AT&T To Apparently Unlock Off-Contract iPhones Starting Sunday
by Brent Dirks
April 6, 2012
It looks like AT&T wants to keep some of its iPhone-toting customers around a little longer.
As reported by Engadget, starting Sunday, customers who own iPhones who are off-contract and in good standing with Ma Bell can request a carrier unlock. With an unlocked phone, any micro-SIM can be used as long as the frequencies can be accessed by the handset.
So, anyone with an unlocked AT&T iPhone could easily swap in another micro-SIM while traveling abroad to save substantial roaming fees that are common.
This is a big change of policy from AT&T, who was previously against allowing iPhone customers to ever unlock their phones. A cottage industry of services has sprung up to fill the void – often at a substantial cost to desperate consumers.
While AT&T hasn't officially confirmed the information, a spokesperson did tell Engadget that a "policy change regarding iPhones" would start on Sunday. Which is a pretty good sign that the unlocking policy is about to shift.
What do you think about this change of thinking from AT&T? After getting hammered for throttling data plans of unlimited users, is the company wising up and deciding to enact some policies that are actually pro-consumer?