Shane Cole
Customers wishing to purchase an unlocked, off-contract iPhone 5s in the United States can now do so sans a T-Mobile SIM card as Apple has put the handset's SIM-free variant up for offer.
Unlocked versions of Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s have been available since the model's launch in September, but previously came preinstalled with a T-Mobile SIM card. The iPhone 5c, in contrast, has been available in an unlocked, SIM-free configuration the entire time.
Both the T-Mobile and SIM-free variants share the A1533 (GSM) model designation, bringing support for all major North American GSM carriers — Â AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. and Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada — Â as well as several smaller, regional networks.
Customers who want their device more quickly may be better served to choose the T-Mobile variant for now. Shipping times for the SIM-free version stand at 1-2 weeks against just 3-5 days for the T-Mobile handset.
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1 Comment
Interesting. I bought my full price "off contract" T-Mobile-SIM-bearing iPhone 5s a couple of weeks ago from my local Apple Store. I was told at the time, by three different people there, that the T-Mobile handset was NOT unlocked. I was told that the T-Mobile handset is locked to T-Mobile for the first 45 days. This was before they actually released the officially "unlocked", SIM-free version. Then I read here and at MacRumors that many of the full price models (regardless of carrier) come unlocked, AND that the T-Mobile models are all unlocked by default. Someone is wrong. Or someone is lying. I wonder which it is? I'd love to get a clarification and confirmation. I don't like being lied to by the retail store. I am only using the T-Mobile service for as long as I have to, then switching out. If it's unlocked already, then I've been mislead into using their service. Not good.