Will both the SIM card slot and the eSIM be carrier locked if you finance your phone?

mogelijk

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Just a thought I had, since I could really use a dual SIM device to combine two phones. Knowing how carriers like to operate, I could see them locking down both SIM card slots to ensure that you can't cancel your service with them and use it only with another carrier.

Does anyone know how this will work?
 

mogelijk

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I seem to have found the answer to my question: "Note that to use two different carriers, your iPhone must be unlocked."

One other limitation, "If a CDMA-based carrier (such as Verizon or Sprint in the US) provides your first SIM, then your second SIM will not support CDMA."
 

Raptor007

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Verizon cannot lock their phones due to the 700Mhz auction rules, I prefer SIM free Unlocked phones anyways and they are offering that out of the gate. Typically you can get it unlocked after a short period on other carriers.
 

BreakingKayfabe

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Verizon cannot lock their phones due to the 700Mhz auction rules, I prefer SIM free Unlocked phones anyways and they are offering that out of the gate. Typically you can get it unlocked after a short period on other carriers.

Didn’t that whole thing end on August 1st this year? I believe they can carrier lock them again.
 

Mr.Willie

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I understand that, I was just curious if your phone comes locked if you’re ordering through Apple....

If you use your carrier upgrade program, then yes, it is carrier locked as per the agreement that Apple has with the carriers.

Best way to purchase is walk into Apple store (or order) the carrier unlocked phone, pay cash (or charge) it, and be done with it.
 

anon(10000748)

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If you use your carrier upgrade program, then yes, it is carrier locked as per the agreement that Apple has with the carriers.

Best way to purchase is walk into Apple store (or order) the carrier unlocked phone, pay cash (or charge) it, and be done with it.

I feel like no one reads... if you order through Apple do they lock your phone like the carriers do if you order a Carrier specific model(ie. a T-Mobile compatible model).
 

TheRewardisCheese

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I feel like no one reads... if you order through Apple do they lock your phone like the carriers do if you order a Carrier specific model(ie. a T-Mobile compatible model).

What Mr. Willie is saying is that whether your buy your phone from Apple directly or you buy it from your carrier, if when purchasing the phone you finance it using your carriers financing plans, the phone will be locked once activated (except Verizon I believe).

So for example, if you have AT&T as your carrier, and you say walk into an Apple store and buy an Iphone Xs Max for AT&T, and instead of paying full retail price for that AT&T phone, you decide you finance that phone using AT&T's NEXT financing, even though you are buying it at an Apple store, the phone will be locked to AT&T during the activation process, so yes, both sims will be locked to AT&T until you have paid it off.

If you decided to walk into an Apple store and purchase that same phone using Apple's financing plan like the Apple Upgrade Program financing, then your phone would NOT be locked to AT&T since you are financing it with Apple directly, and not your carrier.

If you walk into that same store and purchase that same phone at full retail price, then your phone is unlocked

Hope this helps you.....
 

mogelijk

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I feel like no one reads... if you order through Apple do they lock your phone like the carriers do if you order a Carrier specific model(ie. a T-Mobile compatible model).

If you order through Apple, but do it through your carrier (phone is financed through your carrier) your phone will be locked. If you pay upfront for the phone or, from what I was told yesterday by Apple Support, if you order through the Apple Upgrade Program your phone will not be carrier locked.
 

Craig

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Question... can we assume then since I ordered an iPhone XsM from Apple - SIM FREE, that I can use my AT&T physical SIM and then add an Verizon eSim later?

Here is the quandary.. If I add another line to AT&T it's like $9.95 a month, and that can split my home/office phone and save me from carrying two phones. BUT... will they be forcing iPhone users to have TWO separate data plans? I hope not, and can't see why they would.

However if you get a new line from Verizon to add to your AT&T account on the iPhone with eSim I will assume they want you to pay for the whole kit-and-kaboodle.

Agree?
 

strikeIII

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Question... can we assume then since I ordered an iPhone XsM from Apple - SIM FREE, that I can use my AT&T physical SIM and then add an Verizon eSim later?

Here is the quandary.. If I add another line to AT&T it's like $9.95 a month, and that can split my home/office phone and save me from carrying two phones. BUT... will they be forcing iPhone users to have TWO separate data plans? I hope not, and can't see why they would.

However if you get a new line from Verizon to add to your AT&T account on the iPhone with eSim I will assume they want you to pay for the whole kit-and-kaboodle.

Agree?
You'd still need two data plans because they are still two separate accounts.
 

Craig

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You'd still need two data plans because they are still two separate accounts.

Yes if sharing Verizon and AT&T

But if I add a new phone on AT&T I don't have a separate data plan, it's under my global family plan... I only pay a phone charge.

Assuming we keep the #s with the same carrier it's just an added phone charge.
 

strikeIII

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Yes if sharing Verizon and AT&T

But if I add a new phone on AT&T I don't have a separate data plan, it's under my global family plan... I only pay a phone charge.

Assuming we keep the #s with the same carrier it's just an added phone charge.
Agree if it's just an added line then it's just shared with your family plan
 

Raptor007

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That is a huge departure from what Verion has on their site and they don't break out iOS vs Android in the notes https://forums.imore.com/e?link=htt...safety/device-unlocking-policy&token=CovCSG4m

I guess this is why I buy SIM Free so I don't have to deal with the carriers. I use AT&T and will just pop my current AT&T SIM in and off I go, no activation fee required. When eSIM is finally launched in the "later update" which could b between now and iOS13 I may move my AT&T line to the eSIM and look to see if I can put my work Verizon SIM into my phone to use so I can deal with 1 device everyday.

I love the bit about Verizon locking the phones down due to theft, really. Isn't there a way to block the IMEI altogether? Plus the rash of Apple store robberies those devices are useless once they leave, unless there is a new chop shop dedicated to Apple devices that can remove all of the glue.
 

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