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Carrier Will T-Mobile Unlocked 5s work outside the US?

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FIVE86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 12, 2013
31
0
On the Apple Online Store they have the unlocked iPhone 5c in two options T-Mobile Unlocked and Sim-Free. I'm assuming the sim-free one will work with local carriers when I am abroad.

But for the iPhone 5s they have only one option, unlocked T-Mobile. It will ship with a T-Mobile sim card and there is no Sim-Free option. If I purchase the T-Mobile unlocked on September 20th will I be able to use it with local carriers abroad. I travel a lot therefore I need an iPhone that works with local carriers when I move from country to country.

Any thoughts?
 
Y

yeah

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2011
978
292
T-Mobile will offer the GSM versions of the 5S and 5C.

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Last edited:
Truefan31

Truefan31

macrumors 68040
Aug 25, 2012
3,587
835
I'm getting 3 5s with tmobile. Getting employee plans but gotta pay for phone outright. So there's about 2000 right there....then the tmobile ipad 5, about 3 grand lol
 
F

FIVE86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 12, 2013
31
0
Activation

If I buy the unlocked T-Mobile iPhone 5s from the online apple store and swap the t-mobile sim with another country's sim card. Will it activate out of the box?
 
Y

yeah

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2011
978
292
FIVE86 said:
If I buy the unlocked T-Mobile iPhone 5s from the online apple store and swap the t-mobile sim with another country's sim card. Will it activate out of the box?
Click to expand...

Yep, since it is unlocked.
 
F

FIVE86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 12, 2013
31
0
Sim-Free

Any idea why there is no Sim-Free option for the iPhone 5S?
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,451
1,241
Charlotte, NC
FIVE86 said:
Any idea why there is no Sim-Free option for the iPhone 5S?
Click to expand...

The unlocked T-Mobile option is the exact SAME as the Sim-Free option except it just comes with a T-Mobile sim card. If you have no need for T-Mobile then just toss the sim card. The phone is unlocked.

Traditionally in the US, Apple has chosen not to offer the unlocked iPhone until a couple of months after launch, most likely to push as many sales through the carriers as possible. T-Mobile now offering the iPhone has made it so that this is the first launch where an unlocked iPhone can be purchased Day 1.
 
B

barkomatic

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2008
4,521
2,826
Manhattan
CEmajr said:
The unlocked T-Mobile option is the exact SAME as the Sim-Free option except it just comes with a T-Mobile sim card. If you have no need for T-Mobile then just toss the sim card. The phone is unlocked.

Traditionally in the US, Apple has chosen not to offer the unlocked iPhone until a couple of months after launch, most likely to push as many sales through the carriers as possible. T-Mobile now offering the iPhone has made it so that this is the first launch where an unlocked iPhone can be purchased Day 1.
Click to expand...

Doesn't the sim free version have a different model number than the unlocked T-mobile version though? I believe I read that somewhere on Apple's web page.

I may be completely wrong, but I had heard the sim free version will be compatible with more overseas LTE networks.
 
F

FIVE86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 12, 2013
31
0
found something

barkomatic said:
Doesn't the sim free version have a different model number than the unlocked T-mobile version though? I believe I read that somewhere on Apple's web page.

I may be completely wrong, but I had heard the sim free version will be compatible with more overseas LTE networks.
Click to expand...


So I found this on their site:

Purchasing an unlocked iPhone means you will not qualify for the lower iPhone price associated with a contract. The unlocked iPhone 5c model is A1532 (GSM). The unlocked iPhone 5s model is A1533 (GSM).

And under where the Unlocked and Contract free model it says:

If you buy iPhone for T-Mobile, it will arrive with a nano-SIM card already installed that you can activate by visiting an Apple Retail Store or a T-Mobile store or by calling T-Mobile. When you travel internationally, you can use a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5s from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone 5s model is A1533 (GSM).

From that I assume that the T-Mobile Unlocked and contract free is A1533 which matches what I found previously.

CEmajr said:
The unlocked T-Mobile option is the exact SAME as the Sim-Free option except it just comes with a T-Mobile sim card. If you have no need for T-Mobile then just toss the sim card. The phone is unlocked.
Click to expand...

So yeah I think this confirmed what CEmajr said ^ :)
 
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