When you buy from Apple (One Payment) do you pick your Carrier or choose the No-Carrier option? Why

[Craig]

Getting my “favorites” ready for the 12 Pro Max on Friday. When I got my XS Max from Apple a couple years ago I just ordered the standard “no carrier” unlocked. I know now all orders (if paid in full / not on a carrier payment plan) are unlocked. If you order it w/o a carrier you don’t get a SIM and if you pick a carrier you get an associated SIM.

I normally just “move my sim over”

Am I missing a reason or benefit to check “AT&T” and used the new SIM that comes with it instead of just getting a generic Apple Unlocked? Does AT&T (or the Carrier Picked) get informed that I got a new phone and adds it to your account?

Note: I will not likely see 5G where I live in WA State for a LONG time and I am not changing my very old antiquated plan to get 5G as it would cost me about $50 more a month for no valid reason.

Just mulling things over.

 

[vizagdude]

I use to do that as I needed the unlocked version of the phones. But I guess from iPhone X all phones are unlocked (at least ATT and T-Mobile ones). So I started electing the carrier. The advantage is, I can still finance the device for 24 month interest free payments with out signing up for the upgrade program. The difference is I do not have to take the Apple Care and it’s a bit cheaper

 

[scruffypig]

Getting my “favorites” ready for the 12 Pro Max on Friday. When I got my XS Max from Apple a couple years ago I just ordered the standard “no carrier” unlocked. I know now all orders (if paid in full / not on a carrier payment plan) are unlocked. If you order it w/o a carrier you don’t get a SIM and if you pick a carrier you get an associated SIM.

I normally just “move my sim over”

Am I missing a reason or benefit to check “AT&T” and used the new SIM that comes with it instead of just getting a generic Apple Unlocked? Does AT&T (or the Carrier Picked) get informed that I got a new phone and adds it to your account?

Note: I will not likely see 5G where I live in WA State for a LONG time and I am not changing my very old antiquated plan to get 5G as it would cost me about $50 more a month for no valid reason.

Just mulling things over.

To get 5G you will need a new SIM card from AT&T or use an eSIM. I use an eSIM from AT&T, so I just transferred that over to my new 12 Pro and upgraded my plan to a new 5G plan. Yes, AT&T is requiring you update your plan to one of the new 5G plans. If you stay with your old plan and just swap SIMs as in the past, your phone will be limited to LTE and you won’t see any difference in carrier settings.

With 5G on AT&T, you should see 5G options under Cellular Data Options:

 

[Annie_M]

To get 5G you will need a new SIM card from AT&T or use an eSIM. I use an eSIM from AT&T, so I just transferred that over to my new 12 Pro and upgraded my plan to a new 5G plan. Yes, AT&T is requiring you update your plan to one of the new 5G plans. If you stay with your old plan and just swap SIMs as in the past, your phone will be limited to LTE and you won’t see any difference in carrier settings.

With 5G on AT&T, you should see 5G options under Cellular Data Options:

View attachment 129664

I'm so glad you shared this.

 

[scruffypig]

I'm so glad you shared this.

Glad to share. I should clarify that AT&T isn’t requiring anyone to change plans, only if you want 5G.

5G is coming to my area. It is about a half hour drive from me. Will get here soon.

 

[Craig]

That's why I said in my post "I don't care about 5G" as I doubt I will see it in my area for a few years and I will not be changing my plan, no point. So aside from that reason only.. "5G" there is no valid reason to pick the ATT option when buying the 12 Pro Max and just get a generic unlocked and move my SIM card over.

Apple's notes say that if I pick my carrier (Apple shows my Phone #) they will give the carrier my information to allow me to get a SIM with my # etc.. I guess "outside of the 5G" the only reason to choose AT&T so they have my info showing my new phone (Model/Serial/IMEI) and a new SIM.

I won't be doing financing, i use my Amex-Plat (and pay it off when it posts) so I get the added product insurance and extra warranty as well as the MR that I use for travel.

