Carrier T-Mobile iPhone 8 Pre-Order Question...

[matthew23]

I switched to T-Mobile a few months ago from AT&T. Before doing that, I paid off my iPhone 7 Plus in full from AT&T so I could bring it over to T-Mobile. Every year I was on AT&T I was able to preorder the new iPhone the minute they went on sale through the website or Apple Store app and everything was integrated and fairly seamless. However, I started looking into the T-Mobile pre-order process and it is not as clear. Apparently, they are the only carrier that you cannot preorder from through Apple's site or App? That sounds very disappointing...

Can someone please clarify this for me? I haven't been able to find a good explanation of the best way to upgrade. Again, my phone is paid off and I will probably sell it on ebay or one of the trade in sites. I was thinking about buying the phone directly from Apple through their financing program (iUp??) but T-Mobile does not participate in that?

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!!

 

[byeehaaw]

I switched to T-Mobile a few months ago from AT&T. Before doing that, I paid off my iPhone 7 Plus in full from AT&T so I could bring it over to T-Mobile. Every year I was on AT&T I was able to preorder the new iPhone the minute they went on sale through the website or Apple Store app and everything was integrated and fairly seamless. However, I started looking into the T-Mobile pre-order process and it is not as clear. Apparently, they are the only carrier that you cannot preorder from through Apple's site or App? That sounds very disappointing...

Can someone please clarify this for me? I haven't been able to find a good explanation of the best way to upgrade. Again, my phone is paid off and I will probably sell it on ebay or one of the trade in sites. I was thinking about buying the phone directly from Apple through their financing program (iUp??) but T-Mobile does not participate in that?

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!!

I'm in the same boat. I recall the unlocked/tmobile variety not being available on the app/website til several weeks after launch. best do via tmobile website i am guessing

 

[fryfrkhlly]

I went through t-mobile site last year and had no issues. Had it on "launch". Trying to decide if I want to again this year. Not really crazy about the IPhone "X" or the new colors (I'm a rose gold fan).

 

[matthew23]

I went through t-mobile site last year and had no issues. Had it on "launch". Trying to decide if I want to again this year. Not really crazy about the IPhone "X" or the new colors (I'm a rose gold fan).

Did you order it at midnight (or whatever time it went on sale in your timezone)? No issues with the T-Mobile website crashing or being slow? I am thinking about going that route but really wanted to just finance through Apple with their upgrade program since the Apple Store App is so quick....

 

[jpcarro]

I switched to T-Mobile a few months ago from AT&T. Before doing that, I paid off my iPhone 7 Plus in full from AT&T so I could bring it over to T-Mobile. Every year I was on AT&T I was able to preorder the new iPhone the minute they went on sale through the website or Apple Store app and everything was integrated and fairly seamless. However, I started looking into the T-Mobile pre-order process and it is not as clear. Apparently, they are the only carrier that you cannot preorder from through Apple's site or App? That sounds very disappointing...

Can someone please clarify this for me? I haven't been able to find a good explanation of the best way to upgrade. Again, my phone is paid off and I will probably sell it on ebay or one of the trade in sites. I was thinking about buying the phone directly from Apple through their financing program (iUp??) but T-Mobile does not participate in that?

I'm on AT&T and last year, I bought the T-Mobile version off of Apple's website. It didn't ask for any T-Mobile info and the iPhone 7 came GSM unlocked. I realized I was giving up a frequency band only available on the AT&T version, but I got an unlocked version. I'm curious if the same frequency band will only be available on the new AT&T models. Can't speak to T-Mobile purchase thru T-Mobile.

 

[matthew23]

I'm on AT&T and last year, I bought the T-Mobile version off of Apple's website. It didn't ask for any T-Mobile info and the iPhone 7 came GSM unlocked. I realized I was giving up a frequency band only available on the AT&T version, but I got an unlocked version. I'm curious if the same frequency band will only be available on the new AT&T models. Can't speak to T-Mobile purchase thru T-Mobile.

But to do that you had to buy the phone outright, correct? You paid for it upfront?

 

[byeehaaw]

I'm on AT&T and last year, I bought the T-Mobile version off of Apple's website. It didn't ask for any T-Mobile info and the iPhone 7 came GSM unlocked. I realized I was giving up a frequency band only available on the AT&T version, but I got an unlocked version. I'm curious if the same frequency band will only be available on the new AT&T models. Can't speak to T-Mobile purchase thru T-Mobile.

