Tim Cook Gets AT&T to Unlock a Customer's iPhone

[tokencode]

The only reason this happened is because AT&T told the customer to jail break. Tim Cook was probably so horrified at AT&Ts suggestion he turned around and made them unlock it.

 

[Guest]

AT&T's position( and that of other U.S. carriers) is a mean, "dog in the manger" attitude. In many countries around the world, it is illegal to sell a locked phone!

 

[del35]

I never thought I could say this, but this is a good step for Apple. Maybe thir next iPhone will have an micro sd slot and run flash and java. That indeed would be a revolutionary change...

 

[del35]

Tmobile is rather open about unlocking phones... They have a pay as you go sim data plan that allows 5gig of 4g service and unlim 3g service for only US $30.

 

[hp79]

"a reader and trusted tipster reached out to us", you mean Apple Marketing?

 

[freggo]

If the provider gives me a free phone it is just fair if they lock the thing to their service.

But . . .

if I pay for it (either upfront or via higher monthly fees) than it is MY phone and -after the contract is fulfilled- I darn well expect to be able to use MY phone with any carrier I wish to switch to.

 

[g00fysmiley]

[citation][nom]dalethepcman[/nom]+1 Apple, -1 AT&T.Although I'm surprised they unlocked it Why not just tell the guy to go buy a new 4s, isn't that the Apple way?[/citation]


preface: I am not an apple fan

I dislike apple, they sell you inferior hardware at a premim price and call it magic, they steal otehr people's ideas and put on a GUI that is restrictive, but csimple enough that non techies can use it, but one thing I will always give to apple is thier customer service. a few family members use apple procudct and so does my sister who livew with me, everytime they have a problem they call apple and it is solved without me having to be the one to fix it fo rthem. for the person who knows little about computers I generally reccomend apple, for those that do i direct to a pc

 

[belardo]

[citation][nom]nitto555rchallenger[/nom]Dear Tim Cook,Can you do me a big favor and stop making all your products so damn expensive. ThanksFrom yours truly, Poor Customer[/citation]
Buy a feature-phone. Buy something within your price-bracket. Android phones start at $1.

[citation][nom]santiagoanders[/nom]More evidence why subsidized locked phone is a stupid idea.[/citation]
Subsidized phones are that... cheaper... that is why most people BUY them. Before my subsidized at&t Samsaung GII phone... I had drop $230 for a SONY international (unlocked) phone. I still use it today, as an alarm clock. Nice thing, no at&t logos or locked crap at&t stuff... more music ring-tones built in. I bought it because it was a slider I wanted, timing didn't allow me to get a subsidized phone and it wasn't available on at&t at all.
A buddy bought an at&t version of my phone. Interface is slightly different looking... but what SUCKED about the at&t version is that the MENU button defaulted to the at&t shop (then you can do messaging, alarms, games, settings, etc)... while on the unlocked version it went to the Messaging Icon, which is used a lot.

My Android phone was $100... much better than spending $400~600 for the unlocked version... it now a free phone.

This fall, I hope at&t will have a Lumina 800 series Windows8 phone (with higher res) for $100~200.

mobilecityonline (excellent service) and other companies sells unlocked phones from around the world... you choice at $200~1000.

 

[wiyosaya]

[citation][nom]A Bad Day[/nom]Or ignore the whining customer, or send him/her on a wild goose chase, like the rest of the tech industry?[/citation]
Or simply tell the customer that he's holding the phone wrong, and if he holds it differently, it will automagically unlock.

 

[jacobdrj]

I do wish we had the European system: Buy a phone. Buy service. There is absolutely no reason 1 should be tied in with the other...

I don't buy a Jeep, and need to get unlock codes from the USA or State of Michigan to use the car in Canada...

 

[house70]

[citation][nom]nitto555rchallenger[/nom]Dear Tim Cook,Can you do me a big favor and stop making all your products so damn expensive. ThanksFrom yours truly, Poor Customer[/citation]
Dear poor Customer,
If you can't afford our products, we don't really need you as a customer.
Besides, making the products cheaper means I would have to take a 2% cut in my bonus.
Can't do that.
Sincerely,
Tim Cook

 

[aoneone]

Are you kidding me? AT&T has one of the worst customer service assistance in America. It takes anyone at least 1 hour to get through a dispatch, let alone the frustrating automated service and the constant transferring to different department.

If you don't believe me, google customer service ratings for AT&T, I think 93 percent of all customers were negative to just 7 percent positive.

It takes you 3 hours to cancel AT&T service. I should know. ^_^

 

[ap3x]

[citation][nom]aoneone[/nom]Are you kidding me? AT&T has one of the worst customer service assistance in America. It takes anyone at least 1 hour to get through a dispatch, let alone the frustrating automated service and the constant transferring to different department.If you don't believe me, google customer service ratings for AT&T, I think 93 percent of all customers were negative to just 7 percent positive. It takes you 3 hours to cancel AT&T service. I should know. ^_^[/citation]

Have to agree with you there. Terrible customer service. T-Mobile supposedly has the best customer service of all the telco's.

 

[pocketdrummer]

Personally, I think all phones should be unlocked when your contract is up. You've paid up, so you should have total ownership of that phone and be able to do with it whatever you want.

 

[rosen380]

...and while they're at it-- if some portion of my phone bill is being used to 'pay' for the subsidy on the phone, and after the contract is up they'll happily give you a brand new phone with a subsidy on it, shouldn't they be reducing your bill once the contract is up?

If there is a $500 subsidy on an iPhone, that is over $20 per month for 24 months. If you opt to keep the same phone for two more years, why should you be paying for another $500 subsidy on it?

 

[f-14]

The story goes that this customer's job saw him reassigned to Canada. Wanting to use his phone in the Great White North, he called AT&T to unlock his phone.

my only hope is that this 'customer' is obama and that would explain the special treatment.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]chumly[/nom]Now do mine. Why is that guy special? What's your email again?[/citation]
tim.cook@evilbastard.hell

 

[__-_-_-__]

this opens a precedent, so if you get relocated AT&T unlocks your iphone? wow I'm predicting a mass "relocation"

 

[bigbaconeater]

[citation][nom]g00fysmiley[/nom]preface: I am not an apple fanI dislike apple, they sell you inferior hardware at a premim price and call it magic, they steal otehr people's ideas and put on a GUI that is restrictive, but csimple enough that non techies can use it, but one thing I will always give to apple is thier customer service. a few family members use apple procudct and so does my sister who livew with me, everytime they have a problem they call apple and it is solved without me having to be the one to fix it fo rthem. for the person who knows little about computers I generally reccomend apple, for those that do i direct to a pc[/citation]

You can't say all inferior hardware. Look at the benchmarks of tegra 3 vs a5x. You can also say that android has stolen MANY ideas.
Yes their model is simplicity and reliability. And it works well. Everyone keeps saying how it's restrictive and closed. Well it's that type of product. It's a free market you DON'T HAVE TO BUY it. It works very well for people who do use it.

 

[hetneo]

Is this a recipe for Foxconn's workers how to get more humane treatment?