HT3939 iPhone 5s T-Mobile contract free version from Apple Store: LOCKED or UNLOCKED?

If i buy an iPhone 5s T-Mobile contract free version from Apple Store will it be LOCKED or UNLOCKED? Can i use it Europe with a local carrier? Cannot find a clear answer to this question anywhere! Thank You!

According to a chat with an Apple support representative, the iPhone 5s is not yet sold fully unlocked. But it is unlocked for international use. This means that it won't work on any GSM carrier in the US other than T-Mobile. But it will work with any GSM carrier outside of the US using a SIM card. You should make sure the frequency bands are compatible with your local carrier.
See chat:
Now Chatting with Destiny
Hi Destiny
Thank for contacting the Apple Online Store. I hope you are well. How may I assist you?
I placed an order for 2 iPhone 5s
this is the T-Mobile version, so I'm paying full upfront price... almost $2000 altogether
My uderstanding is that these phones are factory unlocked, but the wording at the website is a little misleading. I want to verify that they are indeed fully factory unlocked because I plan on uisng them with AIO Wireless
This may not be the option for your then. These iPhones come preinstalled with a T-mobile for use domestically and can be used internationally with a local GSM carrier.
You would need to contact AIO wireless directly to see if it would be compatible.
so they aren't truly unlocked?
They are unlocked in the sense that they can be used internationally. I can see how that would be confusing. The option you are looking for would be the contract free and SIM free iPhone 5s.
We have not released the unlocked iPhone at this time.
We do have the iPhone 5c unlocked available. Have you considered that option?
I have an iPhone 5, so the 5c isn't attractive for me
Do you have any idea when the iPhone 5s would be released contract free and SIM free?
At this time we do not have a release time frame. I'm sorry I don't have more information available for you.
I recommend checking apple.com/hotnews for updates on it's release.
ok, thank you.
You're welcome. I apologize for the confusion.
Is there anything else I can assist you with?
This is all, thank you. I will cancel my order.
Do you know how to cancel your order?
yes
Excellent! It has been a pleasure.
Thank you for choosing the Apple Store. If you have any additional questions, please chat with us again.

Similar Messages

  • Quisiera saber si el iphone 5S T-MOBILE Contract free que ofrecen en la pagina es unlocked y lo puedo comprar para usar en Argentina

    Quisiera saber si el iphone 5S T-MOBILE Contract free que ofrecen en la pagina es unlocked y lo puedo comprar para usar en Argentina

    Quisiera saber si el iphone 5S T-MOBILE Contract free que ofrecen en la pagina es unlocked y lo puedo comprar para usar en Argentina

  • When will iPhone 5 be available contract-free @ the US Apple Store?

    Hello everyone!
    Would anyone know when will iPhone 5 be available contract-free @ the US Apple Store?
    Thnx in advance

    No contract iPhones will likely be available on the 21st when the iPhone 5 becomes available for retail sales.  Note though that you can buy an unsubsidized, contract free iPhone which will still be locked to a specific carrier.
    If you want an unlocked iPhone, that is also sold at the full retail, unsubsidized price, but Apple has not announced yet when unlocked phones will be available.
    Just beware that contract-free does NOT necessarily mean unlocked, so make sure you are buying what you actually want.
    Also note that the new iPhone 5 GSM only phone comes in two versions - one for NA LTE channels, and one for European/Asian LTE channels, so be sure you get one that will work with the data networks available where you plan to use it (the non-NA LTE channel version will not be sold in the USA).

  • My 2 cents on iPhone 6 T-Mobile "Contract Free" based on iPhone 5S experience

    Hi all,
    So, here is my opinion on iPhone 6 "T-mobile" option based on my experience with iPhone 5S:
    I reside in Pakistan and had a friend order an iPhone 5S "T-mobile" (A1533-GSM) mid-October 2013 directly from Apple website in USA which came installed with a T-Mobile nano-SIM. I took this SIM out before turning on the phone and inserted my SIM (another Pakistan GSM carrier) and went ahead with normal activation of the iPhone. It worked fine and accepted my GSM carrier.
    Since then, I have used my iPhone 5S in different countries (Turkey [TurkCell], UK [3], Thailand [DTAC], Italy [Wind] etc.) with local SIMs and it has worked perfectly.
    I have now ordered an iPhone 6 "T-mobile Contract Free" again from USA to be used primarily in Asia & Europe.
    Since I have been reading a lot of discussions on forums about "T-mobile Contract Free" option being a true factory-unlocked device and a lot of confusion surrounding it, I just wanted to share my experience to help some of you who may be getting conflicted reports on ordering for such option and your potential use in foreign country(ies).

    Then why are you asking us? Apparently you have the answer you want from the Apple specialist. We have supplied you with the information that we have. There is nothing more we can tell you at this point.
    Cheers,
    GB

  • IPhone 6 T-Mobile contract free (gsm)

    HI
    I ordered IPhone 6 T-Mobile contract free (gsm)
    on apple compare no words about IPhone 6 T-Mobile contract free (gsm), only with contract and Unlocked.
    can anyone help me? im gonna get the phone in California and about a day after going back to middle east.
    will it work for me with a local sim card? not t-mobile?
    do i need to physically go to T-mobile to unlock it? or its just locked for USA use but international use is unlocked?
    Thanks for the help.

