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Carrier iPhone SE Full-Priced Sprint unlocked?

U

uncle6

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 25, 2016
6
0
NYC
Hi,
Just wondering if paying full price for the Sprint version will get me the unlocked phone?

My understanding is that paying full price for the phone will mean getting an unlocked phone, but Sprint has policy that require 50 days phone service before they can unlock the phone. How can they unlock a phone that were not locked to begin with?

Maybe there is a difference where the phone was purchased at full price, that buying Sprint version from Apple will come with the unlocked phone, while buying it from Sprint will come with a locked phone?

To be honest I just want the A1723 and plan to use it on T-Mobile right off the bat.
 
A Sprint iPhone SE purchased from Apple at Full price will not be locked. Your iPhone will be locked to your carrier when selecting a 2-year contract or carrier financing from AT&T or Sprint.

Why do you want the A1723 to use on T-Mobile? The T-Mobile model is the A1662, the same as the AT&T, Verizon and SIM-free units in the US.

Dave
 
When you buy directly from Sprint it's locked. Payng full price for it directly to Sprint will have Sprint unlock it for you - after 50 days of active service.

If you buy the Sprint iPhone at full price for Apple then Apple will unlock it directly.
 
dave006 said:
A Sprint iPhone SE purchased from Apple at Full price will not be locked. Your iPhone will be locked to your carrier when selecting a 2-year contract or carrier financing from AT&T or Sprint.

Why do you want the A1723 to use on T-Mobile? The T-Mobile model is the A1662, the same as the AT&T, Verizon and SIM-free units in the US.

Dave
Click to expand...
Thanks Dave.

I want the A1723 mainly for traveling to overseas. Some carrier overseas (in Hong Kong for example), only use band 7 and 41, which the A1662 lacks. And in the US I prefer to use T-Mobile.

So if I understand correctly, if buying the phone at full price from Apple directly (instead of buying from Sprint), the 50 days service period from Sprint will not apply to the device.
 
uncle6 said:
So if I understand correctly, if buying the phone at full price from Apple directly (instead of buying from Sprint), the 50 days service period from Sprint will not apply to the device.
Click to expand...
Correct. Because you are buying from Apple, the people who actually insert and maintain the IMEIs in the unlock database.

The 50 day waiting period is simply a matter of Sprint corporate policy - something which Apple doesn't have to follow if you're buying directly from them.
 
Yes it will be unlocked.

This is from Apples website

“SIM-free” means your iPhone doesn’t ship with a carrier SIM card. The SIM-free iPhone sold on apple.com and at the Apple Store is unlocked. That means you’re free to use a SIM card from a supported carrier. The SIM-free iPhone SE supports AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, among others. However, it does not support Sprint. If you wish to use iPhone SE with Sprint or a Sprint-supported carrier, choose Sprint as your carrier when you purchase iPhone SE. When the Sprint model is purchased at full price, it is unlocked.

eyoungren said:
Correct. Because you are buying from Apple, the people who actually insert and maintain the IMEIs in the unlock database.

The 50 day waiting period is simply a matter of Sprint corporate policy - something which Apple doesn't have to follow if you're buying directly from them.
Click to expand...
 
eyoungren said:
Correct. Because you are buying from Apple, the people who actually insert and maintain the IMEIs in the unlock database.

The 50 day waiting period is simply a matter of Sprint corporate policy - something which Apple doesn't have to follow if you're buying directly from them.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
Good that I asked here, since Sprint has it in stock and I was that close to buying it from Sprint, thinking that there were no difference than buying from Apple since the device is made for Sprint anyway.

It is worth to wait for Apple store to stock it in my area.
 
uncle6 said:
Thanks!
Good that I asked here, since Sprint has it in stock and I was that close to buying it from Sprint, thinking that there were no difference than buying from Apple since the device is made for Sprint anyway.

It is worth to wait for Apple store to stock it in my area.
Click to expand...
If you see a few posts up though
Buying. Full price unlocked one through Apple is not for sprint.
To get sprint you must choose sprint at checkout and do monthly or 2 year contract...
 
npolly0212 said:
If you see a few posts up though
Buying. Full price unlocked one through Apple is not for sprint.
To get sprint you must choose sprint at checkout and do monthly or 2 year contract...
Click to expand...
Yes thats where I get confused.
On Apple website, when choosing Sprint and choose to pay the full price, at checkout it requires activation of the phone and choosing a plan that go with it. But if the phone is unlocked, in theory I can immediately ditch the plan (or just use it for a month) I chose at checkout, and use a Sim card from another carrier, without having to wait for the 50 days active service according to Sprint policy. The only waste here is the activation fee.

I visited Apple store the other day and asked about it, the staff was kinda iffy, but said that he has the ability to bypass that activation and plan selection process at the store. If he is right he will save me the activation fee.
 
uncle6 said:
Yes thats where I get confused.
On Apple website, when choosing Sprint and choose to pay the full price, at checkout it requires activation of the phone and choosing a plan that go with it. But if the phone is unlocked, in theory I can immediately ditch the plan (or just use it for a month) I chose at checkout, and use a Sim card from another carrier, without having to wait for the 50 days active service according to Sprint policy. The only waste here is the activation fee.

I visited Apple store the other day and asked about it, the staff was kinda iffy, but said that he has the ability to bypass that activation and plan selection process at the store. If he is right he will save me the activation fee.
Click to expand...

I finally got my iPhone SE yesterday and was able to buy the device only without signing up for a plan.

To activate it I just removed the Sprint sim card and put my At&t one and it worked.
It also works with my European sim card.
 
Last edited:
When you buy the iPhone at retail Apple Store, you can simply buy full price without signing up any plans. Some employees might not readily tell you, but I usually say I want the X carrier version and I am buying it as a gift for some one else so I'll pay in full.

YMMV though as some employees don't seem to be familiar with the concept of people wanting to pay in full.
 
Jay43 said:
I finally got my iPhone SE yesterday and was able to buy the device only without signing up for a plan.

To activate it I just removed the Sprint sim card and put my At&t one and it worked.
It also works with my European sim card.
Click to expand...
Hi Jay,
May I ask whether you got it in the store, or on the Apple website?
If you got the phone on Apple website how did you bypass the activation and plan selection process?

Thanks.
 
uncle6 said:
Hi Jay,
May I ask whether you got it in the store, or on the Apple website?
If you got the phone on Apple website how did you bypass the activation and plan selection process?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I got it in store. I don't think there is a way to bypass the activation process on the website
 
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