unlocked AT&T iPhone 5 off craigslist

[eyespii]

Is it possible? Whoever bought the phone probably paid the subsidized price, and then had to activate it on their AT&T accounts. Does this mean it'd be locked when it got transferred over to my account?

 

[m0no]

Is it possible? Whoever bought the phone probably paid the subsidized price, and then had to activate it on their AT&T accounts. Does this mean it'd be locked when it got transferred over to my account?

Yes it is possible.

 

[bogatyr]

It is like $10 to unlock a phone through eBay sellers. It isn't like the old days where getting an unlocked version was difficult.

 

[eyespii]

It is like $10 to unlock a phone through eBay sellers. It isn't like the old days where getting an unlocked version was difficult.

Is there any way to get it "officially" unlocked through apple/AT&T? I read something about how if you wipe the device first and then plug into iTunes, it defaults to unlocked?

 

[bogatyr]

Is there any way to get it "officially" unlocked through apple/AT&T? I read something about how if you wipe the device first and then plug into iTunes, it defaults to unlocked?

The eBay unlocks are official and permanent. The unlock is in Apple's system - not on the phone. The eBay seller adds your phone to the unlock list in the system.

 

[eyespii]

gotcha - thanks for the replies everyone. I'm assuming this would work even for a carrier subsidized iPhone 5 then too. I think I saw someone post that as well.

Though I think it begs the question of whether or not these ebay unlocks are "legitimate", since apple will likely eventually sell fully unlocked versions of the iPhone 5 at full price soon.

 

[Applejuiced]

gotcha - thanks for the replies everyone. I'm assuming this would work even for a carrier subsidized iPhone 5 then too. I think I saw someone post that as well.

Though I think it begs the question of whether or not these ebay unlocks are "legitimate", since apple will likely eventually sell fully unlocked versions of the iPhone 5 at full price soon.

Yes, it will work on subsidized locked AT&T iphones.
It will be the same if you bought it legitimate factory unlocked from Apple or got the unlock from ebay.
Either way you will be able to use it on any GSM carrier.