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Target device only iPhone 5's unlocked

C

Coleman2010

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 9, 2010
1,944
173
NYC
This is probably a redundant question but just to confirm.

I just ordered a device only iPhone 5 from Target. I'll get it on Tuesday. They asked me for my phone number and I told them no, I don't want the phone shipped activated. Send it as is.

It should be unlocked when I connect to iTunes?

Has anyone purchased device only from Target?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Which model did you order? What did you pay?

The iPhone 5 is different than previous models because of the LTE. Even if you buy a "generic unlocked GSM", you'll still need to specify which LTE bands you want, so there will be different models depending on which LTE bands you use.

If you want LTE in US and Canada, the unlocked model equivalent to the AT&T model is what you want. If you want LTE in certain parts of Europe, you'll want the the "Verizon" model, though it won't support LTE in Canada and you may have some issues getting Verizon to activate it in the US. There's a 3rd model as well for certain other countries.

So unlike 3G HSPA+ phones, there's more than just one model.
 
I got the AT&T model for the US. I just wanted to make sure as long as I had them ship it not activated it will be unlocked when I first plug it into iTunes.
 
Does anyone know if Target charges tax on the retail price of the phone (California)?
 
Coleman2010 said:
I got the AT&T model for the US. I just wanted to make sure as long as I had them ship it not activated it will be unlocked when I first plug it into iTunes.
Click to expand...

Still might not be unlocked. I know there's some confusion about the 5, but the 4/4S were not unlocked unless you specifically bought the unlocked model.
 
xraydoc said:
Still might not be unlocked. I know there's some confusion about the 5, but the 4/4S were not unlocked unless you specifically bought the unlocked model.
Click to expand...
It's no commitment and not activated so it should be unlocked. I'll know when it gets here Tuesday. I have a TMobile prepaid SIM, I'll cut it down and pop it in to test it.
 
I have a similar question. Is it possible to purchase a Verizon iPhone 5 full price with no contract and activate service on it without a 2 year contract?
 
xraydoc said:
Which model did you order? What did you pay?

The iPhone 5 is different than previous models because of the LTE. Even if you buy a "generic unlocked GSM", you'll still need to specify which LTE bands you want, so there will be different models depending on which LTE bands you use.

If you want LTE in US and Canada, the unlocked model equivalent to the AT&T model is what you want. If you want LTE in certain parts of Europe, you'll want the the "Verizon" model, though it won't support LTE in Canada and you may have some issues getting Verizon to activate it in the US. There's a 3rd model as well for certain other countries.

So unlike 3G HSPA+ phones, there's more than just one model.
Click to expand...

Mmm... I bought an unlocked i5 in Spain. What model should I expect to have? Where am I gonna be able to use LTE? They sure don't mention any of this at Apple. :confused:
 
xraydoc said:
Still might not be unlocked. I know there's some confusion about the 5, but the 4/4S were not unlocked unless you specifically bought the unlocked model.
Click to expand...

Actually the 4S bought full price at Apple or AT&T was fully unlocked out the box.
And that was way before the officially unlocked model when on sale. Not sure about target or other stores though.

dasx said:
Mmm... I bought an unlocked i5 in Spain. What model should I expect to have? Where am I gonna be able to use LTE? They sure don't mention any of this at Apple. :confused:
Click to expand...

Obviously You should have bought an i5 for the carrier you plan to use it on 98% of the time.
Not just any model from any country and then wonder if LTE will work where and how.
 
To get the unlock message in iTunes should I have the SIM card installed when I connect it to iTunes? Or connect it to iTunes with no SIM installed?
 
I just plugged in the off contract iPhone 5 that I bought from Target and I did not get the congratulations you are unlocked message. Did I do something wrong?

1) I turned on the i5 with the AT&T SIM card it shipped with inside.
2) Went through the on screen prompts on the phone.
3) When it said connect to iTunes I plugged it in.
4) iTunes asked me to restore or setup a new phone. I click setup new phone. I did not see congrats you are unlocked.
 
