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Best Buy A1660 tied to carrier

T

tlavas

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 11, 2016
18
3
DFW
I was in BB and they had A1660 in stock...the salesman told me that they were carrier specific and could be used as a universal phone but once you put in a sim the phone would be dedicated to that carrier, in my case AT&T...
Can't this be reversed by myself, Verizon, or whomever I desire to move my service to in the future?

Is it a simple software massage to unlock the phone from one particular carrier...it is a A1660 after all...thanks
 
I bought mine from the Apple store, and paid full price.
it was model A1661 Sprint phone, and had a sprint sim in it. The first thing i did when i unboxed it was to pull out the sprint sim, and insert my AT&T GoPhone sim. Then i went through the process of registering it, and setting it up from a backup in iTunes. Since the AT&T sim was already active in my 6s+, when i was finished i made a call and sent a message. AT&T service showed at the top, and have no problem's.
I believe the model's A1660/A1661 are for Verizon-Sprint service, but they will accept AT&T and T-Mobile sim's.
Model A1778* Model A1784*...Models A1778 and A1784 do not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint.(copied this from Apple tech specs)
If your under contract with any carrier they will unlock the phone once your contract is over, or if you pay the full amount before the contract end's. That's why i now buy unlocked phone's paying full price. It's a few $$ more upfront, but my service for go phone is only $43.39 each month.
With the 6s you were able to use any carrier service, and the setting's would automatically set to the service you were using. Now it's just A/1660/A1661 that will accept all sim's.
 
7roca7 said:
I bought mine from the Apple store, and paid full price.
it was model A1661 Sprint phone, and had a sprint sim in it. The first thing i did when i unboxed it was to pull out the sprint sim, and insert my AT&T GoPhone sim. Then i went through the process of registering it, and setting it up from a backup in iTunes. Since the AT&T sim was already active in my 6s+, when i was finished i made a call and sent a message. AT&T service showed at the top, and have no problem's.
I believe the model's A1660/A1661 are for Verizon-Sprint service, but they will accept AT&T and T-Mobile sim's.
Model A1778* Model A1784*...Models A1778 and A1784 do not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint.(copied this from Apple tech specs)
If your under contract with any carrier they will unlock the phone once your contract is over, or if you pay the full amount before the contract end's. That's why i now buy unlocked phone's paying full price. It's a few $$ more upfront, but my service for go phone is only $43.39 each month.
With the 6s you were able to use any carrier service, and the setting's would automatically set to the service you were using. Now it's just A/1660/A1661 that will accept all sim's.
Click to expand...

You don't even need to remove the Sprint SIM straight away. I turned on the iPhone to make sure it was OK, and then removed the SIM later after I'd set it up to play around with it. Popped in my AT&T SIM and it worked fine. Then restored the phone and it gave the "Your iPhone is unlocked" message in iTunes.
 
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WilliamG said:
You don't even need to remove the Sprint SIM straight away. I turned on the iPhone to make sure it was OK, and then removed the SIM later after I'd set it up to play around with it. Popped in my AT&T SIM and it worked fine. Then restored the phone and it gave the "Your iPhone is unlocked" message in iTunes.
Click to expand...

Sorry i should have said if the Sprint sim was activated it would have locked into sprint service. I have also used a T-Mobile sim unactivated, so i could change setting's on an unlocked 5 iPhone in order to use Straight Talk service. I also used the T-M sim today to see if i could pull up the hidden setting's for carrier's like i did on my 6s+. On the 6s+ it showed all the carriers, but on the 7+ it just automatically searches your active sim to connect to that carrier if you have a Verizon or Sprint.
 

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7roca7 said:
Sorry i should have said if the Sprint sim was activated it would have locked into sprint service. I have also used a T-Mobile sim unactivated, so i could change setting's on an unlocked 5 iPhone in order to use Straight Talk service. I also used the T-M sim today to see if i could pull up the hidden setting's for carrier's like i did on my 6s+. On the 6s+ it showed all the carriers, but on the 7+ it just automatically searches your active sim to connect to that carrier if you have a Verizon or Sprint.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1475202568][/doublepost]So the sales guy at Best Buy told me that it was a universal iPhone, and it is definitely an A1660, but that when I inserted the AT&T sim it would tie the phone to AT&T...

