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iPhone Update Program Customers: Your phone is locked!

T00n

T00n

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 10, 2016
9
3
Here I am not talking about iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock or Apple Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over iPhone Upgrade Program Woes. This is all about the phone we will get.
Last September I was enrolled in this horrible program, because Apple said you would get an unlocked iphone, and you could insert any carrier's SIM cards, ok, Citizen Bank checked my credit history(Hard Pull), and I got an unlocked iPhone 6s with my At&t contract.
Now I am going to upgrade to iPhone 7 Plus. Oh man, I need to make an reservation? I have to visit an apple store? Ok, I can do that, luckily there are three crowed apple store nearby. How about you guys?

Is another credit check required when I upgrade my iPhone?
Yes, you will need to provide a valid U.S. credit card and your Social Security number for a credit check when you upgrade.
Another credit check for just a phone, every single year!

Wait!

Models A1778 and A1784 do not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint.

If I am going to change my carrier from At&t to Verizon, not right now, but maybe later this year, I have to upgrade to Verizon version, am I right?

So I made an appointment on Sep 17, and give them my SSN, Driver's License, Credit card....Then I was told I cannot get a Verizon iPhone since I don't have a Verizon account! I am really upset and asked the saleswoman to talk with her manager, she said they could do this if I have my social security card with me, as a SPECIAL case! I told them I didn't have it in my wallet and they said sorry you couldn't get it today and we wouldn't hold this iPhone for you!

This is not the END

I didn't get an iPhone but today I received an alert that Verizon requested a copy of my credit report! This is totally non-sense!

If you are enrolled in iPhone Upgrade Program, well, your phone is not locked to any carrier as apple said.
But if you get an at&t or tmobile iphone 7, you would never ever be a verizon or sprint customer.
Your phone is locked to a carrier named GSM.

Apple shouldn't do this to us because we are loyal customers and intel modems are cheaper. To me, if I cannot change carries, my phone is locked. This is not what apple told me last year, and iPhone 6s can support every carrier.

Update:
I don't think the title is wrong/clickbait. Here the a screenshot from http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program
This is what apple promised last year too.
Screenshot of Google Chrome (9-19-16, 6-07-05 PM).png
 
Last edited:
None of what you've written (screamed?) above means the phone is locked. There's a big difference between "your phone doesn't physically support XYZ network" and "your phone DOES physically support XYZ network but it's locked to ABC network". Locked means carrier locked - it won't work on another carrier even if it physically can. Having a phone that doesn't work on a particular network isn't locked, it's just incompatible. Big difference.
 
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I didn't know they do a hard pull on your credit every time you want to upgrade. Wow. That immediately turned me off from enrolling into that program.

But I'm kind of in the same scenario as you. I'm with T-Mobile right now but I like having options, especially if I decide to switch to Verizon or one of their MVNOs. My 6s+ is a T-Mobile iPhone but works on all carriers (which should because all of the 6s' and the Plus' should work on any carrier).

If I can't buy a Verizon modeled 7 or 7+, forget it. I'll keep my 6s Plus until it dies or if they come out with a universal model next year like they did for the 6S models.
 
SisterBlue22 said:
None of what you've written (screamed?) above means the phone is locked. There's a big difference between "your phone doesn't physically support XYZ network" and "your phone DOES physically support XYZ network but it's locked to ABC network". Locked means carrier locked - it won't work on another carrier even if it physically can. Having a phone that doesn't work on a particular network isn't locked, it's just incompatible. Big difference.
Click to expand...
But if we think in this way, there are only two carrier in the US, one's name is GSM, the other is CDMA. If we upgrade to a GSM iphone, we couldn't change to CDMA. This is my point, while other customers can order an sim-card free iphone a few months later, we cannot.
 
T00n said:
But if we think in this way, there are only two carrier in the US, one's name is GSM, the other is CDMA. If we upgrade to a GSM iphone, we couldn't change to CDMA. This is my point, while other customers can order an sim-card free iphone a few months later, we cannot.
Click to expand...

You can opt for the Verizon version through the IUP even if you're with at&t.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Misleading thread title. Models A1778 and A1784 purchased through IUP are unlocked for use on all GSM carriers, but they're not a "world iPhone" (i.e., compatible with both GSM and CDMA).

