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Buy the Verizon iPhone 8 as an AT&T customer?

M

Mikel30

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 11, 2004
89
24
As the title says, I'm an AT&T customer. But reading the Apple iPhone 8 FAQ page, it says this:

iPhone offers the same innovative features regardless of the wireless carrier you choose. If you choose AT&T or T-Mobile as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use 3G cellular technology for voice services and either 3G or 4G LTE cellular technology for data services. iPhone can roam internationally on many GSM carriers around the world. If you buy an iPhone with AT&T or T-Mobile, it will not work if you switch to Sprint or Verizon.​

If you choose Sprint or Verizon as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use CDMA cellular technology for voice and data services. If you buy an iPhone with Sprint or Verizon, it will work on AT&T or T-Mobile. An iPhone activated on Sprint or Verizon also has the ability to roam internationally on GSM networks. For details on LTE network support, please see​


To me, this means the Verizon phone works with AT&T, but not the other way around. So why would I buy the AT&T phone if it gives me less flexibility and resale value? Is there something I'm overlooking? Yeah, the Verizon phone would come with a Verizon SIM, but I could just swap it out when I receive it, right?
 
Mikel30 said:
As the title says, I'm an AT&T customer. But reading the Apple iPhone 8 FAQ page, it says this:

iPhone offers the same innovative features regardless of the wireless carrier you choose. If you choose AT&T or T-Mobile as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use 3G cellular technology for voice services and either 3G or 4G LTE cellular technology for data services. iPhone can roam internationally on many GSM carriers around the world. If you buy an iPhone with AT&T or T-Mobile, it will not work if you switch to Sprint or Verizon.​

If you choose Sprint or Verizon as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use CDMA cellular technology for voice and data services. If you buy an iPhone with Sprint or Verizon, it will work on AT&T or T-Mobile. An iPhone activated on Sprint or Verizon also has the ability to roam internationally on GSM networks. For details on LTE network support, please see​


To me, this means the Verizon phone works with AT&T, but not the other way around. So why would I buy the AT&T phone if it gives me less flexibility and resale value? Is there something I'm overlooking? Yeah, the Verizon phone would come with a Verizon SIM, but I could just swap it out when I receive it, right?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can try to purchase a Verizon model full priced. There was a time where the carrier model worked with WiFi calling and VOLTE, but I think they all do that at this point? (worth researching I suppose).
 
Same question I came here to ask but for Tmobile which is the same phone as At&t's. Are the Verizon ones SIM unlocked to work on any network? Does anyone know for sure? I recall in the past they were unlocked.
 
Hmm. Didn't realize I had to be a Verizon customer to buy a "Verizon" iPhone. I thought since I was going through the Apple Upgrade Program, it didn't matter. So if I have to buy a Verizon phone full-price, then I might as well buy the "Unlocked", SIM-free version.
 
MrXiro said:
Same question I came here to ask but for Tmobile which is the same phone as At&t's. Are the Verizon ones SIM unlocked to work on any network? Does anyone know for sure? I recall in the past they were unlocked.
Click to expand...
Yes. You will have to buy from Apple though. Verizon will not sell a phone without a Verizon account even at full price.
 
Mikel30 said:
Hmm. Didn't realize I had to be a Verizon customer to buy a "Verizon" iPhone. I thought since I was going through the Apple Upgrade Program, it didn't matter. So if I have to buy a Verizon phone full-price, then I might as well buy the "Unlocked", SIM-free version.
Click to expand...
Apple upgrade program is different. That's through Apple, I was speaking in terms of buying from Verizon.
 
rockitdog said:
Apple upgrade program is different. That's through Apple, I was speaking in terms of buying from Verizon.
Click to expand...

It's through Apple, but they still make you activate with that carrier at the time of purchase, for some reason. That means putting in your account info, which I obviously don't have, since I'm not a Verizon customer.
 
Mikel30 said:
It's through Apple, but they still make you activate with that carrier at the time of purchase, for some reason. That means putting in your account info, which I obviously don't have, since I'm not a Verizon customer.
Click to expand...
You might have to pay in full then, but if you do that you might as well just get the Unlocked version.
 
Last edited:
Yep - just pay in full price at Apple Store to get Verizon store. I do this every year.
 
MrXiro said:
Are Apple Upgrade VZW iPhones Unlocked? Or just Paid in Full?
Click to expand...
All Verizon devices are unlocked whether you enter into a finance agreement or contract. Doesn't matter if you paid in full or financed it, it will still be unlocked.
[doublepost=1505511883][/doublepost]
Mikel30 said:
It's through Apple, but they still make you activate with that carrier at the time of purchase, for some reason. That means putting in your account info, which I obviously don't have, since I'm not a Verizon customer.
Click to expand...
If you don't have Verizon account then yes you can't use the apple.com to order. But you can visit the Apple store on launch day and if they have the verizon model, you can ask to buy it outright, they won't ask you for the account info.

Being that sim-free model is essentially Verizon/Sprint Model, you might as well just get the sim-free model.
 
MrXiro said:
Are the Verizon ones SIM unlocked to work on any network? Does anyone know for sure? I recall in the past they were unlocked.
Click to expand...

Yes all Verizon phones are SIM unlocked, I believe that's an FCC requirement due to the spectrum.
 
Mikel30 said:
As the title says, I'm an AT&T customer. But reading the Apple iPhone 8 FAQ page, it says this:

iPhone offers the same innovative features regardless of the wireless carrier you choose. If you choose AT&T or T-Mobile as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use 3G cellular technology for voice services and either 3G or 4G LTE cellular technology for data services. iPhone can roam internationally on many GSM carriers around the world. If you buy an iPhone with AT&T or T-Mobile, it will not work if you switch to Sprint or Verizon.​

If you choose Sprint or Verizon as your wireless carrier, your iPhone will use CDMA cellular technology for voice and data services. If you buy an iPhone with Sprint or Verizon, it will work on AT&T or T-Mobile. An iPhone activated on Sprint or Verizon also has the ability to roam internationally on GSM networks. For details on LTE network support, please see​


To me, this means the Verizon phone works with AT&T, but not the other way around. So why would I buy the AT&T phone if it gives me less flexibility and resale value? Is there something I'm overlooking? Yeah, the Verizon phone would come with a Verizon SIM, but I could just swap it out when I receive it, right?
Click to expand...

I think that was a misprint perhaps?

Update: I forgot VZW phones can roam GSM/LTE so I suppose it would work.
 
As stated before you will be unable to do it through the app as you would need a Verizon account. Last year the people that got the CDMA/GSM model though IUP all seemed to have to go in store, or set up one of the reservations on the IUP website. You won't lose much on resale. Most people only have access to the GSM model anyway. As I recall that's literally the only option in places like Canada. But yes, bottom line, Verizon/Sprint models work with all carriers whereas at&t/t-mobile models only can work with each other.
 
Why not just buy it from Apple that sells carrier free iPhones? I don't understand what you are trying to achieve here. Resale value? I would prefer to buy a carrier free iPhone that was sold by Apple even if it was a used iPhone.
 
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