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I bought a 32GB 4S "off contract" at an Apple store in the DC area. Activated it last night and got the "Congratulations" message. Went to local T-mobile kiosk, bought a pre-paid SIM, popped it in and it worked fine.
 
Prepaid AT&T with unlocked iPhone 4S with all features

I bought a 32GB 4S "off contract" at an Apple store in the DC area. Activated it last night and got the "Congratulations" message. Went to local T-mobile kiosk, bought a pre-paid SIM, popped it in and it worked fine.

You can but it requires some groundwork...Go to any AT&T store and buy a gophone. There are $25 plans gives you unlimited SMS and unless I'm mistaken 300mins per month. Unfortunately you have to pay one-off $10+ crappy phone fee. Let the guy activate it.

Then get a sim cutter and transform it into a MicroSim.

After you buy your iPhone 4s and have it activated as per the previous guys say, throw it in, and it should work. For the data most of the people think that AT&T bans prepaid data on iPhones, it's true but there is a workaround. Buy a $25 per month 500Megs data plan (there are cheaper and lower allowance plans as well) from web service of gophone or from the store.

Then download and install iPhone Configuration Utility from Apple (free) for your PC/MAC (http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/)

Plug your iPhone to your PC/MAC, Create a new configuration profile on the iPhone Configuration Utility. Go to “advance” and create a new APN by giving it any name you want and any identifier you wish. Type the following in the relevant fields:

APN: wap.cingular
User Name: wap@cingulargprs.com
Password: CINGULAR1
Proxy wireless.cingular.com port: 80

Save the profile or click on your iphone name un.der “devices”. Click on “install” button near the configuration profile name you just created.

That’s it! now you can disconnect your iphone and your iphone should be able to access the web using the network data connectivity, same as the Android or any other device can do with the same SIM card.

Once you complete all of these, you can have a 3G net of 500 Megs, 200+ mins and unlimited SMS for $50/month. And let's say, you pay $700 incl tax to 16GB 4S, your 24 month cost will be $1900 compared to appx. $3000. ($200 device + $115 per month)

Enjoy!
 
Can you download and change your APNs using that link from Apple if you have a locked phone to AT&T? I changed my APN off some sketchy website. I changed it so that I could use data only in an iPhone and no voice. I'd rather go the Apple rout instead of using that website.
 
Can you download and change your APNs using that link from Apple if you have a locked phone to AT&T? I changed my APN off some sketchy website. I changed it so that I could use data only in an iPhone and no voice. I'd rather go the Apple rout instead of using that website.

I don't have a locked iPhone, so I don't know...But not sure why not ? Just give it a try, with the same methodology.

One final note - You might need to remove the existing APN settings before you install the new one, just FYI...
 
I don't have a locked iPhone, so I don't know...But not sure why not ? Just give it a try, with the same methodology.

One final note - You might need to remove the existing APN settings before you install the new one, just FYI...

I'm a visitor to the US, scheduled to leave on 28th November. Question is should i go the way of the AT&T "off contract" phone, or wait for the official release of the unlocked 4s? Problem with that is there is no release dated in November when the unlocked will be sold.

If this whole bussiness of the "off contract" were to boomerang, i wont be in the US to get any remedy to it.
 
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I'm a visitor to the US, scheduled to leave on 28th November. Question is should i go the way of the AT&T "off contract" phone, or wait for the official release of the unlocked 4s? Problem with that is there is no release dated in November when the unlocked will be sold.

If this whole bussiness of the "off contract" were to boomerang, i wont be in the US to get any remedy to it.

in your case, wait till the official unlocked iPhone 4S, no point taking risk with $650 and above dollars ...
 
I'm a visitor to the US, scheduled to leave on 28th November. Question is should i go the way of the AT&T "off contract" phone, or wait for the official release of the unlocked 4s? Problem with that is there is no release dated in November when the unlocked will be sold.

If this whole bussiness of the "off contract" were to boomerang, i wont be in the US to get any remedy to it.
buy the at&t phone now from apple. You have 30 days for a full refund. Within these 30 days if the unlocked becomes available then buy that version and return your first phone. Personally I have the unlocked at&t phone and have no worries about it ever being locked. I ignore all the paranoia posts.
 
buy the at&t phone now from apple. You have 30 days for a full refund. Within these 30 days if the unlocked becomes available then buy that version and return your first phone. Personally I have the unlocked at&t phone and have no worries about it ever being locked. I ignore all the paranoia posts.

As far as I'm aware Apple only gives you 14 days to return items.
 
As far as I'm aware Apple only gives you 14 days to return items.

Return of all Apple products is 14 days except iphone which is 30 days. I bought an iphone 4 and returned 21 days after when the 4s was announced.
 
Does this method works with buying an iPhone 4S at full price from Verizon? Or do you still have to unlock it through Verizon's global support?

Verizon phones are CDMA so they are activated by code only from the company. so when u buy a phone from verizon u are tied to them without remedy.

I wonder why this is so in the USA, in other parts of the world CDMA phone have SIM cards where the code is already stored and you can change to another sim ennabled CDMA phone. Even in underdeveloped countries in Africa. China Telecom operates the CDMA system and it uses sim ennabled phones.

The government of this country is hands in gloves with the Phone companies to enslave the phone users. otherwise why would AT&T not release phones that are out of contract and the customer has no remedy with the NCC?

----------

in your case, wait till the official unlocked iPhone 4S, no point taking risk with $650 and above dollars ...

So what if the unlocked is not released till late in November?
 
