By now, everyone knows what the iPhone 5 will look like when it’s announced on Wednesday, September 12th. What can people do to increase the resale value of their out-of-contract iPhones? The answer is simple: unlock them so they can be used with international SIM cards abroad. AT&T (T) is making it easier than ever to request an iPhone unlock with a new web request form, just as long as certain requirements are met.
Before any iPhone unlocks are fulfilled, AT&T requires an iPhone owner either to be a current customer or a previous customer, the iPhone must be an AT&T model (no Verizon (VZ) or Sprint Sprint (S) ones will be unlocked), all contracts tied to the iPhone have to be completed, and the iPhone must not have been reported as stolen.
AT&T is capping unlocks at five iPhones per account with turnaround rates ranging from five to seven days. It sure sounds like AT&T is trying to get on everybody’s good side to prevent customers from jumping ship.