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T-Mobile sim to Verizon Phone - Was this ever clarified?

R

rockonz

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 22, 2017
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In the past couple of days I saw two threads with completely different explanations how this is supposed to work each claiming they were right. Which is it?

When buying a Verizon phone from the Online Apple Store with a Verizon users credentials, but intending to use it with a T-Mobile sim,

1. Will you first have to verify the Verizon sim they sent you by inputting the same credentials, then power down the phone and switch it out with your T-Mobile Sim and be good to go? Does this disable the other phone line's sim you used during the credential process and do you have to provide them the sim that was in the iPhone originally? Do they also incur the $30 activation fee on their bill?

or

2. Remove the Verizon sim before powering on and put in your T-Mobile sim and be good to go?

Please let me know which you did today with the new phones as this is still not so clear to me what the exact procedure is.
 
rockonz said:
In the past couple of days I saw two threads with completely different explanations how this is supposed to work each claiming they were right. Which is it?

When buying a Verizon phone from the Online Apple Store with a Verizon users credentials, but intending to use it with a T-Mobile sim,

1. Will you first have to verify the Verizon sim they sent you by inputting the same credentials, then power down the phone and switch it out with your T-Mobile Sim and be good to go? Does this disable the other phone line's sim you used during the credential process and do you have to provide them the sim that was in the iPhone originally? Do they also incur the $30 activation fee on their bill?

or

2. Remove the Verizon sim before powering on and put in your T-Mobile sim and be good to go?

Please let me know which you did today with the new phones as this is still not so clear to me what the exact procedure is.
Click to expand...

No, if you're buying from Apple a Verizon iphone its already unlocked without you needing to do anything.
You can stick any sim you want.
 
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If you're buying from Apple, the SIM portion is unlocked. I got 2 Verizon models this morning at full price. Simply took out the Verizon SIM before I turned the phone on, put in my T-Mobile one, and everything was working from the beginning. No need to activate anything on Verizon or any other process.
 
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The "insert the sim before powering the phone" : Does that work for both iPhones bought at the Apple Stores and the ones ordered via IUP/Online? I read in another forum that a DFU/Restore is needed before inserting the "foreign" SIM.
The issue apparently is not with the SIM/unlock but rather the activation process where the phone contacts Apple servers to verify the correct carrier.

I got mine via IUP -- I hope it is as simple as inserting the sim before first boot
 
OcramSagev said:
The "insert the sim before powering the phone" : Does that work for both iPhones bought at the Apple Stores and the ones ordered via IUP/Online? I read in another forum that a DFU/Restore is needed before inserting the "foreign" SIM.
Click to expand...
I can't speak to the ones bought via IUP, but if you bought online at full price, I know that you can just swap out the SIM before starting up the phone and be fine.
 
Conflicting reports haha ok

So the credentials that was used to order the phone play no part in it other than verifying you have a verizon account?

The line I use to order will not be altered or changed in any way?
 
rockonz said:
In the past couple of days I saw two threads with completely different explanations how this is supposed to work each claiming they were right. Which is it?

When buying a Verizon phone from the Online Apple Store with a Verizon users credentials, but intending to use it with a T-Mobile sim,

1. Will you first have to verify the Verizon sim they sent you by inputting the same credentials, then power down the phone and switch it out with your T-Mobile Sim and be good to go? Does this disable the other phone line's sim you used during the credential process and do you have to provide them the sim that was in the iPhone originally? Do they also incur the $30 activation fee on their bill?

or

2. Remove the Verizon sim before powering on and put in your T-Mobile sim and be good to go?

Please let me know which you did today with the new phones as this is still not so clear to me what the exact procedure is.
Click to expand...


How did you pay for the phone? Full price?
 
I actually did exactly this today, so I can give some insight. I purchased an iPhone X on my parents' Verizon account to use with my personal TMobile SIM.

I took out the Verizon SIM and inserted my TMobile SIM before powering on the phone. About midway through setup, it had a screen that said something like "This phone was upgraded under XXX-XXX-XXXX, to complete activation, please call Verizon Wireless at 800 whatever. Once you have completed activation, click Next." I simply ignored this junk, and pressed Next. That's it. Nothing on the VZW account has changed, and the phone is working great on TMobile.

I think if you were to boot it up with the included VZW SIM, it would probably try to activate the number it was ordered under into the phone, which could cause trouble. Don't boot it up with the Verizon SIM.
 
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xfusejc said:
If you're buying from Apple, the SIM portion is unlocked. I got 2 Verizon models this morning at full price. Simply took out the Verizon SIM before I turned the phone on, put in my T-Mobile one, and everything was working from the beginning. No need to activate anything on Verizon or any other process.
Click to expand...

