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"Off Contract" AT&T iPhone 4Ss Already Come Unlocked
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No, it won't. The AT&T prepaid SIM would likely work just fine in the phone (since it's an AT&T SIM in a phone locked to AT&T; the prepaid part is irrelevant), but the phone would still be locked to AT&T. That part (whether the phone is locked or not, and if so, to whom) is controlled by Apple via the phone's IMEI (they have a database that iTunes checks). Since that database would still show the phone as having been sold as locked to AT&T, that part isn't going to change just because you put another type of SIM in there. In fact, that's exactly what the lock is supposed to PREVENT.
The phones that are being sold at full-price that are showing as unlocked are getting tagged as unlocked in the IMEI database by Apple's POS systems in their stores when rung up as full-price, device-only (no activation) sales.
-- Nathan
I hope everything works/worked out for you. I live in Edgewater but appreciate the serenity and tranquility I get from driving all the way up to Woodcliff Lake. Having lived in Manhattan for years I can appreciate this immensely these days.
Apple Store Tice's Corner is my favorite Apple Store in this area. I love shopping there. There are never too many people and you have space and breathing/thinking room. It's nice to have such an amazing Apple Store experience.
Guys, for the ones of you who got an "off-contract" 4S, could you please tell us if there was a micro-SIM card in the phone when you took it out of the box or if the tray was empty?
I bought a 32GB off-contract, you got to say AT&T. When I got home, there was a AT&T sim card. I took it out, slipped my T-mobile one in and congratulations, IM UNLOCKED
Yes there was an AT&T sim card inside the iPhone 4s. The iPhone 4s I purchased will take any micro-sim. Tested with O2 and T-Mobile micro-sims. The locked and unlocked phones are exactly the same. The difference lies in whether or not the phone was subsidized or not.
So far so good after 24 hours with an unlocked 64 gig 4S. I am using the T-Mobile SIM from my Nexus One. If all you did was interact with apps make calls and use Siri, you'd be OK. Downloading apps, mail attachments or browsing the web or searching maps is too slow for my taste.
Also, I find that whatever antenna's the Nexus One has in it definitely picks up the cell service better than the ATT/VZ/Sprint focused ones used in the 4S. I can now barely get service to make a call in my house.
Too bad, as I was paying $89 + the taxes for unlimited everything. AT&T will be $135 or so + taxes and only what 4 gigs of download? But the network speed will be smoking and I will get tethering back.
It was a nice science experiment if nothing else.
Also, I'd imagine setting up a reminder with a geofence drains the battery faster as the 4S (or 4 I suppose) always has to have a GPS lock on to see if the perimeter had been crossed. Perhaps that's one of the reasons, other than iCloud, for faster battery drain.
Also, I find that whatever antenna's the Nexus One has in it definitely picks up the cell service better than the ATT/VZ/Sprint focused ones used in the 4S. I can now barely get service to make a call in my house.
Too bad, as I was paying $89 + the taxes for unlimited everything. AT&T will be $135 or so + taxes and only what 4 gigs of download? But the network speed will be smoking and I will get tethering back.
It was a nice science experiment if nothing else.
Also, I'd imagine setting up a reminder with a geofence drains the battery faster as the 4S (or 4 I suppose) always has to have a GPS lock on to see if the perimeter had been crossed. Perhaps that's one of the reasons, other than iCloud, for faster battery drain.
I bought a 32GB off-contract, you got to say AT&T. When I got home, there was a AT&T sim card. I took it out, slipped my T-mobile one in and congratulations, IM UNLOCKED
Thanks guys. So out of the box, the at&t micro-SIM is already in the phone.
And just to get the sequence right:
you slipped a non-at&t micro-SIM BEFORE plugging it in iTunes and get that "Congrats, your phone is unlocked" message.
Or did you plug in the phone first and then swapped SIMs while the phone was plugged-in?
I took out the AT&T sim card first! Then you can plug it in iTunes and run through the setup and you'll get the message.
I called T-mobile to switch from my regular sim card to the micro, while inserting it in the iPhone and setting it up at the same time.
Just as long as the AT&T sim card isn't in there, you're good.
unlock
I think that within the next 12-24 months, AT&T is going to allowing us to unlock off-contract phones. It appears that the "lock" is now somehow how the IMEI is coded within the wireless systems, which would then be trivial for them to authorize.
We'll be getting it, IMHO.
I think that within the next 12-24 months, AT&T is going to allowing us to unlock off-contract phones. It appears that the "lock" is now somehow how the IMEI is coded within the wireless systems, which would then be trivial for them to authorize.
We'll be getting it, IMHO.
I doubt it.
AT&T is greedy pure and simple.
They are a corporation with profits in mind and could care less about us.
As long as they have control over the phone, they can still get (or have the potential to get) more revenue from its users whenever they go out of the country.
If enough people leave AT&T, that's when they will look at the lock/unlock policy and decide if changing its policy will be beneficial to them or not.
Here is a scenario.
The iPhone 4S (AT&T full price and unlocked at purchase) fails. You go back to the Apple store - will they replace it with a unlocked one, or will there be an issue because it is an AT&T that happened to get unlocked the first week, but is not truly an unlocked model independent of any carrier.
I rather have a receipt from Apple that states Unlocked model even if I have to wait.
The iPhone 4S (AT&T full price and unlocked at purchase) fails. You go back to the Apple store - will they replace it with a unlocked one, or will there be an issue because it is an AT&T that happened to get unlocked the first week, but is not truly an unlocked model independent of any carrier.
I rather have a receipt from Apple that states Unlocked model even if I have to wait.
With the iPhone 4, the AT&T off contract models were identical to the "unlocked" models. The only difference was that the official "unlocked" models didn't ship with SIM cards and had a SIM ejector, while with the AT&T models, you had to do it the old fashioned way (use a bent paper clip).
