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Oh, I am glad I didn't buy the ATT model in the end then. Not getting the month to month discount for BYOD is a deal breaker for me.
Verizon is getting slowly better with whitelisting, I heard. Maybe you can call and basically tell them that this is bull****, you have he exact same phone that's working on your network right now, and demand it whitelisted in the system. Also mention that every iPhone 6 sold no matter what carrier was eventually whitelisted. They change their tune when you threaten to port.
 
Hi
I am surprised that Apple have not added band 12 on iPhone 6 last year. They added band 30 for AT&T this year and it have not been deployed yet. Some Canadian providers and US cellular providers need to have band 12, but it was ignored.
 
Has anyone tried using one of the new iPhone 6s models (A1633 or A1688) in mainland China? Were you able to get LTE? I know the tech specs (TD-LTE 38,39,40,41) suggest it should work, but I was wondering if anyone had real world experience?

P.S This is the best thread I've read on this topic..great stuff
 
I still find it somewhat odd that they manufacture an AT&T model. Why not include Band 30 in all the devices?

Is there any reason to believe that to make the phone Band 30 compatible, it could suffer in some minor, but measurable way? I.E. signal strengths on other bands, etc.
 
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Verizon is getting slowly better with whitelisting, I heard. Maybe you can call and basically tell them that this is bull****, you have he exact same phone that's working on your network right now, and demand it whitelisted in the system. Also mention that every iPhone 6 sold no matter what carrier was eventually whitelisted. They change their tune when you threaten to port.

Hmm, I just checked my T-mobile 6 plus, and you're right. It does show up in Verizon's system now. I wonder why the AT&T 6s' aren't whitelisted. For that matter, does anyone know if the Sprint/T-mobile 6s' show up as whitelisted?

I still find it somewhat odd that they manufacture an AT&T model. Why not include Band 30 in all the devices?

Is there any reason to believe that to make the phone Band 30 compatible, it could suffer in some minor, but measurable way? I.E. signal strengths on other bands, etc.

One could ask the same question about the TD-LTE bands from last year. I think it probably just comes down to manufacturing costs or some sort of licensing fee.
 
Folks, I just picked up the AT&T 6s from Best Buy that I reserved last week. And scheduled to receive T-mobile 6s (the same color, capacity; it's a backup just in case AT&T don't work for my purpose) from Apple sent tomorrow.
Both paid full price. Now my preference is the AT&T model if there is no issue with it.

Based on what I read on the forum, this AT&T is probably locked as I picked up from Best Buy. I haven't opened the box yet. How do I check if it is locked or not. I don't have any working sim card to try, but there should be a way to check it, right?
 
Hi
I think the best place to buy iPhone from Apple Store. This way you can pick what you want and have it unlocked by default if paid in full. I have always avoided carriers, there is an extra step getting it unlocked.
 
Folks, I just picked up the AT&T 6s from Best Buy that I reserved last week. And scheduled to receive T-mobile 6s (the same color, capacity; it's a backup just in case AT&T don't work for my purpose) from Apple sent tomorrow.
Both paid full price. Now my preference is the AT&T model if there is no issue with it.

Based on what I read on the forum, this AT&T is probably locked as I picked up from Best Buy. I haven't opened the box yet. How do I check if it is locked or not. I don't have any working sim card to try, but there should be a way to check it, right?

Can you find someone who has a sim card you can test? I put my sim from my old iPhone into the AT&T model before powering it on for the first time and LTE was working right away. An AT&T rep told me my phone appeared to be locked, but it's now activated and working on US Cellular, so her info was wrong.
 
Folks, I just picked up the AT&T 6s from Best Buy that I reserved last week. And scheduled to receive T-mobile 6s (the same color, capacity; it's a backup just in case AT&T don't work for my purpose) from Apple sent tomorrow.
Both paid full price. Now my preference is the AT&T model if there is no issue with it.

Based on what I read on the forum, this AT&T is probably locked as I picked up from Best Buy. I haven't opened the box yet. How do I check if it is locked or not. I don't have any working sim card to try, but there should be a way to check it, right?
Maybe see if an Apple Store will do a simple exchange for an AT&T version. My parents had a T-Mobile iPhone 6s and were able to get it exchanged for a Verizon version when the latter balked at opening an account for them using the "T-Mobile" phone (even though it's the exact same model they sell).
 
Hi
I think the best place to buy iPhone from Apple Store. This way you can pick what you want and have it unlocked by default if paid in full. I have always avoided carriers, there is an extra step getting it unlocked.

