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Best Buy Sells iPhones Subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy

JulesJam

JulesJam

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Sep 20, 2014
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Just pointing this out again for everyone. What this means is that EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ that Best Buy sells for 1 of the 4 national carriers is subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy (USRFP) and they have the Qualcomm chips. They will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card you use in them for the initial activation.

If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phone will be carrier unlocked. The Verizon postpaid SIM card does not have to be active on Verizon to do the initial activation. You can do the initial activation over WiFi or using iTunes

YOU CANNOT ACTIVATE AN iPHONE SUBJECT TO THE USRFP INITIALLY WITH A NON-US SIM CARD!!!! You must use a US SIM card for the initial activation. After that, you can use an international SIM card in them as long as the device is carrier unlocked. If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phones will be carrier unlocked.

Does the SIM card have to a be a Verizon postpaid SIM card? I have only used the Verizon postpaid SIMs so I know for sure that they work. Others claim the Verizon prepaid SIM cards work too.

Target and Walmart sell iPhones s/t the USRFP also.
 
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comptr said:
Best Buy does sell Unlocked iPhones too. Depending on the location they should have some.
Click to expand...
Best Buy only sells iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy. They do not sell the SIM free iPhone 7/7+/8/8+.

EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ labeled as for 1 of the 4 national carriers that is sold by Best Buy will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card is used for the initial activation. You cannot use a non-US SIM card to activate these phones initially. Best Buy does NOT sell the SIM free iPhones.

Many people have purchased iPhones full retail from Best Buy and taken them abroad only to find out that they can't activate them. Of course if you do find yourself in that situation, you can simply get a Verizon postpaid SIM and use that for the initial activation over WiFi or using iTunes. However, if you use an AT&T, TMobile, US Cellular or Sprint SIM card for the initial activation the phone will be locked to those carriers and will not be able to be used internationally until it gets unlocked. And good luck getting them unlocked if you don't have an account with the carrier.

Thus, only use Verizon SIMs for the initial activation of these phones.
 
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JulesJam said:
Best Buy only sells iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy. They do not sell the SIM free iPhone 7/7+/8/8+.

EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ sold by Best Buy will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card is used for the initial activation. You cannot use a non-US SIM card to activate these phones initially. Best Buy does NOT sell the SIM free iPhones.
Click to expand...
Really in my state my local best buys sell Unlocked Phones. Especially one store is near by our local in-state university and they have a lot of international students and they all buy unlocked iPhones from that Best Buy.
 
JulesJam said:
Best Buy only sells iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy. They do not sell the SIM free iPhone 7/7+/8/8+.

EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ sold by Best Buy will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card is used for the initial activation. You cannot use a non-US SIM card to activate these phones initially. Best Buy does NOT sell the SIM free iPhones.
Click to expand...
Every year! :p

Slightly off-topic, but an information message for any European (especially UK) members browsing this thread out of interest: SIM-free doesn't always mean unlocked over here. So don't read this thread and go and buy a SIM-free phone and expect it to be unlocked.
 
Brookzy said:
Every year! :p

Slightly off-topic, but an information message for any European (especially UK) members browsing this thread out of interest: SIM-free doesn't always mean unlocked over here. So don't read this thread and go and buy a SIM-free phone and expect it to be unlocked.
Click to expand...
SIM free is the term used for the factory unlocked phones that are sold directly through Apple and nowhere else.

Best Buy does not sell the SIM free (factory unlocked) model. All of Best Buy's iP7/7+/8/8+ are subject to the USRFP even if you pay full retail for them. They all have the Qualcomm chips in them.
 
JulesJam said:
SIM free is the term used for the factory unlocked phones that are sold directly through Apple and nowhere else.

Best Buy does not sell the SIM free (factory unlocked) model. All of Best Buy's iP7/7+/8/8+ are subject to the USRFP even if you pay full retail for them. They all have the Qualcomm chips in them.
Click to expand...
I know, and you're 100% correct, but I was just adding that here in the UK lots of retailers sell "SIM-free" phones that lock to the network of the first carrier. Not that it is relevant to the thread, but I just added it to avoid confusion for Europeans who may be reading, so we can leave it there. :)
 
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Not only are they qualcomm, but best buy will discount iphones if you buy on a carrier financing agreement unlike apple and the carrier stores
 
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alent1234 said:
Not only are they qualcomm, but best buy will discount iphones if you buy on a carrier financing agreement unlike apple and the carrier stores
Click to expand...
Yes, from BF to Xmas you will probably see discounts on the iP8/8+.
 
Great info.
I assume the iPhone 8 and iPhone x will be sold also under the same policy.
In other words before you do anything if you get one from Best Buy just activate the phone with a Verizon sim and it will be unlocked forever with no hoops to jump through, no wait and without ever having to ask a carrier to unlock it;)
 
Anyone preordered from Best Buy in the past? Were you able to get the phone on launch day? Thinking about getting 18 months 0% interest with my Best Buy card instead of risking taking too long for approval process using IUP.
 
comptr said:
Really in my state my local best buys sell Unlocked Phones.
Click to expand...
They sell unlocked Androids. They do not sell the SIM free factory unlocked iPhones. They only sell the carrier model iPhone SEs and for the 7/7+/8/8+ they only sell the iPhones s/t the USRFP.

