Carrier (T-Mobile iPhone 5s is LOCKED- Unlocked iPhone 5s Discussion)

[Akack]

Thanks, I don't understand why different Apple employees are giving different opinions. Not good!

Misinformed employees........anyhow....

Do a factory reset via iTunes, and after its reset you should see the "grats your iPhone is unlocked" message.

You can also try this website :http://iphoneimei.info/
That website never works on my iPhone but it works on my MBP fyi......

 

[ianthensome]

Will I get the "Congrats your iphone is unlocked" message if I plug the phone to iTunes and factory reset it without any simcard in it?

 

[shankar2]

I just plugged my old iphone 4 (unlocked) and itunes says only "Restore iphone"

Is this the option to select to do a factory reset? Kindly let me know!

Thanks in advance

 

[ateichman]

Just (I hope) to put the final nail in the coffin, go to the Apple Store website. Choose any color of 5s, and any capacity under T-mobile. Then look at the purchase summary on the right side of the page. If you chose 64GB Space Gray, it will say "iPhone 5s 64GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile Unlocked".

Then click the "check availability" link. That window will say "Availability for: iPhone 5s 64GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile Unlocked"

See images below...

I'll throw one question on the pile, though. Do you restore in DFU with your desired SIM in, or not? Or does it matter?

 

[shankar2]

We'd have to wait until the shipment arrives!

I'm expecting many new users will post their experience with the tmobile no contract iphone 5s.

 

[sam.k]

Like most of you here, I wanted an unlocked GSM iPhone 5S since I travel overseas frequently. I bought my iPhone 5S on the first day of release. I told the Apple representative that even though I am eligible for the re-contract price, I want to have it unlocked. What I did was that I bought the AT&T iPhone 5S 64GB at full price and the representative inserted a T-mobile sim card first (with no account being set up) to bypass the activation screen.

I was told that they have to do it this way to have the phone unlocked. Once we set up all the initial settings and reached the home screen, I swapped the "fake" T-mobile sim card and put my AT&T sim-card. I was told my phone will be locked by the AT&T network if I were to put in my AT&T sim card during the activation process.

I went home and did a restore on my iPhone 5S and the "Congratulations! Your phone is unlocked!" message came up on iTunes. I was also told that should the iPhone be locked, I can email the receipt to AT&T to prove that I paid full price for the phone and have them unlocked the phone for me. Since it was already unlocked, I did not have to go through the process.

I ended up canceling the T-mobile online order via the Apple Store website since I already have my iPhone 5S unlocked.

 

[danyg]

AT&T full price GETS unlocked with itunes

Hi folks,

Just to let you know....
I just purchased a AT&T 32GB "device only", full price.
When I connected to iTunes, I DID get the message "Congratulations! Your iPhone has been unlocked"...

Funny is that the "genius" that sold me the iPhone, said that he works for Apple since the first iPhone
and, this time, the iPhone 5S, differently from the iPhone 5, DOES NOT unlocks itself with itunes...
He said "the technology changed"... and he was serious....

Obviously, I said nothing and just went home to see...
Idiot !!!

regards
Dany

 

[matthewyip]

Actually it is not that complicated to determine which version is locked or unlocked…

For iPhone 5 or 5C or 5S that bought in Apple Retail Stores:

AT&T version:
LOCKED for contract; UNLOCKED for “device only” purchase. For locked iPhone, you can request unlock if you have fulfilled the contract.

T-Mobile USA version:
UNLOCKED

Verizon:
UNLOCKED for BOTH contract and “device only” because of the FCC requirement of the 700MHz spectrum that Verizon is using

Sprint:
LOCKED for BOTH contract and “device only”. You can request unlock ONLY for international travelling if your iPhone is attaching to an active Sprint account. (i.e. only non-US carriers sims can be used even it is unlocked. AT&T, T-Mobile USA and other US carriers’ sims WILL NOT WORK)



For iPhone 5 or 5C or 5S that bought directly from carriers or authorized resellers (including Best Buy, Wal-Mart…etc)

AT&T version:
LOCKED for BOTH contract and “device only” purchase. However, you can request unlock if you have fulfilled the contract OR your iPhone was purchased as “device only” (or called no commitment pricing or without contract or full pricing). You will have to provide proof of purchase (e.g. store receipts) if you want to unlock for iPhones bought without contract.

T-Mobile USA version:
LOCKED. T-Mobile USA will unlock it only under certain requirements. Most common requirement is the phone must be active under T-Mobile account for at least 40 days.

Verizon:
UNLOCKED for BOTH contract and “device only” because of the FCC requirement of the 700MHz spectrum that Verizon is using

Sprint:
LOCKED for BOTH contract and “device only”. You can request unlock ONLY for international travelling if your iPhone is attaching to an active Sprint account. (i.e. only non-US carriers sims can be used even it is unlocked. AT&T, T-Mobile USA and other US carriers’ sims WILL NOT WORK.

 

[seiyamaple]

Finally, is the T-Mobile 5S unlocked or not?

I have looked EVERYWHERE, and I have gotten different answers EVERYWHERE. If there is already people with the T-Mobile version, can you answer that once and for all please? Is it unlocked or not? Can I use it with other carriers?

 

[DanUC6]

Unlocked. Close thread.

 

[M5RahuL]

I just picked up a Verizon 5S from an Apple store, and it's working great with my T-Mobile [ 3G/4G/LTE ]

I did pre-order the TMO Unlocked version from Apple.com but still haven't received it. Probably cancel that order since the Verizon one is also completely unlocked!

 

[Akack]

I just picked up a Verizon 5S from an Apple store, and it's working great with my T-Mobile [ 3G/4G/LTE ]

I did pre-order the TMO Unlocked version from Apple.com but still haven't received it. Probably cancel that order since the Verizon one is also completely unlocked!