I bought my iPhone direct from AT&T.

* AT&T will ship the iPhone to an address that you specify.

Apple and T-Mobile (I don't know about Sprint or Verizon) will only ship to the address that is on your billing records.

* AT&T will immediately unlock an iPhone purchased from them. The process is automated from their website. Just put in the phone's IMEI and your AT&T account info. The phone will be unlocked instantly.

So, I got an AT&T A1633. LTE band 30. Unlocked. And it was mailed to me at work (and not sent to my home).
 
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Has anyone tried using one of the new iPhone 6s models (A1633 or A1688) in mainland China? Were you able to get LTE? I know the tech specs (TD-LTE 38,39,40,41) suggest it should work, but I was wondering if anyone had real world experience?

P.S This is the best thread I've read on this topic..great stuff

I ordered two full price iPhone 6s Plus in Rose Gold from Apple - since I chose T-Mobile it will be A1687 and I know it has the bands for mainland China. Apple has listed separate models for mainland China A1699 for the 6s Plus & A1700 for the 6s they list the exact bands supported as the A1687 iPhone 6s Plus. I am hoping the phones will be able to be activated in China and be able to use 4G LTE.

Here are two Apple support documents which claim that an unlocked iPhone 6s or 6s Plus bought outside of China should work in 4G LTE in mainland China

China Telcom: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204442
China Unicom: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204430
 
How much really does Band 30 make a difference in speed? Or is it call reception only?
 
How much really does Band 30 make a difference in speed? Or is it call reception only?
It helps data in crowded areas. So if you are at a football stadium and there is a large crowd, you will still have data, but everyone else will be crippled. If you plan on keeping your phone longer than a couple of years, then it's worth getting, if you upgrade each year, then it is not worth it as it will be awhile before Band 30 really comes into play.
 
It will work as long as you have an already active Verizon SIM. However, since it isn't whitelisted, you won't be able to open up a brand new account with the T-Mobile or AT&T version, and you might have a harder time getting a replacement SIM card if you ever need it. My parents tried to get a T-Mobile iPhone 6S activated on both Sprint and Verizon Saturday and had no luck with either. Eventually they were able to get Apple to exchange their T-Mobile version for a Verizon version.

So if I have an iPhone 6, Verizon contract and get an iPhone 6s Verizon through the Apple Upgrade Program I just put my old sim in the new phone?.

I want to keep my number and the iPhone 6 for backup.

I just switch the sim at will?.
 
I bought my iPhone direct from AT&T.

* AT&T will ship the iPhone to an address that you specify.

Apple and T-Mobile (I don't know about Sprint or Verizon) will only ship to the address that is on your billing records.

* AT&T will immediately unlock an iPhone purchased from them. The process is automated from their website. Just put in the phone's IMEI and your AT&T account info. The phone will be unlocked instantly.

So, I got an AT&T A1633. LTE band 30. Unlocked. And it was mailed to me at work (and not sent to my home).

Not true. I have a different billing and shipping address saved with apple. I set it up through the apple store app.
 
Maybe see if an Apple Store will do a simple exchange for an AT&T version. My parents had a T-Mobile iPhone 6s and were able to get it exchanged for a Verizon version when the latter balked at opening an account for them using the "T-Mobile" phone (even though it's the exact same model they sell).

Yes it's a bit more complicated than just walking into Apple store and try to do even exchange; they have to have the model in stock to begin with. I inquired about this a few days after posting about it here. Since I already have AT&T phone with me, I will try to make this work. It looks like I don't need to have a AT&T account to request it to be unlocked, so perhaps this could work out. And I probably get T-mobile pay-as-you-go service in the beginning since that seems to give the best deal + most flexibility as I can pay the data by weekly instead of monthly.
 
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So if I have an iPhone 6, Verizon contract and get an iPhone 6s Verizon through the Apple Upgrade Program I just put my old sim in the new phone?.

I want to keep my number and the iPhone 6 for backup.

I just switch the sim at will?.
In theory, you can do that. However, it is possible that Apple will just activate the SIM in your new phone, which would deactivate the SIM in your old phone. That's what they did with my AT&T account.
 
Anyway, somehow I think Apple included Bands 12 and 30 because the carriers were nagging them about it, so that the situation is more in-tune with their advertising. And pragmatic side of Apple tells them that those bands are pretty much a gimmick in the year 2015/2016, after all they're not supported in the new iPads pro and mini 4

The iPad mini 4 and iPad Pro use the same LTE chipset as the previous generation that is why they don't support bands 12, 27 and 30. The iPads have always lagged the iPhones in this respect.
 
