I want to unlock my iPhone for foreign usage. What's the best way for me to do this?

DisgruntledGunner wrote:

I got the iPhone 15 pro not through my carrier AT&T but directly through Apple. I will be staying overseas (South Korea) for a lengthy duration and I want to use my iPhone with Korean carriers.

How can I unlock the iPhone from AT&T and have it be prepared for foreign GSM/CDMA carriers?

Did you buy the phone as an unlocked phone (no carrier) from Apple? Or did you buy the AT&T model? If you specified that your carrier was AT&T when you purchased the phone, it may be locked to AT&T. You need to contact AT&T. It is also possible that Apple Customer Service would be able to tell you if the phone is locked. If it is locked, only AT&T can unlock it.

lkrupp wrote:

Check Settings->General->About and scroll down to Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions" your iPhone is already unlocked and you may switch carriers at your pleasure. If it says your phone is locked to AT&T therm you will have to contact AT&T to see about unlocking it. Carriers typically lock phones when they are under contract until the contract expires.

If I ever knew about that setting, I'd forgotten about it. Excellent tip.

The only way to get a phone locked to AT&T unlocked is to have it unlocked by AT&T.

Note: If you are not a current AT&T customer in good standing, they will not unlock it.

If you are not the original purchaser of the device, they will not unlock it.

Assuming they do, there are NO supported CDMA carriers anywhere on the planet. It will not work on any CDMA network.

Check Settings->General->About and scroll down to Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions" your iPhone is already unlocked and you may switch carriers at your pleasure. If it says your phone is locked to AT&T therm you will have to contact AT&T to see about unlocking it. Carriers typically lock phones when they are under contract until the contract expires.

You have to call your carrier to see if in your plan is included roaming in the country where you are going or if you can add another carrier Sim. You also have to check if your iPhone supports only eSims or also have a phisical Sim tray and if in the country where you are going the local carriers can provide sSims (in case you don't have the tray)

In the iPhone settings in Mobile Data>Mobile data Options> you will have to enable Data Roaming

Contact AT&T to learn about their International Plan. Works great, you only pay if the phone is used internationally.

My phone connects automatically to a local carrier in any country that I've ever visited.

I don't know if this is the "Best" option for you, but I do know from experience that it is by far is the "Easiest" option to use.

Otherwise, you have to wait to arrive in a country and contact a carrier there to find out if your phone will work with their service.

Can an att iPhone be unlocked if it's in Brazil?

It can be unlocked by AT&T if you are a current or former AT&T customer in good standing and the device is eligible.

Contact AT&T.