Tim Cook Tells AT&T to Unlock Frustrated Customer's iPhone
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Posted March 20, 2012 at 5:55pm by iClarified · 48056 views
Tim Cook intervened to help a relocated customer get his AT&T iPhone unlocked, reports 9to5Mac.
One of their readers had been reassigned to Canada for work but wanted to use his iPhone 3GS (finished contract). Of course AT&T refused to unlock the device saying only Apple could. After calling Apple, the customer was told to call AT&T again and request that a supervisor unlock the phone. The AT&T supervisor said they couldn't unlock the phone and advised the customer to jailbreak. Frustrated the customer decided to email Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Cook didn't personally respond but soon after the customer received a response from AT&T Partnership Operations which said they'd received a request from Tim Cook to unlock his device.
--- Hi Tim,
My family is immersed in the Apple brand. All 4 of my children (aged 2 to 8) have been using iPod touches, iPhones, iPads, and iMacs since they were a year old. Our television is a 27" iMac using eyeTV. My kids talk to their grandmother every second day via video Skype on the iMac. All of our computers are Macs (we have 4 in the house). Apple has touched every aspect of our lives and made it richer!
My company recently moved me to Canada for a work assignment for a few years. My wife's iPhone 3GS had finished its contract with AT&T so I bought her an iPhone 4 the day we moved to Canada. I took her iPhone 3GS and I contacted AT&T to see if I could have it unlocked so that I could use the phone with a Canadian carrier with a "pay as you go" plan for casual use (I'm forced to use a Blackberry for work, but I hate it so I'd like to use the iPhone for phone calls). This is where my problems began.
Basically AT&T told me that they couldn't unlock it, only Apple could. I called Apple (but was routed through Apple Canada) and they told me "ask to talk to a supervisor at AT&T because the customer service rep won't know the process, but AT&T definitely can unlock it". So I called them back and the supervisor was adamant that they couldn't help me. "Just jailbreak your phone" was their advice.
I didn't want to jailbreak my phone, I like Apple's curated experience and I don't want to stray from that. However after several more calls to both AT&T and Apple, I made no progress. So I'm turning to you for a final plea.
I love Apple and will continue to buy your products regardless of what happens with this situation. However, I did pay $600 some odd dollars for this device (even though I bought it on contact and they say its subsidized, I'm basically paying for the device in my monthly payments) and I'd like to be able to use it.
My thanks to the Apple team, keep innovating! ---
After the phone had been unlocked, the customer received a call from Cook's assistant to make sure AT&T followed through with the request.
Mid day my wife sent me an e-mail at work saying "Um, Tim Cook's special assistant just called and she wants to know if AT&T has unlocked your phone yet??? Why does Tim Cook care about your phone?"
While it's great that this customer was able to get the help he needed, it's sad that he had to contact Apple's CEO in the first place.
Hi Mr. Cook
Did you already started unlock iPhone4 in USA or not at please let me know about that. hope to hear from you very soon, best regards,
Niranjan
I can confirm this is true. I have sent a similar email and several days later I also received an email directly from AT&T Partnership Operations myself for my families iPhones. I did not receive a phone call from Tim Cooks assistant though.
Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but this is in fact true, and it is what is happening.
Tim Cook seems to be very appreciative of those loyal Apple users who's families are very determined to continuing their apprecaition for Apple products. I am a perfect example of that.
Thank you iClarified. I would have had no idea this was possible unless you had instructed us. For the record, I have the emails to Tim Cook at Apple and also the official email from AT&T Partnership Operations to prove it.
"iphone 3gs.. 3Gs...3GS!!!!!!!!" WTF??!!! dude if you "love" apple as you say.. go and get an unlocked iphone 4S... piece of s*%t as*^ho*e complaining about am iphone 3GS.. i hope he goes to Canada and the stupid phone stops working.. >=[
Thats what I was thinking man!! this guy lis a cheapskate...who has pay as you go ?
I bet he has obsolete products in his house...
Probably a 1987 Fod Tempo too..
I am deeply sorry for all the incovinance we have caused to all our loyal Apple customers around the world. I am happy to announce that on the first day of April 2012 all the iPhones 4S in the United States are going to be unlock and the first day of June 2012 we will start unlocking the iPhones worldwide, starting with the UK and France.
Best regards, Tim Cook.
Dear Mr Cook, thank you very much for your kined reply i really greatfull for that. Mr Cook i am here in Doha Qatar now, is that possible could you tell me when can i unluck my iPhone, because i really miss my phone to use, so if you please tell me right times on Qatar when i can unluck my phone i really apprecaited for that. hope to hear from you soom wright way. regards,
Niranjan
You Moron! Do you think i care who you are and where you are! Do you think i am so jobless to visit every online forum to check who's disappointed and who'd suck my d!@k for a dollar! Buy a new 4S retard! sorry you are just "unluck" :-P
Hello Mr Cook
i am using iPhone4 since 4monts but i tryied to updated new verson it's gose to luck and i am heaving turbo sim called GEVEY, now i don't know what i will do please help me is there way or not to unluck my iPhone, and there is a way please advise to me, if not please let me know whene they are going to officeal unluck, i really greatfull if you give me good advice. thanks and best regards,
Niranjan
Dear Niranjan, thank you for your fidelity with Apple, I am going to ask you to please be patient and understand that we are doing everything we can to solve the problems with the lock AT
Hello Mr Cook it's Niranjan again please don't think i am bothering to you but i really want to know when they are going to official unluck that's i, please Mr Cook let me know that only. thanks and best regards.
Niranjan