So really it does not matter... (I guess)

 

[Craig]

I use to do that as I needed the unlocked version of the phones. But I guess from iPhone X all phones are unlocked (at least ATT and T-Mobile ones). So I started electing the carrier. The advantage is, I can still finance the device for 24 month interest free payments with out signing up for the upgrade program. The difference is I do not have to take the Apple Care and it’s a bit cheaper

Since I am not going to Finance for "ME" it's moot at best, but if you want to finance I see it being a good option. I picked the "pay full price" option.

To get 5G you will need a new SIM card from AT&T or use an eSIM.

Per my original post, I will not be seeing 5G in my area for possibly a few years and not interested in changing my plan. I knew about that in my post, but it's not something that affects me at this time.

 

[strikeIII]

To get 5G you will need a new SIM card from AT&T or use an eSIM. I use an eSIM from AT&T, so I just transferred that over to my new 12 Pro and upgraded my plan to a new 5G plan. Yes, AT&T is requiring you update your plan to one of the new 5G plans. If you stay with your old plan and just swap SIMs as in the past, your phone will be limited to LTE and you won’t see any difference in carrier settings.

With 5G on AT&T, you should see 5G options under Cellular Data Options:

View attachment 129664

You do not need a new SIM card just need to change your plan.

The only real incentive to choose a carrier is to get their promotional offer.

 

[Craig]

You do not need a new SIM card just need to change your plan.
The only real incentive to choose a carrier is to get their promotional offer.

Well if you choose your carrier you also get the phone with the SIM card already loaded from that Carrier and the SIM number on the box. No sure that's an actual benefit but it's something I guess. I thought I read in a few places though that both AT&T and T-Mobile required a NEW SIM card for 5G. Again moot for me, no 5G anytime soon, nor will I change my plan for 5G anytime soon.

 

[strikeIII]

Well if you choose your carrier you also get the phone with the SIM card already loaded from that Carrier and the SIM number on the box. No sure that's an actual benefit but it's something I guess. I thought I read in a few places though that both AT&T and T-Mobile required a NEW SIM card for 5G. Again moot for me, no 5G anytime soon, nor will I change my plan for 5G anytime soon.

For me on AT&T I just popped my current SIM and just updated my plan for 5G. For eSIM you'll need to get a eSIM card to activate it. But yeah if you don't plan to use 5G or don't have it then a SIM swap is all you need.

 

[Craig]

For me on AT&T I just popped my current SIM and just updated my plan for 5G. For eSIM you'll need to get a eSIM card to activate it. But yeah if you don't plan to use 5G or don't have it then a SIM swap is all you need.

That makes sense, I was trying to figure out what the difference is with a "new Sim" and what they changed that allowed / disallowed 5G. I am on a very old antiquated plan. I don't use a lot of Data and any plan change will cost me about $50 more. No sense in paying $600 more a year for literally nothing... If I lived in a solid 5G area, it may be worth it.

Did you move your SIM over AFTER you restored from backup or copied over from Old Phone to New Phone or did it 1st thing when booting up the new phone?

 

[strikeIII]

That makes sense, I was trying to figure out what the difference is with a "new Sim" and what they changed that allowed / disallowed 5G. I am on a very old antiquated plan. I don't use a lot of Data and any plan change will cost me about $50 more. No sense in paying $600 more a year for literally nothing... If I lived in a solid 5G area, it may be worth it.

Did you move your SIM over AFTER you restored from backup or copied over from Old Phone to New Phone or did it 1st thing when booting up the new phone?

I've done it both ways without any issues. The SIM doesn't matter when doing a restore. But if you don't want to miss any new messages or calls on your new device then it's better to pop the sim in the new device while it's doing the restore.

 

[Craig]

I've done it both ways without any issues. The SIM doesn't matter when doing a restore. But if you don't want to miss any new messages or calls on your new device then it's better to pop the sim in the new device while it's doing the restore.

I honestly could use 1-hour w/o a call or messages. I wound up just getting the 12 Pro Max unlocked from Apple w/o choosing ATT as the carrier. It's the same way I got my XS Max. I figured less chance of a delay if they don't have do deal with the SIM.

 

[mogelijk]

When there was a difference between the modems used between the Verizon/Sprint and AT&T/T-Mobile phones, I'd go unlocked. Since then, I've been getting the carrier version. From what I can see, it makes no difference other than having a SIM card in the phone already.