AT&T Community Forums

iPhone Xs Max locked or unlocked - Is there a Difference in features/plan availability/performance?

I am going to purchase outright an iPhone Xs Max. I have an AT&T legacy plan which I will keep. I read that At&T offers the option for voice-over-LTE and wi-fi calling only on AT&T carrier locked phone at initial purchase, not unlocked ones. Is this true and are there other features in specifying an AT&T carrier phone at Apple store purchase that won’t be there vs Apple store unlocked phone which is ported to my AT&T plan? Availability of my specific iphone model wanted at this time prompts this unlocked vs locked purchase at this time.

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MicCheck

ACE - Expert

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14.2K Messages

6 years ago

@psufan44 wrote:

Thanks for the response. If there is no functional difference for having an unlocked vs locked purchase with AT&T, then would I assume it's a marketing driver for offering the lock/unlock option (different financing/upgrade plans, Apple store/AT&T store etc.).

Not so much the locked/unlocked option, but purchasing through AT&T vs. elsewhere. I have no idea why someone would purchase a carrier-locked iPhone unless they bought from AT&T.

I was told if I purchase a locked AT&T carrier phone at the Apple Store, it could be unlocked immediately if fully paid at purchase.

Assuming you're an existing customer, that should be true. Service must be active for at least 60 days, so new customers will have to wait that long. Again, I don't see a reason to do so.

I have scanned some message board posts on this subject and noted some people have had issues getting phones unlocked.

Unfortunately, yes. Most don't, but those who do really have a heck of a time.

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Fl_retire

ACE - Professor

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3K Messages

6 years ago

@psufan44 I purchased the unlocked iPhone Xs from Apple and have ATT. Inserted my SIM and did a restore. No problem using VOLTE and WiFi calling or any of the other ATT functions including ATT Call Protect.

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GLIMMERMAN76

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

6 years ago

@Fl_retire wrote:

@psufan44 I purchased the unlocked iPhone Xs from Apple and have ATT. Inserted my SIM and did a restore. No problem using VOLTE and WiFi calling or any of the other ATT functions including ATT Call Protect.

Only ANDROID phones have the unlocked phone limitations with enhanced LTE services.

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psufan44

Tutor

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4 Messages

6 years ago

Thanks for the response. If there is no functional difference for having an unlocked vs locked purchase with AT&T, then would I assume it's a marketing driver for offering the lock/unlock option (different financing/upgrade plans, Apple store/AT&T store etc.). I was told if I purchase a locked AT&T carrier phone at the Apple Store, it could be unlocked immediately if fully paid at purchase. I have scanned some message board posts on this subject and noted some people have had issues getting phones unlocked.

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sandblaster

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

6 years ago

Yes, a marketing driver as in to use ATT’s financing program, you must buy the locked ATT model. I don’t know about the new model but past models also had a hardware difference. The ATT and T-Mobile versions had different hardware that did not include CDMA radios meaning even unlocked, those phones woudn’t work on Verizon’s or Sprint’s CDMA network.

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