"Off Contract" AT&T iPhone 4Ss Already Come Unlocked

[RichardF]

Nothing - just plugged it in to the Mac with iTunes running and "Congratulations" popped up on the screen. These phones are not locked. There is no AT&T logo written anywhere at all on the box or the UPC sticker - only on the receipt they emailed me. I took the AT&T sim card out before I plugged it in to the computer.

By the way, what is CL - you wrote they buy iPhone 4 for 3/400 bucks?

Thank you for your response.

CL = Craigslist.

I got a 4S 32GB on Friday and I haven't opened it. I can return it to the at&t store and they will undo everything (I asked this to the rep before I bought).

SInce now that people seem to buy them off contract and getting them in unlocked state, I'd much prefer that. I travel and I would like to save money on the monthly bill as well. I think at&t is too expensive.

What T-Mobile or other MVNO plan are you guys picking?

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Exactly. Everyone views products differently for value...but shelling out $650 for a cell phone is ludicrous if you ask me...and it's the 16GB size! Let's face it...the iPhone is really 1% phone and 99% computer/internet stuff...you might as well have purchased an iPod Touch for 1/3 the price and used Skype to make your phone calls.

Skype is horrendous and unreliable as a substitue to cellphone service on a full time basis.

 

[jjHungry]

I'm more thrown that someone shelled out $849 to upgrade because their old device was still under the terms of the contract subsidy.

It would have been several hundred cheaper to break your contract and switch carriers... and this person is probably using the iPhone 4.

Maybe I'm just jealous because I don't have $500 to take a match too.

You leave out multiple factors:
1) Selling iPhone 4's for $300 or so
2) Utilizing the future subsidy on a 4S and selling that (Usually close to retail for fairly new phones, ~$600 for 16 GB - $200 upgrade cost + tax + line fee $18 ATT)
3) UNLOCKED!!!!!
4) UNLOCKED!!!!!


So for me, after taking into account taxes and selling fees, it will cost me $150-200 and I am already using an unlocked 32 GB 4S months ahead of my normal upgrade time which would be locked. This is LESS than my upgrade cost later for a 16 GB, LOCKED 4S.

Here is the math:
+263 Amazon trade-in (not bothering with eBay, somewhere between $300-350 before fees, could probably make more on CraigsList but I'm fine with Amazon no hassles)
-788 32 GB unlocked after taxes
-230 16 GB LOCKED normal upgrade (200 * 6% tax + 18 line upgrade)
+550-600 selling locked 16 GB 4S (off contract price is $649 + tax)

Total, $155-200 (more or less) depending on how much the 4S sells for.

So again, in total I pay LESS to have the phone NOW and UNLOCKED.
($230 upgrade with contract versus $155-205 net buying off contract/selling though with higher up front cost)
So we're not totally crazy

Some girl in front of me in line yesterday sold her iPhone 4 as she bought a 4S. the buyer met her in line and waited until her data was transferred or whatever.

 

[Rot'nApple]

But doesn't the iPhone only support T-Mobile frequencies at 2G? Seems like that would be a huge waste.

Why?

How many would choose 3G over wifi speeds?

I know after experiencing both with my iPad 3G on ATT, I'll gladly take wifi because 3G might as well be 2G.

If I have to have crammed down my throat the need for a data plan ($25.00 - att) and texting plan ($20.00 - att) on top of a minutes plan ($40.00 - att), I'd much rather choose something affordable ($50.00) to get all three (unlimited talk/text/data) and save $420.00 a year. That $420 plus $199.00 covers cost of an unlocked iPhone in the first year. Being off contract, this allows me to remain off contract. One half dozen or another... It may not be for you, but would suit my needs which is a cool phone first and foremost then data, not as much a necessity, but rather a nice to have function. Unless I continue to hold off and wait for iphone 5 with LTE and LTE speeds, but that is a whole other post.
/
/
/

 

[acidfast7]

The more I read this thread ... the more I think it would be better for an American to have a US-spec unlocked iP4Gs and a European prepaid uSIM.

Why not just get a German prepaid uSIM that you can top-up online and just pay as you go. Even calling within the US to another US phone is reasonably priced (0.13€/min) and SMSs are the same price.

 

[Rot'nApple]

self delete, answered already.

 

[KPOM]

I just got a 32 gig 4S from the Upper West Side Apple Store in NYC and plugged it into my Macbook Pro iTunes and it gave me the "Congratulations Your iPhone is unlocked" screen.

