Common mistake when unlocking an AT&T iPhone 5

[iPutz]

Yesterday I finished the unlock process with AT&T, I followed the instructions that they had e-mailed me the day before but didn't get the "Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked" message. After several more attempts I started searching this forum and the internet and figured out what I did wrong. The instructions e-mailed from AT&T said to wait 24 hours then backup and restore your iPhone to finish the process. In iTunes there are two buttons on that page with the word RESTORE as part of its label, one is right next to the Back Up Now button and the other is in the shaded panel above that next to the Check For Update button. I was using the Restore Backup button not the Restore iPhone button above. As soon as I used the Restore iPhone button the process started and I got the "iPhone unlocked" message part way through the process. This seems to be a common mistake. When I called AT&T later to confirm that the unlock worked I mentioned to the Customer Service rep that they should make the instructions a little more explicit for dummies like me and she said it is a common complaint so I guess I am not the only one to make it.

 

[Europa]

Glad you got it figured out. Thanks for posting that tip. A lot of people probably make the same mistake and clear instructions would help prevent that.

Just curious - after you contacted AT&T and requested the unlock, how long did it take them to unlock it for you?

 

[iPutz]

The whole process took about 24 hours. I called AT&T Tuesday morning, they verified that I qualified for the unlock and a few minutes later, sent me a set of instructions, with the page on their website to go to in order to make the unlock request. I submitted the info requested and got an e-mail back in a few minutes with the Request Number and a set of instructions that said to wait 24 hours before completing the unlock process using iTunes to restore the iPhone. Wednesday, once I figured out the right button to push all went well. Clearer, more concise instructions would have saved me a couple of hours and a lot of aggravation. I am guessing that I probably could have completed the process later in the day on Tuesday and tried twice to do so but was pushing the wrong button.

 

[AdamDaieh]

I think unlocking now is illegal, so AT&T will still unlock my phone?

 

[Europa]

I think unlocking now is illegal, so AT&T will still unlock my phone?

It's only illegal if you purchased it after January 26th and you do it yourself (opposed to having your carrier do it). AT&T will still unlock them if you meet the criteria. Your contract must be fulfilled.

 

[iPutz]

Yesterday I finished the unlock process with AT&T, I followed the instructions that they had e-mailed me the day before but didn't get the "Congratulations, your iPhone is unlocked" message. After several more attempts I started searching this forum and the internet and figured out what I did wrong. The instructions e-mailed from AT&T said to wait 24 hours then backup and restore your iPhone to finish the process. In iTunes there are two buttons on that page with the word RESTORE as part of its label, one is right next to the Back Up Now button and the other is in the shaded panel above that next to the Check For Update button. I was using the Restore Backup button not the Restore iPhone button above. As soon as I used the Restore iPhone button the process started and I got the "iPhone unlocked" message part way through the process. This seems to be a common mistake. When I called AT&T later to confirm that the unlock worked I mentioned to the Customer Service rep that they should make the instructions a little more explicit for dummies like me and she said it is a common complaint so I guess I am not the only one to make it.

Today I went through the same unlock procedure with my iPhone 6 that I did with my iPhone 5 almost two years ago and found that AT&T is still using the identical instructions that they were using two years ago. I'm glad that I remembered the problem I had back then. Even though a lot of people had complained back then about the inaccurate instructions, AT&T still hasn't changed them. A screen shot would make the instructions perfectly clear but apparently they don't want to take the hour of an employee's time to straighten it out. Is AT&T really that cheap or are they just too big to care about their customers?!?!

 

[Europa]

Wait 24 hours and then restore. The congratulations message in iTunes tells you that you're good to go. I don't understand what's so difficult about that.

 

[iPutz]

Quoting my original post from February of 2013:
"The instructions e-mailed from AT&T said to wait 24 hours then backup and restore your iPhone to finish the process. In iTunes there are two buttons on that page with the word RESTORE as part of its label, one is right next to the Back Up Now button and the other is in the shaded panel above that next to the Check For Update button. I was using the Restore Backup button not the Restore iPhone button above. As soon as I used the Restore iPhone button the process started and I got the "iPhone unlocked" message part way through the process."
AT&T's emailed instructions haven't changed nor has the button arrangement or labeling in iTunes, hence my confusion again. While unlocking my iPhone 6, it took a while to remember that when I was unlocking my iPhone 5 I had a problem completing the process and what the solution was. Again, had AT&T's emailed instructions been a little more explicit all confusion would have been avoided. Obviously, my alleged mind isn't what it used to be and I'm sure that I am not alone.