SIM free phone = Pre-paid phone, is this correct??

I'm currently looking for a new iphone and am quite sure that iPhone 5s would be the one.
Also, this time I am interested in buying a SIM free 5s and will remain with my current provider, AT&T.
However, one of my friends said that SIM free phone is a basically pre-paid phone.
Personally I believe this is so untrue but still not quite sure about it.
So I want to know if my friend is right or not and also, if he isn't, I'd like to know
what SIM free 5s mobile plan would be and how it works or if it is basically
same with other 2-year plans.

No. One does not equate to the other. Also, keep in mind that there is a difference between "SIM free" and "unlocked".
Service for an "unlocked" or SIM free phone will cost whatever the plan you choose from your carrier charges. Ask them what your options are.

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I got a Sim Free 64GB Iphone 5 from Carphonewarehouse in UK n gifted the same to my Bro in law in India. He inserted the nano sim and can see the carrier and 3G symbol but the phone asks for activation. Its a SIM FREE phone, why cant he use it?

Hi,
Please help me with this as the phone is currently lying as a dead paperwieght with my brother in law. The phone, even though bought as SIM FREE, keeps asking for ACTIVATION!!!
Does it mean that I need to activate it with a SIM of one of the carriers that offers a contract and then I am free to use it with any SIM anywhere in the world?
Please assist in as much detail as you can.
Thanks.

Hi FelipeV,
Thanks, tried that.. half their numbers keep going busy and when they do pick up they are unable to assist.
I called up APPLE in UK as well, no help there either..
but.. I say.. its a SIM FREE phone for crying out loud, what is this ACTIVATION nonsense??
Thanks for the suggestion anyways.

N900 Operator lock on Sim free phone???

Hi.
When you go into settings, at the very top bar there's a settings drop down button. I have 3 options there:
Restore original settings
Clear device
Enter code to remove operator lock
Why would a sim free phone bought from a nokia retail outlet store have an operator lock?
I received a txt message from vodafone back in june that said to restart the phone to receive updated vodafone sime menu service. I dont know if it worked because i'm not sure where the sim menu is on the n900 but i'm curious if this is what has introduced the menu options above.
I should mention at this point that when i was in the US earlier this year, i was able to stop my phone looking for a gsm signal and concentrate on wifi only. Now i can't seem to find an option to turn of gsm. When selecting the network from the phone menu, i only get Dual, 3G and GSM. i don't get the wifi option anymore, hence me asking if this operator lock has interfered with it
Has anyone else got this and if it wasn't vodaphone, what is this operator lock?
Thanks in advance
Bagz Rules

here's some stuff you can try without installing extra bits:
1) stop it using 3G/2G data, wlan only:
settings -> internet -> Connect automatically -> WLAN
It won't stop you manually connecting to 3g data (if you specifically select a 3G connection from the "internet connection" item on the desktop menu), but it won't do it by itself
2) Stop any/all GSM/3G activity
Easiest option, take the sim out! Instant tablet mode no GSM for data or calls!
Another trick is possible if your phone asks you for a SIN PIN number when you turn it on. There's skip button. If you press that rather than entering your PIN, the phone functionality is disabled If you try and make a call, it will ask you for your PIN again)
The Tablet mode switcher app is pretty neat, though

New sim free phone while phone getting repaired but no network coverage

I bought a cheap sim free phone (Alba 4) to use while current phone is getting repaired. It recognises the sim as all my phone numbers are coming up but still says no SIM card. Does this mean it needs unlocked or do EE have to do something?

Where did you buy it? Did you buy it 2nd hand? It could have been locked to another network & will need unlocking by them.

If I buy a sim free phone here and take it to the Ukraine, can I get a local sim card and the phone still work properly, while in the Ukraine?

If I buy a sim free phone here and take it to the Ukraine with me, can I get a card there in the Ukraine to use the phone with. If that is possible, when I return to the states can I get an AT & T sim card and the same phone work in the states? Thanks in advance for your help.

If you buy an unlocked phone, it will work on any compatible GSM network anywhere in the world. If you buy an unlocked phone in the US, it will not work on LTE networks outside of North America. The warranty is also only valid in the country where the phone was originally sold.

HT1766 I bought a sim free phone from phones 4u and had a virgin SIM card put it in to phone now it's locked to Virgin. I want to cancel and change networks but the will not give me an unlock code can you help

I
I bought a sim free phone from phones 4u and had a virgin SIM card put it in to phone now it's locked to Virgin. I want to cancel and change networks but they
will not give me an unlock code can you help, as Virgin will not help me

You did not buy an unlocked iPhone. Only Apple themselves sell unlocked iPhones in most countries. Your iPhone locked to the first carrier used. Only Virgin could authorize unlocking of your iPhone, and if they will not, there's nothing you can do. Sell the iPhone to someone who can use it with Virgin and buy a truly unlocked iPhone from Apple.
Regards.

