Buying Unlocked iPhone 5 at apple store USA?

Ok, so after what Ive read, I have two questions:

1. Does both the unlocked/device only Verizon and AT&T iPhone 5 models cost the same?

2. I live in Norway, will both Verizon and AT&T models work with a GSM carrier over here? I guess the question will be if both will work in Europe?

In this article http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410067,00.asp it says that AT&T will never work with 4G LTE outside of the US, so I guess I should go for the Verizon model so that I have a chance of getting the 4G LTE speed when that comes to Norway?

Thanks in advance for any help

vhsjon said:

Ok, so after what Ive read, I have two questions:

1. Does both the unlocked/device only Verizon and AT&T iPhone 5 models cost the same?

2. I live in Norway, will both Verizon and AT&T models work with a GSM carrier over here? I guess the question will be if both will work in Europe?

In this article http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410067,00.asp it says that AT&T will never work with 4G LTE outside of the US, so I guess I should go for the Verizon model so that I have a chance of getting the 4G LTE speed when that comes to Norway?

Thanks in advance for any help

Click to expand...

Verizon is the best choice. I got one for the same reason because I will be living overseas.

faiz23 said:

I got 2 of them full price. Just ask them to ring it up "NO DEVICE" using "EASYPAY" app on there ipod to ring you out. They will bypass at&t information and not include your serial in the database. Both of mine have been unlocked and I bet you are drooling....

Click to expand...

But there doesn't seem to be a way to order or reserve one in the US without providing your AT&T number. I'm waiting for 3 or 4 more weeks for my AT&T iPhone to ship, and I'd love to be able to reserve a second contract-free model for next-day pickup (if I got lucky enough to find one right at 10 pm), but my account is in a locked state due to a pending upgrade.

What if I reserved it as a new second line for my AT&T account (at the $299 pricing) and then told them to ring it up as a full-price "NO DEVICE" phone when I actually picked it up the next day?

What's difference between Verizon & AT&T iPhone?

kevincredible said:

I'm from the UK. We use GSM networks there. Do you reckon I could purchase one of these Cricket wireless phones for use in the UK?

Will it be permanently unlocked?

Click to expand...

The verizon phone is the only one of the cdma phones, that we know of, that has an unlock out of the box. There are no guarantees for the other cdma-based phones.

3 Main Models

AT&T is GSM model. Verizon is CDMA model. There are 3 main models as follows:

AT&T model A1428 - (GSM model) - Band 4 (AWS) and Band 17 (700b MHz) will work on T-mobile as well. 3G now and LTE from next spring/Summer. Works in Canada Rogers/Bell/Telus.
Verizon - Model A1429 -(CDMA model) Bands (Frequencies) 1 (2100 MHz), 3 (1800 MHz), 5 (850 MHz), 13 (700c MHz), 25 (1900 MHz). works in US/Japan.
Model A1429 - (GSM model), Bands (Frequencies): 1 (2100 MHz), 3 (1800 MHz), 5 (850 MHz). Works in Germany, UK, Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong.

truelies said:

What's difference between Verizon & AT&T iPhone?

Click to expand...

Can someone please say what are the final options ? Which phone is compatible in Europe (France for me) ? what do we have to ask to the Genius ? and if it is factory unlocked ?

Thank you

accounti said:

Can someone please say what are the final options ? Which phone is compatible in Europe (France for me) ? what do we have to ask to the Genius ? and if it is factory unlocked ?

Thank you

Click to expand...

Buy the Verizon model as "device only" at full price.

Or, of course, just buy one in France, didn't they launch last week?

Here is a summary, as best as I understand it:

Both the unlocked AT&T and Verizon versions will work on GSM in Europe, as well as in most of the rest of the world.

The AT&T model is for those who will be using T-Mobile in the US, since it uses LTE frequencies which are utilized by T-Mobile, AT&T and many Canadian providers.

The Verizon version has LTE frequencies which are utilized mostly in Asia.

For LTE, neither the AT&T, nor the Verizon version will work for most of Europe, but since most of Europe will not have widely available LTE for at least a couple of years, it's a mute point.

@ d123 thanks but i'm going to NYC soon and it is cheaper than in paris
@ macuser2007 I heard that the best version is the verizon one but i heard that it's very hard to find one in New York.

Has someone succeeded in finding verizon iphones in new york this week ?

macUser2007 said:

...For LTE, neither the AT&T, nor the Verizon version will work for most of Europe...

