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SIM-free iPhone 6S at launch in USA? [MERGED]
- Thread starter Florida Gator
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The difference last year was the TD-LTE on the sim-free (mainly China LTE capability) but since this year's has it in one chip, should be fine.
There is no confirmation here, but yes, it looks like the AT&T and T-Mobile versions will be the same again and include the 30 LTE band.
No. According to this, AT&T will be using the A1633/34, and T-Mobile and Verizon will use 1687/88.
So AT&T will stand alone with it's own model with the 30 band, while the other carriers will not have the 30 band but have CDMA support.
I've spoken to 3 different "apple specialists" in the apple online chat, and I've heard different things from all of them. One said all of their phones purchased at the apple store are locked, and have to be activated with one of the four major carriers. Another one said that the only Unlocked iphones are sold under the apple upgrade program, and that hes not sure if they are US only unlocked, or International unlocked. Another one told me the same as the second rep i spoke to, but that the apple upgrade phones will be USA only unlocked,and locked to all other carriers outside the USA.
He also said that he is sure that an unlocked international version will be available in the future, but he doesn't know when. Last time it was 3 months after iphone 6 release date.
I honestly don't know who to believe. sigh.
He also said that he is sure that an unlocked international version will be available in the future, but he doesn't know when. Last time it was 3 months after iphone 6 release date.
I honestly don't know who to believe. sigh.
I think you're wasting your time, the customer service people don't know anything.
AND the writer of that article added that I quote, "Making things more complex, analyst Tin Nguyen pointed out on Twitter tonight that FCC documentation shows that there may be a CDMA radio in the A1633 model, which would let people switch the AT&T unit to Verizon or Sprint."
Wasn't there also a similar case with iphone 6 where they (Apple website) said GSM didn't have CDMA raido, but it did or something like that? Darn it. If they just release one model, this sort of headache could've been avoided. Now I will have to wait until early October to hear back some feedbacks before ordering one.
http://mobile.pcmag.com/news/59765-...rrier-choices?origref=https://www.google.com/
Well it seems like indeed att is only gsm. So cdma is Verizon/sprint/T-Mobile.
How important is band 30 anyway? I think I'm going cdma route.
Well it seems like indeed att is only gsm. So cdma is Verizon/sprint/T-Mobile.
How important is band 30 anyway? I think I'm going cdma route.
Looks like I'll go with the pay in full option for T-Mobile and hope all is well with it working on AT&T. Just recently switched from a post-paid to pre-paid AT&T account so it doesn't allow me to enter details to get the AT&T phone
Can someone "confirm" (as best as possible) that an AT&T iPhone 6s/6s Plus bought FULL price from Apple is unlocked? I know last year the T-Mobile full-price one was unlocked from Apple, and the Verizon full price, too, but this year at least I'm unsure about the AT&T model...
So if you want ATT Band 30 it is confirmed you need to buy the AT&T version and if you buy it at full price and it is not unlocked, you need to call them to unlock it, correct?
Newbie here. I didn't fully understand your post.
I'm American, but reside part-time in Cambodia and travel throughout Asia and The United States frequently. I typically purchase my iPhones in Singapore. But this year, my plan is to pre-order the "T-Mobile" version and purchase in store via the iPhone Upgrade Program. However, you suggested that the initial offering would be SIM free, but wouldn't truly be unlocked as the initial offering would be missing bands critical to certain Asian countries.
According to GSM Arena, I need only GSM 900, GSM 1800 and UMTS 2100 to be up and running in Cambodia, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore for 3G capabilities, which seems to be included below. But would need LTE 1800, LTE 2600 to access 4G, which doesn't seem to be included below.
And now for my questions:
01 It seems from the intel provided in this thread that any Asian country can be accessed, and that the phone would only be lacking only 4G capabilities. Is this correct? If yes, then why have you suggested that certain Asian countries could not be accessed?
