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Yahllil

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 9, 2015
4
0
Hello,

Is the T-Mobile iPhone 6s in the US is unlocked/SIM-free? Without a contract?

I'm a tourist and I need this kind of model, I have a T-Mobile version of the iPhone 6 from last year and it's working great in my country!

Does anybody know if the T-Mobile is SIM-Free/Unlocked without a contract?



Thanks!
 

HarryWild

macrumors 68020
Oct 27, 2012
2,042
710
Hello,

Is the T-Mobile iPhone 6s in the US is unlocked/SIM-free? Without a contract?

I'm a tourist and I need this kind of model, I have a T-Mobile version of the iPhone 6 from last year and it's working great in my country!

Does anybody know if the T-Mobile is SIM-Free/Unlocked without a contract?



Thanks!

The T-Mobile version is not the same as the Apple "unlocked" version that is usually release in December! It has limited bands on it while the "unlocked" December version works in about 3/4 of the world including Asia!
 

Yahllil

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 9, 2015
4
0
The T-Mobile version is not the same as the Apple "unlocked" version that is usually release in December! It has limited bands on it while the "unlocked" December version works in about 3/4 of the world including Asia!
I've checked and the "Model A1633*" and "Model A1634*" is good for me, I just need to know if the T-Mobile will be SIM-free/Unlocked without a contract.
 

janicewilson

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2014
24
14
I'm American, but reside part-time in Cambodia and travel throughout Asia and The United States frequently. I typically purchase my iPhones in Singapore. But this year, my plan is to pre-order the "T-Mobile" version and purchase in store via the iPhone Upgrade Program. However, you suggested that the initial offering would be SIM free, but wouldn't truly be unlocked as the initial offering would be missing bands critical to certain Asian countries.

According to GSM Arena, I need only GSM 900, GSM 1800 and UMTS 2100 to be up and running in Cambodia, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore for 3G capabilities, which seems to be included below. But would need LTE 1800, LTE 2600 to access 4G, which doesn't seem to be included below.

And now for my questions:

01 It seems from the intel provided in this thread that any Asian country can be accessed, and that the phone would only be lacking only 4G capabilities. Is this correct? If yes, then why have you suggested that certain Asian countries could not be accessed?

02 Would an unlocked iPhone (as opposed to a SIM free iPhone), offered later in the year have these LTE bands?

03 Currently I use AirVoice as my carrier when Stateside. I haven't an account with any of the majors. Will I need to create such in order to pre-order?

Your help in sorting the above would be much appreciated!


The T-Mobile version is not the same as the Apple "unlocked" version that is usually release in December! It has limited bands on it while the "unlocked" December version works in about 3/4 of the world including Asia!
 

junnny

macrumors newbie
Mar 5, 2009
8
1
02 Would an unlocked iPhone (as opposed to a SIM free iPhone), offered later in the year have these LTE bands?
I keep asking if the so-called SIM free phone sold by Apple a month or two after the initial release will have the same LTE speeds no matter which carrier you use, but no one can give a satisfying answer. The "Apple People" all assure me, "It will work" (meaning the phone will, er, work) but no one will say the Apple version is a "one size fits all" capable of LTE speeds no matter which carrier you use or whatever SIM card you place in the phone in a place with LTE speed.
 

rigormortis

macrumors 68000
Jun 11, 2009
1,813
229
The T-Mobile version is not the same as the Apple "unlocked" version that is usually release in December! It has limited bands on it while the "unlocked" December version works in about 3/4 of the world including Asia!


wrong

the sim free at the iPhone last year was just the sprint version, and it was white listed to sprint and verizon and t-mobile and AT&T. the sprint version was exactly the same as the t-mobile version except it had 4 extra spark channels.

this years t-mobile unlocked looks like it might have issues being activated by verizon and sprint because
they don't yet have the imei #s in their databases. i think they don't activate phones that were not sold to them
for the first 90 days.

regardless if its AT&T or Tmobile / verizon and sprint . both iPhone 6s and 6s+ phones have working CDMA and Chinese CDMA radios as well as Spark Channels. if sprint or verizon won't activate your phone, then its not the phones fault. it is their fault.

after 90 days you will probably see the a1687 unlocked t-mobile phone being sold without a sim card, and
be white listed.

other then that white list, the phones will be technically identical and have the same exact parts


the other thing was last year the unlocked t-mobile iPhone 6 and 6 + wasn't approved or white listed to verizon
and you had to use a pulled sim from another phone.

3 or 4 weeks ago, verizon changed their mind and now every single unlocked t-mobile iPhone 6/6+ is a verizon handset.

c
 
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