very quick question about buying unlocked 5S T-Mobile via Apple website

[insoc]

Hello. I don't live in the US so I cannot go to a Apple Store. I see Apple will be selling unlocked and contract free 5S cells but buying it for T-Mobile.

The small print on apple.com website says this: If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.

Question: If I buy an unlocked and contract free 5S from T-Mobile, even though said phone is to be unlocked and contract free would I always need to contact T-Mobile or visit a Apple store? I thought it was just a matter of REMOVING the T-Mobile sim and inserting my sim and all set.

Any insights? Thank you!!!

 

[GoCubsGo]

If the phone is unlocked then the phone is unlocked. You should be able to swap sims.

 

[Carlanga]

Just get the sim free iPhone if in doubt.

 

[CEmajr]

Hello. I don't live in the US so I cannot go to a Apple Store. I see Apple will be selling unlocked and contract free 5S cells but buying it for T-Mobile.

The small print on apple.com website says this: If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.

Question: If I buy an unlocked and contract free 5S from T-Mobile, even though said phone is to be unlocked and contract free would I always need to contact T-Mobile or visit a Apple store? I thought it was just a matter of REMOVING the T-Mobile sim and inserting my sim and all set.

Any insights? Thank you!!!

Correct. If you have no need for T-Mobile then just toss the sim card. Then just put whatever sim card you want in there.

The only reason they sell them with T-Mobile sim cards is to give T-Mobile customers a sim card when they purchase their phone without having to go to a T-Mobile store to get one.

 

[skimcpip]

Hello. I don't live in the US so I cannot go to a Apple Store. I see Apple will be selling unlocked and contract free 5S cells but buying it for T-Mobile.

The small print on apple.com website says this: If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.

Question: If I buy an unlocked and contract free 5S from T-Mobile, even though said phone is to be unlocked and contract free would I always need to contact T-Mobile or visit a Apple store? I thought it was just a matter of REMOVING the T-Mobile sim and inserting my sim and all set.

Any insights? Thank you!!!

The same small print also says this: If you buy iPhone for T-Mobile, it will arrive with a nano-SIM card already installed that you can activate by visiting an Apple Retail Store or a T-Mobile store or by calling T-Mobile. When you travel internationally, you can use a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5s from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone 5s model is A1533 (GSM). For details on LTE support, see www.apple.com/iphone/LTE.

 

[Abs_p]

Just get the sim free iPhone if in doubt.

This. Just get the sim free one.

 

[insoc]

This. Just get the sim free one.

I agree BUT apple.com won't be selling sim free 5S iPhones, only unlocked ones with the T-Mobile sim included.

But from reading the other posts, I understand that it would just be a matter of removing the T-Mobile sim and inserting my sim.

I guess the fine print saying that customer should visit the apple store or T-Mobile store to activate the iPhone is only applicable if I would like to contract the service with T-Mobile, right?

 

[Col Ronson]

I agree BUT apple.com won't be selling sim free 5S iPhones, only unlocked ones with the T-Mobile sim included.

But from reading the other posts, I understand that it would just be a matter of removing the T-Mobile sim and inserting my sim.

I guess the fine print saying that customer should visit the apple store or T-Mobile store to activate the iPhone is only applicable if I would like to contract the service with T-Mobile, right?

yes. the sim is included for convenience only, because Apple doesn't activate phones for tmobile, so they just give you a sim and tell you to call tmobile to get your shiny new toy going. but if you dont want tmobile, take out the sim and be done with it.