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Differences between Unlocked iPhone 5's?
- Thread starter kcchaso
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This.
So worry worry WORRY that the "factory unlocked" phone you bought was really a super shady unlock fusion phone that could be remote detonated by AT&T at any time... there's no way to know =P...
Seriously, there have been NO documented cases of there being ANY issues with the new unlocking method. A lot of needless worry and conjecture, and some cases of a software unlocked phone being updated and re-locked, but that's it.
I don't even have a link to share of my favorite unlocker haha....
If anyone can prove that their iP5 has been re-locked after using one of these services, I will buy them a soda.
They won't. Ever. My soda is safe.
This. Some people prefer knowing they're getting bona fide factory-unlocked or at&t authorized-unlocked iPhones to eliminate the possibility of reversing the inside job done by fusion_unlock, gevey IMEI unlocking, etc. as a lot of them have the disclaimer they will re-lock the iPhone IMEI of any returns or illegitimate purchases.
An unlock isn't going to effect the hardware of a phone. LTE service will be there whether the carrier you choose supports it or not.
Unless you want a bona fide factory-unlocked or at&t authorized-unlocked iPhone, just get a locked one for significantly cheaper and have fusion_unlock unlock it for a few dollars.
There has not been one documented case of them (AT&T, VZW, UnlockFusion, etc..) re-locking a phone once it has received the "Your phone has been unlocked" message in iTunes.
There was a claimed case on another forum, but it was later discovered that the phone had been unlocked via Jailbreak, and that the owner had updated (it was a 4S, not a 5 anyway...).
Again, I will offer a soda to anyone who can prove there was ever a case of a re-lock after ANY of the "shady" unlockers unlocked the phone.
There isn't. Just a lot of scare tactics because for whatever reason people want to propogate the myth that a factory unlocked phone is somehow different or better. It's not, and it isn't. They both share the same odds of being locked under normal circumstances: 0.
If it is reported as lost/stolen the IMEI can be blacklisted, but that is COMPLETELY different than re-locking.
After it's unlocked and in Apple's database (i.e. not via jailbreak), it's unlocked, and as of today, will remain that way indefinitely.
They could change that in the future, but it would be a COLLOSAL undertaking to figure out which were which since they both use the exact same means to unlock the phone (legit AT&T and UF).
They also could shut the unlockers out (in the future).
Still wouldn't affect unlocked phones already in the marketplace. AT&T (as an example) would be creating a nightmare for itself if it started relocking the presumably thousands of phones that have been bought, sold, and probably re-sold again (as unlocked), just because (even if they could).
There is no unlocked AT&T iphone by using restoring method.
There's not even a factory unlocked iphone 5 sold in the US yet.
There's the locked AT&T iphone 5 that can be unlocked with an IMEI unlock from ebay. The unlocked AT&T iphone 5 bought full price.
The GSM unlocked iphone 5 from verizon.
And the Sprint iphone 5 that can be unlocked for international GSM use by Sprint but will not work with any other carrier in the US.
One update, there will be no AT&T LTE support on the Verizon iPhone 5.
It will work fine on AT&T's network just not on LTE. The Verizon iPhone 5 is only unlocked for GSM usage so you can use any GSM provider in the US in addition to Verizon's service.
Dave
Blame that on the third party unlockers' "disclaimer." It's what caused several members to start threads expressing their concern.
Is there a difference in terms of what LTE bands each phone uses? Such as I know the Verizon one can be used on most world LTE bands? How about AT&T?
Doesn't Apple sell a factory unlocked iPhone 5 on its website? Isn't that factory unlocked? How hard is it to flash the Sprint to turn it into a Verizon?
No, not in the USA currently via the Apple.com web site!
At some point they will offer web purchases like last year for the iPhone 5. It is not a issue with "flashing" the CDMA model. Sprint and Verizon will not allow you to use an iPhone that was not purchased / activated for use directly on their network. No real technical reason as the iPhone 5 hardware is exactly the same on the iPhone 5. Just a simple business decision!
Dave