Due to a class action lawsuit settlement, AT&T has agreed to unlock all of the phones the company has sold since March 12 1999, with the exception of the iPhone. Unlocking the iPhone would mean you could pop any other GSM carrier sim card in and have a fully functional device. Under such circumstances when the carrier and the phone manufacturer have a legal binding contract to make it exclusive to the specific carrier it does not fall under the settlement of the lawsuit. Therefore the iPhone can stay exclusive to AT&T at least until the signed legal contract is up.

“Cingular and AT&T Mobility current and former customers, upon request and where available, codes that unlock AT&T Wireless, Cingular and AT&T Mobility handsets other than (i) the Apple iPhone; or (ii) any handset that AT&T Mobility introduces or has introduced for sale pursuant to a contract with a handset manufacturer that provides for an exclusivity period of ten (10) months or longer (“AT&T Handset”).”

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