    Sim-free does not mean UNLOCKED.  You will need an unlocked phone to use in the middle east.  In the US, UNLOCKED phones are not for sale yet.  You have purchased a phone that is useless to you.  T-Mobile will unlock their phones only after 40 days of continuous (and paid) service.

  • Can i use iPhone T-mobile contract free version outside USA with any carrier?

    Hello everyone,
    I am planning to purchase the iPhone 6 via Apple online store, on or after september 19th.
    I am living in Sri Lanka and obviously we do not have AT&T or any other service providers listed, here. My only option would be to buy the T-mobile 'contract-free' version if I am not willing to wait till Apple releases an unlocked 'sim-free' version within next few months. Therefor, I want to confirm and make sure that I can use the iPhone T-Mobile version with any carrier of my choice and is not locked only for T-mobile and can be used here in Sri Lanka.
    Hoping for your kind support
    Regards,
    Nimasha

    Hey Nicolas,
    I had the same question, so I went to the Apple chat, and I asked the same, 'cause I need an iPhone to works in South America and Europe as well.
    so what the person on the chat  answered me was that the T-mobile cellphone comes Unlocked, so you can use it anywhere.
    I Guess I can get it and now.

  • Will the iphone 6 plus work in pakistan if i buy the unlocked and contract free version from the apple store?

    will the iphone 6 plus work in pakistan if i buy the unlocked and contract free version from the apple store? why is t mobile written on top of the button? it is so confusing no one will give me a straight answer on this. if i buy that one, would there be any monthly charges involved or not?

    Are you planning on flying to and visiting the US?  That is the only way you are going to get an iPhone from the Apple store because you will not be able to purchase one from the Apple store online and get it sent to Pakistan - it can't be done and Apple online stores will not ship internationally.
    You have not got a straight answer to this question because there is none.  The phone has T-Mobile on the top button, because it is a T-Mobile phone and although sold as contract free, but NOT unlocked - notice the difference, it still comes with a T-Mobile sim card.
    The phone may or may not work in Paskistan and if you do buy the phone, to ensure that it has the best possible chance of working is to take the T-Mobile sim card out of the phone first and DO NOT activate the phone using the T-Mobile sim.  If you want to use it in Pakistan, then activate it with your local Pakistan sim card and you will not be paying any charges to T-Mobile if you do this.  If you do happen to accidentally activate the phone with the T-Mobile sim card in it, then you will have a contract with them and yes, you will have a monthly bill with T-Mobile and you will need to keep this contract for 40 days, until you can get the phone unlocked by them.
    Also note, that if you buy the phone it may not work on 4G networks in Pakistan due to frequency differences and also you will have no warranty cover for the phone in Pakistan - iPhone warranty is NOT international, so country of original purchase, so the US, which means you have to fly back there - no postage accepted.
    So basically, the phone should work in Pakistan, but not on the 4G networks and you need to take the T-Mobile sim card out before you activate it and activate it using a local sim card and you will have NO warranty cover for the phone in Pakistan.

  • Does IPhone 6 T-Mobile Contract free mean its unlocked ?

    Hi, I am thinking to buy an Iphone 6 plus. will IPhone 6 T-Mobile Contract free work in Turkey with any carriers?
    iPhone: Wireless carrier support and features there is a column says Carrier offers unlocking.
    What does that mean ?

    Enes,
    There are 2 ways of buying a T-Mobile iPhone 6 (Model A1549) in the US. The first one is directly from a T-Mobile shop where, like imobl stated, you must activate T-Mobile contract for 40 days after which you can end the contract. The second one is directly from Apple Retail Stores or Apple.com, where the phone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card which you may opt not using it. Essentially the iPhone 6 you would get in the second option will be contract free and unlocked and you would not have to wait 40 days to use your Turkish SIM card.
    2G and 3G networks will perfectly work in Turkey. To the best of my knowledge as of now there is not any Turkish mobile operator utilizing 4G/LTE and it is not possible to know which 4G/LTE bands they would use in the future. We may assume Turkish operators would utilize one of the several bands used in Europe in the future, in which case your T-Mobile iPhone 6 purchased in the US most likely would not support 4G/LTE. I used and have been using my T-Mobile iPhone 5s (Model A1532) without any problem in the US and Turkey, respectively, and my T-Mobile iPhone 6 (Model A1549) is on its way to Turkey which I will receive from a relative who has recently visited the US for a week. (Other iPhone 6 Models marketed for other operators in the US such as AT&T, Verizon etc. may have wider band coverage which may work in Turkey's 4G/LTE when it becomes available. However you must review their contract terms and conditions as well as their capability of being unlocked very carefully before purchasing such a Model.)
    All in all, I would say, considering that 1) it may take quite a while for Turkish operators to adopt 4G/LTE, 2) even after being adopted, it will likely be very premature, unstable and slow for which you may have to pay price premium for a while after its adoption, all of which had been the case in regards to 3G in Turkey; and 3) the price difference between iPhone 6 in the US and Turkey even Europe is huge, I would import iPhone 6 from the US. If 4G/LTE were ubiquitously available in Turkey (at least all over the major cities) and in a stable and fast fashion, then I might have given a second thought from importing it from Europe or even buying directly from Turkey, especially due to superior warranty coverage in Turkey.

