AT&T iPhone Owners Can Unlock Their Phones, After That Two-Year Contract Anyway

AT&T said Friday it will begin unlocking iPhones for customers, but only after they are no longer under contract.

Customers also have to be in good financial standing, an AT&T representative told AllThingsD on Friday. Engadget reported AT&T’s policy change earlier in the day.

While the move won’t help many iPhone owners, it could help folks in certain circumstances.

In particular, the move could help boost the resale value for people looking to sell their no-longer-on-contract iPhones. In addition, the move could help longtime iPhone owners traveling overseas, who can get their phone unlocked and buy a local SIM in the country they are visiting.

AT&T, of course, is more than happy to let you call and surf on its network while travelling, but its steep roaming prices add up quickly.

Those looking to travel overseas earlier in their contract could benefit from going with Sprint or Verizon. Verizon’s iPhones, for example, ship with a SIM card locked to Verizon and its international roaming partners, but those who have been customers for 60 days and are in good standing can have their phones unlocked.