Buying used iphone X, Questions about unlocked

gottria

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I gotta admit I'm not an iphone user, but my wife is and I have to learn.
She wants the iphone X so I have been looking for a slightly used newish one to save some funds. I know about making sure it's signed out of icloud or ilock cleared. What I don't know about is the unlocking. Were on AT&T and I see a lot of Xs that are unlocked. I assume it will work on AT&T but then there is something about it locking as soon as you put in your SIM card. So if I add my SIM card to it to check everything will it be locked to my SIM or to the AT&T network?

On a side note, could I purchase new from the Apple store using their iphone upgrade program and put a big down payment to reduce the monthly costs?
 

bakron1

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As long as the iPhone X is GSM unlocked it will work and AT&T and T Mobile. A Verizon model will also work on GSM networks, but be careful because Verizon is now locking phones themselves.

Make sure before you buy any used iPhone that you check the IMEI number and make sure there are no bills owed on the device and it’s OK to use on your network before you buy it.

I have bought many used iPhones and never had any issues, but I make sure to do my homework first, better to be safe then sorry. Just my two cents worth.
 
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gottria

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Thanks for the time. Found an AT&T locked version for $800. Bought beginning of December, AT&T locked, 256gb version. All original stuff included including the receipt. Might jump on this one.
 

eyecrispy

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I almost always get the Verizon model. They tend to have better resale value bc they have both the GSM and CDMA antennas. If you can find the Verizon mode (same as the SIM unlocked model), i would jump on one of those.

Look on Swappa. I’ve had good luck there.
 

anon(5630457)

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I purchased an unlocked iPhone X at Best Buy and once I put my SIM card in, it became locked to T-Mobile. I wasn't aware that it was locked to the T-Mobile network until I sold it to a friend and he couldn't use it because it was locked.
 

bakron1

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I purchased an unlocked iPhone X at Best Buy and once I put my SIM card in, it became locked to T-Mobile. I wasn't aware that it was locked to the T-Mobile network until I sold it to a friend and he couldn't use it because it was locked.

Then it had to be a T Mobile model of the iPhone X, if the model was GSM unlocked, it should have worked on any GSM network. I have never seen any unlocked phone get locked to a specific network just by using a carriers SIM card.
 

TheRewardisCheese

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Then it had to be a T Mobile model of the iPhone X, if the model was GSM unlocked, it should have worked on any GSM network. I have never seen any unlocked phone get locked to a specific network just by using a carriers SIM card.

Actually bestbuy does not sell the gsm only model iPhones and in fact doesn’t even sell T-Mobile phones or service, only the model that have both CDMA and GSM bands. And, with the exception of Verizon, the first sim used to activate the phone will lock it to that carrier. Had this happen to me last in 2016 when the 7 series was released. Bestbuy uses only one model that can cover all carriers band-wise so that they don’t have to stock mutilple SKUs.

I actually bought an iPhone X from bestbuy I n an upgrade with att and before I turned it on, out my Verizon sim in first to make sure it would permanently unlock it first, then put my att sim.
 

bakron1

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Actually bestbuy does not sell the gsm only model iPhones and in fact doesn’t even sell T-Mobile phones or service, only the model that have both CDMA and GSM bands. And, with the exception of Verizon, the first sim used to activate the phone will lock it to that carrier. Had this happen to me last in 2016 when the 7 series was released. Bestbuy uses only one model that can cover all carriers so that they don’t have to stock mutilple SKUs.

This is the first time I ever heard of this happening, I heard Verizon was going to start locking devices to their network starting in March of this year, interesting information.
 

Garz

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Then it had to be a T Mobile model of the iPhone X, if the model was GSM unlocked, it should have worked on any GSM network. I have never seen any unlocked phone get locked to a specific network just by using a carriers SIM card.

Yes T-Mobile will do this they did it to me.
 

TheRewardisCheese

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This is the first time I ever heard of this happening, I heard Verizon was going to start locking devices to their network starting in March of this year, interesting information.

Yeah I thought I was crazy at first too when I discovered how bestbuy sells iPhone when I first bought an iPhone 7 from them outright since they were the only store locally who had them in stock right when it first was released. Put my att sim and it locked it. Had to submit an unlock request with att to get it unlocked.
 

Garz

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I purchased an unlocked iPhone X at Best Buy and once I put my SIM card in, it became locked to T-Mobile. I wasn't aware that it was locked to the T-Mobile network until I sold it to a friend and he couldn't use it because it was locked.