Don't count on it until they are selling unlocked phones by name. These "AT&T" phones without a contract could easily be locked in the future. AT&T controls this for all of the phones sold as AT&T phones through the IMEI numbers, and it's checked each time your SIM authenticates with any GSM network.
If AT&T updates the database with your IMEI number, your phone will stop working with any carrier other than AT&T
You clearly missed my post about going to the Genius Bar yesterday. I asked them if AT&T or Apple would ever relock the phone and they said no. After running my serial number, it says it was an authorized unlock. There's no reason to relock it because I paid full price and Apple therefore unlocked it.
Quit theorizing that AT&T can take authority over a device that they don't know anything about. It's not linked in any way to AT&T if you buy it as "device only", and the Genius Bar confirmed that. Apple only locks handsets at time of purchase/sale based on contract and provider.
Completely unrelated but important: If you bought an unlocked iPhone 4S, there's a different data plan for AT&T. Same price, still unlimited (if you have that) ... but it is faster. Call them to update, since without following the AT&T activation through iTunes (which is never required for unlocked devices) does not add this for you.
Screenshot attached. Changing plans dramatically reduced my ping times (50%), but the data speeds were the same.
Screenshot attached. Changing plans dramatically reduced my ping times (50%), but the data speeds were the same.
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While the hardware is identical, the licensing that you agree to when you buy them is different. With an Apple unlocked one, you do not have to agree to any AT&T language. With the AT&T full price not under contract, you still have to accept the terms of their selling agreement and policies. Have not read the fine print, but unless it clearly says that by paying full price you are unlocked, I would not trust what they may or may not do to these devices.
Worked for me
I reserved and picked up a 64GB 4S at the Southcenter Mall in Seattle, and when I opened it in iTunes I got the unlocked message. Yeah! Saved me a trip to Canada, paying HST up there, and having to smuggle it back in the States to avoid paying duty. I feel so legal
I reserved and picked up a 64GB 4S at the Southcenter Mall in Seattle, and when I opened it in iTunes I got the unlocked message. Yeah! Saved me a trip to Canada, paying HST up there, and having to smuggle it back in the States to avoid paying duty. I feel so legal
I reserved and picked up a 64GB 4S at the Southcenter Mall in Seattle, and when I opened it in iTunes I got the unlocked message. Yeah! Saved me a trip to Canada, paying HST up there, and having to smuggle it back in the States to avoid paying duty. I feel so legal
I will find out in a few hours. I have a 64GB one reserved at Bay St Emeryville, CA Apple Store
How is it even legal to sell a phone for the full price locked
LOBBYING is the number one problem in this country. Democracy here is a joke. CORPORATIONS get the laws they want, when they want them. Citizens have no say in the matter.
Why is Lobbying legal? What's the difference between lobbying and bribing? Can anyone seriously answer this.
So I correct myself. Why do citizens have no power in this country?
BECAUSE BRIBING CONGRESS IS NOT ILLEGAL HERE.
Same here.I reserved and picked up a 64GB 4S at the Southcenter Mall in Seattle, and when I opened it in iTunes I got the unlocked message. Yeah! Saved me a trip to Canada, paying HST up there, and having to smuggle it back in the States to avoid paying duty. I feel so legal
Reserved 64 GB iPhone 4S Black at Apple Store in Staten Island Mall in NYC. Came to pick it up and immediately asked the guy who was helping me if it's possible to pay full retail.
He asked "So you want to buy it as Device Only?"
I said "Yes" and he replied "Absolutely" and rang me up right away.
As soon as I connected it to iTunes, I got the "Unlocked" screen right away.
Tested it with my pre-paid T-Mobile SIM and it works like a charm.
P.S. I think some of the Apple retail employees are on to this trick (and not like they have anything against it either). When I was being rang up, there was a guy a several feet away from me trying to do the same thing. The Apple employee helping him was kind of confused as to what he had to do, but the one who was helping me overheard him talking to his customer and helped him out. So yes, it seems like Apple does not mind at all selling unlocked 4S's before November.
I just got back from the Apple store in Oakbrook in the Chicago area. They wouldn't let me buy the phone device only, they wanted my AT&T info. The Apple person said the manager said it wasn't allowed. Any other Chicago people have any luck with this?
I picked up a black 32GB off-contract in Sacramento (Arden Fair). The guy handing out the reservation sheets at the beginning of the queue said it would still be "an AT&T phone". I didn't care and continued and then the guy who sold it to me asked me if I wanted to use it somewhere else. I said yes in Germany and then he said there shouldn't be a problem, it is unlocked and he knows it because he reads the news too and he doesn't know how it works but yes, it works. He then showed me how he selected "device only" so it seems he read macrumors, too
I first took the AT&T sim card out and connected it with iTunes but it said something like it cannot continue without a sim card inserted. Because my non-AT&T card is normal size I tried it with the AT&T card and it also came with the congratulations unlocked screen. So I doubt it matters which card you have inserted at this moment.
My question is, why do these sell so good on ebay ($1000+) even in the US? I wonder if I would sell those about 3-4 times I would've already earned one! The sellers don't write "off-contract" but "factory unlocked" but when I asked one I got the answer that it is indeed an AT&T off-contract device...
I first took the AT&T sim card out and connected it with iTunes but it said something like it cannot continue without a sim card inserted. Because my non-AT&T card is normal size I tried it with the AT&T card and it also came with the congratulations unlocked screen. So I doubt it matters which card you have inserted at this moment.
My question is, why do these sell so good on ebay ($1000+) even in the US? I wonder if I would sell those about 3-4 times I would've already earned one! The sellers don't write "off-contract" but "factory unlocked" but when I asked one I got the answer that it is indeed an AT&T off-contract device...