Having a low credit score or a delinquent wireless account in the past may mean you are required to pay a security deposit when signing up for an AT&T wireless account. The deposit is fully refundable upon meeting certain conditions.
Active Service
Your AT&T deposit will be refunded in full as long as your service has not been interrupted due to nonpayment for 12 months. If your account is active at the one-year mark, AT&T will mail a check for the full deposit amount to the address you have on file. The refund check is sent to you automatically within 15 days of the end of the 12-month cycle.
Canceled Service
Canceling your AT&T service should not interfere with receiving a refund for the security deposit, as long as your service has not been suspended for nonpayment during the contract. The deposit is first applied to any outstanding charges; the remainder of the funds are mailed to you in the form of a check. Refund checks are processed approximately 60 days after your account is closed. It then takes five to seven days to receive your check.