You are confusing Androids with iPhones.

comptr said:
Especially one store is near by our local in-state university and they have a lot of international students and they all buy unlocked iPhones from that Best Buy.
Click to expand...
No, that isn't true. Best Buy doesn't sell the SIM free factory unlocked iPhones. But like I said in the OP, if you simply use a Verizon SIM to do the initial activation, the iPhones s/t the USRFP will be carrier unlocked.
[doublepost=1508992704][/doublepost]
Applejuiced said:
Great info.
I assume the iPhone 8 and iPhone x will be sold also under the same policy.
In other words before you do anything if you get one from Best Buy just activate the phone with a Verizon sim and it will be unlocked forever with no hoops to jump through, no wait and without ever having to ask a carrier to unlock it;)
Click to expand...
Yes, the iPhone 8/8+ are s/t the USRFP. I assume the iPhone X sold by BB will be too.

And the Verizon SIM doesn't even need to be active. You can use an inactive Verizon SIM and activate over WiFi or iTunes, I have done this many times. For instance, I purchased a Sprint iPhone 7 during a $300 off sale and told the BB rep not to activate it. When I got home I activated it with an inactive Verizon SIM over WiFi and it is carrier unlocked now.
[doublepost=1508992833][/doublepost]
macmann81 said:
Anyone preordered from Best Buy in the past? Were you able to get the phone on launch day? Thinking about getting 18 months 0% interest with my Best Buy card instead of risking taking too long for approval process using IUP.
Click to expand...
I would start a separate thread about iPhone pre-orders via Best Buy.
 
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iPhone Xcited said:
I plan to preorder the Verizon iPhone X 256GB on Best Buy. My carrier is T-Mobile (reason I am buying Verizon is for carrier flexibility). Does this mean I have to insert a Verizon SIM card on initial set up?
Click to expand...
If you put a TMobile SIM in for the initial activation, the iPX will be locked to TMobile. Now since you are on TMobile postpaid, you can call them at 41 days of continuous use of the phone on your line and ask for an unlock and since you bought full retail from BB they will unlock it for you.

But it is much easier to just use the Verizon SIM for the initial activation.
[doublepost=1508996877][/doublepost]
iPhone Xcited said:
I see there are Verizon SIM cards being sold on eBay. Would this one work?: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/192232418594
Click to expand...
Yes those will work.
 
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iPhone Xcited said:
Thank you for the prompt reply! I am extremely glad I noticed this thread and saved myself from a potential headache!
Click to expand...
Yeah, that is why I reposted this info. A lot of people have been screwed by this in the past when they bought a "Verizon" iP7/7+ from Best Buy and thought it was unlocked out of the box. It's not because BB does not sell the carrier models they sell the iPhones s/t the USRFP (except for the iPhone SE - those are the carrier models).

This is true of Target and Walmart too!
 
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JulesJam said:
Just pointing this out again for everyone. What this means is that EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ that Best Buy sells is subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy (USRFP) and they have the Qualcomm chips. They will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card you use in them for the initial activation.

If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phone will be carrier unlocked. The Verizon postpaid SIM card does not have to be active on Verizon to do the initial activation. You can do the initial activation over WiFi or using iTunes

YOU CANNOT ACTIVATE AN iPHONE SUBJECT TO THE USRFP INITIALLY WITH A NON-US SIM CARD!!!! You must use a US SIM card for the initial activation. After that, you can use an international SIM card in them as long as the device is carrier unlocked. If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phones will be carrier unlocked.

Does the SIM card have to a be a Verizon postpaid SIM card? I have only used the Verizon postpaid SIMs so I know for sure that they work. Others claim the Verizon prepaid SIM cards work too.

Target and Walmart sell iPhones s/t the USRFP also.
Click to expand...


THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!

Are Target and Walmart receiving the iPhone X?
 
JulesJam said:
Just pointing this out again for everyone. What this means is that EVERY iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ that Best Buy sells is subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy (USRFP) and they have the Qualcomm chips. They will follow the unlocking policy of whichever US carrier's SIM card you use in them for the initial activation.

If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phone will be carrier unlocked. The Verizon postpaid SIM card does not have to be active on Verizon to do the initial activation. You can do the initial activation over WiFi or using iTunes

YOU CANNOT ACTIVATE AN iPHONE SUBJECT TO THE USRFP INITIALLY WITH A NON-US SIM CARD!!!! You must use a US SIM card for the initial activation. After that, you can use an international SIM card in them as long as the device is carrier unlocked. If you use a Verizon postpaid SIM card for the initial activation, the phones will be carrier unlocked.

Does the SIM card have to a be a Verizon postpaid SIM card? I have only used the Verizon postpaid SIMs so I know for sure that they work. Others claim the Verizon prepaid SIM cards work too.

Target and Walmart sell iPhones s/t the USRFP also.
Click to expand...

Does this apply to all iPhones such at ATT Prepaid iPhone SE or 6 sold at Bestbuy, thanks
 
iPhoneBangla said:
Does this apply to all iPhones such at ATT Prepaid iPhone SE or 6 sold at Bestbuy, thanks
Click to expand...
No. Best Buy sells the carrier models for the iPhone SE. Prepaid models are locked to whatever prepaid carrier you buy them from. I don't think Best Buy sells the iPhone 6 for the 4 national carriers any longer but the 32GB and 128GB iPhone 6s for the 4 national carriers that BB sells should be s/t the USRFP.

The iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ sold for one of the 4 national carriers are not the carrier models, they are s/t the USRFP.
[doublepost=1509074208][/doublepost]
shuwenwenzhou said:
My Local Best Buy sells unlock phones too
Click to expand...
Unlocked androids sure. But not SIM free factory unlocked iPhones. Read the thread.
 
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