Buying Unlocked iPhone 5 at apple store USA?

[TDW]

Hi,

I live in europe and now i'm in the US an i want to buy iPhone 5.
I want the A1429 model (Verizon / Sprint) unlocked as it has support for LTE in europe.
Is it SAFE to buy from an apple store a Verizon/Sprint phone without contract and count on it being Unlocked FOREVER?

[Is it more safe to buy an ATT iPhone 5 without contract and give up for LTE?]

Thanks!!

[johnparjr]

You cannot buy a phone at apple stores without a contract for now on the iphone 5

[TDW]

I see on the forum that a lot of people buys iPhone 5 as phone only from Apple store for the full price 649-849$

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by johnparjr

You cannot buy a phone at apple stores without a contract for now on the iphone 5

Not true. I bought an AT&T model "device only" for the full price yesterday and didn't need to provide any information. It is fully unlocked (I got the "congratulations" message when I plugged it into iTunes to copy my music library).

It isn't the "official" unlocked phone, but as long as you buy it "Device Only" from Apple it will be locked. Actually, at least for now all Verizon models are also unlocked, even those bought on contract.

[saturnino3]

I agree -- I purchased a 16GB iPhone 5 at the Powell Street Apple Store in San Francisco that was factory unlocked. Cost was $649 plus sales tax. It was not advertised but confirmed through a genius.

[faiz23]

I got 2 of them full price. Just ask them to ring it up "DEVICE ONLY" 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....

[hexproject]

How did you get the sim card then? Call AT&T? Since exisiting does not work.

[milan03]

Ask for: "DEVICE ONLY" Verizon model. Not no device lol... They're permanently unlocked, you are not giving up your LTE .

----------

Originally Posted by faiz23

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....

He's buying Verizon model no AT&T to bypass lol what are you talking about. It's "DEVICE ONLY".

[ANMA dojo]

Originally Posted by faiz23

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....

Originally Posted by milan03

Ask for: "DEVICE ONLY" Verizon model. Not no device lol... They're permanently unlocked, you are not giving up your LTE

just to confirm... if you buy a "DEVICE ONLY" Verizon model and you restore in iTunes, will you also get that "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked" screen?

[faiz23]

iphone 5 for at&t will unlock upon paying full price only at apple store and plugging into itunes. If you buy verizon model no matter where you get it from it will be factory unlocked. Nothing will show up during itunes since it is FACTORY.

[milan03]

Originally Posted by faiz23

iphone 5 for at&t will unlock upon paying full price only at apple store and plugging into itunes. If you buy verizon model no matter where you get it from it will be factory unlocked. Nothing will show up during itunes since it is FACTORY.

Umm AT&T model at full price is Factory Unlocked because Apple Whitelists the IMEI permanently. They're all unlocked until you connect them to a carrier at the subsidized upgrade price. That's where AT&T model gets SIM locked.

[ANMA dojo]

Originally Posted by faiz23

f you buy verizon model no matter where you get it from it will be factory unlocked. Nothing will show up during itunes since it is FACTORY.

is this something you know yourself or have read? I'm looking for someone's first hand experience on this (or link to it).

Verizon models of previous generations weren't automatically factory unlocked, so seeing that "Congrats" screen is reassurance to me that it truly is factory unlocked... and not just a temporary thing either that can be later revoked.

[milan03]

Originally Posted by ANMA dojo

Verizon models of previous generations weren't automatically factory unlocked, so seeing that "Congrats" screen is reassurance to me that it truly is factory unlocked... and not just a temporary thing either that can be later revoked.

Previous Verizon iPhone models were activating using built in MEID authentication. Current iPhone 5 auth is all SIM based.
When you buy a "Device Only" Verizon iPhone 5, at the time of purchase you're not connecting it to any user/plan. It's sold factory unlocked.

[ANMA dojo]

Originally Posted by milan03

Previous Verizon iPhone models were activating using built in MEID authentication. Current iPhone 5 auth is all SIM based.
When you buy a "Device Only" Verizon iPhone 5, at the time of purchase you're not connecting it to any user/plan. It's sold factory unlocked.

can you activate a Verizon iPhone 5 outside the country with just its original Verizon sim then? or should it activate with GSM nanosim inside it?

[ARSC]

Originally Posted by ANMA dojo

can you activate a Verizon iPhone 5 outside the country with just its original Verizon sim then? or should it activate with GSM nanosim inside it?

will this work in asian countries.

if the phone is bought outright from apple store.

[ANMA dojo]

Originally Posted by ARSC

will this work in asian countries.

if the phone is bought outright from apple store.

I don't question if it will work, my question I guess is more specific to the process of how to go about activating it.

[TDW]

In conclusion, Is it 100% safe to buy Verizone iPhone 5 as UNLOCKED?
Does it matter if I'll buy Verizone or Sprint iPhone 5 from the Apple Store?
Or to stick with Verizone?

Thank you everybody!!

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by TDW

In conclusion, Is it 100% safe to buy Verizone iPhone 5 as UNLOCKED?
Does it matter if I'll buy Verizone or Sprint iPhone 5 from the Apple Store?
Or to stick with Verizone?

Thank you everybody!!

I believe it is just Verizon, as Sprint is still using the older system for activating phones, while Verizon is using SIM cards. Also, only Verizon has the specific LTE license from the FCC that requires them to sell unlocked devices.

[milan03]

Originally Posted by TDW

In conclusion, Is it 100% safe to buy Verizone iPhone 5 as UNLOCKED?
Does it matter if I'll buy Verizone or Sprint iPhone 5 from the Apple Store?
Or to stick with Verizone?

Thank you everybody!!

You mean is it safe to buy a Verizon phone as a "device only" for full price?
YES.

And stick with Verizon since the FCC forces them to keep the phone Unlocked. Sprint could lock it later.

[Gemütlichkeit]

When does apple start offering unlocked phones on their site?

[davidgrimm]

Ok, so here's a really basic question, if I buy a Verizon unlocked phone, but I use that on the ATT network month to month (no contract) via Walmart's Straight Talk program?

I'm looking to purchase a phone and avoid the nasty contract and still get good service. Its far cheaper if you have the cash upfront to do that.

[Adokimus]

Originally Posted by milan03

You mean is it safe to buy a Verizon phone as a "device only" for full price?
YES.

And stick with Verizon since the FCC forces them to keep the phone Unlocked. Sprint could lock it later.

Has anyone done this yet that can report in?

[Lick]

Originally Posted by davidgrimm

Ok, so here's a really basic question, if I buy a Verizon unlocked phone, but I use that on the ATT network month to month (no contract) via Walmart's Straight Talk program?

I'm looking to purchase a phone and avoid the nasty contract and still get good service. Its far cheaper if you have the cash upfront to do that.

You didn't really ask a question but I'm in the same boat as you. Gonna stick this thing on straight talk and I want to know is it would be better the get the verizon version or the At&T one? Apparently they both should work fine with it but which version is gonna have a higher resale in a year?

[bluem00se]

So if I buy a device only iPhone 5 AT&T model can I use it on T-Mobile?

[kevincredible]

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?

http://www.mycricket.com/cell-phones...iphone-5-black