You need to change your title to "Your at&t/T-Mobile iPhone 7 is not a world iPhone."
Click to expand...
Thanks! Maybe I should think about another title, but not a world iphone is not exactly my view. The thing is customers cannot easily get a world iphone because of this program. And why verizon check my credit reports?
 
T00n said:
Thanks! Maybe I should think about another title, but not a world iphone is not exactly my view. The thing is customers cannot easily get a world iphone because of this program. And why verizon check my credit reports?
Click to expand...

It's not because of this program, but hardware limitation. We didn't always get "world iPhone" with every iteration. The iPhone 4s was a world iPhone, but we didn't get that with the iPhone 5.

Like I said, there are ways to get the Verizon version even if you're with at&t or T-Mobile if having a "world iPhone" is important to you. The SIM-free version will probably be Verizon as well.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
You can opt for the Verizon version through the IUP even if you're with at&t.
Click to expand...
That is what I did, it looks very simple on line, but if you go to the store, it is totally different. They asked my ssn card, and verizon pulled my credit even i am not going to sign a contract with verizon right now, and didn't get the iphone. Even if i had my ssn card, this is not easy because the manager did this for me as an special case.
[doublepost=1474319808][/doublepost]
JayLenochiniMac said:
It's not because of this program, but hardware limitation. We didn't always get "world iPhone" with every iteration. The iPhone 4s was a world iPhone, but we didn't get that with the iPhone 5.

Like I said, there are ways to get the Verizon version even if you're with at&t or T-Mobile if having a "world iPhone" is important to you. The SIM-free version will probably be Verizon as well.
Click to expand...
But because of this program, if we didn't upgrade, the bank will charge the 13th month payment.
 
AT&T will remotely unlock it when the phone is paid off if you want to jump to T-Mobile. But yes you're out of luck if you want Verizon or Sprint due to un-supported hardware (modem) specifically with those models you mentioned. The sim-free/unlocked phones are $100 more for a reason.
 
The phones are not locked, and since the moment the Apple website refreshed after the announcement was over, it was known that there were two different models for the US - one that could get CDMA signals and one that could not. OP is blowing this way out of proportion. If you applied for a Verizon phone, and didn't have a Verizon account, it is logical for the business to assume you wanted to become a Verizon customer.

And WTF is with all the credit paranoia on this forum? Is everyone in the middle of buying a house, car, plane and boat at the same time as a phone? Maybe...don't? Jeez...
 
I agree with the OP. I have already escalated this to someone in the iUP secret team and they acknowledged that this is an issue. Specially not being able to use GSM phones on Verizon networks within states whereas Apple website says your phone is unlocked and can be used with any network. Let's see what this results in

Also to add there is a problem with iUP program since you need to activate the phone. So either all iUP members should be given the global phone or atleast a choice
 
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Has anyone tried putting a Verizon SIM card into an AT&T iPhone 7 yet?

I'm just wondering because the phone should be able to work on Verizon's LTE network even if it can't use the (antiquated by now) CDMA network.

Should be an interesting test. Someone give it a try?
 
This was clear on Macforums since the day of the pre-order so you guys had plenty of time to do your research before putting in your pre-order.

T-mobile / ATT are one class of phones that are physically only able to work on these carriers

Then the Verizon/Sprint phones can work on any carrier.
 
Yea even
hellopupy said:
This was clear on Macforums since the day of the pre-order so you guys had plenty of time to do your research before putting in your pre-order.

T-mobile / ATT are one class of phones that are physically only able to work on these carriers

Then the Verizon/Sprint phones can work on any carrier.
Click to expand...

Yea that's fine.
But for iUP customers then Apple should give the Global phone. Not the one tied to GSM due to hardware limitations.

What if in 2months I wanna switch from At&T to Verizon? Apple can currently by its rules only give me At&T phone as it needs to be activated. Even if I ask them to give me a Verizon phone with iUP they ask me to start a new account now. Which is not what I wanna do.
When buying at full price then yea people should chose accordingly but atleast in iUP it's an issue
 
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