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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Wondering what's the right move to solve it quickly without investing a lot of time.
1. Get the activation fee voided instantly if you have not done it already.
2. For the other charges mention buyer's remorse cancellation and charges should be only for prorated days. If they don't budge you can call loyalty dept, if it does not work file a FCC complaint. Also make sure any credit is applied on the current bill.
It's possible it's not working because you are using the same line for two SIM swaps back to back but I would try chatting with another CS again. I don't know of any sure shot way to get past that error. Point them to the policy about 60 days wait but after 60 days you might have to file a FCC complaint to get it unlocked.
You can try with a new post paid line but ATT policy now is 60 days wait and they explicitly say you can unlock it even if you don't have active service so technically https://www.att.com/support/artic...KM10087
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I cancelled the service on day 6 (thanks to AT&T's payment delay) and now I am being charged for 4 days + another month of service. Is that something I can dispute through chat? Also, when disputing the activation fee, does it matter which reason I select? Options were: 1) I was told I wouldn't be charged a fee 2) I shouldn't have to pay this fee 3) I didn't know about this fee
Try again to see if you got a better agent. He will be able to provide you the code to unlock if you did pay the phone (technically, you owned your device). I got the code from online chat agent
2. Whatever option you pick does not matter much. The activation fee will be refunded as an one-time courtesy anyway.
The question is how we are going to get the refund? Our elite member gadgetNerd insists we should push the CSR to give us an instant refund, but I contacted 3 different CSRs through chat and phone call, and I was pretty much advised of the same thing;
a.) if canceled within 3 days no activation fee will be showing on the bill;
b.) if canceled after 3 days, refund will be reflected in the next bill.
If there is a refund issued to a closed account, a refund check will be issued by mail. Not sure whether we need to request such a refund check or it will be an automated process though.
I cancelled the service on day 6 (thanks to AT&T's payment delay) and now I am being charged for 4 days + another month of service. Is that something I can dispute through chat? Also, when disputing the activation fee, does it matter which reason I select? Options were: 1) I was told I wouldn't be charged a fee 2) I shouldn't have to pay this fee 3) I didn't know about this fee
I cancelled the service on day 6 (thanks to AT&T's payment delay) and now I am being charged for 4 days + another month of service. Is that something I can dispute through chat? Also, when disputing the activation fee, does it matter which reason I select? Options were: 1) I was told I wouldn't be charged a fee 2) I shouldn't have to pay this fee 3) I didn't know about this fee
You can choose 2 but does not matter,.it's one time courtesy instant refund.
2. Whatever option you pick does not matter much. The activation fee will be refunded as an one-time courtesy anyway.
The question is how we are going to get the refund? Our elite member gadgetNerd insists we should push the CSR to give us an instant refund, but I contacted 3 different CSRs through chat and phone call, and I was pretty much advised of the same thing;
a.) if canceled within 3 days no activation fee will be showing on the bill;
b.) if canceled after 3 days, refund will be reflected in the next bill.
If there is a refund issued to a closed account, a refund check will be issued by mail. Not sure whether we need to request such a refund check or it will be an automated process though.
So I have done it few times on an existing account by adding (and cancelling) a line. In most cases they did immediate refund, in one case they said credit will be in the next bill,.it didn't come in the next bill and I had to chat to get it refunded right away. In one other instance the credit was applied to next bill as insisted. For an existing account it does not matter much, but for an account which is cancelled I don't know how much you can count on next bill/refund check. It might come but it will be increasing difficult to get a hold of them. But if they don't budge, I think you don't have any other way. You can try to contact loyalty dept if you prefer.
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I was thinking of returning the phone after all this hassle. Should I try my luck and create a new AT&T account at a store and see if I got a free phone? Will they come for me later? 😄
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