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Unlocked iPhone
- Thread starter nviz22
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I am assuming you are in the US? If so, and if Apple doesn't sell an unlocked/SIM free version right away, simply buy the Verizon version as it is unlocked out of the box. This is by regulation, and I confirm it myself when I bought the iPhone 5.
Some past users have posted that paying full for AT&T/T-Mobile version at Apple store will also give you an unlocked version. Don't quote me on that though.
Some past users have posted that paying full for AT&T/T-Mobile version at Apple store will also give you an unlocked version. Don't quote me on that though.
Anytime from just after Thanksgiving to the first week in December! It will be called "Unlocked" by Apple itself as a model type.
There was a post earlier that Verizon model is unlocked for US carriers, but locked for international use.
Verizon LTE phones are unlocked by regulation from the US government. If the phone supports the GSM/HSPA/LTE band of a carrier, it will run.
I personally bought a Verizon iPhone 5, never use it on Verizon, never call Verizon, and I am using it internationally without issues (LTE support is another story, depending on the bands used by the carrier).
And these threads are starting already! There is absolutely 100% no difference between the "Unlocked iPhone" and "T-Mobile iPhone" except one comes with a TMO sim card which you can throw away.
If you buy an iPhone from T-Mobile and are making monthly payments on it the phone is indeed locked. Just went through with this, paid off the T-mobile phone to switch over to Verizon. Had to go through the process requesting T-Mobile to unlock the phone. Took about 36 hours to get the phone unlocked.
That's only an issue that affected only a very small number of verizon LTE iphones and Apple knows about it and working to correct it. Its a small exception that should not have been and if you contact Apple they will correct it like some other posters indicated.
I hear you.
What I don't get is that many people will not buy a full price unlocked carriers iphone that by all means its 100% unlocked and the same exact device hardware as the one that will be labeled unlocked a few months later.
Iphone users are very odd sometimes and extremely ocd and picky when it comes to their devices
Well, can't blame people. Apple is/was not totally transparent about it either. Heck, the fact that Verizon LTE iPhones have always been unlocked out of the box were never mentioned officially by Apple. Worse, the news/tech blogs never bother verifying these useful information.I hear you.
What I don't get is that many people will not buy a full price unlocked carriers iphone that by all means its 100% unlocked and the same exact device hardware as the one that will be labeled unlocked a few months later.
Iphone users are very odd sometimes and extremely ocd and picky when it comes to their devices
That's true.
Many times Apple reps will give people false info that the device is not unlocked where in reality it is.
I hear you.
What I don't get is that many people will not buy a full price unlocked carriers iphone that by all means its 100% unlocked and the same exact device hardware as the one that will be labeled unlocked a few months later.
Iphone users are very odd sometimes and extremely ocd and picky when it comes to their devices
I was one of those confused people last year.
Pretty sure Applejuiced steered me the direction of the T-Mobile 128GB iP6.I always call the "Genius Bar" the "Dumba$$ Bar." The stuff they tell people is INSANE! Better to ask in the forums here.
If you buy the TMO phone FROM T-Mobile it will be locked. But if you buy it from Apple it is unlocked.
I think the safest bet should be to just order from Apple always. Apple will not sell you an iPhone at full price that comes locked.
If you are not sure, if Apple does not sell an unlocked version openly, best bet is to buy the Verizon version as it is unlocked out of the box per US regulation. There's zero doubt. And based on the iPhone 6/6S, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile versions should be the same in terms of LTE bands support.
I'm considering jumping from Verizon to AT&T to join my wife's plan. I have an iPhone 6 that was purchased for Verizon. Can anyone confirm that an iPhone 6 from Verizon will work on AT&T ? What I plan to do is cancel with Verizon and pay a cancelation fee. Is it really as simple as going to AT&T and having them port my number and put a new SIM card in?
I've looked online and found conflicting information. What's worse is employees at my local AT&T store and Verizon store both did not know. I called Verizon and the guy told me the phone is already "unlocked" per FCC regulations or something but that he has heard of people having problems. He also told me that the confusion on their end all stems from them not being trained on the matter.
I've looked online and found conflicting information. What's worse is employees at my local AT&T store and Verizon store both did not know. I called Verizon and the guy told me the phone is already "unlocked" per FCC regulations or something but that he has heard of people having problems. He also told me that the confusion on their end all stems from them not being trained on the matter.
correct for me as well, purchased from apple Tmo version at launch full price unlocked since day 1
That is actually NOT true--at least it hasn't been in the past. The "sim free" model includes LTE bands used in other countries that are not included in the T-mobile unlocked version. If you aren't usually a world traveler, this doesn't make much difference--but it certainly does to those who do.
Again, this is the way its worked in the past. I would welcome a universal model this year.
There you go.
The only issue is probably setting up the APN, or AT&T's own incompetence/limitation. I don't know if it's still true, but from my experience, AT&T blocked the APN setting so it is not user accessible on the iPhone. This is true if you insert AT&T or any AT&T MVNO SIM into any unlocked iPhone. It is AT&T's limitation.