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

bozzykid said:
The reason they removed the "Unlocked" from the T-Mobile version is probably so they can keep people who just want an unlocked phone from buying it since supplies are limited. Knowing there would be a shortage, T-Mobile may have asked Apple to do it so T-Mobile customers would have better access knowing full well it is unlocked.
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I was thinking Apple removed the unlocked verbiage since THEY can't officially offer the Unlocked iPhone (do to inventory levels).

Since T-Mobile doesn't have contracts anymore, and all of their mobile phones have to be purchased unsubsidized, You would assume all of the phones they now sell are unlocked.

Also, i'm sure T-Mobile has to Buy/Sell X amount of iPhones a year to keep their contract with Apple.
 
Beezy253 said:
So when you bought the phone, you didn't give them any phone number? (I'm assuming the only info you provided them with was your Apple ID?)
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the only thing i gave them was $691 ;)

E3BK said:
Wow. Nice. Thank you for the update.
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No problem.

I made sure to "activate" the phone with a SIM that was not at&t. Dont turn the phone on until you put in your non-at&t sim. I did that just to make sure it doesnt auto-lock based on the first sim it has in it. shouldnt make a difference, but just to be sure thats what i did.
 
khhntz said:
So what you are saying is that one does not need to go into an Apple store to get this T-Mobile "unlocked" iPhone 5s to be activated by someone in the Apple store? So once you get it you just take the T-Mobile sim card out and replace it with an AT&T sim card and it just works (obviously need to go through those iCloud steps)? Just want to confirm because once I receive my "unlock" T-Mobile iPhone 5s from UPS I am opening it up. Else I will leave it unopened and need to go to an Apple store.
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Yeah you can just activate it with your AT&T sim card. No need to go into the Apple Store. They didn't even open mines. I left the store with it still sealed in the plastic.
 
Beezy253 said:
I was thinking Apple removed the unlocked verbiage since THEY can't officially offer the Unlocked iPhone (do to inventory levels).

Since T-Mobile doesn't have contracts anymore, and all of their mobile phones have to be purchased unsubsidized, You would assume all of the phones they now sell are unlocked.

Also, i'm sure T-Mobile has to Buy/Sell X amount of iPhones a year to keep their contract with Apple.
Click to expand...

You can't buy an iPhone for T-Mobile at an Apple Store without buying it full price and unlocked but you can at a T-Mobile store (it will be locked though). It is no secret that the only difference between the T-Mobile version and the unlocked version is only that the T-Mobile version has a sim pre-installed. I'm sure this is verbiage change is done just to please T-Mobile while stock is low.
 
I just got home with my iPhone 5S, T-Mobile. I put an AT&T card in, it worked. Sold from Apple they are unlocked. 100% confirmed.
 
Guys thanks for confirming. I have an overseas trip coming in a couple of weeks so I would like to be able to use a local sim instead of roaming on AT&T. So expensive.
 
Congrats to everybody who got his new iPhone 5S. :)

Do you guys think that the iPhones purchased through the Apple Online Store are the same they sell in retail stores?

Anybody here who got his phone from an Apple Retail Store in NY and can tell me if they still have the Space Grey 16GB Unlocked in stock?
I can't check online, can I?
 
I will appreciate if someone who order the T-Mobile Contract Free Iphone 5S at the apple store can confirm that it's actually "really unlock".

I have two phone on order, and I will immediately cancel it, if it's the case.

However apple description mention :

If you buy iPhone for T-Mobile, it will arrive with a nano-SIM card already installed that you can activate by visiting an Apple Retail Store or a T-Mobile store or by calling T-Mobile. When you travel internationally, you can use a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5s from a local GSM carrier. For details on LTE support, see www.apple.com/iphone/LTE.
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therefore it must be unlocked not?
 
Zebulon76 said:
I will appreciate if someone who order the T-Mobile Contract Free Iphone 5S at the apple store can confirm that it's actually "really unlock".

I have two phone on order, and I will immediately cancel it, if it's the case.

However apple description mention :



therefore it must be unlocked not?
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It has been confirmed by dr3w and CEmajr that it is unlocked! End of discussion.

dr3w said:
It works!
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CEmajr said:
I can also confirm that the T-Mobile Unlocked 5S is factory unlocked. Just activated it with an AT&T sim card.
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wow I'm glad to see this finally confirmed. Im currently traveling the US and I ordered a T mobile version to use it in Europe with my local card carrier.


Ive chatted with a dozen of apple employees the past week and they all seemed to be divided on the matter.
 
Has anyone else tried an ATT 5s to see if it's also unlocked? It looks like we have one confirmation.

Also, if a phone is locked, does it let you activate on another carrier's SIM, or would it have stopped it?
 
Where is the OP and that other dude insisting the phones would be locked? All this doom and gloom was not necessary.
 
Canadian here and ordered a T-Mobile 5s last night, saved around $90 by ordering from Apple.com

Will confirm if my Fido sim works out of the box when I get it but as others have confirmed, I have no doubt it'll work.
 
kevintech said:
talked to apple customer service, and that rep was sure that t-mobile is the ONLY US carrier it'll work for. but it's unlocked for the rest of the world.
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I just talked to them and was told it is truly unlocked and works on AT&T and other GSM
 
Now Chatting with Tara

Hello, welcome to the Apple Online Store. How are you?

Good, and you?

I am doing great, thanks for asking.

I ordered the iPhone 5S 64G Gray unlocked phone. Though the confirmation order states T-Mobile and doesn't mention it being unlocked.

At this time we don't have the iPhone 5s unlocked, the TMobile iPhone will only work with the TMobile network, or Internationally with a GSM carrier.
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Take that as you may, for me I'll be cancelling my order as I don't plan on risking $1k.
 
Last edited:
shareef777 said:
Now Chatting with Tara

Hello, welcome to the Apple Online Store. How are you?

Good, and you?

I am doing great, thanks for asking.

I ordered the iPhone 5S 64G Gray unlocked phone. Though the confirmation order states T-Mobile and doesn't mention it being unlocked.

At this time we don't have the iPhone 5s unlocked, the TMobile iPhone will only work with the TMobile network, or Internationally with a GSM carrier.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take that as you may, for me I'll be cancelling my order as I don't plan on risking $1k.
Click to expand...

Read above! It is unlocked!
 
Yeah the majority of apple staff (about 70%, yes I chatted with A LOT of them) will confirm that it's unlocked
 
T-Mobile iphone 5S is UNLOCKED!!!!! It means it is not locked to any carrier and you should be able to use any nano SIM in the phone. For that benefit, you pay full price. Ordered a T-Mobile iphone 5S slate 32gb to use with my ATT sim card and unlimited plan account. Will still keep the plan I currently have with ATT but wanted the flexibility to use my phone in Europe with a local carrier sim card. If Apple is crazy and the TMobile UNLOCKED phone does not work with my ATT sim it is plan simple: I will return the phone!!!
 
shareef777 said:
Now Chatting with Tara

Hello, welcome to the Apple Online Store. How are you?

Good, and you?

I am doing great, thanks for asking.

I ordered the iPhone 5S 64G Gray unlocked phone. Though the confirmation order states T-Mobile and doesn't mention it being unlocked.

At this time we don't have the iPhone 5s unlocked, the TMobile iPhone will only work with the TMobile network, or Internationally with a GSM carrier.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take that as you may, for me I'll be cancelling my order as I don't plan on risking $1k.
Click to expand...

Its unlocked. People have posted pictures
 
There is no such thing as unlocked but only to international carriers. Either a phone is locked to one carrier or unlocked to ALL. No in between.
 
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