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T-Mobile Contract Free is not unlocked!

Scott6666

Scott6666

macrumors 65816
Feb 2, 2008
1,489
939
Wait and get the Verizon unlocked

Verizon seems to be very picky about what they add to their network. if you buy a Verizon non-contract phone, all the other carriers will let you add it to their network. But the converse is not true. If you buy an ATT non-contract phone, Verizon won't let you register it on their network.

So it seems to me that you get the most flexibility doing the Verizon model.

Unless the recent FCC portability ruling changes all this? I think they have until Feb 11, 2015 to implement full phone portability.

http://www.fcc.gov/device-unlocking-faq
 
phpmaven

phpmaven

macrumors 68040
Jun 12, 2009
3,466
522
San Clemente, CA USA
kalebnate said:
I keep seeing people stating that the iPhone 6 with T Mobile Contract Free is indeed unlocked, with no proof whatsoever ... People just say yes and try to reason about it without proper proof.

Please tell me why I shouldn't believe the following :

Image
Click to expand...

Because every T-Mobile rep you talk to will tell you something different. They often have no idea what they are talking about. I'm with T-Mobile, but they are one screwed up company when it comes to dealing with reps.
 
D

derekdi

macrumors member
Sep 9, 2014
30
0
SoCal
well, Apple has something called the activation policy for every iPhone. It can either be locked to one specific carrier or unlocked to all carrier that the phone's supported. So what the customer rep. said that the tmobile contract free phone can use foreign sim card but not US local GSM sim card can not be true. Every iPhone has something called the GSX profile, in which Apple Store Employees can check on your current iPhone's activation policy in case of you needing to replace one and they don't give you a unlocked phone if the original one was locked and vice versa.
 
W

wildonrio

macrumors 6502
Aug 15, 2008
435
7
Scott6666 said:
Verizon seems to be very picky about what they add to their network. if you buy a Verizon non-contract phone, all the other carriers will let you add it to their network. But the converse is not true. If you buy an ATT non-contract phone, Verizon won't let you register it on their network.

So it seems to me that you get the most flexibility doing the Verizon model.

Unless the recent FCC portability ruling changes all this? I think they have until Feb 11, 2015 to implement full phone portability.

http://www.fcc.gov/device-unlocking-faq
Click to expand...

You're right. So what I'm going to do is buy T-Mobile one from Apple.com tonight, and then exchange it in store within 14 days to get the Verizon version. The reason I have to do this is because you need an account to buy the Verizon version on Apple's website, but you don't need one to buy it in store.
 
M

mscarey84

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2014
1
0
iPhone returns

Simple ... I'll buy if it does not work (if it is locked) have 14 days to return


For iPhone returns, you may return your undamaged iPhone with its included accessories within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. Here’s the important part: returning your iPhone may not automatically cancel or reset your wireless account; you are responsible for your wireless service agreement and for any applicable fees associated with your wireless account. Please contact your provider for more information.
 
D

dauut

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2013
2
0
I dont have any T-Mobile account. Can I pre-order for Tmobile contract free iphone, so how?
 
N

natasha69

macrumors 6502
Jul 24, 2007
309
0
Apple says it is unlocked and we can use it right away on a different carrier. See my chat session w/Apple.
 

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carrerascott

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2009
241
0
Homer J. said:
Well then that's it, right.

It's unlocked....???
Click to expand...

If you can order the contract free T-Mobile FROM APPLE (not from T-Mobile) it is unlocked. This is what I did with my 5S and I used it in several countries since.

Of course you can't order that through the App and the regular Apple Store is still down as of 4:07am. Stupid Apple.
 
illcoolz

illcoolz

macrumors member
Sep 12, 2014
34
2
Hi guys,

I just pre-ordered the contract free t-mobile 128 GB iPhone Plus from the Apple Store, and got my confirmation. So just to get this right, if I put ANY sim card in the phone, it will work right out of the box?

Thank you
 
H

Homer J.

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2014
6
0
illcoolz said:
Hi guys,

I just pre-ordered the contract free t-mobile 128 GB iPhone Plus from the Apple Store, and got my confirmation. So just to get this right, if I put ANY sim card in the phone, it will work right out of the box?

Thank you
Click to expand...

According to the apple suppport and several posts in this thread, YES.

Did you have to pay for the phone when you pre-ordered it?
 
H

Homer J.

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2014
6
0
illcoolz said:
Yes, they already debited my credit card.
Click to expand...

Will you get it delivered to your address or do you pick it up at a selected applestore?

Curioius if I have to pay in advanced if i decide to pick it up in an apple store in Naples....
 
illcoolz

illcoolz

macrumors member
Sep 12, 2014
34
2
Homer J. said:
Will you get it delivered to your address or do you pick it up at a selected applestore?

Curioius if I have to pay in advanced if i decide to pick it up in an apple store in Naples....
Click to expand...

It's going to be delivered.
 
H

HiSoC8Y

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2014
2
0
Lancetx said:
This has been discussed a million times already and yes it is unlocked if you buy it direct from Apple. The rep is wrong.

I ordered my T-Mobile iPhone 5s direct from the Apple Online Store last year on 9/20 and I can assure you that it was unlocked from the day that it arrived and it still is unlocked today. The same will be true this time around as well. As others have mentioned elsewhere, only the phones purchased from T-Mobile (the carrier themselves and their own retail stores) are carrier locked until they are paid in full and/or the 40~ day period ends.
Click to expand...

At that time, i also ordered the iPhone 5s tmobile, but it specifically mentioned that it's UNLOCKED....this time, it doesn't...it just states "contract-free"

with iPhone 5s, initial orders, people who were lucky to order it in the first batch, (which i am one of them), they got unlocked...later on, they changed it to locked.
 
C

ckd38

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2014
16
0
Apologies since I'm sure this has been answered before, but will the unlocked T-Mobile phone (bought on Apple.com) that's part of the presale be able to be used on Verizon? Or is this the difference between GSM and CDMA?
 
O

orthorim

Suspended
Feb 27, 2008
733
350
Ordered one in the hopes that it's actually unlocked.

Why wouldn't it be? Right?

I figured I have a week to research this and can cancel at any time before it ships...
 
rigormortis

rigormortis

macrumors 68000
Jun 11, 2009
1,813
229
ask maggie from cnet is telling people a third story. and she says that the t-mobile version is only unlocked for international use.

"The T-Mobile iPhone is contract-free and can be used with the GSM carrier of your choice internationally, but comes preconfigured for use with T-Mobile and needs to be activated with T-Mobile in the United States," an Apple retail support representative told the publication. "To use the iPhone with another carrier in the United States, you will want to contact T-Mobile for your available options or wait for the unlocked version of the iPhone to be released."

that is what apple said to the international business times.
 
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