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howtouseiphone

macrumors member
Original poster
May 2, 2012
43
0
HELP!!!! What does it mean when the iPhone is factory unlocked? I mean, even though I swap as many sim cards in it, it would still be unlocked?
 
I'm pretty sure it means that the phone was unlocked before it was sold, so it could be used with any carrier. If I'm wrong someone will correct me!
 
Correct, the phone is by default sold as an "unlocked" phone, which means any SIM from any GSM carrier can be used.

The phone's IMEI is used to identify if it is unlocked or not. Apple can change it but only very very rarely change it, swaping SIM's is not going to be a problem.

Enjoy your iphone on any carrier!
 
I need help and it is a easy one IM sure

when I hook my Iphone to my CPU I get a message
(THIS IPHONE CANT BE USED BECAUSE THE APPLE MOBIL DEVICE IS NOT STARTED.) Help where do i start the apple device.
 
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR ANSWERS!!!
because ive read some articles and they said their phone was asking for the original sim whey they changed their sim card.. so when it is unlocked even though i swap sims it will not ask me for the original sim???? thank you so much!!!!!!!!!
 
pardon? so it will somehow affect my iphone? sorry and thank you for understanding!!!! so my situation is this.. Ill be buying my iphone outside my country... and ofcourse im gonna buy a sim card there so i can check if it works..and ill buy the local gsm carrier here.. i dont own an iphone now so i dont have any micro sim..and even though i have.. i wont be able to activate it because i dont own a micro sim to have it on roaming so i can receive messages and check if it works.. so will it somehow affect my phone? thankyouuuuuuuuu
 
try being more clear in your questions

You can buy a regular SIM and cut it yourself, usually phone-shops have special tools which they can cut it for you.

Buying an unlocked phone you can use any micro-SIM or a SIM self-cut like mentioned above, it does not affect your phone at all.

Only thing you need to do is to activate the SIM with your carrier for phone/data service, it will work.

Are you buying online, Apple or other store? Make sure it is FACTORY unlocked.
 
sorry,english isnt our mother language here.. and im also bad with it lol. So it doesn't affect the iPhone at all? It will not ask me to use the original sim I had first put and everything? thanks! great help:) The micro sim here is less than a dollar so I might as well buy those instead of putting so much effort in cutting a sim card. the only thing i needed to know is, if it will affect my phone if I swap sims even though it unlocked:p
 
sorry,english isnt our mother language here.. and im also bad with it lol. So it doesn't affect the iPhone at all? It will not ask me to use the original sim I had first put and everything? thanks! great help:) The micro sim here is less than a dollar so I might as well buy those instead of putting so much effort in cutting a sim card. the only thing i needed to know is, if it will affect my phone if I swap sims even though it unlocked:p

Your question has been answered a few times now. But once more; if your iPhone is factory unlocked, you can use whatever sim card you like. And swap as you like.
 
when I hook my Iphone to my CPU I get a message
(THIS IPHONE CANT BE USED BECAUSE THE APPLE MOBIL DEVICE IS NOT STARTED.) Help where do i start the apple device.

Hook your iPhone to your CPU? Impossible.

Anyway.. http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1567
 
Your question has been answered a few times now. But once more; if your iPhone is factory unlocked, you can use whatever sim card you like. And swap as you like.
Thanks! I just wanted to make it clear. Its my first iPhone and I won't like anything bad happen to it. Thanks great help!
 
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