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Then download and install iPhone Configuration Utility from Apple (free) for your PC/MAC (http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/)

Plug your iPhone to your PC/MAC, Create a new configuration profile on the iPhone Configuration Utility. Go to “advance” and create a new APN by giving it any name you want and any identifier you wish. Type the following in the relevant fields:

APN: wap.cingular
User Name: wap@cingulargprs.com
Password: CINGULAR1
Proxy wireless.cingular.com port: 80

Save the profile or click on your iphone name un.der “devices”. Click on “install” button near the configuration profile name you just created.

That’s it! now you can disconnect your iphone and your iphone should be able to access the web using the network data connectivity, same as the Android or any other device can do with the same SIM card.

Once you complete all of these, you can have a 3G net of 500 Megs, 200+ mins and unlimited SMS for $50/month. And let's say, you pay $700 incl tax to 16GB 4S, your 24 month cost will be $1900 compared to appx. $3000. ($200 device + $115 per month)

Enjoy!

Do you know if this same approach can be used on our unlocked iPHone4/4s to use the cheap unlimited medianet dataplan or has anyone thought about that?

When I had my internatiional galaxy s2 I used the medianet data plan for almost 5 months w/o any problems. Sometimes I pulled up some 4.3GB/month at times (unlimited) and for $10/month.
 
Do you know if this same approach can be used on our unlocked iPHone4/4s to use the cheap unlimited medianet dataplan or has anyone thought about that?

When I had my internatiional galaxy s2 I used the medianet data plan for almost 5 months w/o any problems. Sometimes I pulled up some 4.3GB/month at times (unlimited) and for $10/month.

Chester send me text on 402 304 9620 on your offer
 
Do you know if this same approach can be used on our unlocked iPHone4/4s to use the cheap unlimited medianet dataplan or has anyone thought about that?

When I had my internatiional galaxy s2 I used the medianet data plan for almost 5 months w/o any problems. Sometimes I pulled up some 4.3GB/month at times (unlimited) and for $10/month.
No it will not work as the iPhone will self-report it's IMEI to AT&T as soon as it connects to the network. AT&T does not treat "unbranded" or unlocked iPhones as generic for post-paid accounts. If you have an iPhone 3G or later model on any plan except pre-paid then AT&T will notice it and at some point add a valid iPhone data plan.

Dave
 
Can you download and change your APNs using that link from Apple if you have a locked phone to AT&T? I changed my APN off some sketchy website. I changed it so that I could use data only in an iPhone and no voice. I'd rather go the Apple rout instead of using that website.
There is nothing wrong with the APN Change from iPhone site: http://www.unlockit.co.nz

It is well know here on MR :D

If you really have your heart set on doing it the hard way then yes you can duplicate the automated APN change from the web site. Quite a bit more work but since you bought an iPad just to activate a Micro-SIM, I guess it is not too much trouble for you. :confused: Just don't use APN information provided above since you are using an iPad data Plan and not a pre-paid GoPhone Plan :eek:

Under Cellular Data Option
APN: Broadband
Username:
Password:​

Just download the Apple Enterprise iPhone Configuration Utility for Windows or Mac OS and use the "Broadband" example above.

Dave
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

On the topic of off contract iPhones at best buy, I believe they us the same pos system that the AT&T stores use to process activation along slide their own best buy mobile POS system. Thus making those iPhone AT&T locked. As far gettng one at the apple store, i asked the sales guy that was ring my 32gb white iPhone 4S, he told me while his store are NOT selling any off contract officially, on occation, some buyers do get lucky.
 
My friend purchased a 64 GB, off-contract iPhone 4S today at the Apple store. Back home, when plugged in, iTunes indeed came up with the announcement that it has been unlocked. That is good news!
When he paid for the phone, the guy asked my friend for his email address, but since they cannot really do anything with that, he just gave it since the guy was acting a bit nervous... Of course it would have been better not to provide any contact information, but could this be of any problem in the feature? iTunes says that the phone has been unlocked...
Oh, and by the way, is it "safe" to register the phone through iTunes?
 
Purchased an off contract 64GB from the Apple Store today. The sales guy rang me up as "device only" and he proceeded to pressure me to set up my phone in the store. So, I relented and used iCloud to back up and restore. When I got home and synced my music, I noticed that it would not sync certain items in my playlists. So, I did a full restore and used iTunes for my back up instead. Once my phone restarted, I got the " congratulations your phone is unlocked" message! Super excited I don't have to wait until some date in November. :)

Note: As I was setting it up, I was chatting with one of the employees and he seemed kind of shocked that I was able to purchase it off contract. He thought they weren't 't selling them at all. Guess I got lucky.
 
Does this method works with buying an iPhone 4S at full price from Verizon? Or do you still have to unlock it through Verizon's global support?

Nope; I posted earlier in this thread that I went to an Apple store, asked for an AT&T, they accidentally pulled the wrong model off the shelf and sold me a Verizon one full-price. Got home, tried to use it, found it was locked to Verizon, despite the fact I paid full-price. Only the AT&T model gets unlocked by the Apple POS when it is rung up as "Device Only".

Verizon phones are CDMA so they are activated by code only from the company. so when u buy a phone from verizon u are tied to them without remedy.

Since the iPhone 4S is a CDMA+GSM phone, I assume the person asking the question was referring to having the SIM slot unlocked. I believe that Verizon is willing to partially unlock the GSM side of the 4S for you, which would allow you to use SIM cards while travelling internationally, but the phone will still reject AT&T and T-Mobile SIMs from the U.S., so I don't count that as a "full unlock." You are correct, though, that the CDMA side of the phone is governed differently (and yes, there are CDMA networks that use "R-UIM" cards).

-- Nathan
 
I'm buying the unlocked iPhone. (sold my iPhone 4s from AT&T). If we leave AT&T next year and go to Verizon will the unlocked iPhone work with verizon's CDMA?
 
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