Click to expand...

Unless you consider Germany and the UK to be "most of Europe" (which I admit is stretching it ) since the Verizon model supports bands 1 (2100 MHz), 3 (1800 MHz), and 5 (850 MHz) (per Apple) which are the LTE bands used in those two countries (EE in the UK, DT in Germany).

Adokimus said:

Has anyone done this yet that can report in?

Click to expand...

Yes VZ is unlocked. Bought a VZ iPhone 5 at full price and was using my trimmed down AT&T SIM card while I waited for my number to be ported over on a concession plan.

Worked great, just no LTE on AT&T.

Got an ip5 from apple store paid in full price. I restored it by iTune and it shown "unlocked".
Does anyone tried to use the phone at Asia countries by using their SIM? I am wondering if the phone is only unlocked for USA sim only, but not in other countries?

Thanks

Same question for all the smart people here; I want to buy an unlocked iPhone 5 next week in the US to use in Mexico. Which model should I get?

Thanks!

Clarification for EU users without LTE networks

I've read through the posts on this page, and I still am not convinced that it is 100% possible to use a phone that you buy, that is "claimed" to be locked in the US but in reality isnt. I am currently living in the Netherlands and want to buy an iPhone 5. Now, there are no LTE networks in the Netherlands, it only goes up to 3G. Just to clarify so I know for sure, this means that I would need to buy the Verizon version and ask for "only the device" and not the full contract ?

oh and lastly! how much Tax do they throw over the $749 iPhone 5 ?

Thank you very much in advance!

F

CarlosQG said:

Same question for all the smart people here; I want to buy an unlocked iPhone 5 next week in the US to use in Mexico. Which model should I get?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Get the Verizon one but the Big question is will you find any.

Help!

Guys, im from the Philippines and I'm really hoping to buy the iphone 5. But, my relatives told me that the Apple store doesnt allow a "device only" iphone? they need to be bought with a contract. Is it true? they are in california. Pls help!

We have two 64gb white ATT " device only " from APPLE. Preordered on the 14th, Delivered on Oct 1. Both units are flawless, no dents; no scuffs.

ixybengal said:

We have two 64gb white ATT " device only " from APPLE. Preordered on the 14th, Delivered on Oct 1. Both units are flawless, no dents; no scuffs.

Click to expand...

Is it still possible to buy it "device only" at the store? I imagine it cant be ordered online because there is no option to bypass carrier contracts?

----------

ixybengal said:

We have two 64gb white ATT " device only " from APPLE. Preordered on the 14th, Delivered on Oct 1. Both units are flawless, no dents; no scuffs.

Click to expand...

did you pre-order it at apple.com?

I bought a device only or commitment free AT&T iPhone 5 ... No "congrats unlocked message" like my last year "factory unlocked" 4S but this puppy is unlocked. Been restored a few times etc no problem.

Went and got another yesterday and same deal!

JodyK said:

I bought a device only or commitment free AT&T iPhone 5 ... No "congrats unlocked message" like my last year "factory unlocked" 4S but this puppy is unlocked. Been restored a few times etc no problem.

Went and got another yesterday and same deal!

Click to expand...

At the Apple store? What did you say? You'd like to buy a contract free ip5?

ecvill11 said:

At the Apple store? What did you say? You'd like to buy a contract free ip5?

Click to expand...

I believe this option is only available if you have an existing account from what I understand. They don't bypass the carrier selection, they select their current carrier and after that, this is where they get the option for "device only".

If you are going to bring the phone to Manila, it's best to buy the Verizon unlock or wait until the factory unlock comes out which I believe is around late October or November.

swoosh0217 said:

I believe this option is only available if you have an existing account from what I understand. They don't bypass the carrier selection, they select their current carrier and after that, this is where they get the option for "device only".

If you are going to bring the phone to Manila, it's best to buy the Verizon unlock or wait until the factory unlock comes out which I believe is around late October or November.

Click to expand...

I see. Thanks for the info

for all the iphone 5 people that bought at the apple store at full price, did you buy it recently? and if so, do you live in socal?

ixybengal said:

We have two 64gb white ATT " device only " from APPLE. Preordered on the 14th, Delivered on Oct 1. Both units are flawless, no dents; no scuffs.

Click to expand...

how'd you get a "device only" pre-order???