iPhone Upgrade Program - Unlocked only for AT&T, Verizon, Spring, T-Mobile??

[manhattanmania]

I am so confused. I just chatted with a rep to confirm that the iPhone (via upgrade program) will be unlocked always - concerned that once we choose a carrier in store they would lock the phone to that carrier. they confirmed that the phone would remain unlocked, but only for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. When i asked about international travel and using local carriers when abroad, they said that i would need to get the phone unlocked for international use by the carrier. To which i questioned them as i thought either the phone was unlocked or not. Their answer was that it is unlocked "only for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile."

Is it possible that this is true? Could Apple technically unlock the phone only for certain carriers, or do you think this is just their PR answer as we are supposed to use the phone on one of the big 4? it would be really messed up if the phone wasn't truly unlocked.

 

[terraphantm]

It is technically possible, but I'm not sure Apple would bother.

 

[manhattanmania]

It is technically possible, but I'm not sure Apple would bother.

interesting. never knew that. i sure hope it's truly unlocked. the rep seemed pretty insistent that it was only unlocked for those four carriers. she said that i could switch any time between those four, but international would have to be unlocked by the carrier.

i wish there was more clarity on this.

 

[Shadowbech]

If you use the iPhone UP, yes it would technically be only one of those 4. But I'm pretty sure if you decide to pay outright then it should be fully unlocked.

I did put a reservation through the iPhone UP link, but I intend to purchase it in full price at pick up.

 

[manhattanmania]

If you use the iPhone UP, yes it would technically be only one of those 4. But I'm pretty sure if you decide to pay outright then it should be fully unlocked.

I did put a reservation through the iPhone UP link, but I intend to purchase it in full price at pick up.

it just makes no sense...we are paying full price for the phone, so it should be unlocked, period. also, the rep said for international id have to get it unlocked by the carrier..but that also makes no sense to me, as they would have no right to keep it locked (if it somehow is) - as we are not on a payment plan or subsidy/contract with the carrier, so they legally have to unlock it.

i wonder if it's straight up unlocked but they are not sharing that publicly.

 

[Shadowbech]

it just makes no sense...we are paying full price for the phone, so it should be unlocked, period. also, the rep said for international id have to get it unlocked by the carrier..but that also makes no sense to me, as they would have no right to keep it locked (if it somehow is) - as we are not on a payment plan or subsidy/contract with the carrier, so they legally have to unlock it.

i wonder if it's straight up unlocked but they are not sharing that publicly.

Right, but here is the thing, when you decide to purchase it full price, they are not even asking for your account info and they will mark the phone as device only, so yes it should be unlocked.

I could be wrong but when I purchased the AT&T 6 Plus last year, I told them that I was going to buy device only and they didn't ask for my account info at all and at the POS (Point of Sale, they marked my phone as device only) and when I connected to iTunes, I got the congratulatory message stating that my phone was unlocked, and I then inserted a t-mobile sim and it worked.