Carrier unlocked are starting to filter out with full retail pricing purchases for all carriers...

[anon(4698833)]

Today I went to unlock my space grey iPhone 5S as I bought it as an AT&T device (non-subsidized) and was under the impression that the devices being sold did not come unlocked already (yet). It appears that isn't the case anymore, because as I went to use AT&T's online unlock submission form, the IMEI of my device kept coming back with an error and said they couldn't process the request...this happened over about a weeks time, so I finally got with AT&T's live chat and after a few minutes, he responded with this...

It appears your iPhone 5S 32GB Space Grey model is a factory unlocked device, and does not require unlocking by us as it came from Apple that way.

...this was pretty awesome news, since people always ask when factory unlocked versions are released to the public, and with Verizon offering them from the get go, it was cool to see AT&T's starting to filter out there too.

 

[Eileen89]

This has always been the case with AT&T iPhones that are purchased at full retail. When you got your 5S did you ever restore it through iTunes? If you did, you should have received the "congratulation your iPhone is unlocked" message.... This has always been the case with iPhones that I purchased at full retail from Apple.

 

[anon(4698833)]

I used the iCloud backup so no, I didn't ever hook it into iTunes for anything except to sync music. I didn't know this as I've always used 3rd party unlocks in the past for my iOS devices, so that is good to know. Thanks!

 

[EmceeGeek]

That's awesome news, because a Vietnamese buddy of mine was looking to buy another 5s and he was asking me last night if AT&T iPhone 5s is unlocked (off contract) and I told him he would have to go through AT&T to have it unlocked. I can let him know now that isn't the case anymore, he can use whatever service he's trying to get to call home.


Sent from my iPhone 5S using Tapatalk

 

[Totalimmortal363]

Last I checked, buying it full retail doesn't automatically unlock it. The customer would still need to initiate the process to have it unlocked.

 

[Eileen89]

Carrier unlocked are starting to filter out with full retail pricing purchase...

Last I checked, buying it full retail doesn't automatically unlock it. The customer would still need to initiate the process to have it unlocked.

This is only the case when purchasing the iPhone "through AT&T". All AT&T iPhones that are purchased directly from Apple at full retail are unlocked immediately after restoring through iTunes. So essentially when paying full retail it is always best to purchase the AT&T iPhone through Apple. This way it will be unlocked out of the box, unlike going through AT&T and having to submit a request to have it unlocked.


Sent from my iPad Air.

 

[ngc]

I ordered the T-Mobile iPhone 5s 32gb Space Gray through the online Apple Store (paid full price) and I?m using it in Venezuela without a problem. I just send the IMEI number to a frien of mine who has a unlock service for any phone and he told me that mi iPhone was factory unlocked, he told me that in the report he got it never said T-Mobile anywhere...

 

[Eileen89]

Carrier unlocked are starting to filter out with full retail pricing purchase...

I ordered the T-Mobile iPhone 5s 32gb Space Gray through the online Apple Store (paid full price) and I?m using it in Venezuela without a problem. I just send the IMEI number to a frien of mine who has a unlock service for any phone and he told me that mi iPhone was factory unlocked, he told me that in the report he got it never said T-Mobile anywhere...

The T-Mobile iPhone through Apple is always sold at full retail, therefore it will always be unlocked out of the box.


Sent from my iPad Air.

 

[MzDee]

Wow that might be the problem with why my 5S purchased at full retail on Nov 1st keeps giving me an error when I try to request an unlock. I'll do a restore and see if that's the case.

 

[mfldmike]

My Verizon iPhone 5 on contract was carrier unlocked and now my 5s is carrier unlocked...although I purchased it at full retail.

 

[ngc]

Re: Carrier unlocked are starting to filter out with full retail pricing purchase...

Exactly, that?s why I bought that one...

The weird thing is that when I bought it the first email from Apple said "iPhone 5s 32GB Space Gray (GSM), T-Mobile" but the second one, the shipment notification said "iPhone 5s 32GB Space Gray (GSM)"...

All in all, I'm pretty happy...