iPhone 6 Contract Free/T-Mobile?

After a long time looking into this and chatting to a number of representatives it looks like this...
Firstly, the price shown on the US site does NOT include TAX as this depends what state you are in (They are still over £100 cheaper).

Secondly the sim free T-mobile phone from the US is one of the GSM models which do not support UK LTE networks (At least the major networks).

So if you are buying a sim free iphone 6 from the US the chances are you are not going to be able to use it on LTE networks in the UK even if you can get it unlocked.

😟

(Contradicting my second point I can see that the LTE bands supported on the sim free models include band 26 (800Mhz), band (1800Mhz) and band 7 (2600Mhz) all of which are the UK LTE bands......)

NOW IM REALLY CONFUSED!

Well, if it makes it easier, no SIM-free iPhone 6 is being currently sold by Apple. Those will come later.

GB

I Travel for a living so I usually buy an unlocked iPhone (currently 5S).

The T-Mobile version will be locked when sold, BUT a few months after activation T-Mobile will unlock it for you. That is my understanding and that's how it worked before.

Apple isn't releasing a fully unlocked version yet simply because of the demand. In a few months they probably will. There will be a third option in the scroll down menu. Right now if you go to Apple Store on your current phone and select iPhone 6 or 6+ you'll see 2 purchase options:

1 Replace this iPhone

2 Replace another iPhone.

That's it.

if you select iPhone 5S you'll also see a third option:

3 Buy Unlocked or Contract-Free.

IF you buy the T-Mobile version they will unlock it but you'll have to spend money to open an account with them, well at least for a few months. That's my understanding. Basically supply and demand. Right now there's "more demand" but in a few months you'll see "more supply" and thus more options.

..and yes, prices don't include State taxes because they're all different in different States (just like in EU). They range from 0% (Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, Oregon) up to around 10% but again, different rates. (some examples: Hawaii (4.35%), Maine (5%), Virginia (5%), Wyoming (5.17%), South Dakota (5.22%), California (9.08%), Arizona (9.01%), Louisiana (8.69%), Washington (8.61%), New York (8.52%), Illinois (8.22%), Arkansas (8.10%), Alabama (8.03), etc.)

Ps. I've been told that an iPhone 6 will work in all the markets no matter what version it is.

I spoke to an apple advisor yesterday and he said the phone will be unlocked and you can use it on any network. I then asked him on the LTE information page https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/, why do the first models not list the UK as a supported country when the bands most of the major networks use in the UK are listed in that model? He said it will work but with reduced speeds......

Anyone know any truth in this?

Lots of confusion!

This is what I found after speaking to t-mobile:

1) Apparently, the non-contract t-mobile iphone 6 is just that, without contract - ie you don't have to get the 2 year contract, but instead the monthly pre-paids. The t-mobile cust. agent said t is NOT unlocked.

2) FYI, the Verizon iphone 6 IS unlocked. But requires you get a 2 year contract. And if you decide to purchase one off ebay, and the seller does not pay his bill at any time, then your iphone 6 will be blacklisted in the US. I wouldn't go down this route if you are in the US or plan to return to the US with the phone.

3) The t-mobile agent sad the contract free iphone 6 can be unlocked by t-mobile when the following conditions are met:

a) the phone must have been at least 40 days on the t-mobile network using the requested number

b) must have had $100 refills since the activation date

c) and used in the last 7 days with the number requesting the unlock....

d) they may ask proof of purchase.

4) How accurate this is, I don't know. Just reporting what this one agent said which kinda mirrors what's on their website: http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1588

5) In terms of the 4G LTE coverage, the AT&T, Verizon and T-mobile version have 16 LTE FDD bands that covers the majority of the GSM carriers around the world. The European/Asian and US Sprint versions have an additional 4 additional LTE TDD bands used by some European/American/African and Asian carriers, as well extending the CDMA cellular.

You might find that even if you can unlock t-mobile contract free phone, after paying the refills, and potential tax depending on which State you buy it in, and the hassle of having to go through this process (especially if you are not yourself in the US for the 40 days), it might be better off buying the European/Asian unlocked phone, which has more cellular/4g lte capabilities anyway....but right now everything is **** expensive!

Hope this helps.

DMT2 "...

3) The t-mobile agent sad the contract free iphone 6 can be unlocked by t-mobile when the following conditions are met:

a) the phone must have been at least 40 days on the t-mobile network using the requested number

b) must have had $100 refills since the activation date

c) and used in the last 7 days with the number requesting the unlock....

d) they may ask proof of purchase..."

