chipmcd

(noob here still. Really wasn't sure where to place this in the forums, I figured here has to be the place with the most knowledgeable users.)

I've settled on getting an unlocked i717 and using it with T-Mobile. Seen all the rooting stuff and read about changing the radios to get the 4G working. Cool!

I've found a seller on Amazon that has a new, unlocked, AT&T branded Note. I've also read about the insurance scam/fraud where people would report phones as lost or stolen after the sale and gettnig a replacement phone for a nominal fee and the original phone, that some unsuspecting buyer now owns, gets blacklisted and shut down. I know there are unbranded Notes that are factory unlocked. My question is would AT&T do a carrier unlock for one of their branded Notes that was never put into circulation (without a subscriber or an account holder - that way no one could claim it as lost or stolen)? Would they ever sell one of their phones without a contract? If they would then, I should have less worries about that phone getting blacklisted down the road, correct? It just seems odd to me to have a carrier unlocked phone that is supposedly brand new. I've read that carriers usually gave out unlock codes to people when they where off contract or after a certain amount of time passing from purchase.

I guess this would all be moot if the seller just uses a third party unlocking service though.

cougar214

Cell carriers sell their phones all the time. Look at the carriers page for their phones. You will see a price for the phone with and without a contract. In ATT case, the phone would cost you about $650 without a contract. And yes, they would give you the unlock code for it should you buy the phone "off contract".

However, your main concern is getting a phone that has been blacklisted because its been reported as lost/stolen, which is a highly valid concern because it happens all the time. And carriers don't care about it being sold, who has it, etc. If it's blacklisted then that puppy will never see service again. But that doesn't include phones that have been network unlocked.

What it all comes down to is honesty. If the seller is on the up and up and has a good sell rating then I wouldn't be concerned about it. And lets not forget, this is Amazon yer talking about. Amazon doesn't play games when it comes to scams or fraud. They will prosecute because it's their name on the line here. Something may have been sold by one particular person, but it's still going through Amazon to do it.

Hope this eases your mind a bit.

P:S I have the ATT branded Note. Bought off contract. ATT gave me the code to unlock it.

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Last edited by cougar214; December 4th, 2012 at 12:20 PM.

chipmcd

I must be looking in the wrong place then. On AT&T's site for the Note I only saw three prices associated to length of contract, the lowest prices going to a 2 year commitment while the highest price $599 going to a month to month plan. (Samsung Galaxy Note - Carbon Blue cell phone from AT&T)

My concern is buying that phone from an Amazon seller, having it work for say a few months then, have it get blacklisted. I guess I'll have to contact Amazon and find out what their position is on that situation.

On another forum, I asked why there couldn't be a "whitelist" that acts as a chain of title like real estate and show legal ownership through documented transfer. Or more simply, the process would be like registering a car on a centralized list.

colnago

FWIW, I paid full price for an at&t branded Atrix HD. Called several times, and could not get the unlock code, despite being given the codes for other phones. I was told that there was an "8 month wait".

There is an unlock method, which does not involve a security code, going around for the Note 2...there could be one that the seller used for this phone.

chipmcd

Hey thanks colnago. I remember that situation from another thread I had. Thanks for helping me out with that one too. Thanks for the info on that new unlock method. But this guy only had the orig Note. Not sure if I wanna drop 8 bones on a Note 2 yet. I'll see if Las Vegas will let me get a Note 2 after I get back in a couple of weeks. Right now, the money for a Note is staying home