Not true. I have a different billing and shipping address saved with apple. I set it up through the apple store app.

From Apple:

"According to the policy of your wireless service provider, the iPhone in this order can only be shipped to your current wireless billing address. Other items can be shipped to different addresses."

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...t-address-besides-cc-billing-address.1242482/

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-apple-store-orders-if-you-have-at-t.1640578/

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-must-shipping-address-match-billing.1640282/

I got the message that they could not change my shipping address (AT&T) and my co-worker also said that she got the same message (T-Mobile).

Since ordering from AT&T's web site let me put in any shipping address, I have to assume that it isn't an AT&T policy to not ship to a different address.
 
i have been on Tmobile with the regular iphone6 and now i am on the iphone6s and now my wifi/LTE/data connection has been awful on the new phone! no idea whats going on . Anyone else running into the same issues ?
 
In theory, you can do that. However, it is possible that Apple will just activate the SIM in your new phone, which would deactivate the SIM in your old phone. That's what they did with my AT&T account.

Yep, easy. I just turn off my 6 to use the 6s and 6s off if I need the 6.
 
Folks, not sure if anybody would care, but I just got my fully paid AT&T iphone 6s from Best Buy unlocked. It was very straightforward and easy. You just submit request on AT&T website and it takes less than a minute.

However if you ask AT&T customer service, about 2/3 of them will tell you you have to have a service with them for minimum 2 months, even with a full priced iphone. Just ignore them. If you go and read the requirements for unlock request on the website, it will tell you that these agents don't know what they are talking about.

I just requested it as a non AT&T customer, so you don't need to have a service with any carrier to do this.
 
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Hi guys, new to this discussion but want to share my story. My wife and I both purchased the 6s on launch day from the Apple Store through the iphone upgrade plan. We decided to port our number over to att from t-mobile because of spotty coverage. So we purchased the att model and had no issues with the port. Turns out that my wife gets no signal in her office, so we decided to switch to Verizon. Since the phone is supposed to be unlocked when purchased through the upgrade plan, I assumed I could just take my phone to Verizon, have them pop a verizon SIM card in, and I'd be good to go. Not so much...

When the Verizon guy looked up my IMEI number he said he was unable to set me up with service. I called Apple Support and initially they said that my phone was locked to att. I was irate because the day I bought it I was told by the Apple employee it was unlocked and could be taken to another carrier. It so much as says the phone is unlocked when purchased through the upgrade program right on Apple's website.

So I called att and they confirmed that the device is locked, but I am eligible to have it unlocked, which I am in the process of doing online now. Hopefully it goes through and my device is unlocked and I can switch to Verizon.

Was I wrong in assuming I could take my phone from att to Verizon to begin with? If my phone does get unlocked, will I have issues switching over to Verizon? I suppose I could exchange the devices for Verizon phones at the Apple Store but really would just prefer to keep our existing phones.
 
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Hi guys, new to this discussion but want to share my story. My wife and I both purchased the 6s on launch day from the Apple Store through the iphone upgrade plan. We decided to port our number over to att from t-mobile because of spotty coverage. So we purchased the att model and had no issues with the port. Turns out that my wife gets no signal in her office, so we decided to switch to Verizon. Since the phone is supposed to be unlocked when purchased through the upgrade plan, I assumed I could just take my phone to Verizon, have them pop a verizon SIM card in, and I'd be good to go. Not so much...

When the Verizon guy looked up my IMEI number he said he was unable to set me up with service. I called Apple Support and initially they said that my phone was locked to att. I was irate because the day I bought it I was told by the Apple employee it was unlocked and could be taken to another carrier. It so much as says the phone is unlocked when purchased through the upgrade program right on Apple's website.

So I called att and they confirmed that the device is locked, but I am eligible to have it unlocked, which I am in the process of doing online now. Hopefully it goes through and my device is unlocked and I can switch to Verizon.

Was I wrong in assuming I could take my phone from att to Verizon to begin with? If my phone does get unlocked, will I have issues switching over to Verizon? I suppose I could exchange the devices for Verizon phones at the Apple Store but really would just prefer to keep our existing phones.
It shouldn't be locked in the first place. All phones purchased through AUP are supposed to come unlocked. I would suspect your phones are unlocked and Verizon is just pulling their typical crap about not activating phones not on their "white list". That was supposed to be a thing of the past, but others have reported still having trouble getting Verizon to activate non-Verizon phones.
 
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