Question about T-Mobile Carrier Update for iPhone 5

[Haswell]

According to http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-5737 the TMO carrier update only effects the T-Mobile and officially unlocked AT&T iPhone 5.

Now what does TMO mean by "officially unlocked AT&T iPhone 5 only?"

Example, if I were to buy an ATT iPhone unlocked off eBay would that work? Or would I have to go to an Apple store and buy one at full retail price then unlock it myself?

 

[Satnam1989]

According to http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-5737 the TMO carrier update only effects the T-Mobile and officially unlocked AT&T iPhone 5.

Now what does TMO mean by "officially unlocked AT&T iPhone 5 only?"

Example, if I were to buy an ATT iPhone unlocked off eBay would that work? Or would I have to go to an Apple store and buy one at full retail price then unlock it myself?

Officially meaning not using Gevey or other Turbo SIM chips/adaptors to unlock the iPhone.

All iPhones Unlocked are otherwise Factory Unlocked = Officially.

Should you go ahead and buy a "AT&T Unlocked" iPhone off of ebay it will be the same as "Officially Unlocked"

Do keep in mind some times people on eBay misuse the term "Unlocked" they will put it down as something like:

"Selling an AT&T iPhone unlocked and ready to go" well that sometimes translates over to "The iPhone is off of contract and ready to go for anyone else that wants to use it on their account".

Do verify things with the seller unless clearly stated, as I have seen many such issues in the past when people decide to use words for other meanings.

 

[Haswell]

Officially meaning not using Gevey or other Turbo SIM chips/adaptors to unlock the iPhone.

All iPhones Unlocked are otherwise Factory Unlocked = Officially.

Should you go ahead and buy a "AT&T Unlocked" iPhone off of ebay it will be the same as "Officially Unlocked"

Do keep in mind some times people on eBay misuse the term "Unlocked" they will put it down as something like:

"Selling an AT&T iPhone unlocked and ready to go" well that sometimes translates over to "The iPhone is off of contract and ready to go for anyone else that wants to use it on their account".

Do verify things with the seller unless clearly stated, as I have seen many such issues in the past when people decide to use words for other meanings.

Thanks for the fast reply.

Now how do I verily things with the seller?

I want to use an iPhone 5 on T-Mobile's network with their $30 prepaid plan. I have a T-Mobile nano sim and T-Mobile let me set it up without an IMEI number attached to it. I also need an iPhone that's running 6.1.2. My work doesn't support 6.1.3 because of the pin number bypass bug.

 

[Satnam1989]

Thanks for the fast reply.

Now how do I verily things with the seller?

I want to use an iPhone 5 on T-Mobile's network with their $30 prepaid plan. I have a T-Mobile nano sim and T-Mobile let me set it up without an IMEI number attached to it. I also need an iPhone that's running 6.1.2. My work doesn't support 6.1.3 because of the pin number bypass bug.

Just ask them how they got the iPhone unlocked, Thats fine as T-Mobile and all GSM carriers usually detect the phones IMEI on their own anyway no matter what you input it. Only thing they dont do is sometimes not save your hardware in the history.

Lastly make sure that your area has good 1900MHz HSPA+21 coverage from their new refarm...refer to my this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1356522/

 

[Haswell]

Just ask them how they got the iPhone unlocked, Thats fine as T-Mobile and all GSM carriers usually detect the phones IMEI on their own anyway no matter what you input it. Only thing they dont do is sometimes not save your hardware in the history.

Lastly make sure that your area has good 1900MHz HSPA+21 coverage from their new refarm...refer to my this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1356522/

Two of my co-workers have Samsung S3s on T-Mobile and they both say "4G" and we did speeds and they got about 8 mbps to 10 mbps. I also went to a T-Mobile store about 1.5 miles from house and I did a speed test on an Android phone that said 4G and it was getting about 19 mbps.

 

[bcooln]

it doesn't matter, as long as your iphone 5 is unlock you are fine. i got my iphone from att then go to ebay buy an unlock code, i got my tmobile update without any problem, so i think you are fine.

 

[Satnam1989]

Two of my co-workers have Samsung S3s on T-Mobile and they both say "4G" and we did speeds and they got about 8 mbps to 10 mbps. I also went to a T-Mobile store about 1.5 miles from house and I did a speed test on an Android phone that said 4G and it was getting about 19 mbps.

iPhone 3G/4G Bands/Frequencies: 850,900,1900,2100
Samsung S3's and your Android phone (IF all T-Mobile models): 850,900,1700,1900,2100

Current T-Mobile Network Specs:
1900MHz HSPA+ 3G aka "4G" (Limited to Cities and big towns/county's only launched 1.5 years ago)
1700 AWS Dual-Channel-HSPA+ aka "4G"
1700 AWS LTE (Just starting to launch)

now do you see why its important to know if T-Mobile has "3G" aka "4G" HSPA+ 1900Mhz coverage in your area?

 

[bcooln]

Two of my co-workers have Samsung S3s on T-Mobile and they both say "4G" and we did speeds and they got about 8 mbps to 10 mbps. I also went to a T-Mobile store about 1.5 miles from house and I did a speed test on an Android phone that said 4G and it was getting about 19 mbps.

4G on samsung S3 is different from the current iphone right now. only an area with reframe 1900 is work with the current iphone. the only way you know if your current location has 3G/4g is test with an iphone, not with an S3. unless you get a tmobile iphone 5 version this update, then it will be another thing

 

[Haswell]

Thanks everyone!

I am just going to wait until Friday and do a speed test on an iPhone at T-Mobile. There's one about maybe 5 mins away via walking from my work. So I'll take care of that on my lunch break. Then I'll drive over the T-Mobile store that's about 1.5 miles away from my place after work.

Thanks again everyone!

If things don't work out with T-Mobile, then I'll have to bite the bullet and go with Verizon.