Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Buying a sim free vs a Verizon iPhone 8. Which is better ?
- Thread starter Knockoutjosie
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
From my understanding, if you buy the Verizon model at full retail it’s the exact same as the sim-free model. However, I’m not 100% on this. Hopefully someone else chimes in.
Yes Best Buy does but not all locations, you need to call the location your going to and talk to the mobile dept to make sure they have it before you waste your time going there and they don't have it.
Last edited:
If you’re paying outright, always get the SIM free version. Less hassle if you choose to leave Verizon later on.
From my research, because I am interested in this as well, is you are probably better off buying a unlocked iPhone from Apple. If you go the bestbuy route, you must buy the verizon version. You must put in a verizon sim, first, and then put in whatever sim you want after that. From what I unstand, bestbuy sells Universal iPhones (not unlocked iPhones) which lock to the first carrier who’s sim you put in first. If you buy the verizon version (from bestbuy) and you put in T-Mobile, for instance, it will work, but if you try to move to another carrier, you will have a problem unlocking it. Apparently what happens is T-Mobile (insert any cellular company besides Verizon here) has trouble unlocking in because it’s not in their system. Verizon doesn’t lock their lte phones, that’s why you put in a verizon sim to activate to them first, and then you can go to another carrier. From what I’ve seen, you can buy dead verizon sims to do this. I haven’t tried this myself, so do your own research before trying.
Verizon and SIM-free models are the exact same. Verizon does not lock their phones, and you can confirm that directly from their website.
http://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy
If you purchase the iPhone from Verizon or SIM-free from Apple (or Best Buy), you are buying the exact same, global capable device.
http://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy
If you purchase the iPhone from Verizon or SIM-free from Apple (or Best Buy), you are buying the exact same, global capable device.
Attachments
As long as you pay in full, all 4 carriers are unlocked.
But bear in mind that only Verizon/Sprint iPhones are fully carrier-interchangeable, thus will work with any carrier (AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon, Sprint).
AT&T/T-mobile iPhones, however, can only work interchangeably with AT&T/T-mobile.
But bear in mind that only Verizon/Sprint iPhones are fully carrier-interchangeable, thus will work with any carrier (AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon, Sprint).
AT&T/T-mobile iPhones, however, can only work interchangeably with AT&T/T-mobile.
If you buy the Verizon model, you’d have to pay activation fee to the big red. That particular phone must be activated with included sim first...feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken
Just to add, if someone buys an iPhone at Best Buy on payments, it will be locked to that carrier. Once you pay it off (and of course get it unlocked), it should then work on any carrier, correct?
This is an example of what I've been reading about in regards to iphones bought from bestbuy. https://www.reddit.com/r/VerizonUDP...hrough_best_buy_will_lock_to/#bottom-comments
Might want to do more research before buying from bestbuy. I don't have any personal experience, but there is a lot of info out there about "unlocked iphones" from bestbuy not really being unlocked unless activated by a Verizon sim first. Anyone have experience with this?
Might want to do more research before buying from bestbuy. I don't have any personal experience, but there is a lot of info out there about "unlocked iphones" from bestbuy not really being unlocked unless activated by a Verizon sim first. Anyone have experience with this?
Here is another link to discussing the issue with bestbuy iphones. http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-B...ill-says-LOCKED-SIM-NOT-SUPPORTED/td-p/987836
So you need to activate on new account or existing account first before can use on another network ?
The only difference might be carrier specific models will support carrier specific LTE bands and/or CDMA
Yeah, I believe that’s how it works...they wanna charge you that $30 for ‘activating’ your phone even if you’re a Verizon customer
I recently switched from at&t to Verizon, and when I purchase the X we’ll find out for sure if this is true. I was always able to get these bogus fees waived/credited by at&t but will see how it goes with Verizon
Any Verizon customers wanna chime in on this?
I'm not sure, but there are sellers on ebay selling old verizon sims to use in unlocking phones. I bought one, but have no idea if this actually works. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Verizon-Nan...418594?hash=item2cc1f1ed22:g:IBEAAOSwofxUjcne
Anyone know if these actually work?
Last edited:
Yes, I think this will work to unlock "Best Buy" phones that require Verizon SIM at first to completely unlock them.
If you buy an iPhone for use on a Verizon account at Best Buy or anywhere else, it is an unlocked device from day one — even if the phone is purchased on a payment plan. Per Verizon’s agreement with the FCC several years ago (before the iPhone 5 was launched, I believe), Verizon got a deal on spectrum but in exchange for that, they had to agree to not lock any LTE device to their network. Thus, every LTE device that is purchased explicitly for use on Verizon’s network is, by definition, an unlocked device.