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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Hi there,
We applied a credit
Good news. We applied a Activation fee credit to your Wireless account.
Here are the details:
Service: Wireless
Account ending in: XXXX
Account owner: [Name]
Credit Info
Charge credited: Activation fee
Date applied: Jun. 06, 2025
Sign in to your online account and check your bill. It'll be under Payments & credits in the Make a payment section.
Thanks for choosing us,
AT&T
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?
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? 😄
You go to an ATT store and give your info to see if they have an account. If not you can open one and try your luck. If it says paid off you are good to go with SIM swap unlock and account cancellation. If it says you owe, then you can pay it off. But make sure there is not another account already created for you. You don't have to mention Walmart device plan purchase etc
Hi there,
We applied a credit
Good news. We applied a Activation fee credit to your Wireless account.
Here are the details:
Service: Wireless
Account ending in: XXXX
Account owner: [Name]
Credit Info
Charge credited: Activation fee
Date applied: Jun. 06, 2025
Sign in to your online account and check your bill. It'll be under Payments & credits in the Make a payment section.
Thanks for choosing us,
AT&T
Hope things will get resolved then in the next bill.
I used the same email id to order the s24 plus for my wife this time. Could that be a problem? I am able to log into that account but it's totally empty as I removed the account too. So, I believe I need to provide that email id at the AT&T store, am I right? I'm curious what other info they might need.
I used the same email id to order the s24 plus for my wife this time. Could that be a problem? I am able to log into that account but it's totally empty as I removed the account too. So, I believe I need to provide that email id at the AT&T store, am I right? I'm curious what other info they might need.
Yeah, you can say you were trying to add a line for your wife but somehow that did not work so they can create a line for you on that account and activate the new phone on it. You do have to verify that there is not an existing line on that account or any ATT account with that info.
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Doesn't look like this is due to the expected "not paid off yet" messages.
Any pointers?
Also, do really need to wait for 24 hours before requesting unlock again?
"As per checking here there is account ending on 2357 but it was tentative means it was not yet activated when you accept the terms and condition for this account may i ask if you still remember the number you input to accept the terms and condition. as long the account is not activated the account will remain tentative."
I asked her what would happen if I don't return the phone to Walmart. She said that at the end of 60 days, I'll get a bill in my email asking me to payoff the device. I asked how much would that amount be. She said $999!!!! So I guess it's better to return the phone? Please advise.
Verizon sometimes have delay in linking eSIM to phones. Call to CS. They will help you to create account.
I thought the same but Verizon linked my dpp and sent out the esim about a week later after my order arrived. No free phone for me.
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Yeah, same here. Did you payoff the device and closed the line?
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