DMT2 -- I believe your info is correct because that's exactly what I did when I bought my current iPhone 5S shortly after it came out (they weren't selling totally unlocked versions for several months). I bought a "contract-free" T-Mobile phone, about 4 months later I cancelled the contract. Now I use AT&T sim-card in the US primarily, Telenor in EU, China Mobile, etc in China.

I'd imagine the same process will repeat itself with iPhone 6. Once the supply improves they'll release the unlocked phone at all the stores, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.

To the previous commenter on "all Verizon phones being unlocked" - I don't think that's totally true. They might call it anything they want but Verizon phones ARE locked. A friend had to jailbreak his Verizon iPhone 5. ...but that's a different subject..

The verizon iphones from the 5 have been sold unlocked due to an agreement with the FCC when they purchased the 700mhz spectrum they use for LTE. Per associated press as part of the agreement: “(e) Handset locking prohibited. No licensee may disable features on handsets it provides to customers, to the extent such features are compliant with the licensee’s standards pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, nor configure handsets it provides to prohibit use of such handsets on other providers’ networks.”

My verizon iphone 5 purchased new was unlocked, was able to use it with an other US and international sims....

Plus the FCC actually came to an agreement with all 5 major US carriers in 2013 to be effective early 2015 whereby it would be easier to unlock phones in contracts, as result of congress passing a law making locking illegal in 2013. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/12/us-usa-wireless-unlocking-idUSBRE9BB05 320131212 Let's see if it pans out as planned!

DMt2 - yes, I remember the agreement very well. It was temporary though (never renewed) and Verizon iPhones are not sold unlocked now. You either have a good Verizon rep or it's a regional issue but I'm yet to meet anyone who bought an unlocked Verizon iPhone in the last year or so. My own roommate had to jailbreak his because he didn't want to wait for his contract to expire before they'd unlock his Verizon iPhone for him

I work in the airline industry so pretty much everyone I know uses an unlocked phone since we're overseas very often. From my understanding only T-Mobile sells unlocked phones and at present time even their phones are locked for a brief period.

It wasn't an agreement that could be renewed it was an edit that was handed out and it was in effect for both the 5 and the 5c and 5s. And yes I do know people who have a Verizon in the US and have used it with domestic carriers as well as international. None of them had to jailbreak their iPhone. As far as the 6 and 6 Plus we will know when they are released. It won't take long for people to post about using a GSM nanoSIM in their Verizon iPhone.

Ok, we'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Let's just hope the unlocked 6 and 6+ come out soon.

If the Apple policy is the same as previous versions, the Unlocked/Carrier Free/T-Mobile iPhones will allow you to travel internationally by inserting a local SIM in that country of travel, However, when returning yo USA, it will them be limited to GSM carriers such as AT&T,and T-Mobile. They won't function properly on a CDMA network such as Verison or Sprint. I hope this input helps, as it's what's been done so far.

There are only two possibilities: "With contract" and "Unlocked".

See Apple's own webpage: compare iPhones

AzDimage - I think you might be confusing Apple's policy with the limitations of competing technologies. It's not so much Apple allowing this or that but rather the specific technology a headset utilizes. Most of the world uses the GSM standard (AT&T and T-Mobile in the US). A few countries use the older CDMA standard (can't talk and browse at the same time) for example Japan and South Korea have it (in the US both Verizon and Sprint support this technology although more and more of their devices can use CDMA and GSM). By 2021 the CDMA standard will be phased out completely.

So yes, you're correct in saying you won't be able to use an unlocked T-Mobile phone on a Verizon network (and vice versa) but it's not Apple's limitation but rather the technical limitations of the specific devices. In other words a T-Mobile iPhone uses GSM whereas Verizon is a CDMA network. Yes, it IS possible to have phones with CDMA and GSM chips but they're bulkier and user more battery power which is why networks avoid them.

As a stated first, without the fluff.

I am seeing conflicting theories on whether or not it is unlocked. I had to order a T-Mobile model because my original order (Verizon model, which I know are unlocked) was cancelled. So I ended up ordering the $649 T-Mobile "Contract Free" model, thinking it was unlocked. I intend on using my iPhone 6 on PTEL Mobile (which is an MVNO of T-Mobile so it should, hopefully, work) but I want it unlocked in case I ever decide to switch to AT&T or one of their MVNO's, or in case I want to use it outside the USA. I am hoping it is unlocked, as I don't exactly understand how anyone can sell a locked phone for $649.99 plus tax.