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T-Mobile or At&t iPhone 5 or 5s?

TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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I'm a user that will switch between At&t and T-Mobile from time to time. I live in Iowa (DSM) with At&t as my primary carrier but I want to buy a device that will work on both. If I unlock an At&t iPhone will it work 100% on Tmo and vice versa if I buy the unlocked TMo? I'm not sure if I'll go 5 or 5s and honestly don't know if that makes a difference or not. Any help is much appreciated! I'm leaning towards the unlocked Tmo iPhone but wasnt sure if it works on HSPA+ and LTE on At&t.

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acerace113

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Oct 30, 2012
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If you get the 5S at the apple store for full price you can use it on both carriers since it will be factory unlocked.


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TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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But isn't that the exact same device that T Mobile sells since they no longer subsidize their phones?

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TheIowaKid

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Sep 12, 2012
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No. I'm using At&t. T Mobile is T Mobile here. iWireless is an MVNO and they use TMobiles towers.

Sent from my Moto X
 

kch50428

New member
Oct 22, 2010
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actually, in much of Iowa iWireless owns the towers and provides T-Mobile's service... They're more than an MVNO.
 

TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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What's the point of your comments? Its not helping me find an answer to my question. Fine its not an MVNO per se, its a partnership between INS and Tmo but that's besides the point.

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TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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Maybe you work for them and hate being called an MVNO? If so, I could understand you pointing out the difference. Its still not helping the OP.

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kch50428

New member
Oct 22, 2010
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What's the point of your comments? Its not helping me find an answer to my question. Fine its not an MVNO per se, its a partnership between INS and Tmo but that's besides the point.

Sent from my Moto X
An answer was provided up-thread...
 

TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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Dude, seriously leave me alone. I couldnt care less that you are a mod and gave me an infraction for YOU distracting from the thread and OP. I have read that but as you know, carrier restrictions play a role. I came to the place where someone would know the answer and could easily shoot me an answer. Instead I get baited by your BS and then you act like the world owes you something so you send me an infraction?!?! Get outta here.

Sent from my Moto X
 

kch50428

New member
Oct 22, 2010
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Were you to view the page on the provided link, you'd see the model numbers of iPhone5s and 5c and what networks with which they are compatible.
 

TheIowaKid

New member
Sep 12, 2012
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I give up. You win the internet today. I asked you to leave me alone and yet you don't. You're a moderator and don't follow your own rules. You guys are a joke.

Sent from my Moto X
 
Jan 20, 2014
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I'd go for an unlocked version that isn't specifically for a carrier. Perhaps that would be the best option?
 

anon62607

New member
Oct 22, 2011
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I am using a verizon iPhone 5s on tmobile and it works perfectly well, HSPA as well as band 4 LTE. additionally I have in the past used an AT&T 4s unlocked on tmobile and where UMTS band II was available I got HSPA on tmobile on it.
 

anon(4698833)

Banned
Sep 7, 2010
12,020
187
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I give up. You win the internet today. I asked you to leave me alone and yet you don't. You're a moderator and don't follow your own rules. You guys are a joke.

Sent from my Moto X

211_kleenex.jpg
 

anon62607

New member
Oct 22, 2011
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I'd go for an unlocked version that isn't specifically for a carrier. Perhaps that would be the best option?

the unlocked versions don't have CDMA support. verizon phones have both CDMA and all of the gsm, HSPA and LTE support, in that regard it's slightly better to get a Verizon variant than the unlocked one and moreover the verizon versions come unlocked anyway.
 

i7guy

New member
Nov 19, 2013
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I give up. You win the internet today. I asked you to leave me alone and yet you don't. You're a moderator and don't follow your own rules. You guys are a joke.

Sent from my Moto X

You could always ignore those posts you don't like. I think the joke's on you.

Get the verizon phone.
 

John Yester

Moderator Team Leader
Ambassador
May 23, 2012
8,849
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You were given a simple reply to your question... Not sure how you took that reply, but everyone may read things differently....

But please do not insult Moderators