(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.
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.