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Phone carriers
Official route and working notes

AT&T

A practical starting point for gathering what you need and contacting the right team. Confirm the current account-specific requirements with the institution.

Also known as: AT&T Wireless, mobile phone, wireless account

A gentle note on scope

Paperwake provides administrative guidance, not legal advice. We help you find practical next steps after a death; please confirm requirements with the official institution or a qualified professional when you need legal advice.

Have ready
Documents and details
Gather what you can before you start. The institution will confirm what it accepts.
  • Account number and mobile number, the account holder’s name, your relationship and contact email, and the last four digits of the account holder’s SSN.
  • If requested, one of: death certificate, relevant accident report, or obituary.
Suggested order
One step at a time
Use this as a working sequence, then follow the institution’s written instructions.
  1. 01Decide whether to cancel the line, move billing responsibility, or transfer the number to another provider.
  2. 02Contact AT&T by chat or phone; if you do not know the passcode, ask whether a store visit is needed.
  3. 03Provide the requested identity and death documentation.
  4. 04Ask what happens to device installments and outstanding balances before choosing an option.
Typical timing
What to expect
Timelines can depend on the product, documents, and circumstances.

Not confirmed; ask the institution for current timing.

Needs human review
Details to confirm
These points are not confirmed by the linked official guidance.
  • Eligibility and device-financing treatment depend on account and line details; confirm before disconnecting or transferring a number.
  • Typical processing time is not published in the cited official guidance; confirm timing with the institution.
Review context
Last reviewed
This date tells you when Paperwake most recently checked the guidance below.

September 30, 2026

Requirements can vary by account, location, and circumstance. Confirm the current process with the institution before sending sensitive documents.

What changed
Review notes
A plain-language record of updates to this family-facing guidance, newest first.

  1. September 30, 2026

    Reviewed the linked official US guidance and recorded account-specific details that still need confirmation.

Contact route
If you know the account passcode, use chat or call 800-331-0500; without it, AT&T may ask you to visit a retail store with documents.

Start with the official source below and keep a note of any case number or documents the institution requests.

Open official route
Contact channels
Use the official route and ask what applies to the account.

Keep the next steps in one place

Paperwake’s free checklist helps you organize calls, documents, and follow-ups across accounts.

Start the free checklist

Sources for this guidance

Last reviewed September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the institution before sending sensitive documents.