Unfortunately they are down to the 64GB models now at the UWS store. The iPhone line at 5th Avenue was pretty long so I didn't bother. At UWS, the iPhone rep said that Apple would start up the reservation system for in-store purchases tonight at 9:00 (you get a message if it comes in stock, and have until 6:00pm the next day to pick it up). I might give that a shot, though she also insisted that the off-contract models weren't available until November. She said the 16GB models sold out in 10 minutes this morning.

Did you just say you wanted an AT&T model, wait in the line, and then when you checked out told them to sell it to you for full retail? If that works, I'll see if I can reserve a 32GB version.

 

[jjHungry]

Did you just say you wanted an AT&T model, wait in the line, and then when you checked out told them to sell it to you for full retail? If that works, I'll see if I can reserve a 32GB version.

When I ordered, I told the guy monitoring the line that I wanted an off contract phone. He said "ok.. You still have to pick a carrier."
I told him ATT and he gave me a paper slip. The guy who was doing the purchase transaction with me also misunderstood me and initially asked me for my ATT information. I told him again I wanted off contract and he backed out of some screens and all I had to do was pay without providing ATT/phone/social/email (though I gave email for receipt).

So even though the employees seemed fairly indifferent that it was off contract and a little confused at times, I got a phone that showed as unlocked in iTunes.

 

[KPOM]

When I ordered, I told the guy monitoring the line that I wanted an off contract phone. He said "ok.. You still have to pick a carrier."

I told him ATT and he gave me a paper slip. The guy who was doing the purchase transaction with me also misunderstood me and initially asked me for my ATT information. I told him again I wanted off contract and he backed out of some screens and all I had to do was pay without providing ATT/phone/social/email (though I gave email for receipt).

So even though the employees seemed fairly indifferent that it was off contract and a little confused at times, I got a phone that showed as unlocked in iTunes.

Thanks. I'm not sure how the reservation system works (it appears you need to choose a carrier - hopefully not the plan), but since I didn't want a 64GB version I'll just try that tonight.

 

[Mums]

Unfortunately they are down to the 64GB models now at the UWS store. The iPhone line at 5th Avenue was pretty long so I didn't bother. At UWS, the iPhone rep said that Apple would start up the reservation system for in-store purchases tonight at 9:00 (you get a message if it comes in stock, and have until 6:00pm the next day to pick it up). I might give that a shot, though she also insisted that the off-contract models weren't available until November. She said the 16GB models sold out in 10 minutes this morning.

Did you just say you wanted an AT&T model, wait in the line, and then when you checked out told them to sell it to you for full retail? If that works, I'll see if I can reserve a 32GB version.

Yeah - I just told them I wanted an off-contract 32 gig. They didn't even ask me what carrier until I got up to the guy who sold me the phone. To be honest I think all of the iPhone 4S's are unlocked. I'm already using T-Mobile on it, which despite the Edge, is fast enough in New York City.

AT&T would have no legal right to lock my phone that I paid full price for anyway. And Apple would be crazy to allow it because I could just take the phone back and exchange it for an "officially unlocked" one.

As far as the reservation thing goes - she told me the same thing at the Upper West Side store today: 9pm or whatever tonight. If you're willing to wait it would probably save you some stress.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Exactly. Everyone views products differently for value...but shelling out $650 for a cell phone is ludicrous if you ask me...and it's the 16GB size! Let's face it...the iPhone is really 1% phone and 99% computer/internet stuff...you might as well have purchased an iPod Touch for 1/3 the price and used Skype to make your phone calls.

everyone has different uses for each product. You're saying $650 is ludicrous, yet paying $199 for the device and being locked into a contract at $100/month for 2 years is not???

The price on these phones has not changed. The carriers simply are footing the bill in advance bc they make it up and then some from the 2 year contract. The device is not really yours bc you are locked into a contract for 2 years....moreso like a lease to own.

I'm not sure why everyone is acting like $650 is crazy money when you are paying tons more over the life of the contract.

i'll share with you what happened with me:

My wife and I both had iPhone 3GS and upgraded to the iPhone 4. We had the cheapest family plan at $60, unlimited family text at $30, $30 unlimited data per phone=$150+tax=around $175/month. At the time this was the cheapest way to operate an iPhone. Each time our monthly bill came it would never be the exact same price. It would constantly fluctuate in price. I was tired of forking over $170-$175/month for cell phones. and sadly, this was the cheapest route you could go to get an iPhone.

I went ahead and paid the ETF's on both phones and we are both on the $25/month GoPhone with 250 minutes and unlimited text. We are around wifi majority of the time so not having data isn't an issue for us. I get a text when it's time to upload $25 and there are no bs fees or anything added on like when I had a contract. I will never do a contract again. They make prepaid appear to be this bad thing where it's only for people with bad credit....that's not true. But it sure does have the american people fooled into signing these big long contracts and thinking they are getting a steal at buying an iPhone at ONLY $199. $50/month for 2 iPhones cannot be beat.