What happens to the activation fee?
Does the Verizon acct you used to purchase the phones get charged or your T-Mobile acct?
 
airdogz13 said:
What happens to the activation fee?
Does the Verizon acct you used to purchase the phones get charged or your T-Mobile acct?
Click to expand...

The account that orders the phone gets the fee. In my case, the Verizon account got charged the fee. I did an online chat and asked them to waive it, which they did.
 
Zorn said:
I actually did exactly this today, so I can give some insight. I purchased an iPhone X on my parents' Verizon account to use with my personal TMobile SIM.

I took out the Verizon SIM and inserted my TMobile SIM before powering on the phone. About midway through setup, it had a screen that said something like "This phone was upgraded under XXX-XXX-XXXX, to complete activation, please call Verizon Wireless at 800 whatever. Once you have completed activation, click Next." I simply ignored this junk, and pressed Next. That's it. Nothing on the VZW account has changed, and the phone is working great on TMobile.

I think if you were to boot it up with the included VZW SIM, it would probably try to activate the number it was ordered under into the phone, which could cause trouble. Don't boot it up with the Verizon SIM.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat, can you confirm no fee was charged and service to the other phone didn't stop? Thanks!
 
airdogz13 said:
What happens to the activation fee?
Does the Verizon acct you used to purchase the phones get charged or your T-Mobile acct?
Click to expand...
I bought it outright at full price. You don't need an account to order that way in store. So no activation fees.
 
xfusejc said:
If you're buying from Apple, the SIM portion is unlocked. I got 2 Verizon models this morning at full price. Simply took out the Verizon SIM before I turned the phone on, put in my T-Mobile one, and everything was working from the beginning. No need to activate anything on Verizon or any other process.
Click to expand...

Zorn said:
I actually did exactly this today, so I can give some insight. I purchased an iPhone X on my parents' Verizon account to use with my personal TMobile SIM.

I took out the Verizon SIM and inserted my TMobile SIM before powering on the phone. About midway through setup, it had a screen that said something like "This phone was upgraded under XXX-XXX-XXXX, to complete activation, please call Verizon Wireless at 800 whatever. Once you have completed activation, click Next." I simply ignored this junk, and pressed Next. That's it. Nothing on the VZW account has changed, and the phone is working great on TMobile.

I think if you were to boot it up with the included VZW SIM, it would probably try to activate the number it was ordered under into the phone, which could cause trouble. Don't boot it up with the Verizon SIM.
Click to expand...

1 more question. Did you guys buy it from Apple.com or Verizon? Thanks
 
xfusejc said:
If you're buying from Apple, the SIM portion is unlocked. I got 2 Verizon models this morning at full price. Simply took out the Verizon SIM before I turned the phone on, put in my T-Mobile one, and everything was working from the beginning. No need to activate anything on Verizon or any other process.
Click to expand...

This did not happen with me. I had to first activate the phone with the sim for the Verizon account with the Verizon number before I could put my T-Mobile sim in the phone and use it.
 
I activated my Verizon phone with my AT&T SIM and ignored the call to Verizon bit. It’s all working fine. On Monday my wife is going to call Verizon to tell them we didn’t use the phone and to take off the fee. If they don’t then I’ll pay the $30, no harm.

LOVING the phone. FaceID is incredible.
 
T-Mobile on Verizon I heard from Apple rep that not all bands/frequencies used by T-Mobile may be supported. Coverage will be good, but may be not as good with the Verizon version.
 
Starfyre said:
T-Mobile on Verizon I heard from Apple rep that not all bands/frequencies used by T-Mobile may be supported. Coverage will be good, but may be not as good with the Verizon version.
Click to expand...
That is not correct according to the specs published by Apple. The only difference is that the Verizon/Sprint support CDMA. I highlighted the differences below (copied from the Apple website)
  • Model A1865*
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • Model A1901*
Model A1901 does not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint.

  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • All models
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
  • NFC with reader mode
 
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OcramSagev said:
That is not correct according to the specs published by Apple. The only difference is that the Verizon/Sprint support CDMA. I highlighted the differences below (copied from the Apple website)
  • Model A1865*
  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • Model A1901*
Model A1901 does not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint.

  • FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • All models
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
  • NFC with reader mode
Click to expand...

Okay, either the Apple rep lied or there is something else to this.
The T-Mobile model is best opimized for T-Mobile's networks is what I heard from the Apple rep even though it works with Verizon. Is the device heavier with the CDMA version? Or does it have worse battery life because there are more 'bands' in it? There has to be some difference besides "the Verizon version is superior and we just cut out CDMA out of T-Mobile one to make it cheaper for Apple to manufacture")
 
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