Sorry if its already been asked but are we able to buy off contract devices yet? If so, how? It doesnt look like it can be done on the apple website or individual carrier websites but are we able to walk into the apple store and buy them off contract or are we able to walk into ATT or Verizon and buy them off contract?
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Purchase off contract iPhone?
- Thread starter JLEW700
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Unless you're traveling overseas and need a different carrier, what is the benefit of buying an unlocked phone? Sorry for my lack of understanding.
Could you please point me in the right direction to purchase off contract from the apple online store? I only see contract versions except for t-mobile.
The T-Mobile version from the Apple online store is the only one sold off-contract online. In stores, you can purchase the AT&T or Verizon models "device only" and they will be off contract and unlocked.
You can also go pre-paid, which is a good chunk of change cheaper than post paid.
On launch day they wouldnt let me buy a 5s off contract they kept saying you can only buy a at&t phone if you have an account (do you understand what were trying to tell you) I was mad I begged them to sell me an iphone for full price I had waited all morning but got turned away after talking to 3 apple employees.
FYI I was trying to get an at&t phone because the apple store I went to had NO unlocked phones on launch day
FYI I was trying to get an at&t phone because the apple store I went to had NO unlocked phones on launch day
I know the verizon versions of the 5s are unlocked but apple still tries to pass them off as carrier specefic but for the iphone 5 didnt apple actually sell versions that they said were "unlocked"? When is apple going to start selling "unlocked" versions of the 5s?
Got the TMobile iPhone at Apple Store paying full price. Apple guy tried to convince me it would not work outside TMobile but at the end he gave up since he understood I had done my homework. Phones works right out of the box with an ATT sim card on it. If you are paying full price no matter what they tell you, the phone is unlocked.
- I save money, My yearly cellphone bill is $360. 100minutes talk, 5GB LTE data, unlimited everything else, texting ,etc.
- I can switch carriers whenever I want
- I won't be penalized via a collections agency if I don't pay my bill.
I believe you're thinking of "sim free" iPhones that are unlocked out of the box and not associated with a particular carrier. Those usually get released a month or two after carrier specific models.
Guy at Apple store ended up telling me they were instructed to tell customers that the TMobile phone won't work outside TMobile. According to him most of their customers will believe that and walk away without buying a phone without a contract. However, there are people like me that did my homework and know that it will work. I broke him down when after telling me it would not work I replied saying I would try and if indeed it did not work I had 30 days to return it. Done!!! The guy had no argument other than in a quiet voice telling me "well, I see you know what you are doing....". Phone works perfectly right outside the box with a ATT sim on it. Never activated it on TMobile or anything related to them.
Just walk into Apple store (assuming they have stock) and just tell them you want a full price verizon iPhone. I did this two weeks ago Tuesday September 24th. Paid full $750 plus taxes for 32gb space gray model.
Went home and put att nano sim in verizon iPhone and that was it.
Went home and put att nano sim in verizon iPhone and that was it.
But did you have to set up an account with Verizon and then cancel it? Or did you simply say, "I want to pay full price," and purchase it in 2 minutes like it was any other Apple product?
How do you tell if your iPhone is unlocked, I purchased a Verizon 5s at best buy as device only off contract?
No account setup. They just have me verizon iPhone and it lists the full price. It was a quick purchase. Maybe took 3 minutes cause iPhone was in the back and another guy had to get it from the back room.
I think I'll have an iphone tomorrowwwwwwwww
Definitely taking chances! Let me know how it goes and what you said (and which store you are visiting).
No, but you can cut them down to fit. You may need to do some sanding as well. Do a Google search - there are lots of site with instructions. However, if you have a 4S on an AT&T account and you want to use a 5s on the same account, AT&T will switch for you.
Okay folks, here's the lowdown:
Went to the Apple store Ridge Hill in Yonkers, NY. Lined up at about 8:20AM.
1. The line was comprised exclusively of Asian persons who the guy at the door said "were here every day." Some of them even knew each other by name, and some guy who I encountered yesterday was there again today. They're ALL scalpers.
2. They had a variety of phones available, but only Gold for Sprint. They had a number of Silver models for all carriers, but the people in the front of the line bought them all immediately. The T-Mobile model was in shortest supply and also only available in black.
3. You CAN buy the phones off contract, device only. I just purchased a 16Gb black Verizon model. When I got to the store I asked for the T-mobile device but noticed all the scalpers buying whatever they wanted, so I just asked for a Verizon device and they were 100% cool.
4. This thing does not come with a sim tray opening tool. Dang lol.
I hope that clarifies a few things for people. Get to the store very early (the people at the front of my line camped outside from last night 10AM) and you can buy whichever phone you like.
Good luck! Now I'm going to figure out how to open this sim card tray...
Probably in 1-2 months once supply has caught up with demand. Note that they have an "official" unlocked 5c since supplies are plentiful.
I was told by Apple that they have an agreement with ATT, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile to hold off on selling official factory unlocked phones, so that they can push contract sales first. According to Apple, the unlocked one's will be out approx. 2 months from the official release.