I will gladly pay $650 for an iPhone then have to mess with contracts.

 

[RichardF]

[...]
My wife and I both had iPhone 3GS and upgraded to the iPhone 4. We had the cheapest family plan at $60, unlimited family text at $30, $30 unlimited data per phone=$150+tax=around $175/month. At the time this was the cheapest way to operate an iPhone. Each time our monthly bill came it would never be the exact same price. It would constantly fluctuate in price. I was tired of forking over $170-$175/month for cell phones. and sadly, this was the cheapest route you could go to get an iPhone.

I went ahead and paid the ETF's on both phones and we are both on the $25/month GoPhone with 250 minutes and unlimited text. We are around wifi majority of the time so not having data isn't an issue for us. I get a text when it's time to upload $25 and there are no bs fees or anything added on like when I had a contract. I will never do a contract again. They make prepaid appear to be this bad thing where it's only for people with bad credit....that's not true. But it sure does have the american people fooled into signing these big long contracts and thinking they are getting a steal at buying an iPhone at ONLY $199. $50/month for 2 iPhones cannot be beat.

I will gladly pay $650 for an iPhone then have to mess with contracts.

$25 with 250 minutes and unlimited text. That's great.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...cell-phone-plans.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-005ZH4-0-2

 

[MacManTexas56]

$25 with 250 minutes and unlimited text. That's great.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...cell-phone-plans.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-005ZH4-0-2

yeah it's a heckuvadeal man

 

[chosenwolf]

Does anyone know if this is the case if I purchase an AT&T iPhone 4S off someone on craigslist or eBay from someone who most likely bought it at the subsidized price? Is there any chance the phone can/will be unlocked?

 

[KPOM]

Does anyone know if this is the case if I purchase an AT&T iPhone 4S off someone on craigslist or eBay from someone who most likely bought it at the subsidized price? Is there any chance the phone can/will be unlocked?

If the person bought it at the subsidized price in the US, it will be locked.

 

[RichardF]

I got an iPhone 4S 32GB, White (locked: under a 2 years business line contract) from at&t last Friday.

Skrink-wrapped, I have not opened it.

Up for sale at $700 in person in NYC. PM if interested.

 

[wovel]

I got an iPhone 4S 32GB, White (locked: under a 2 years business line contract) from at&t last Friday.

Skrink-wrapped, I have not opened it.

Up for sale at $700 in person in NYC. PM if interested.

Why wouldn't they just go to the Apple store and pick up a locked phone...

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everyone has different uses for each product. You're saying $650 is ludicrous, yet paying $199 for the device and being locked into a contract at $100/month for 2 years is not???

The price on these phones has not changed. The carriers simply are footing the bill in advance bc they make it up and then some from the 2 year contract. The device is not really yours bc you are locked into a contract for 2 years....moreso like a lease to own.

I'm not sure why everyone is acting like $650 is crazy money when you are paying tons more over the life of the contract.

i'll share with you what happened with me:

My wife and I both had iPhone 3GS and upgraded to the iPhone 4. We had the cheapest family plan at $60, unlimited family text at $30, $30 unlimited data per phone=$150+tax=around $175/month. At the time this was the cheapest way to operate an iPhone. Each time our monthly bill came it would never be the exact same price. It would constantly fluctuate in price. I was tired of forking over $170-$175/month for cell phones. and sadly, this was the cheapest route you could go to get an iPhone.

I went ahead and paid the ETF's on both phones and we are both on the $25/month GoPhone with 250 minutes and unlimited text. We are around wifi majority of the time so not having data isn't an issue for us. I get a text when it's time to upload $25 and there are no bs fees or anything added on like when I had a contract. I will never do a contract again. They make prepaid appear to be this bad thing where it's only for people with bad credit....that's not true. But it sure does have the american people fooled into signing these big long contracts and thinking they are getting a steal at buying an iPhone at ONLY $199. $50/month for 2 iPhones cannot be beat.

I will gladly pay $650 for an iPhone then have to mess with contracts.

Wouldn't kill the phone companies to give you $5-$10 a month off for it.

 

[RichardF]

Why wouldn't they just go to the Apple store and pick up a locked phone...

This would be interesting to consider for people who do not qualify for subsidized pricing.

 

[Chillviper]

Just picked up the 64Gig for $849. Does everyone have this block of text on their electronic/paper receipt? I did not give them any personal information eg phone number social etc.

