Resolved Replacement iPhone 5 unlocked?

[KUguardgrl13]

Hello! So last weekend my boyfriend dropped his T-Mobile iPhone 5 at work and shattered the screen. I went to the Apple Store and got him a replacement through AppleCare+ (genius thought it was too shattered to fix) and was curious about something in the settings. He seemed to think that the Carrier menu on the Settings page was there before, but I don't remember seeing it, and my iPhone 5 on Verizon doesn't have it. Could they have given him an unlocked refurb instead of one locked to T-Mobile? I believe it's a refurb since the call count was several days already. Anyway, I'm curious because he's been thinking about leaving T-Mobile (Verizon though, so it'd really only help resale value). Thanks!

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Another photo

 

[imaginex20]

T-Mobile SIM cards will enable the carrier settings. If you want to test it, put the T-Mobile SIM card into the Verizon iPhone.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

T-Mobile SIM cards will enable the carrier settings. If you want to test it, put the T-Mobile SIM card into the Verizon iPhone.

Huh? I'm not sure this answers my question. I know that the T-Mobile SIM will work in both my boyfriend's iPhone 5 (unlocked or T-Mobile locked; that's what I'm asking about) and my Verizon iPhone 5.

 

[imaginex20]

Huh? I'm not sure this answers my question. I know that the T-Mobile SIM will work in both my boyfriend's iPhone 5 (unlocked or T-Mobile locked; that's what I'm asking about) and my Verizon iPhone 5.

Having carrier settings displayed does not indicate that the phone is unlocked. My 5S is unlocked but on ATT and I do not have the carrier setting hence this is a Tmobile thing.

 

[itsmemuffins]

All the iPhone will show that and the call time is from the back up.

Apple only replace like for like.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Having carrier settings displayed does not indicate that the phone is unlocked. My 5S is unlocked but on ATT and I do not have the carrier setting hence this is a Tmobile thing.

Huh. It just seems like a random setting to have if the phone isn't unlocked and able to be moved to a different carrier easily. Oh well. I guess if he decides to change carriers at some point he'll have to pay off the rest of the phone and sell it. Since he's thinking Verizon maybe he'd have to do that anyway.

 

[Applejuiced]

Huh. It just seems like a random setting to have if the phone isn't unlocked and able to be moved to a different carrier easily. Oh well. I guess if he decides to change carriers at some point he'll have to pay off the rest of the phone and sell it. Since he's thinking Verizon maybe he'd have to do that anyway.

Yes, that carrier setting has nothing to do with it.
All you have to do is stick an AT&T sim in and you'll find out.
The replacement carries over the exact carrier properties as the phone turned in.