iPhone 6s LTE 30 Band and CDMA Version Megathread

[Luba]

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



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.

Conflicting info from AT&T reps. Two reps in an Apple Store said all AT&T iPhones comes locked even ones at Apple. They said if you pay full price AT&T will probably unlock for you, but they're not required?? They said can only be guaranteed an unlocked by getting the Unlocked version which isn't out yet. Interestingly they also said a Next plan iPhone might be unlocked for you after 60 days upon request, if you're a good long-time customer!

On my way out of the mall went into a AT&T store and a rep said if you buy full price at Apple it will be unlocked, buy full price at AT&T store it will be locked. I'm feeling this is accurate info. I think when you activate a Next plan iPhone at Apple it will make the unlocked phone locked.

 

[Luba]

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.

Hmmm, the Apple rep processed my fully paid phone first and didn't ask for my AT&T account info. Processing the Next plan he asked for my AT&T info.

 

[hevaKmaI]

Conflicting info from AT&T reps. Two reps in an Apple Store said all AT&T iPhones comes locked even ones at Apple. They said if you pay full price AT&T will probably unlock for you, but they're not required?? They said can only be guaranteed an unlocked by getting the Unlocked version which isn't out yet. Interestingly they also said a Next plan iPhone might be unlocked for you after 60 days upon request, if you're a good long-time customer!

On my way out of the mall went into a AT&T store and a rep said if you buy full price at Apple it will be unlocked, buy full price at AT&T store it will be locked. I'm feeling this is accurate info. I think when you activate a Next plan iPhone at Apple it will make the unlocked phone locked.

This was exactly my experience today. I bought the AT&T phone from the Apple Store for full price and didn't have to provide any account info and the phone came unlocked.

 

[Florida Gator]

I got my AT&T iPhone 6s that I paid full price for and ordered directly from Apple. I plugged it into iTunes to restore from my iPhone 6 and it asked me to activate using my AT&T account.

Then, when that was finished, the last screen that popped up said "Your iPhone has been unlocked."

Confirmed with a T-Mobile SIM card.

 

[CE3]

Conflicting info from AT&T reps. Two reps in an Apple Store said all AT&T iPhones comes locked even ones at Apple. They said if you pay full price AT&T will probably unlock for you, but they're not required?? They said can only be guaranteed an unlocked by getting the Unlocked version which isn't out yet. Interestingly they also said a Next plan iPhone might be unlocked for you after 60 days upon request, if you're a good long-time customer!

They'll probably unlock but not required? Upon request if you're a good long-time customer?

Refusing to unlock a phone you own outright should be illegal, and government needs to step in and pass a law to end this kind of crap once and for all.

If someone pays full price for a phone that's not tied to a contract renewal, it should be unlocked, period.

 

[unclemax]

Guys, just my two cents. What is the logic behind when people are saying that the "SIM free" version that is going to be eventually offered by Apple US is going to be the AT&T version (A1633)?

As far as I am aware, everywhere in the world (apart from China) Apple is selling the A1688 model, because Band 30 is exclusively AT&T "invention". So it makes perfect sense to me that a) they will sell the A1688 model to people who are traveling in the US and want nothing to do whatsoever with the local carriers and b) from production point of view it's easier to produce large amounts of the same product than to split time between two different models.

 

[PedCrossing]

Guys, just my two cents. What is the logic behind when people are saying that the "SIM free" version that is going to be eventually offered by Apple US is going to be the AT&T version (A1633)?

As far as I am aware, everywhere in the world (apart from China) Apple is selling the A1688 model, because Band 30 is exclusively AT&T "invention". So it makes perfect sense to me that a) they will sell the A1688 model to people who are traveling in the US and want nothing to do whatsoever with the local carriers and b) from production point of view it's easier to produce large amounts of the same product than to split time between two different models.

And the Chinese version is identical to A1688 on paper.

 

[unclemax]

And the Chinese version is identical to A1688 on paper.

Exactly. I was even thinking that this distinction in model numbers is there for some other purpose. For example, Face Time Audio is permanently disabled on iOS devices purchased in China, somethings to do with carriers wanting people to use GSM minutes rather than data. So maybe the model distinction is there to make it physically impossible to update the software to circumvent such restrictions.

 

[PedCrossing]

Exactly. I was even thinking that this distinction in model numbers is there for some other purpose. For example, Face Time Audio is permanently disabled on iOS devices purchased in China, somethings to do with carriers wanting people to use GSM minutes rather than data. So maybe the model distinction is there to make it physically impossible to update the software to circumvent such restrictions.

I would agree, or it could be some regulations on certain technical specs. There's much less clutter in models for this generation, keep it up, Apple!

 

[WilliamG]

Got my wife's 6s AT&T full-price model, and my 6s Plus AT&T full-price model from Apple.com. Both are factory unlocked. Just another data point.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

All full priced phones are unlocked.

 

[bwapod]

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.

I picked up a reservation from the Apple Store, T-mobile 6s Plus. It's an A1687. (my AT&T model plus is an A1634).