Tmobile version was available on launch day/3am EST?

 

[fryfrkhlly]

Did you order it at midnight (or whatever time it went on sale in your timezone)? No issues with the T-Mobile website crashing or being slow? I am thinking about going that route but really wanted to just finance through Apple with their upgrade program since the Apple Store App is so quick....

I ordered first thing when I woke up, lol like 6am or something. I got lucky I guess and was able to get my 32gb Rose Gold IPhone 7 plus on lunch. It was super easy.

 

[matthew23]

I ordered first thing when I woke up, lol like 6am or something. I got lucky I guess and was able to get my 32gb Rose Gold IPhone 7 plus on lunch. It was super easy.

Thanks....I have a feeling trying to get the iphone X won't be as easy or we will see long waits but hopefully it goes smoother than I anticipate...

But you cannot order through Apple, can you (the T-Mobile version)? Do you have to go directly through T-mo?

 

[rumz]

Thanks....I have a feeling trying to get the iphone X won't be as easy or we will see long waits but hopefully it goes smoother than I anticipate...

But you cannot order through Apple, can you (the T-Mobile version)? Do you have to go directly through T-mo?

Yes you can. I can't recall if I used the app or if I had to use the web site, but my order history shows that I ordered a GSM iPhone 7 Plus on Sept 9 (first day of preorders last year) for full retail price. I am on T-Mobile though my order doesn't mention the carrier. (I later cancelled it because Apple went to some lengths to straighten out the whole iUP debacle and got me one in store on launch day rather than having to wait till October for the one I had paid in full for.)

 

[UltimateSyn]

Tmobile version was available on launch day/3am EST?

Yup. I ordered my 256GB Jet Black 7+ at 3AM EST and it shipped out essentially as early as it could, IIRC.
They prioritized Jump customers last year, and I'm assuming they'll do that again this year.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I'm on AT&T and last year, I bought the T-Mobile version off of Apple's website. It didn't ask for any T-Mobile info and the iPhone 7 came GSM unlocked. I realized I was giving up a frequency band only available on the AT&T version, but I got an unlocked version. I'm curious if the same frequency band will only be available on the new AT&T models. Can't speak to T-Mobile purchase thru T-Mobile.

I have the same conundrum. I'm on TMOB now (switched from ATT). I'm hoping Apple will announce tomorrow that all iPhone X models are "world" phones so this isn't an issue. But if the TMOB version has the same radio as the iPhone 7 I'm going to switch to a metered VZW plan tomorrow so I can preorder a VZW iPhone X. VZW's model last year was the "world" phone model.

 

[rumz]

I have the same conundrum. I'm on TMOB now (switched from ATT). I'm hoping Apple will announce tomorrow that all iPhone X models are "world" phones so this isn't an issue. But if the TMOB version has the same radio as the iPhone 7 I'm going to switch to a metered VZW plan tomorrow so I can preorder a VZW iPhone X. VZW's model last year was the "world" phone model.

Yeah-- I don't understand why they're not all world phones-- unless it's an issue of availability of parts. Even then it kinda sucks. Had to pay the premium to get a VZ phone last year.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Yeah-- I don't understand why they're not all world phones-- unless it's an issue of availability of parts. Even then it kinda sucks. Had to pay the premium to get a VZ phone last year.

It's odd because it's never consistent between years so it could be a parts (cost) issue or it could be carrier manipulation. But even between US GSM carriers there is a slight different in GSM bands with TMob lacking a couple.

 

[rumz]

It's odd because it's never consistent between years so it could be a parts (cost) issue or it could be carrier manipulation. But even between US GSM carriers there is a slight different in GSM bands with TMob lacking a couple.

Yeah, I wonder if the chips with CDMA support are more expensive possibly or something along those lines. I would love it if iPhones were sold by Apple completely carrier agnostic-- only color, screen size and capacity to distinguish them. I still remember waiting in line for a new iPhone only for the Apple Store to not have any of the device I wanted-- despite there being no one in front of me in line wanting the same device on the same carrier (T-Mobile). (I know T-Mobile used to differ from AT&T frequency / band-wise much more than it does today.).

I guess I don't know what, if any, compromises the "world phone" chipsets have to make to support all those bands and technologies.