Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AndyJoeshow

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 27, 2016
19
21
Austin, Texas
Hey everyone! Hope this is an easy question.

I am currently on an ATT IPhone 8 Plus on Apple’s Iphone Program. I’d like to change to T-Mobile as the coverage is better in my area.

Do I need to just have ATT unlock the phone before I go to T-Mobile? They’re on the same network I believe so there shouldn’t be too much else to it. Anything I’m missing?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,914
13,254
If you bought it via Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program, then it should already come unlocked. It's via AT&T Next that's locked.

Those are two different networks, though (but the device should work on both).
 

enrincon89

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2014
138
50
Hey everyone! Hope this is an easy question.

I am currently on an ATT IPhone 8 Plus on Apple’s Iphone Program. I’d like to change to T-Mobile as the coverage is better in my area.

Do I need to just have ATT unlock the phone before I go to T-Mobile? They’re on the same network I believe so there shouldn’t be too much else to it. Anything I’m missing?


The phone is locked. I’m currently with an iPhone X with IUP and I traveled to Colombia like 2 weeks ago and I wanted to use a Colombian carrier SIM card and the iPhone was locked. So I called AT&T and they told me to go to att.com/deviceunlock and follow the directions to have my phone unlocked it took like 30 mins to get it unlocked.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,914
13,254
Did Apple change their policy? Back when I helped someone buy an iPhone 7 and 7+ via the IUP, the devices came unlocked out of the box. Got the Congrats, your iPhone is unlocked message when we connected to iTunes to restore backup.
 

enrincon89

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2014
138
50
Did Apple change their policy? Back when I helped someone buy an iPhone 7 and 7+ via the IUP, the devices came unlocked out of the box. Got the Congrats, your iPhone is unlocked message when we connected to iTunes to restore backup.

I think they did. Because before calling AT&T I called Apple and they told me to call AT&T.
 

Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
If u got the phone from AT&T, it's locked to AT&T.
If u got the phone from Apple, the SIM-LESS phones are unlocked.
If u got the phone from Apple AND signed up with a carrier immediately, I dunno, it maybe locked.
If the phone is fully paid, no more pending monthly you should be able to unlock it with AT&T.
 

Superrjamz54

macrumors 6502
Dec 4, 2015
499
314
If u got the phone from AT&T, it's locked to AT&T.
If u got the phone from Apple, the SIM-LESS phones are unlocked.
If u got the phone from Apple AND signed up with a carrier immediately, I dunno, it maybe locked.
If the phone is fully paid, no more pending monthly you should be able to unlock it with AT&T.
no iPhone bought on using Apples upgrade program is carrier locked for the US carriers. My Intel X works fine on Verizon with the IUP program. Not sure if it’s going to work with an international carrier.
 

AlphaGuitarist

macrumors 65816
Nov 12, 2014
1,114
1,523
I bought a T-Mobile variant (no carrier check at the time of purchase) X from Apple and immediately activated it on my AT&T account. A week later, I flew to Spain for two weeks and used it with a local carrier. The phone was unlocked out of the box.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.