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Preorder No-contract Device on Launch Day

Iphoneness

Iphoneness

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 19, 2010
373
13
Raleigh, North Carolina
Does anyone know if I'll be able to preorder just a full priced, locked iPhone on Wednesday? I know they probably won't sell the full price, factory unlocked one in the US at least. But I'm still on a contract with AT&T and want to pay full price for an iPhone, wether it's locked or not. Just can't remember if they did that last year or not.
Thanks!
 
Normally it's contract only for the 1st little while.

EDIT: Turns out that is not always the case. Credit:pDFierro
 
Last edited:
Am I correct that the 4 and 4S launches in the UK featured factory unlocked full price phones at pre-order?
 
But there is a difference between buying unlocked in the US and paying full price through AT&T or Verizon.
 
Iphoneness said:
Correct. But I think I remember last year trying to pay full price and it wouldn't let me so I had to pay for an early upgrade instead.
Click to expand...

Who did you try to buy this from? In my experience, if you have an upgrade available, then Apple won't let you buy full price. I'm with Verizon, and they will let you have the option.

Pre-ordering the new iPhone should be just the same as if you're using an upgrade, you're just paying full price. It's not a different model, like the unlocked ones are. Those usually aren't available in the US right away.
 
So if I had a friend buy a full price phone from Verizon in the USA, it would work here in the UK on GSM as a fully unlocked phone, and if I want to use it in the USA, I could in fact sign up with Verizon or (gasp) use a nano-simm from ATT or one of the other GSM providers?

If so, I might want to think about it getting a friend in the US to get me one as in New Mexico (which is where I would go) Verizon is much much better.
 
PDFierro said:
Who did you try to buy this from? In my experience, if you have an upgrade available, then Apple won't let you buy full price. I'm with Verizon, and they will let you have the option.

Pre-ordering the new iPhone should be just the same as if you're using an upgrade, you're just paying full price. It's not a different model, like the unlocked ones are. Those usually aren't available in the US right away.
Click to expand...

Exactly. That makes sense. Now I did order through the Apple website. It wouldn't let me pay full price there. Think it would be different on the AT&T website?

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netdog said:
So if I had a friend buy a full price phone from Verizon in the USA, it would work here in the UK on GSM as a fully unlocked phone, and if I want to use it in the USA, I could in fact sign up with Verizon or (gasp) use a nano-simm from ATT or one of the other GSM providers?

If so, I might want to think about it getting a friend in the US to get me one as in New Mexico (which is where I would go) Verizon is much much better.
Click to expand...

Won't work. It won't be unlocked if he gets it at launch.
 
Iphoneness said:
Exactly. That makes sense. Now I did order through the Apple website. It wouldn't let me pay full price there. Think it would be different on the AT&T website?
Click to expand...

I'm sure AT&T would let you have the option. There are many people who pay full price at pre-order, it won't be a problem. But yes, for some reason Apple's website doesn't let you pay full price if you have an upgrade.
 
netdog said:
So if I had a friend buy a full price phone from Verizon in the USA, it would work here in the UK on GSM as a fully unlocked phone, and if I want to use it in the USA, I could in fact sign up with Verizon or (gasp) use a nano-simm from ATT or one of the other GSM providers?

If so, I might want to think about it getting a friend in the US to get me one as in New Mexico (which is where I would go) Verizon is much much better.
Click to expand...

Also, with the 4S, when you unlock it, it still doesn't work on CDMA networks. If it's the same with the iPhone 5, you won't be able to buy a CDMA device and use it on GSM at all.
 
Iphoneness said:
Exactly. That makes sense. Now I did order through the Apple website. It wouldn't let me pay full price there. Think it would be different on the AT&T website?

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Won't work. It won't be unlocked if he gets it at launch.
Click to expand...

I thought that the GSM (i.e. the sim) was unlocked the buyer is already under contract to Verizon, so they don't care what you do with the GSM portion. Am I wrong? I thought that enabled Verizon customers to use local providers when in Europe as opposed to being locked into US service abroad at exorbitant rates as ATT forces their clients to do when they are here in London.
 
netdog said:
I thought that the GSM (i.e. the sim) was unlocked the buyer is already under contract to Verizon, so they don't care what you do with the GSM portion. Am I wrong? I thought that enabled Verizon customers to use local providers when in Europe as opposed to being locked into US service abroad at exorbitant rates as ATT forces their clients to do when they are here in London.
Click to expand...

I see. Check this out. It might help.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3438489?start=45&tstart=0
 
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