Aug 15 for phone to unlock.
Final price of phone:
Walmart $22 tax
Verizon $360 Cash
Verizon $22 final bill
Total $404.xx
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It might and hence it's better to do ATT as you can get activation fee voided and unlock instantly but that might be out of stock. See the post above, they are able to get activation fee waived.
Bought Verizon S24 Plus at Walmart Sun 6/8 (paid $22.xx tax).
Verizon created account 6/8
Walmart created label quickly but took time to send it. UPS eventually delivered on Mon 6/16 (8 Days)
Note: I received the monthly bill before phone arrived approx. $107.xx
6/14 after phone arrived, went to Verizon web page and created account and linked phone (it was an eSim on phone)
6/14 made some phone calls to start 60 day countdown timer on phone.
6/14 Went to Verizon corp store to pay off phone. Was an hour wait but only took a few minutes to pay off phone. Verizon rep was going to let me pay by CC but computer system wouldn't let him (under 30 days) so paid cash $360.
6/14 (waited a few hours for computer system to sync even though I had receipt that PPD was paid off and showed $0 on account) and did chat with customer service to disconnect line. Went something like this:
---------
CS: This is NAME, how can I help you?
ME: Hi NAME, I received my new Verizon line and activated it today. I would like to cancel the line under your buyer's remorse policy. The signal is not very good at my house.
CS: (Something about trying steps to improve reception)
ME: No thanks, I think I will just disconnect my line under your buyer's remorse policy
CS: OK (went through steps to disconnect) I had to approve each step.
Line disconnected.
ME: Thank you NAME. Since I used the line for less than 1 day, and I'm canceling under your buyer's remorse policy, can you waive the activation fee?
CS: OK and waived fee.
ME: Do you know what my final balance will be?
CS: $72 (approx.)
ME: That seems kind of high since I used line for less than 1 day
CS: You should receive an adjusted bill in a few days and most of that should be removed.
----------
6/20 Logged into Verizon account (since line disconnected can only see bill under accounts). Final bill $22.02
Now, just need to wait until Aug 15 for phone to unlock.
Final price of phone:
Walmart $22 tax
Verizon $360 Cash
Verizon $22 final bill
Total $404.xx
This is the ideal scenario for this deal with Verizon.
Yep! I did end up flashing the stock ROM, and all is good.
So there is line activation and then there is phone activation. The line is activated before shipping out and your billing starts. The phone activation will happen when you connect your phone to Verizon network which is of course after receiving the phone, this is a must for unlock. The line is created when a Walmart employee scans before shipping out (if you are buying it in store they would scan it right away) which if not done might get you a free phone, you are on the hook for activating it on another new Verizon line etc to start the unlock counter.
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