Best Buy also charges a $100 up-charge on iPhone models sold at full retail price.
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I’m on AT&T but want the freedom to switch to Verizon in the future...
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Best Buy also charges a $100 up-charge on iPhone models sold at full retail price.
Well no. The OP said he wanted to buy outright and then you have a $40 upgrade fee with AT&T. So problem not solved.
The best way to solve the problem is due the IUP with Apple as they have a provision in the contracts to change phones if you switch from AT&T to Verizon.
But still not what the OP was looking for.
He can finance and then pay it off in full right away.
Most FAN discounts waive the upgrade fee, mine does. If you don't have a FAN discount, many people report getting the upgrade fee waived by calling if their account is in good standing.
The best way to solve it is to buy from Best Buy, ship to home or pickup in store, and use a Verizon SIM card for the initial activation. Then pay the device off in full. If you have a FAN discount, the upgrade fee is likely waived but if not, call to ask for it to be waived.
Plus if you sign up for Best Buy Mobile Rewards, you get a $25 Best Buy rewards certificate.
AiUP requires a hard pull to your credit. AT&T financing contract is not a hard pull.
Can’t I preorder the Verizon version from Best Buy, ship to home, and just plug in my AT&T sim? Since it’s unlocked (I’m buying in full), it wouldn’t matter what sim I put in right?
Also regarding the $100 BB upcharge, I’ll just have them price match after the preorder.
If you use an AT&T SIM for the initial activation, the phone would be locked to AT&T. Read my thread here for how it works:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...bject-to-the-us-reseller-flex-policy.2079815/
Wrong. Best Buy doesn't sell the carrier models. Read my thread above. BB sells iPhones subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy.
YMMV on whether they will PM a pre-order.
Interesting. Awesome thread. So I do the initial setup with a postpaid Verizon sim, then once I get through that I pop in my AT&T sim and it’s good to go for any carrier.
2 things:
1) Does this include the iPhone X? You just mention the 7 and 8 models.
2) Where does one get a Verizon sim without an account?
Yes, I pay 99 cents for a GSX report off of ebay after I do the initial activation with the Verizon SIM to confirm that the device has the Verizon unlock policy before I put another carrier's SIM card in the device.
It's worked every time so the GSX report is likely overkill, but it makes me feel better.
I am assuming it will but you won't know for sure until someone gets a BB iPX and runs the GSX report. Here is what the GSX report says when they are subject to the USRFP prior to initial activation:
Activation Policy Details
Applied Activation Details:
Initial Activation Policy Details: US Reseller Flex Policy
Next Tether Policy Details : US Reseller Flex Policy
Unlocked : false
And here is what they say after the initial activation with a Verizon SIM.
Activation Policy Details
Applied Activation Details: US Verizon LTE Unlocked Policy
Initial Activation Policy Details: US Reseller Flex Policy
Next Tether Policy Details : US Verizon LTE Unlocked Policy
Unlocked : true
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Take your current iPhone into an Apple store and tell them you are switching to Verizon and need a Verizon SIM card and they will ring it up as $0 sale and give you one for free. Some stores won't but most will.
Best Buy also sells them for $10.
Or if you know anyone on Verizon, ask to use their SIM card if it is a nano SIM. The only downside to that is that your device will appear in their device history, so only do that if you know the person well.
Thanks. You also mention that all of BB’s phones have the Qualcomm chips in them. When I go to their site, it asks me which carrier I’m buying for (ATT/VZ/Sprint). I’m aware that the Qualcomm chip works across all carriers, so does it even matter which carrier I choose? This might be helpful if one sells out before the others.
Is that still valid if you pay the phone off? I thought that you were no longer in the program once you paid off the phone.
I think he's referring to my need for a truly unlocked device. I don't really want or need to be on the AUP, but it makes sense to do it that way. The only thing is I'll be relying on Apple to exchange my Intel model for a Qualcomm model even though I paid the whole thing off.
I'm beginning to think it's best to either go for the Intel model and say screw it, or try to get the Qualcomm model through BB. The only thing with BB is I pre-ordered the Series 2 watch through them and their delivery was pretty late. But it's better than waiting for Apple to release the non-sim version.
All iPhone 7/7+/8/8+ subject to the US Reseller Flex Policy have the Qualcomm chips in them. If they didn't, they wouldn't work on Sprint at all and would only work on Verizon's LTE network not their CDMA/3G network.
I think that the iPX that BB receives will be s/t the USRFP but we will know for sure when someone gets one and runs a GSX report on it.
Yes, that determines which SIM card gets shipped with the phone.
For the iPhones s/t the USRFP, they are all the same. They are not carrier models. No matter what carrier you select when you purchase from BB, you can use a Verizon SIM card for the initial activation to unlock the phone. If you use any other carrier's SIM card for the initial activation, the phone will follow that carrier's locking policy.
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Does this work the same if the iPhone is purchased from Best Buy on an AT&T Next plan instead of purchasing the phone outright. In other words, if I first-time activate an AT&T Next purchased iPhone with a Verizon SIM, I understand the phone will be unlocked per Verizon's policy and will work on AT&T's network, but will AT&T flag it as a Verizon phone and will it not work because its supposed to be an AT&T locked Next phone? Thanks.
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Does this still work - if I buy an AT&T Next financed iPhone X and first-time activate it with a Verizon SIM? No problems then using AT&T under the Next terms I agreed to? Thanks.
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What do you mean when you say it appears in their device history. My work phone is Verizon. If I use that SIM will my employer come knocking for my iPhone X?
or just wait and buy when they will come out with the sim free that will work with ATT and Verizon
Yep, probably just easier buying the Intel model and if you ever do decide to switch to Verizon, there are many options. Since the iPhone holds its value well, you could just sell it and then sign up with Verizon using whatever deal they have at the time. Or they may even pay off your existing installment contract if you decide to switch to them and port your line over. Not really a big deal, which is why I was fine getting the Intel version.
Actually, what I did was ordered through the iUP using my AT&T credentials, but I'm going to use it on a different line with a different GSM carrier. That works just fine (I already did that with my wife's iPhone 8 Plus). The iPhone Upgrade Program details state that you bring your phone to an Apple store if you decide to use it on a CDMA carrier (not sure what happens if you pay it off early).
Verizon is pretty close to shuttering their CDMA network. In most areas, everything is already fully on LTE (calls, texts, and data), but not yet in some rural areas. Eventually, when they are LTE all the way, this won't be an issue anymore.
Has anyone here done (or know of someone) the switch from AT&T to Verizon while on the iUP? I just got my X (husbands too) but we want to switch due to our new area we live doesn’t have great service with AT&T.