Are you saying that if I used a different service's sim card like Verizon say, it would tie to Verizon and work or would I need to untie it from AT&T first?
 
tlavas said:
[doublepost=1475202568][/doublepost]So the sales guy at Best Buy told me that it was a universal iPhone, and it is definitely an A1660, but that when I inserted the AT&T sim it would tie the phone to AT&T...

Are you saying that if I used a different service's sim card like Verizon say, it would tie to Verizon and work or would I need to untie it from AT&T first?
Click to expand...

If it's like last year, If you buy the phone without a contract, it's unlocked. It won't matter what SIM you put in there first. My iPhone 6s Plus from last year was a Verizon iPhone 6s Plus bought at full price. It's unlocked.
 
tlavas said:
[doublepost=1475202568][/doublepost]So the sales guy at Best Buy told me that it was a universal iPhone, and it is definitely an A1660, but that when I inserted the AT&T sim it would tie the phone to AT&T...

Are you saying that if I used a different service's sim card like Verizon say, it would tie to Verizon and work or would I need to untie it from AT&T first?
Click to expand...
From what I've read if you purchase the universal model from Best Buy through a carrier payment plan, it will use that carriers unlocking policy.

So if you purchased it for AT&T you would need to get it unlocked from AT&T. Verizon does not lock their phones so it wouldn't lock to Verizon.

However, if you purchase it full price unlocked I don't think it would tie to a carrier since they wouldn't activate it for you in the store.
 
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From https://www.techwalls.com/iphone-7-plus-model-differences/

A1660: The iPhone 7 A1660 is considered the global phone as it is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. This model is available in the United States, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and China. In the US, you can get the A1660 on Sprint and Verizon, when you buy the SIM-free version, or when you buy the locked AT&T phone at BestBuy.

You'd have to get it unlocked through at&t.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
From https://www.techwalls.com/iphone-7-plus-model-differences/

A1660: The iPhone 7 A1660 is considered the global phone as it is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. This model is available in the United States, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and China. In the US, you can get the A1660 on Sprint and Verizon, when you buy the SIM-free version, or when you buy the locked AT&T phone at BestBuy.

You'd have to get it unlocked through at&t.
Click to expand...
I am sure this is exactly the case and what the sales person meant when he said the sim would tie it to AT&T...

At least its an A1660 so I can get it unlocked if needed...
 
It's concerning that on Apple's website the A1660/A1661 don't show AT&T compatibility, even though the bands are the same. If the A1660 and A1661 are compatible on AT&T why don't they list AT&T under A1660/1661?

I bought the AT&T version from Bestbuy and got the A1661.

Has anyone tried putting a different SIM (say, a TMobile SIM) in the A1660/1661 after activating on AT&T to see if it truly is locked to AT&T?
 
dmylrea said:
It's concerning that on Apple's website the A1660/A1661 don't show AT&T compatibility, even though the bands are the same. If the A1660 and A1661 are compatible on AT&T why don't they list AT&T under A1660/1661?

I bought the AT&T version from Bestbuy and got the A1661.

Has anyone tried putting a different SIM (say, a TMobile SIM) in the A1660/1661 after activating on AT&T to see if it truly is locked to AT&T?
Click to expand...

The link you posted does show the A1660/A1661 as GSM and CDMA compatible right under the model name...But I do think my BB A1660 is locked to AT&T at this point...I'll just have them unlock it if I change carriers or use whatever software is available at the time...
 
It is very straight forward.
iPhones paid in full from Apple store are unlocked.
Verizon LTE iPhones are unlocked out of the box, regardless where you buy it from.

Moral of the story: if you pare paying in full, buy from Apple store, unless you want Verizon version, then it doesn't matter.
 
I wanted an A1660 in case I decide to change carrier away from AT&T...The only way to have it with AT&T as your carrier is to buy it from Best Buy...Apparently it is not unlocked which shouldn't be a problem t get it unlocked...
 
No idea if this is right or not, but I recall reading it on Reddit, as well as a couple of other sites. Basically, the phones Best Buy are selling are universal (for lack of a better word I guess) and will work on any carrier. However due to this "Flex Reseller Policy" (I have no idea what it is), phones bought at Best Buy will lock to the carrier you put the SIM card in for.