Kisey said:
Thanks, just wondering because I know Walmart does not charge tax on the full retail price.
Click to expand...

California now charges Sales Tax on the full retail price and online sellers are supposed to also charge you Sales Tax. It's technically a bit more complicated than that, but the bottom line is you are supposed to be charged tax for the full retail price.

----------
Coleman2010 said:
It's no commitment and not activated so it should be unlocked. I'll know when it gets here Tuesday. I have a TMobile prepaid SIM, I'll cut it down and pop it in to test it.
Click to expand...

Do this. If it's unlocked, it will say T-Mob in the upper left hand corner instead of AT&T.
 
Coleman2010 said:
I just plugged in the off contract iPhone 5 that I bought from Target and I did not get the congratulations you are unlocked message. Did I do something wrong?

1) I turned on the i5 with the AT&T SIM card it shipped with inside.
2) Went through the on screen prompts on the phone.
3) When it said connect to iTunes I plugged it in.
4) iTunes asked me to restore or setup a new phone. I click setup new phone. I did not see congrats you are unlocked.
Click to expand...

I don't think you did anything wrong... I do not think your phone is unlocked, however. Since you activated with the SIM supplied, you should call AT&T and see if you just signed yourself up for a 2-year commitment (or a 2-year extension on your existing contract).
 
xraydoc said:
I don't think you did anything wrong... I do not think your phone is unlocked, however. Since you activated with the SIM supplied, you should call AT&T and see if you just signed yourself up for a 2-year commitment (or a 2-year extension on your existing contract).
Click to expand...
That would not be possible. I have a grand fathered prepaid unlimited data account from the original iPhone. I ordered the phone without giving my phone number and requested the phone not be activated. That should mean it's unlocked.

I have a few foreign SIM cards and a T-Mobile SIM I can cut down and test if the phone is unlocked. If it's not, I'll buy the $10 fusion unlock on Ebay. No biggie.

----------
Mliii said:
California now charges Sales Tax on the full retail price and online sellers are supposed to also charge you Sales Tax. It's technically a bit more complicated than that, but the bottom line is you are supposed to be charged tax for the full retail price.

----------



Do this. If it's unlocked, it will say T-Mob in the upper left hand corner instead of AT&T.
Click to expand...
I have to do the cut on the T-Mobile SIM first. Then I'll do a restore and reactive again with the T-Mobie SIM inside to see what happens.
 
I cut down the T-Mobile SIM. When I put it on the i5 it's saying no SIM installed. Is that the message you get when the phone is not unlocked? Or did I do a bad cut?
 
Apple is selling "unlocked" 4S phones. It started doing that a few weeks after the initial launch. Currently, Apple is not selling unlocked phones. The GSM part of the Verizon is unlocked due to an agreement Verizon made with FCC when it bought out a smaller wireless provider. The AT&T phones can be bought without contract from Apple but is not the official version of the Apple unlocked phone. So one will need to go to itunes to unlock it. But when Apple starts selling unlocked phones of the AT&T compatible phone that will work on T-mobile etc (Model A1428 - (GSM model) Band -4 (AWS) and band 17 (700b MHz)) then there will be no need to unlock it.
 
Coleman2010 said:
I cut down the T-Mobile SIM. When I put it on the i5 it's saying no SIM installed. Is that the message you get when the phone is not unlocked? Or did I do a bad cut?
Click to expand...

Your phone should be unlocked. Try resetting network settings on the i5.
 
Coleman2010 said:
I cut down the T-Mobile SIM. When I put it on the i5 it's saying no SIM installed. Is that the message you get when the phone is not unlocked? Or did I do a bad cut?
Click to expand...

well from my understanding any iphone off purchased off contract is unlocked. just do the unlock request for att. its online online. just google it
 
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