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I was planning to use Apple Upgrade to finance the phone, but I don't actually want the required AT&T service since I already have a good prepaid plan. Since the phone is supposed to be unlocked it looks like the thing to do is sign up with a 300MB Mobile Share plan when I pick up the phone and then cancel it the same day to minimize prorated charges.

I wonder how long it will be until one can walk into an Apple Store and buy a device-only AT&T phone.
 
Well I have the billing statement already which you accept before you continue the process and it is indeed $15. Of course if you could have easily created a cart yourself to see. Also to note is that the only thing they consider "Due Today" on the bill is the phone cost, none of the fees or monthly charges.View attachment 584059

I'm actually interested in your case as I ordered T-mobile phone from Apple, but might want to order from AT&T to get A1633 model -it's the only way for any new customer to get AT&T iphone now- and do exactly the same thing you're doing now.

I asked around and yes you are correct on not having to pay for phone plan you're forced to choose to order the phone (and possibly the $15 activation fee) if you call and cancel. What I am interested in is
1) whether your phone will be locked to AT&T or not at any point initially
b) how easy it will be for you to request to get it unlocked if you cancel your plan without even activating or soon after the activation.

Since you already have a pre-paid AT&T account, it might be different for you than me, though. I don't have AT&T account at all right now.

I'm more curious about how canceling the plan without the activation would affect requesting unlock on your phone since as you say, it would be like you didn't have a phone with them. But since you can put in your AT&T pre paid sim card, you should be able to request to get it unlocked without any issue. As for me, if I do it, it could be that I might have to activate the phone first to request to be unlocked and therefore can't avoid losing $15.

Hopefully I get A1633 from Apple and not have to go through with this, though. Folks here discussed as if T-mobile is automatically A1688, but we'll see. Nothing is 100% definite until I open the box or someone else post here who received T-mobile iphone from Apple.
 
Okay, this sounds confusing. Too many conflicting data points here.

My basic question is simply, will the AT&T unlocked phone work in other countries? Especially in Australia and Europe. Kinda strange that the bands listed for AT&T are the same for carriers for different countries. Will I have to wait for another 6s series iPhones?

Please help. Thank you.
 
FYI, I sold my unlocked AT&T 6 Plus to a Verizon user and he was able to activate it just fine. I think the 6s will also be able to be activated on either network, just that the AT&T model has the extra band 30.
 
Based on the model MKUX2LL/A that was sent to me, it won't have the 30 band, so the tweet T-mobile sent out that it is model A1634 is wrong because it is really A1687. Hope I am wrong.
 
By the time the 30 band is in use widely we will be using iphone 8.

My T-Mo units on AT&T will do perfectly as they have been the last year.


Standing in line for the iPhone. I'm currently using a Verizon iPhone 6 that was unlocked but I'm using it on t-mobile just fine. I want a phone that works on T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and band 30 (just because I'm paranoid about earlier than usual deployment). Which iPhone 6S Plus is the one to buy today. Currently I'm using t-mobile but I may carrier jump later in the future. I'm buying the phone outright full price today.
 
Standing in line for the iPhone. I'm currently using a Verizon iPhone 6 that was unlocked but I'm using it on t-mobile just fine. I want a phone that works on T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and band 30 (just because I'm paranoid about earlier than usual deployment). Which iPhone 6S Plus is the one to buy today. Currently I'm using t-mobile but I may carrier jump later in the future. I'm buying the phone outright full price today.

If you are wanting Band 30, you have to get an AT&T phone.
 
You want Model A1633/34, aka: the AT&T iPhone.
More info is in the first post of this thread.

  • Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile will use modelA1688/87
Sorry was just confused by the 1st thread because it makes it sound like only the A1688/87 will use T-Mobile & Verizon (but chances are I'm just reading too fast and unfocused because I'm still in line). Will the att phone come unlocked if purchased full price at the Apple Store? I'm still open to skipping this model if for some reason it's not unlocked today or just in general to say that band 30 may still be in primitive state within a year.
 
  • Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile will use modelA1688/87
Sorry was just confused by the 1st thread because it makes it sound like only the A1688/87 will use T-Mobile & Verizon (but chances are I'm just reading too fast and unfocused because I'm still in line). Will the att phone come unlocked if purchased full price at the Apple Store? I'm still open to skipping this model if for some reason it's not unlocked today or just in general to say that band 30 may still be in primitive state within a year.

While I am not aware of a confirmation, the general understanding is a fully-paid phone will come unlocked. Even if it were not unlocked today, you certainly would be able to get it unlocked from AT&T after a relatively short amount of time.

Band 30 will likely not be widespread for the iP6s generation. If you are not planning on using AT&T as your carrier, and/or are planning on getting the iP7 when it comes out, there is no distinct advantage with one iP6s model over the other in one year's time.
 
While I am not aware of a confirmation, the general understanding is a fully-paid phone will come unlocked. Even if it were not unlocked today, you certainly would be able to get it unlocked from AT&T after a relatively short amount of time.

Band 30 will likely not be widespread for the iP6s generation. If you are not planning on using AT&T as your carrier, and/or are planning on getting the iP7 when it comes out, there is no distinct advantage with one iP6s model over the other in one year's time.


I see. My carrier is t-mobile currently. So I'm a little paranoid with getting an att phone with the slight chance that it could be locked for a short period of time. So It may be wise to get the other model in any case. And yes I'm a die hard apple guy so I'll definitely be getting the iPhone 7. Thank you all for your help. I'll let you know what the Apple Store says about the att phone if it comes unlocked when paying full price
 
My carrier is t-mobile currently. So I'm a little paranoid with getting an att phone with the slight chance that it could be locked for a short period of time. So It may be wise to get the other model in any case.

I'm also with T-Mobile and chose to forgo the Band 30 model because of less hassle and insignificance of Band 30 for the relative time. Have fun in line; I'm waiting for the big brown truck to drive up to my front curb :)

I'll let you know what the Apple Store says about the att phone if it comes unlocked when paying full price

Please do.
Also, keep in mind that whatever comes out of an Apple retail specialist's mouth is not necessarily correct. We have received a lot of conflicting information from Apple retail staff, phone support reps, web support reps, even official Apple spec sheets. The only truth we can count on is what actually happens when the device is in our hands.
 
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The general consensus is, if you pay full price up front, it is unlocked.

Even if it were locked, you could request to have your phone unlocked online.
I bought the AT&T version on the Apple Upgrade Program and have already tried it with a Verizon SIM. It is unlocked. That said, in order to use the Apple Upgrade Program, I needed to process the sale on my AT&T account (i.e. Apple needed to enter my account information, etc.).
 
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I bought the AT&T version on the Apple Upgrade Program and have already tried it with a Verizon SIM. It is unlocked. That said, in order to use the Apple Upgrade Program, I needed to process the sale on my AT&T account (i.e. Apple needed to enter my account information, etc.).

This is excellent info. Like I mentioned before, even if it's an Apple Store and the unit is paid in full, Apple needs to enter AT&T account information into the POS in order to complete the transaction, even if the hardware itself is not locked/can accept non-AT&T SIM cards.
 
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It seems if you pay full price at Apple.com for AT&T version it will be locked. I wonder if you can immediately request the unlock from AT&T or if you must use it on their network some time? Also, is there really a $15 activation fee when you're paying full price? That is wild.

I keep all my phones around and also pass them down to family, so I think Band 30 is pretty important. That has all dampened my excitement for the T-Mobile version I'm suppose to receive today.

The upgrade program phones are specifically listed as coming unlocked, it's a benefit Apple is promoting for that program, so that explains that.

A couple months later when Apple has an official unlocked model, I wonder if it will be the Band 30 model or the non-Band 30 model?

Apple should know people switch between AT&T and T-Mobile quite a bit and not have had the special AT&T version, but that is just my selfish opinion I guess.
 
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