Alright, possibly the dumbest question ever but.......
Has anyone attempted just asking AT&T for an unlock on an older phone. Obviously for a 4S, 4, 3GS there is no rhyme or reason. However, for an old 3G or 2G Iphone is there really an argument against unlocking - a locked phone is to keep a phone off of another carrier because of the initial subsidy but with these old of phones said subsidy should be paid in full.
Again this may seem simple on the surface and I fully expect to hear how AT&T has no reason to unlock if they don't have to, quit complaining, buy a factory unlocked, buy a Gevey etc....
But really, this has not really come up yet in the wireless industry as old handsets are, well old. However even with a 2G the Iphone is still a very competitive phone especially when used on T-Mobiles EDGE network where the 3G speed is unable to be utilized.
If AT&T were to flat out deny unlocking en masse it seems like it could bring up a legal argument and/or jurisprudence (if I am butchering legalese, sorry MBA not a JD). Also as AT&T is attempting to avoid the appearance of acting like a Monopoly their hand may be forced from a PR perspective.
One last note, as far as it not being in their financial interests.... In many ways it actually is. For one more active Iphones mean more AppStore and ITunes purchases which would increase revenue at Apple which may help in future negotiations with Apple or at least keep them happy. Secondly, this would actually help AT&T against T-Mobile (assuming they are or will in the future be competing). Anyone attempting to use a 2G or 3G on T-Mobile is not willing to pay the premium and is willing to sacrifice speed to do so. Bottom line, they would not be high revenue customers of AT&T's and would most likely end up on T-Mobile, Cricket, Boost.... anyway. With that in mind, AT&T unlocking the phones would buy them some goodwill with customers who hopefully in the future will upgrade to the faster service that AT&T provides (now that 3 have the phone any bit of goodwill is extremely beneficial) as well as hurt T-Mobile - The customers that used the unlocked Iphones on the T-Mobile network will be coming with their own handset and not buy one from the company at either an inflated rate or with a locked in subsidized contract.
Arguments to the last paragraph would be that some consumers who could not unlock would end up on the AT&T network with a lower cost Android phone or some other plan with a device that was not a smart phone that was actually highly profitable to AT&T (how much it costs to send a text vs how much they charge)
Again the above is just an idea and wondering if anyone tried it.
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