A guy who runs a mobile device repair shop says that he handles many Apple warranty swap devices. He says that he has noticed a pattern from AT&T about something that the repair shop owner calls “Beyond frustrating.” He adds that it “feels straight-up anti-consumer.” He notes that AT&T warranty replacement devices for the iPhone 13 series through the iPhone 15 series unlock instantly. When activated on a postpaid line and submitted through the carrier’s portal, within minutes, they are “free and clear.”
AT&T appears to be making it harder for iPhone 16 units to get unlocked
This is different than the experience that AT&T is giving warranty replacement units for the iPhone 16 series, according to the mobile device repair shop owner, who has a Reddit username of SnooMacaroons3760 and claims thatAT&T is blocking the iPhone 16 series warranty replacements from getting unlocked. These phones have clean IMEI numbers. Those are the unique numbers given to each smartphone unit, and a clean number meant that a particular phone was not reported as lost or stolen and could be more easily unlocked than a device that has been flagged.
However, despite these phones having a clean IMEI, AT&T prevented them from getting unlocked. The repair shop owner said that he recalls being on three-way support calls that resulted in Apple’s Senior Advisors schooling AT&T’s own senior support staff on the FCC’s requirements on when a phone could be unlocked. He went on to say that only after hours of wasting time and making lame arguments, would AT&T realize that it was wrong and press the button to unlock a particular phone.
This isn’t an accident, according to SnooMacaroons3760, who says, “It looks like AT&T is intentionally stonewalling Series 16 warranty-swap unlocks to make the process miserable for customers. That’s not just bad service — it’s a direct violation of FCC rules and a blatant anti-consumer practice.”
Why AT&T would block iPhone 16 warranty replacements from getting unlocked
AT&T might seek to block its customers from unlocking an iPhone 16 warranty replacement model because it could retain a customer who might take his replacement iPhone 16 model and move to another carrier. In that case, we could say that AT&T’s fear of losing business would keep it from unlocking the device. Similarly, AT&T might want to keep a phone locked so that the customer is forced to meet his obligation to remain with AT&T for 36 months in order to finance his new iPhone on favorable terms.
Should the FCC force carriers to unlock phones earlier?
No. It is not helping low-income buyers. Yes. You should decide what wireless firm to use quickly.
No. It is not helping low-income buyers.
0%
Yes. You should decide what wireless firm to use quickly.
0%
Maybe the most sinister reason for AT&T’s actions with iPhone 16 series owners is that it gives the carrier more leverage over the customer, pretty much assuring him or her that he/she will remain an AT&T customer unable to take his/her unlocked phone to another wireless provider without suffering a major headache.
Forcing carriers to unlock phones earlier might not be in the best interest of all customers
But things aren’t always what they seem. Not all consumers benefit from having phones unlocked early. A former Metro rep explains that the whole business model for MVNOs like Metro, Cricket, and Boost is to sell an older phone at a loss and swim out of the red ink by getting consumers to subscribe for wireless service.
This ex-Metro salesman says that prepaid companies don’t start to profit from a customer until they have had service for 6 months, 12 months for the iPhone at Metro. He adds that if the FCC ends up allowing wireless firms to unlock phones early, the prepaid promotions will disappear, hurting those who need these promotions the most.
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-Reddit user 000host
Think of it this way. If you owned a prepaid firm and you needed a customer to hang around for 6 months to 12 months to turn a profit, would you let customers unlock their devices so quickly so they could move to another wireless provider? The answer, quite obviously, is a resounding no! When you look at things this way, demanding that the FCC force carriers to unlock phones earlier isn’t in the best interest of all consumers since it could lead to the end of those promotions offered by prepaid firms that allow low-income consumers to own a smartphone.
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