T-Mobile did this to me on my red iPhone 7 Plus. Had to fight them for a week to unlock again. I had sold it and found out after they locked it. T-Mobile claims any phone that is used on their network they reserve the right to lock it.
 

Garz

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Then it had to be a T Mobile model of the iPhone X, if the model was GSM unlocked, it should have worked on any GSM network. I have never seen any unlocked phone get locked to a specific network just by using a carriers SIM card.

Best Buy doesn’t sell T-Mobile iPhones. But as my previous reply to you, T-Mobile will lock down phones used in their network. Not always but they do. Fought them for a week to unlock my red 7 plus. I sold it as unlocked, because I bought it that way, and found out T-Mobile locked it after I sold it.
 

bakron1

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Yes T-Mobile will do this they did it to me.

As I said, I have owned and sold many GSM and Verizon Unlocked models and never had one get permanently locked to my network (T Mobile) just by using my SIM card and I have been on T Mobile for over 8 years. But, it doesn’t surprise me with all the changes these carriers are making.
 

Garz

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As I said, I have owned and sold many GSM and Verizon Unlocked models and never had one get permanently locked to my network (T Mobile) just by using my SIM card and I have been on T Mobile for over 8 years. But, it doesn’t surprise me with all the changes these carriers are making.

My argument to T-Mobile was this phone is not financed with you and you don’t have the right to lock it. I paid retail at BB for a Verizon model. Only reason I went through BB and not apple was I had a 10% off coupon. T-Mobile told me as soon as I enter my T-Mobile sim, they have the right to lock your phone. It’s bs to be honest. I was so mad.
 

bakron1

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My argument to T-Mobile was this phone is not financed with you and you don’t have the right to lock it. I paid retail at BB for a Verizon model. Only reason I went through BB and not apple was I had a 10% off coupon. T-Mobile told me as soon as I enter my T-Mobile sim, they have the right to lock your phone. It’s bs to be honest. I was so mad.

That would have mad me mad too, I was surprised when I seen this and as I said, it’s never happened to me or anyone I know.
 

Garz

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That would have mad me mad too, I was surprised when I seen this and as I said, it’s never happened to me or anyone I know.

Yeah I found out when I sold my red iPhone to brother in law. Luckily it was him and not on swappa where I normally sell. He was understanding and it took a week to fix. I was about to give his $600 back.
 

gottria

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I almost always get the Verizon model. They tend to have better resale value bc they have both the GSM and CDMA antennas. If you can find the Verizon mode (same as the SIM unlocked model), i would jump on one of those.

Look on Swappa. I’ve had good luck there.

So the Verizon version will fully support all the AT&T features? Like VOLTE and WiFi calling? Using Swappa looks lie the Verizon one is an A1865,
 

anon(5630457)

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Then it had to be a T Mobile model of the iPhone X, if the model was GSM unlocked, it should have worked on any GSM network. I have never seen any unlocked phone get locked to a specific network just by using a carriers SIM card.

It was an unlocked version, but T-Mobile locked it to their network once I put the SIM in it. Best Buy doesn't sell T-Mobile phones for some reason. T-Mobile locks unlocked phones to their network once you insert their SIM into a device. The only phone they did not lock was the Pixel 2 XL, but that's because Google themselves doesn't allow the device to be locked.

I know one thing is for sure, I'll never purchase another phone at Best Buy ever again.
 

anon(5630457)

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Actually bestbuy does not sell the gsm only model iPhones and in fact doesn’t even sell T-Mobile phones or service, only the model that have both CDMA and GSM bands. And, with the exception of Verizon, the first sim used to activate the phone will lock it to that carrier. Had this happen to me last in 2016 when the 7 series was released. Bestbuy uses only one model that can cover all carriers band-wise so that they don’t have to stock mutilple SKUs.

I actually bought an iPhone X from bestbuy I n an upgrade with att and before I turned it on, out my Verizon sim in first to make sure it would permanently unlock it first, then put my att sim.

Correct. All iPhones sold at Best Buy are "unlocked". If you purchase a carrier iPhone through Best Buy, it comes with a carrier SIM. That's it. They all have the same model number.
 

anon(5630457)

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My argument to T-Mobile was this phone is not financed with you and you don’t have the right to lock it.

I also purchased the iPhone for full retail price and T-Mobile, like the jerks they are, still locked the device. It pissed me off, to be sure.
 

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