Mobileconfig for unsupported carriers on SIM Free phones

Currently my company has several branches outside of the United States. We purchase SIM Free phones to use on unsupported carriers when a supported carrier is not available locally.
We also build mobileconfig files to control security, VPN, Exchange access, and APN configurations. All of the services we subscribe to includes tethering. We have access to the tethering APNs and when configured manually, it works flawlessly. The problem is when we create custom profile configuration, the tethering disappears but the data access still works. Today, our config files has no APNs which leaves the configuration open for individual users to enter manually. We would like however to include all of the configurations into one profile or multiple profiles pushed to the phones to include the carrier data APN, Tethering APN, and all of our internal configuration. Is it possible to do via mobileconfig files?

jraduga wrote:
How Nokia and MS can test and approve something to a point that is ready for a carrier but not have it ready for non carrier based phones is really strange. Considering the carrier versions are based on the sim-free versions initially, before Nokia and MS make changes to suit the carriers. There should be no reason why they should still be testing the sim-free version completely around the world.
Who knows? Welcome to the mysteries of large multinational corporations. Gets even worse when there are 2 of them involved. I presume the same team/teams can only do one thing at a time. As they are prioritising their large customers, us minnows have to wait till they are done first.

Best option for a 'sim free' phone in the UK

Can anyone recommend a best option for getting a 'carrier free' 3GS for use with the Orange network in the UK?
Anyone out there who has bought one from a suitable 'sim free' country can give me any recommendations?
Thanks!

gadgetman2000 wrote:
Thanks for the comments above.
Why would a warranty not apply just because the phone ends up in a different country? If an Apple product is defective, then surely they have a legal responsibility to put the product right. It would be interesting to see how it stood up in a court of law. As consumers we all have rights regardless of what any manufacturer puts in their warranty information. In the UK the Sale of Goods Act means you are covered for up to six years if a product is defective because of an 'inherent fault' no matter what the manufacturer says.
Not true. I used to work for a company down in Berkshire. One of their products bought through official channels over here was covered.
Try buying one in the states because it was cheaper tho, and you'd suddenly find you had no warranty.
The Sale of goods Act is UK law not international law. It might apply to products bought somewhere in the EU but it wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on in the US.

Help! I just put a US sim card (i am from Canada) and got a monthly pre paid plan, and when I went to restore the iphone, it didn't work. I can't find backup that i did right before the sim was changed. I really need the info that was there! Please help..

Help! I just purchased a US sim card/monthly pre-paid plan (i am from Canada) as I am travelling in the states for a month, and when I went to restore the iphone, it didn't work. I can't find backup that i did right before the sim was changed. I really need the info that was there! Please help..

Hold on,
Have you talked to your carrier to confirm the unlock?
What was the procedure you did to unlock the phone?
Standard unlocking procedure once processed by the carrier:
Backup in iTunes
Erase the phone (ignore restore terminology here)
Plug the phone to the computer and then launch iTunes
Wait for unlock notification.
Restore the backup.

Sim free Z10 purchase from UK to be used in Pakistan

Hello I am from Pakistan and am currently in UK. I want to buy a Z10 from here which i will use back home. Some questions please. 1. Can i use the sim free phone with my mobile operator in pakistan, without a hassle. Last thing i want is I buy the phone, and it doesnt work back home 2. Carphone warehouse is providing a 2 year warranty. Is this an international warranty? There is no blackberry shop in Pakistan but there are in Dubai. If required, will the Dubai shops recognize this warranty? 3. A bit on the technical aspect... With the OS 10.2, has the Z10 able to bury most, if not all of the criticisms that it received when it first launched last year? Thank you in advance for your help. Regards
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Blackberry Z10 are global ready handsets, u can use it easily. Firsy of all go to setting and then tap to security option again tap in sim card. See if device network is not locked to spcific carrier thhen it must be unlocked. And unlocked handsets are ready to use anywhere including pakistan. But the warranty remains. Only in UK.
Ammar

SIM free Firmware availability in the UK

I thought that getting a 'SIM free' phone would avoid the awful 'carrier delays' & my updates would come straigt-from SONY.
Is this correct ?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I just flashed my phone to the latest firmware from here
http://www.xperiablog.net/2014/05/22/new-update-17-1-1-a-0-402-rolling-for-xperia-z2-and-z2-tablet-o...
using these instructions
http://techbeasts.com/2013/10/29/how-to-install-and-use-sony-flashtool-on-xperia-devices/
I'm on giff gaff and i wasn't expecting an ota update any time soon
Michael

