my plan is amazing. i have 4 lines, 3 unlimited dataplans with 4 smartphones, unlimited texts and talking, and half off any at&t-store-sold phone accessory. all for $140.
my plan is perfectly fine because i'm a post-paid customer, just like 90% of the rest of the people in the US who own smartphones. this isn't europe. our businesses aren't regulated by the same laws, and so our phones are not all unlocked. we deal with it. if we don't like it, i've never, -ever- had a problem with AT&T giving me an unlock code. if you took the time to sign up for an actual contracted plan you would have zero of the headaches you keep making posts about. in the US, prepaid phones are made and marketed for those who can't afford the credit liability of a post-paid plan. their first intention is not for international people coming in and using them; and at that, they would probably expect those people to have their own phones to bring in if they don't like the ****ty pre-paid selection here (since yours are all unlocked anyway).