Unlock Code for Nokia Lumia 1520 on AT&T (please help!)

[Dallas Gaston]

I just sold my Nokia Lumia 1520 on ebay and now the winner wants me to get the unlock code. I tried doing it through the website but it won't give it to me. Is it just one code that someone here has and can give me?

Or if I call the customer service number, what do I say to get it?

I need this code bc the funds from this auction were going to go towards a Nokia Lumia 1020. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[Alienhead95]

Every phone has a unique unlock code, so you wont be able to use somebody else's code. Call AT&T and tell them you are traveling overseas and need to use the phone over there. You need the unlock code to do so.

 

[oditius]

It takes a few days to cycle through to get the code. One code doesn't fit all. If you didn't advertise it as "Unlocked" then the buyer has nothing to complain about. Do you still have the phone? If so, you can try the international chat. Tell them you are leaving tomorrow and want to use the phone when you leave. I hear that works sometimes. I just used the page and in about 2 days got an email with the #.

 

[Citizen X]

If you didn't advertise it as "Unlocked" then the buyer has nothing to complain about.

Not necessarily. Ebay is very tricky these days. You can get dinged because your ad wasn't transparent enough. I assume nothing when making ebay ads. I list EVERY feature and restriction of every device I sell. I take pictures of blemishes and make everything clear. You may be able to get away with it but if they file a dispute and win you will be screwed. We are talking a brand new $400+ piece of hardware. I wouldn't monkey around.

Or if I call the customer service number, what do I say to get it?

There is an unlocking web page for at&t. READ it and make sure you qualify under their criteria. If so just use the web page. If not then your only hope is to call in and say you are going on an international trip and need to unlock the device. The problem is if you haven't paid for the device in full up front they will be reluctant to unlock the phone. I usually don't have any problems but my international trips usually happen after I've owned the phone for several months. For example you can't get a contract phone in February and unlock it in March. They will say no almost 100% of the time.

Worst case scenario get the phone back or cancel the sale if you haven't sent it yet and relist it with a better description. Seriously someone will buy it for $400 even if it is locked to at&t.

 

[TheRewardisCheese]

AT&T has severely cracked down on unlocking their phones now, and are now really being consistent with their policy. Back in July of last year, it was pretty easy as along your account was in good standing to get unlock codes. Around Oct of last year, they started cracking the whip. They even managed to put nearly all third party unlockers who provided unlock codes for AT&T phones out of business as for the handful of vendors who claimed they could still get codes, all of a sudden prices for the Iphone and Lumia devices skyrocketed to $150 an up, when they were just $2 - $5 back in Sept 2013.

I have also heard through this site and others that even people who paid full price on their Lumia 1520 and their account is in good standing and have had service for years cannot get the unlock codes. Only an extremely small percentage of people it seems have been able to get their AT&T 1520 unlocked.

 

[drbanks]

I just got an ATT 1520 unlocked through cellunlock.com, but it cost $50 and it was 2 or 3 weeks before they actually delivered the code. It did work, though.

 

[oditius]

Not necessarily. Ebay is very tricky these days. You can get dinged because your ad wasn't transparent enough. I assume nothing when making ebay ads. I list EVERY feature and restriction of every device I sell. I take pictures of blemishes and make everything clear. You may be able to get away with it but if they file a dispute and win you will be screwed. We are talking a brand new $400+ piece of hardware. I wouldn't monkey around.

I have been selling off and on with eBay for years. Sold many phones through them. But fee's become too high, so now I go through Craigslist. No fee's and I can charge what I want and give a big break and still get more than I would off ebay. And the advantage for both is if it is a phone, we can meet at an A&T store. Most of the time we just meet in my office. But it might be a long time before I sell this phone. I might actually wear it out first. LoL

 

[Citizen X]

I have been selling off and on with eBay for years. Sold many phones through them. But fee's become too high, so now I go through Craigslist. No fee's and I can charge what I want and give a big break and still get more than I would off ebay. And the advantage for both is if it is a phone, we can meet at an A&T store. Most of the time we just meet in my office. But it might be a long time before I sell this phone. I might actually wear it out first. LoL

In a word ebay sucks. It's as simple as that. The fees at Paypal and ebay are officially outrageous. I use Craigslist as well now. I haven't sold a phone on Craigslist yet but I have disposed of several electronic items without having to pay a bunch of fees and sit nervously waiting for some scammer to start whining.

 

[alan6101]

Well on Craigslist you get to worry about fake phones and funny money. So I guess pick your poison.

I got my 1520 unlocked through the AT&T unlock website about a week or so ago. It took 3 days I think to get the code back in a email from them. It was a new 1520 purchased on ebay.

 

[Citizen X]

Well on Craigslist you get to worry about fake phones and funny money. So I guess pick your poison.

I sell on Craigslist. I don't purchase. I suppose you could encounter counterfeit money... Personally I've never heard of it happening vs for sure getting screwed on ebay fees.

I still buy some stuff off of ebay. It's fine from the fee point of view if you are purchasing. You don't bear the brunt of the fees. I personally don't buy used phones at all. I tend to buy new from at&t.

No method is perfect but I simply will not continue to pad the wallet of the 1%ers who own ebay stock. Keep giving them your money and keep watching fees go up.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

For when I'm selling on Craigslist I actually keep a specific pen with me for checking the cash, or I meet them at a bank and have them take the money out of the ATM while I'm there.

I usually don't have any issues with people being upset since I mention upfront that I either verify the cash with a pen or am present when they retrieve said cash.

That said I've had better experiences with Craigslist than I have with eBay. The only issue with Craigslist is that it's pretty much local only, whereas eBay can be worldwide.


So each has their drawbacks and bonuses.

 

[oditius]

Well on Craigslist you get to worry about fake phones and funny money. So I guess pick your poison.

Sold my last two phones on Craigslist. I got what I wanted, and no fees. Got cash, real cash even though I am quiet capable of unloading counterfeit if needed. (Big cities are very helpful that way) Met the person in a safe environment. But the biggest joy was I didn't lose $30+ dollars to ebay/paypal fee's for each transaction. (Sold 2 trucks and a motorcycle on it too).... I normally use a pay-as-you-go phone when I am ready to sell on it, so they never even have my correct phone number.... Oh and meet at the AT&T store and have the phone checked out, if they don't want to, then pass....