02 Would an unlocked iPhone (as opposed to a SIM free iPhone), offered later in the year have these LTE bands?
03 Currently I use AirVoice as my carrier when Stateside. I haven't an account with any of the majors. Will I need to create such in order to pre-order?
I'm American, but reside part-time in Cambodia and travel throughout Asia and The United States frequently. I typically purchase my iPhones in Singapore. But this year, my plan is to pre-order the "T-Mobile" version and purchase in store via the iPhone Upgrade Program. However, you suggested that the initial offering would be SIM free, but wouldn't truly be unlocked as the initial offering would be missing bands critical to certain Asian countries.
According to GSM Arena, I need only GSM 900, GSM 1800 and UMTS 2100 to be up and running in Cambodia, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore for 3G capabilities, which seems to be included below. But would need LTE 1800, LTE 2600 to access 4G, which doesn't seem to be included below.
And now for my questions:
01 It seems from the intel provided in this thread that any Asian country can be accessed, and that the phone would only be lacking only 4G capabilities. Is this correct? If yes, then why have you suggested that certain Asian countries could not be accessed?
02 Would an unlocked iPhone (as opposed to a SIM free iPhone), offered later in the year have these LTE bands?
03 Currently I use AirVoice as my carrier when Stateside. I haven't an account with any of the majors. Will I need to create such in order to pre-order?
Its seems like nobody has the direct answer and its nothing but pure speculation at this point and referencing back to last year. If you purchase an AT&T version at full retail price from the Apple Store, if its not unlocked you just simply call them and they will do something on their side where all you would have to do is plug your phone into iTunes and it will become unlocked. Everyone is going to lose sleep trying to figure out which device to purchase.
1 - 3G should work in every country, I wouldn't be too worried about it. My iPhone 3G worked in Cambodia when I was there 5 years ago.
2 - Yes. Only different between an unlocked AT&T (and only AT&T) phone and the other phones is it supports Band 30 while the others support CDMA (which isn't widely used outside of America). Buying a Sim free iPhone gets you the latter.
3 - No, if you buy SIM-free it doesn't require you to have a current account with a carrier.
Thanks, satchow! Just one quick follow up. I actually would prefer to pre-order and get in on the iPhone Upgrade Program. It seems one is required to choose a carrier (I plan to choose T-Mobile) and I wondered why, if one isn't required to have a current account.
I don't think this point is correct.
Whatever version you have apple won't ask you. They will just give you an unlocked one.
Not sure. I bought a T-Mobile iPhone 5s full price from apple.com 2 years ago and I didn't have to put in any account information, they just shipped it to me with a T-Mobile SIM which I just swapped out for my AT&T SIM.
First sorry for my bad english. I bought last year a T-mobile iPhone 6 last september and it was unlocked. It was the same version of iphone6 sold by at&t and i think that this year it would be the same. all iPhone 6s and 6s plus are 100% ok for their network so i think that they will have the gsm only version. tmobile will be unlocked as usually. for iPhone 6 sprint has same models that apple ships in europe....so just to recap i think:
A1633 & A1634 for At&T and T-mobile
A1688 & A1687 for Verizon and Sprint
Someone has different official news?
A1633 & A1634 for At&T and T-mobile
A1688 & A1687 for Verizon and Sprint
Someone has different official news?
I don't think anyone knows for sure. It's the same thing every year with a new iPhone, it seems. So much confusion, so much frustration.
For AT&T users who want an unlocked phone for overseas use, do we buy the full-price T-Mobile one? Will that be unlocked and be able to use band 30? Or do we buy the full-price AT&T model? But will that be unlocked out of the box?
Who knows? I've literally no idea which model to get...
For AT&T users who want an unlocked phone for overseas use, do we buy the full-price T-Mobile one? Will that be unlocked and be able to use band 30? Or do we buy the full-price AT&T model? But will that be unlocked out of the box?
Who knows? I've literally no idea which model to get...