(Device￿and￿Service)￿I￿have￿agreed￿to￿the￿terms￿as￿stated￿in￿the￿Wireless￿Customer￿Agreement, which￿was￿made￿available￿for￿review￿prior￿to￿my￿acceptance￿and￿is￿available￿at￿http://att.com/ iphoneterms
Use￿of￿iPhone￿constitutes￿acceptance￿of￿the￿iPhone￿terms￿and￿conditions￿and￿other￿third￿party terms￿and￿conditions￿found￿in￿the￿iPhone￿box,￿or￿at￿http://www.apple.com/legal/sla/￿This￿iPhone model￿is￿configured￿to￿work￿only￿with￿the￿wireless￿services￿of￿AT&T￿Wireless.
The￿sales￿tax￿for￿iPhone￿varies￿by￿state￿and￿may￿be￿based￿on￿the￿unbundled￿purchase￿price￿rather than￿the￿actual￿purchase￿price.
If￿you￿are￿not￿fully￿satisfied￿with￿your￿iPhone￿purchase,￿you￿can￿return￿your￿undamaged￿iPhone within￿30￿days￿of￿purchase￿for￿a￿full￿refund￿with￿no￿restocking￿fee.
If￿you￿disagree￿with￿these￿terms￿and￿conditions￿you￿can￿return￿the￿iPhone￿in￿accordance￿with￿the Apple￿Store's￿return￿policy￿http://www.apple.com/legal/sales_policies/retail.html
For￿information￿on￿Apple's￿privacy￿policy￿see￿www.apple.com/privacy

 

[Cagle]

Can someone confirm it's possible to just walk into an apple store and buy one carrier-free? I went to Apple at lunch (Memphis) and the guy at the door said they sell full retail iPhones but it wouldnt be unlocked - which kind of threw me because he was implying it wouldnt work.

I'm right in thinking I could still use it on wifi and activate on a carrier at a later date, if I wanted to?

 

[Chillviper]

They are not "carrier free." You have to ask for an AT&T model Off-Contract and make sure they select device only when they check you out. You do not have to give them your phone number, social etc.

 

[chosenwolf]

If the person bought it at the subsidized price in the US, it will be locked.

Which they 99.99% probably did since those selling are surely looking to just make a profit. Those who bought off-contract and changed their mind would be better off simply returning the phone. So it's been confirmed on the subsidized phones that none get the unlocked message with a different SIM?

 

[Mums]

Can someone confirm it's possible to just walk into an apple store and buy one carrier-free? I went to Apple at lunch (Memphis) and the guy at the door said they sell full retail iPhones but it wouldnt be unlocked - which kind of threw me because he was implying it wouldnt work.

I'm right in thinking I could still use it on wifi and activate on a carrier at a later date, if I wanted to?

Some of the Apple Store workers know it's unlocked but most of them don't seem to. Regardless, they are ordered to state that the 'off-contract' phones are "not unlocked." They are unlocked if you pay full price. Carriers have no legal standing to lock paid-for phones.

 

[atrain61]

Does NOT work for me

Just bought an "off contract" iPhone 4s 64 gb for $849 from the ATT store. I opened the box and turned it on when I was walking out of the store. When I got home I plugged it into iTunes but didn't get the "unlocked" message. I put my old ATT sim card in and everything works but....

After trying a restore with a german 02 sim card iTunes gives me this message: "The SIM card inserted in this iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible SIM cards from a supported Carrier may be used to activate iPhone. Please insert the SIM card that came with your iPhone or visit a supported Carrier's store to receive a replacement SIM card." After a restore if I go through the setup menu it ends with this message "Sim not valid."

So, its a no go. Its definitely locked. Guess i'm going to return it tomorrow.
(the german sim card works in my other iPhone so i know its a good sim)

 

[KPOM]

Just bought an "off contract" iPhone 4s 64 gb for $849 from the ATT store. I opened the box and turned it on when I was walking out of the store. When I got home I plugged it into iTunes but didn't get the "unlocked" message. I put my old ATT sim card in and everything works but....


So, its a no go. Its definitely locked. Guess i'm going to return it tomorrow.
(the german sim card works in my other iPhone so i know its a good sim)

That's good to know. I'm guessing that AT&T already registered the IMEIs for the phones in its stores. It appears Apple hasn't for the ones in its stores. That's the difference.

 

[thetorque]

Just to confirm that I got "unlock" message after plugging into iTune. I bought from the Apple store this morning. However, I will be traveling abroad soon and have ordered a prepaid sim for that. Once it arrive I will plug it in here and report back if it works.