  • IPhone 6 T-Mobile Contract free, does that mean its unlocked? And I can use it worldwide?

    HI there,
    IPhone 6 T-Mobile Contract free, does that mean its unlocked? And I can use it worldwide?
    please advise me?

    As long as you do not activate the phone with the T-Mobile sim card initially and just use the sim card you want, then the phone should remain unlocked.
    These were exactly the same questions asked when the iPhone 5s was released - if you want the phone to be unlocked then purchase the sim free T-Mobile phone, but DON'T activate it with the T-Mobile sim card.  If you do activate it with the T-Mobile sim, then the phone will be locked to T-Mobile, but if you activate it with another sim card, then it should remain unlocked.
    The problem with sim free is that it normally locks to the first sim card that you put in the phone and if you activate it with the T-Mobile sim, then it will, so don't use that, but the sim card that you want instead.
    Other than that, it normally takes about 6 months after the initial release date before Apple starts selling unlocked phones.

  • Is iphone 5s t mobile contract  free able to pick up any gsm sim in india?

    i want to buy iphone 5s t- mobile contract free. i live in india is it able to support vodafone gsm in india or any other gsm sim card.

    There are conflicted information  in this forum. The contract free T-mobile 5s is not "unlocked" in US, it  is supposed to be unlocked for overseas GSM. However, it is not clear  whether you need to activate it on T-mobile first and wait for 40 days  for unlock code to unlock it before you can use it overseas.
    I contacted both Apple and T-mobile multiple times. None of them answered question with a clear answer.
    The  best way to confirm this is to purchase the 5s from the Apple Store.  Remove the T-mobile SIM before you turn 5s on and replace the SIM with  your international SIM. Turn it on and go through the initial setup to  see if the iPhone is lock or not.
    If  it is locked, simply return to the Apple store with full refund in 30  days. Since Apple is not answering the question, why not try it yourself  on their dime?

  • I have an unlock iphone 4s that i buy it not from apple store can and i broke the screen can i repair the screen i apple and how mich is it if yes??

    i have an unlock iphone 4s that i buy it not from apple store can and i broke the screen can i repair the screen i apple and how mich is it if yes??

    Not covered by warranty. If you make an appointment at an Apple store, you will be offered an out of warranty replacement. Cost is US $199 for an iPhone 4S.

  • Hello I have a mac book pro (lap top) and it's version is 10.6.8.i want to up grade it to 10.9.2. version .i downloaded version from apple store twice and it is un able to installing; give me error massage of installing.the error has not any number and it

    Hello
    I have a mac book pro (lap top) and it’s version is 10.6.8.i want to up grade it to 10.9.2. version .i downloaded version from apple store twice and it is un able to installing; give me error massage of installing.the error has not any number and it says :installation can not be complete with a red sign. please say the solution.also how i can get  the 7.0.0. version up date from apple store . i searched very much but i did not find the version .

    What MacBook Pro model do you have?  Check the apple, left side of the menu bar, About This Mac, More Info, System Report, Hardware and then the Model Identifier...has to be at least MacBook Pro3,1 to install Mavericks.

  • How to download free applications from apple store without billing info

    I want to install free applications from apple store but I cant find the option none in the billing information ( credit card space) as mentioned in answers for the same questions in the community

    If you don't want to give credit card details then you need to create an account by following the instructions on this page : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534 - if you don't use those instructions when creating it then you will need to give card details before you will be able to use the account in the store

  • Downloaded free ebook from Apple store. The book cover is on the IMAC but cannot open to read. It is not visible in my IPAD library. What to do?

    Downloaded a free ebook from Apple store about a month ago.  The book cover is visible in Ibooks on the IMAC but not in the library on my IPAD. When I click to read it is highlighted but no pages appear. Other books open as I click on the cover. Suggestions?

    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12113

  • I cant get any FRee app from apple store After upgrade ios7.0.4 and reset my apple id pass. What should i do? It says u should give your master or... Card number but i dont have any,befor this it wasn't like this i could get free apps

    I Cant get any FREe apps from apple store after i upgrade ios7.0.4 and reset my apple id password. It says u should give your card number but i did'nt have any begor this i could get free apps but now i cant ,what should i do?

    Hi Sognam,
    If you are having issues with the billing information on your Apple ID account for free apps on the iTunes Store, you may find the following article helpful:
    iTunes Store: Changing your payment information
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1918
    Regards,
    - Brenden

Maybe you are looking for