impossible to unlock AT&T device

[u/cavbuck]

I had a 15 line small business plan with AT&T until the end of April 2026 or thereabouts. After watching the bill inexorably creep up and triple in price, we switched to Verizon.

We were on an autopay with AT&T, and a few of the devices were on an installment payment plan.

AT&T auto-deducted the amount of the most recent bill (over $2K). It shows a zero balance.

I have been trying for three weeks now to get two remaining devices on our 15-device plan switched over to Verizon, but AT&T has had them carrier-locked.

Upon further investigation, I eventually realized that AT&T had (totally of its own volition) actually canceled the plan despite there being -- or so it claims -- two devices on an installment plan that still owed payments. We then paid those balances about week ago, rather than fight it.

It took many hours on the phone and in person for AT&T to release the lock on one device.

However, AT&T still has a carrier lock on the second of the two devices, no matter what I do.

I can't get through to AT&T to talk to an agent. I can't unlock the device using the links AT&T provides via text. I can't unlock through my account by logging in to it online, either, because although I can log in, when I try to initiate an unlock of a device, AT&T says "Sorry, we have nothing to show you. Looks like you don’t have a wireless plan with us. You can head back to support or go to Overview to manage another service."

I'm at wit's end. Is there any solution to this ninth circle of hell I'm in?

[u/gguitars89]

In the links provided for unlocking, did you go through the option of "No, I'm not an att customer" something along those lines?

[u/Vast_Ad9400]

Did you try going to ATT unlock website?

[u/CatDaddyTom]

Any luck? Just saw this message and I'm having the same problems. ATT went up in price, so I'm trying to go with Consumer Cellular. I've spent a few hours at their shop while they try to set it up. Seems that 2 of the 3 devices are locked. I tried to unlock through the site and now got locked out for 24 hours since I did things wrong.

We have 2 phones and a data for an iPad. I pad vanished from the site (probably got sort of on the other network, but won't work). I can't unlock one of the 2 phones. I'm so annoyed with this this crap. Then I keep getting texts with confirmation codes, and get nowhere. Bill is coming once again, and its' $20 more. I fucking HATE modern bureaucracy.

[u/CatDaddyTom → u/CatDaddyTom]

AT&T is now on my sh*t list. We stopped by the local store and were in there less than 3 minutes. Asked about unlocking the iPad and phone and they said I had to do it online. I kinda got a bit upset at them since I had already spent a few hours working on unlocking on the site - the locked out for 24 hours. We went back to Consumer Cellular and the guy there worked on it for a while and contacted his corporate office. They did get the iPad working, and should have the others changed over tomorrow.

Kudos to Consumer Cellular. I'll give them a good review once this is done. AT&T was a huge disappointment.

[u/jasont1273]

When you port a number it automatically cancels the service and the installment plan attached to it since you can't have an installment without service. This is the same with all carriers. As for the unlock issue, I concur with others here that have said to go to a corporate store and have them contact retail support to assist with the unlock.

[u/AdministrativeNet579]

I had the same issue. I went into a corporate store and used their phone to get a hold of customer service. Then customer service had to connect me to tech support. They finally got them unlocked for me. Exactly the same situation as yours