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How to buy an unsubsidized verizon iPhone on the apple website?
- Thread starter shortman
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Click the GB you want, then the verizon button and continue (in the top right corner). You'll enter in your verizon account info and then they'll check to see what pricing you can get. Then choose the pricing you want.
Don't click the unlocked stuff, that won't work on verizon
Don't click the unlocked stuff, that won't work on verizon
Correct you cannot. You only choice is to buy from Verizon, best buy (maybe) or buy the verizon iPH 5 from a private seller
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If this is the case then I stand corrected, but I thought you could not buy unsubzidized that way for Verizon
Let me explain this for you. (Please read the whole post carefully)
Every iPhone 4S is capable of receiving both CDMA and GSM signals.
There is one inherent problem that prevents an unsubsidized iPhone from working with CDMA carriers: 2-way authentication is needed for activation.
(not only does your phone have to be compatible to receive signal, the carrier has to say your phone is alright to communicate with the network)
The reason this is a problem is because Verizon will not add your phone to the "we will let your phone talk to our network" list. If you somehow had a way to white-list an unsubsidized iPhone 4S in Verizon's network, it would work flawlessly.
GSM carriers do not use this 2 step authentication method. That is why the phone will just work with them.
TL;DR: While the phone is capable of working. CDMA ridiculousness prevents this from happening.
Every iPhone 4S is capable of receiving both CDMA and GSM signals.
There is one inherent problem that prevents an unsubsidized iPhone from working with CDMA carriers: 2-way authentication is needed for activation.
(not only does your phone have to be compatible to receive signal, the carrier has to say your phone is alright to communicate with the network)
The reason this is a problem is because Verizon will not add your phone to the "we will let your phone talk to our network" list. If you somehow had a way to white-list an unsubsidized iPhone 4S in Verizon's network, it would work flawlessly.
GSM carriers do not use this 2 step authentication method. That is why the phone will just work with them.
TL;DR: While the phone is capable of working. CDMA ridiculousness prevents this from happening.
So could I theoretically pop in a GSM sim to my Verizon iPhone and it would work or what?
If it wasn't locked to the Verizon network, there is no reason this wouldn't work.
CDMA carrier ridiculousness also makes that a problem.
There is a reason why CDMA is not used in other parts of the world.
One simply does not unlock from Verizon... That is the problem.
There are hardware unlock methods that I am not sure can be talked about on this forum.
Can someone chime in that knows if I'd be able to preorder an unsubsidized (not necessarily unlocked) iPhone for Verizon even if I'm eligible for an upgrade? With the recent change of us losing unlimited if we get a subsidized phone, I'm wondering how to preorder full price.
Currently on apple.com, I can try to purchase a Verizon phone and it'll ask me for my information to look up my upgrade eligiblity. If I'm eligible for full upgrade, it will show me the discounted (subsidized) price. If I'm not eligible, I can pay full price. But can I force it to give me the unsubsidized price?
Currently on apple.com, I can try to purchase a Verizon phone and it'll ask me for my information to look up my upgrade eligiblity. If I'm eligible for full upgrade, it will show me the discounted (subsidized) price. If I'm not eligible, I can pay full price. But can I force it to give me the unsubsidized price?
You can buy a full-price Verizon phone on Apple, but only if you're not eligible for an upgrade. You would have to buy through Verizon.
Verizon does unlock phones that support GSM, if you meet certain criteria.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-57361283-266/will-verizon-unlock-my-iphone-4s/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-57361283-266/will-verizon-unlock-my-iphone-4s/
Thanks.
Do you, or someone else following along, know if the Apple store has historically sold unsubsidized iPhones on release day?
No that is not true. As you can see, I am not eligible for upgrade. Apple would charge me $550 for an iPhone 4S if I bought one right now.
That's how I plan on buying the iPhone 5 when preorders go up.
Attachments
For the first couple weeks to a month, the 4S was not available to be purchased off contract. The only way to get it off contract was if you were NOT eligible for an upgrade at all, which means if you are eligible is whatever way (full/partial), you were forced to buy it at those prices.
Correct me if I'm wrong forum members.
Correct me if I'm wrong forum members.
Old(er) article but here is something that people should be aware of (especially the last part on the second page):
http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2011/12/22/how-u-s-carriers-fool-you-into-thinking-your-iphone-4s-is-unlocked/
As far as I am aware, this is still the Verizon and Sprint policy.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2011/12/22/how-u-s-carriers-fool-you-into-thinking-your-iphone-4s-is-unlocked/
"Apple has taken the lead in producing a dual-mode phone that is unlocked for all carriers and is technically capable of being used on any GSM or CDMA system. However, after obtaining a fully unlocked version of the 4S, I found that Verizon and Sprint refused to register it. AT&T, T-Mobile and any other GSM carrier in the U.S. will allow the fully unlocked version to be used. Only the CDMA carriers are blocking access."
As far as I am aware, this is still the Verizon and Sprint policy.
The response you replied to was in regards to my question about buying a full price phone through Apple if someone IS eligible for upgrade. What you're looking as is the ability to buy a full price phone when you're NOT eligible for upgrade.
Edit: Actually, I think I'm confused on what's being said. I think you guys are saying the same thing.
That doesn't change anything about what we said. You are not eligible for an upgrade. The other poster is, but wants to buy full price. Apple wont give you the option to pay full price if you do have an upgrade.
(These comments are for US).
Last year the UNLOCKED 4s (GSM only) was officially unavailable for roughly 4 weeks finally becoming officially available in early-mid december.
However, users in this forum discovered on day 1 of sales that you could go to an Apple store, purchase a phone for full price and if you activated it yourself it would be unlocked. The trick was to NOT provide your cell phone or account number at the time of purchase to keep the IMEI from being associated with your account. This approach appeared to be "under the radar" and not everyone who tried it had success. Asking for an "unlocked" phone wouldn't work. You had to simply pay full price and say you'd activate it later.
No idea if this approach will work again this year.
However, I did *exactly* this last year after reading about it here and it worked flawlessly.