Did you activate the phone with a Verizon sim first, or did you just put your TMOB sim on initial startup?

 

[M5RahuL]

Did you activate the phone with a Verizon sim first, or did you just put your TMOB sim on initial startup?

Opened box and swapped the SIM from VZW to TMO [ phone was powered OFF ]
Plugged in to iTunes [ Phone turned ON itself ]
Went thru the initial set up motions [ wifi ; siri ; etc ]
Phone showed ' searching ..... ' for a few seconds and then T-Mobile LTE

 

[KPOM]

Did you activate the phone with a Verizon sim first, or did you just put your TMOB sim on initial startup?

I bought a Verizon iPhone device-only on Saturday at the Apple Store. All I had to do was put my AT&T SIM card in it and start it up. It's completely unlocked. I don't even have a Verizon account. There was no need to connect it to iTunes to get it activated.

 

[auero]

I bought a Verizon iPhone device-only on Saturday at the Apple Store. All I had to do was put my AT&T SIM card in it and start it up. It's completely unlocked. I don't even have a Verizon account. There was no need to connect it to iTunes to get it activated.

They didn't even ask if you were a Verizon customer?

 

[M5RahuL]

I bought a Verizon iPhone device-only on Saturday at the Apple Store. All I had to do was put my AT&T SIM card in it and start it up. It's completely unlocked. I don't even have a Verizon account. There was no need to connect it to iTunes to get it activated.

I concur. I don't have VZW either [ TMO here ] and bought it as ' device only ' from the Apple store today. No questions asked.

 

[Akack]

I concur. I don't have VZW either [ TMO here ] and bought it as ' device only ' from the Apple store today. No questions asked.

Seems like the "better buy" is the Verizon model since it gives you the flexibility of switching between any GSM carrier and Verizon. Just got to wait for the Verizon model to be in stock now.

 

[ianthensome]

Just (I hope) to put the final nail in the coffin, go to the Apple Store website. Choose any color of 5s, and any capacity under T-mobile. Then look at the purchase summary on the right side of the page. If you chose 64GB Space Gray, it will say "iPhone 5s 64GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile Unlocked".

Then click the "check availability" link. That window will say "Availability for: iPhone 5s 64GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile Unlocked"

See images below...

I'll throw one question on the pile, though. Do you restore in DFU with your desired SIM in, or not? Or does it matter?

We have the same question.

I have my 32gb space gray device only AT&T sitting here with me, untouched. Cos I only have an international microsim right now. So question is, does it matter if I factory reset it without a simcard?

 

[KPOM]

They didn't even ask if you were a Verizon customer?

No. There was someone at a table near the entrance who had 4 3-ring binders with cards for each carrier. Some people asked about T-Mobile phones (none) and AT&T (64GB Space Gray only). I took an AT&T card, but then asked if they had any Verizon iPhones. They had 16GB and 32GB White/Silver and Space Gray. I asked if I could buy the phone device only. He said yes and handed me a card. After a few minutes I was assisted by another associate who pulled the phone out of a drawer. I told him I wanted to buy it device only, and he just rang it up at the full price. The only question he asked was whether I wanted AppleCare+. He didn't ask for account information, or anything else. I handed back the AT&T card (which was only a "backup" in case I couldn't buy the Verizon phone), took the Verizon phone home, swapped out the SIM card, powered it up, and was up and running.

 

[Yekezei]

So there's no way the phone could lock right? I ordered the T-Mobile version from apple.com and want to use the T-Mobile sim card first, just to test it. But it wouldn't lock into it right? I could just take it out after a week and put in another sim?

 

[bozzykid]

So there's no way the phone could lock right? I ordered the T-Mobile version from apple.com and want to use the T-Mobile sim card first, just to test it. But it wouldn't lock into it right? I could just take it out after a week and put in another sim?

If you pay full price from Apple it will come unlocked and stay unlocked.

 

[JorgeLomeli]

I Bought the T-mobile 64g device-only version at the Apple Store Chicago (Michigan Ave). Activated in itunes using the tmobile sim that comes preinstalled, then i put my att sim, and it worked, the swap again the sim and put my mexican Movistar sim, and it worked too!

So i can 100% tell you that T-Mobile device only versions are COMPLETLY UNLOCKED.

here is the proof:

 

[hughiee]

All Verizon (CDMA) iPhone 5, 5s are completely unlocked on (GSM) networks. T-mobile is a gsm network. This is not the case with (GSM) phones such as ATT. AT&T can lock their phones from being used on other networks if you get the phone subsidized by them.

Thank you for the clarification! One can purchase the "device only" for At&t or Verizon iPhones at full price as they are unlocked on the GSM networks.

 

[benji888]

An unlocked 1533 (or 1532 5c) model will work on the AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile in US, and several others in other countries. Last year's iPhone 5 (discontinued) had a separate model for Verizon, which also worked on Sprint. However, this time Sprint requires a different model: http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

If I am not mistaken, and from the read of this thread, Apple has quietly been selling the new iPhones unlocked, no wait. Now, is that only if you pay full price? Probably...but, anyone try swapping SIM after buying on contract w/AT&T?

 

[hughiee]

That's funny. I wonder why my iPhone 5 and now my 5S purchased at full price from Verizon (last year) and BestBuy (this year) work with my T-Mobile SIM installed? You'd think I wouldn't get full LTE on T-Mobile's network using a Verizon phone by reading this forum. There's some misinformed trolls on here, man.

Thank you for this valuable info as the Apple associates at both stores I visited yesterday and today informed me of the same re the Verizon tied to the carrier. I was misinformed so I purchased the AT&T "device only". Will this AT&T model A1533 work with Verizon's CDMA?