Can someone explain the locked contract iphone reasoning/ethics?

Let's put it this way...you buy an iPhone on contract with AT&T, and either pay them for it, or agree to a term of time before it is yours.  Once you fulfill the term of the contract, you are no longer obligated, and as long as your bill is paid up to date, the phone is now - officially - your asset.  You take it off-line with AT&T, and it sits for two + years.  You now want to sell it, and have buyers, but they want it "unlocked".  You apply for unlocking, but this now must be done through the Internet.  Agents can no longer do this over the phone.  AT&T says it will take "48 hours" to get your response - but up to "5 days".  A week later, you call AT&T to find out why you don't have any response yet.  They say it may be because your current billing (completely unrelated to the old, out-of-service-for-two-years iPhone) is 2 days overdue.  They open a case that will take up to 10 days to settle.  I lose the buyer because he can't wait.  This is exactly what happened to me.

Now, let's take a close look at what really happened here:

1. I own the phone - fully paid off, with no outstanding bill when its service was disconnected more than 2 years ago.
2.  The phone is an asset that belongs to me, and it has significant value.
3.  AT&T has seized my asset, and is holding it hostage over a completely unrelated phone number and account.  This, folkes, is criminal - plain and simple.  By refusing to unlock it, AT&T has electronically stolen my personal property - knowingly and purposefully. 

No matter how you look at this - it is, what it is...theivery, which is notacivilmatter.  It is criminal - period. It is no different than stealing someone's watch, their bicycle, or their car.  It is just electronic - as opposed to physical.  But the results are the same, aren't they?  At best, it is a hostage situation, which is also criminal.  And don't let them off the hook because they are "protecting against stolen phones".  Anyone can go on the Internet and access a database of stolen phones to check if it is - instantly.  And for AT&T, the stolen phone record can be at any and all employee's fingertips.  Sure, make them wait 48 hours to be sure...but hold the phone hostage??

[Per Guidelines:  Keep it Relevant and Appropriate].

This message will probably be wiped out by AT&T in a hurry, so act now.  I have copied it and will blast it out on the Internet is they do.  Good luck!