 

[Broadus]

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.

I picked up a reservation from the Apple Store, T-mobile 6s Plus. It's an A1687. (my AT&T model plus is an A1634).

I think passingapole was wondering if some T-Mobile 6s phones may be A1633 instead of A1688.

A1687 is 6s Plus corollary to the A1688 6s -- same radios and bands. Both are the models designated for T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon.

 

[aneftp]

I purchased full price att iPhone ATT iPhone 6S plus from Apple.com.

I have both att And Verizon service. So without even restoring the iPhone.

After activating it with my att sim. I can confirm that att iPhone 6s Plus works with both Verizon and att service. Get lte speeds with both services. I live in orlando area.

So ATT iPhone iPhone 6S/6S plus is the universal iPhone to buy this year to support all lte Bands.

 

[nemker]

I purchased full price att iPhone ATT iPhone 6S plus from Apple.com.

I have both att And Verizon service. So without even restoring the iPhone.

After activating it with my att sim. I can confirm that att iPhone 6s Plus works with both Verizon and att service. Get lte speeds with both services. I live in orlando area.

So ATT iPhone iPhone 6S/6S plus is the universal iPhone to buy this year to support all lte Bands.

Could you try on the Verizon web site with your IMEI number for bringing your own device? It reject mine.
Thanks

 

[yesiphone]

I purchased full price att iPhone ATT iPhone 6S plus from Apple.com.
After activating it with my att sim. I can confirm that att iPhone 6s Plus works with both Verizon and att service. Get lte speeds with both services. I live in orlando area.

Is an ATT sim required to activate the A1633/34 purchased at full price from Apple store? I'd like to activate it with a T-Mobile SIM or else I'd have to find a friend with ATT.

 

[yesiphone]

I got my AT&T iPhone 6s that I paid full price for and ordered directly from Apple. I plugged it into iTunes to restore from my iPhone 6 and it asked me to activate using my AT&T account.

Then, when that was finished, the last screen that popped up said "Your iPhone has been unlocked."

Confirmed with a T-Mobile SIM card.

So if I buy exactly as you do, I still need to have an AT&T sim/account to activate the phone and use it on say T-Mobile but I can't activate it with a T-Mobile sim?

 

[aneftp]

Is an ATT sim required to activate the A1633/34 purchased at full price from Apple store? I'd like to activate it with a T-Mobile SIM or else I'd have to find a friend with ATT.

Yes. I couldn't activate the phone with my Verizon sim. I needed to use my att sim

 

[aneftp]

Could you try on the Verizon web site with your IMEI number for bringing your own device? It reject mine.
Thanks

Verizon is a little quirky with the way they handle unlocked non "Verizon certified devices". This happened way back with the nexus 7 lte devices as well. Verizon won't activate a new sim on those non certified devices even though they will work perfectly fine if u put an already active Verizon sim In a nexus 7/iPhone 6/6 plus or iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s plus.

Just Verizon way of being A holes.

 

[Florida Gator]

So if I buy exactly as you do, I still need to have an AT&T sim/account to activate the phone and use it on say T-Mobile but I can't activate it with a T-Mobile sim?

I believe you should be fine. It wasn't activating the phone as much as it was activating the AT&T SIM that came in it. Instead of just swapping my old SIM into my new phone, I just activated the new AT&T SIM that was in it. If I would have just taken the phone out of the box, plugged in an existing T-Mobile SIM or whatever, I would have been fine.

 

[Chris in DC]

How do you interpret the number listed for the Frequency Band Indicator? Mine says 303368697 most times.

 

[Tripzter]

I couldn't activate the phone with my Verizon sim. I needed to use my att sim

I activated my at&t Model 1634 iP6s+ with my VZW SIM Card. Removed the VZW Sim card and replaced with at&t SIM Card. The phone works fine.

One issue. I need a new at&t SIM card due to Call Forwarding. The nano SIM is from an iP5 and won't work with at&t Call Forwarding services, as told by a CSR Tech Support. I can't turn off Call Forwarding.

 

[Luba]

I activated my at&t Model 1634 iP6s+ with my VZW SIM Card. Removed the VZW Sim card and replaced with at&t SIM Card. The phone works fine.

One issue. I need a new at&t SIM card due to Call Forwarding. The nano SIM is from an iP5 and won't work with at&t Call Forwarding services, as told by a CSR Tech Support. I can't turn off Call Forwarding.

The nano SIM that comes with the iP5 won't work with Call Forwarding, so you need an AT&T nano SIM to have Call Forwarding??

 

[Tripzter]

The nano SIM that comes with the iP5 won't work with Call Forwarding, so you need an AT&T nano SIM to have Call Forwarding??

Not with the 6s according to at&t tech support. I used the same SIM card in the 5, 5S, and 6 prior to iOS 8 with no call forwarding issues. The ICCID doesn't show in at&t's database when I give them the IMEI.

 

[nigameash]

If you travel to other countries and might need to get your phone replaced or need any warranty work on it, it's much easier and faster to have it done on the T-mobile variant since that's the global model as of now.