Why bother with payin for sim free?

why bother with payin for sim free when you still have to wait for updates for months?
I bought my 5800 sim free on order to get updates faster and it seems to always be the last to get firmware update releases
not that i can update anyway as Nokia in all it's wisdom has failed to add support for windows 7
for its software update program only the fastest selling OS in history means that most users are using it
I want V40 now not in 12 months gawd

totally agree Jimmy shame branded phones often see and update before me with my unbranded simfree phone despite me paying extra and buying outright
Phones supplied by network operators are network-branded. This means that they alter the features of the phone to suit their marketing needs and basically turn it into a semi-functional device used to advertise to you. Features that they don't want you using are removed, their logo is plastered all over the place and links to their services are stuffed into the menus.
In some cases, they add a few features that are required to take full advantage of their subscriber services.
Given that the firmware in these phones is something based on Nokia's original firmware but subsequently modified by the network operator, any updates that the operator is planning on releasing will become available to your branded phone after they've been made available to generic, SIM-free phones. You will have to wait for your network operator to modify the firmware and release it, and this can often take a very long time, if indeed the operator bothers doing it at all. You may well be left with buggy firmware while users of SIM-free phones have already updated theirs and thus eliminated the bugs. Not to mention bugs introduced by the networks themselves during the branding process.

Confirmation on the term "SIM free"

I have been planning to buy an iPhone 6 Plus while in Japan next month as for the first time, Apple stores in Tokyo are selling SIM free iPhones in-store. I have been reading contradicting articles/forums on the terms "SIM-Free" and "unlocked". Can someone please confirm this for me...it just doesn't seem right for a SIM-free phone to be at the price it is if it will only be locked down to one carrier.

maybe things have changed as according to Apple Online Store Japan (with the help of google translate) it states:
"All the features of the iPhone is equipped with the iPhone SIM Free, but there is no wireless contractual obligations. You can select your favorite businesses from telecom operators of wireless network corresponding NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, such as Softbank, and use it to activate the iPhone. For more information about SIM SIM and whether it is available, please contact your wireless service provider to use. The 6 Plus iPhone and iPhone 6 of SIM free, there are times when it does not correspond to the 4G LTE network in some countries. Please contact your wireless service provider for details.
If you do not want the service signed multi-year agreements, if you want to use the communication operators of local overseas, it is recommended that you choose the iPhone SIM Free. Since the nano-SIM card is not included with the 6 Plus iPhone and iPhone 6 of SIM free, please obtain a card from the telecom operators of the corresponding countries. Is inserted into the slot of the iPhone this card, if you turn on the power, please set according to the display on the screen. You can start using the iPhone in this."
i am not too worried about warranty as my brother in law lives there and i can always send it over if there are issues. Most of the iPhones here in the Philippines are carrier locked or imported anyway. i would just like to triple check so i don't get hyped up for nothing

UK Sim-free and no 7.8 update yet...anybody else?

So much for the advantages of buying a sim-free device...everybody I know on o2 has the update already.
I'm surprised as there should be no carrier delay in getting it on my handset.
Anybody else find they have a sim free phone (no network specific software/firmware etc) and seem to be the last person they know to get the update? Lol.
Tried the force update trick but it hasn't work at all this time unfortunately :-(

Thanks, I see it now.
I've just managed to "trick" zune into giving me update 7.10.8779.8
So I think there's two more to come after that, hopefully I can trick it again twice more. It was just trial and error and I counted before disconnecting, managed to do it by disconnecting after 7 seconds eventually.
I'm running in a VM this evening too so even trickier to disconnect accurately as I have no physical connection to pull.
Hopefully the next two just come right afterwards without the trick.

Problems with my new SIM-free iphone 4s

Hi there
I just recieved my new SIM-free iphone 4s ordered from the UK apple online store last week. I used O2 simcard to activate it for the first time.
However, when I took it back to my own country, the phone simply doesn't work on any local operators...
I done some google, and someone says the iphone4s will be locked to the simcard it used to activate the phone. Just wondering if it is true?
What I got is a sim-free phone, and it should be work with any network operators all over the world.. isnt it?
thank you~

I have the same problem!
I purchase an Iphone 4S in the UK SIM Free for £499, the handset is totally SIM free meaning supplied without a SIM card. I returned to China inserted my China Mobile SIM and the handset simply says SIM not supported.
I have restored with the SIM inside (China Mobile), I have restored the phone to factory set through Itunes but I still have the same problem.
Any ideas?

SIM free phone = Pre-paid phone, is this correct??

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