Apparently however if you first put in a Verizon SIM card it will follow the unlock policy of Verizon (which is that all their 4G/LTE devices are unlocked). If you use another carrier SIM, it follows that carriers lock policy.

You can read more on the following two links -- again I don't know what it all is, but I remembered seeing something about it, and someone getting a device at BBY and it locking the T-Mobile (as the first SIM they put in was T-Mobile).

https://www.reddit.com/r/VerizonUDP...ip77_purchased_through_best_buy_will_lock_to/
http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...Phones-Subject-to-US-Reseller-Flex-Policy-Now
 
boxermansr said:
No idea if this is right or not, but I recall reading it on Reddit, as well as a couple of other sites. Basically, the phones Best Buy are selling are universal (for lack of a better word I guess) and will work on any carrier. However due to this "Flex Reseller Policy" (I have no idea what it is), phones bought at Best Buy will lock to the carrier you put the SIM card in for.

Apparently however if you first put in a Verizon SIM card it will follow the unlock policy of Verizon (which is that all their 4G/LTE devices are unlocked). If you use another carrier SIM, it follows that carriers lock policy.

You can read more on the following two links -- again I don't know what it all is, but I remembered seeing something about it, and someone getting a device at BBY and it locking the T-Mobile (as the first SIM they put in was T-Mobile).

https://www.reddit.com/r/VerizonUDP...ip77_purchased_through_best_buy_will_lock_to/
http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...Phones-Subject-to-US-Reseller-Flex-Policy-Now
Click to expand...

Good info right there...I guess the only way around the lock to AT&T is to contact them and request it or hope for unlock software to develop...
 
tlavas said:
Good info right there...I guess the only way around the lock to AT&T is to contact them and request it or hope for unlock software to develop...
Click to expand...
From what I've read on that thread, once it's locked (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) the carrier NOR Apple can unlock it. I just scanned through the thread, so there could be some updates, but last I read one member who got an unlocked one and put a T-Mobile SIM it had it carrier locked, and TM nor Apple could/can unlock, so they had to return it, and get another (I think they went to Apple that time though). From what I can tell, this policy applies to Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target (again, scanned the thread real fast when I saw it was related to BBY since I usually buy phones there a few times a year).
 
boxermansr said:
From what I've read on that thread, once it's locked (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) the carrier NOR Apple can unlock it. I just scanned through the thread, so there could be some updates, but last I read one member who got an unlocked one and put a T-Mobile SIM it had it carrier locked, and TM nor Apple could/can unlock, so they had to return it, and get another (I think they went to Apple that time though). From what I can tell, this policy applies to Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target (again, scanned the thread real fast when I saw it was related to BBY since I usually buy phones there a few times a year).
Click to expand...

Having a model that cannot be unlocked would be counter CTIA's Consumer Code for Wireless Service. I don't believe that you can have a phone that cannot be unlocked, especially once the account/device are in good standing (paid-off on the NEXT agreement). The phone was not advertised as being any different than one purchased at Apple.com or ATT.com so if that is true, I'm seeing free iPhone exchanges in the future for BB/Target/WM buyers.

I don't plan on leaving ATT, but the benefits of an unlocked phone when traveling internationally, and increased resale value are two good reasons that I might prefer to own a phone that I can unlock once I pay it off.
 
How does one buy an Qualcomm iPhone 7 A1660 from Apple directly then, if I'm already with AT&T and want to pay full price? Won't they defer me to the Intel A1778 anyway?
 
golfnut1982 said:
How does one buy an Qualcomm iPhone 7 A1660 from Apple directly then, if I'm already with AT&T and want to pay full price? Won't they defer me to the Intel A1778 anyway?
Click to expand...

After six weeks or so from launch, Apple sells a SIM-free iPhone. I'm guessing the iPhone 7/7 Plus SIM-free phones will be A1660/A1661.
 
golfnut1982 said:
How does one buy an Qualcomm iPhone 7 A1660 from Apple directly then, if I'm already with AT&T and want to pay full price? Won't they defer me to the Intel A1778 anyway?
Click to expand...
You can buy a Verizon one that works on AT&T no problem when paying full price.
 
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