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Coffee50

macrumors 6502a
Apr 23, 2015
872
485
Ah, gotcha. Not 100% sure, but I think it will probably not work if you order a T-Mobile SIM. If they already have a MetroPCS SIM card on their current phone, it should just be a matter of putting that SIM card on the SE and they should be good to go.

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Thanks for your help :)
 

gaanee

macrumors 65816
Dec 8, 2011
1,433
244
Doesn't SIM-free mean unlocked? Is there any other way to confirm if it's unlocked without trying another carrier SIM?
Mine came with a SIM card but I just transferred my old SIM and as per that list the model number is unlocked.
That just means it's SIM-free and was never added to AT&T's database. No guarantee it's unlocked. You'll have to try a SIM from another carrier to confirm.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,651
12,792
Doesn't SIM-free mean unlocked? Is there any other way to confirm if it's unlocked without trying another carrier SIM?
Mine came with a SIM card but I just transferred my old SIM and as per that list the model number is unlocked.
Only if purchased full price from Apple.

Some retailers get iPhones under a US Reseller Flex policy which are assigned the same locking policies as the SIM card they were powered on/activated with.

That said, just tried an international SIM on my mom's iPhone SE and it worked. iPhone was bought from Walmart for $249 on AT&T upgrade installment. Hasn't been paid off yet.
 

taran80

macrumors newbie
Jun 12, 2012
6
1
Got iphone se from walmart.com. When I put sim card in it still says no service. Do I need to do something to activate? I have at&t.
 
Last edited:

robes1

macrumors member
May 20, 2016
70
32
I wish there was a similar deal in Canada for the SE. We always get screwed with pricing.
 

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,588
16,345
just paid it off, $249+tax in the end for 128GB white. no tricks, feels great

...will get it unlocked sometime next week
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
The $199 deal leaves a bad taste in your mouth if you’re on T-Mobile. You will pay more for a 64gb SE than someone on Verizon would pay for a 256gb version. I don’t really even have a use for it (too small for me) but for $199 I would have picked one up for a family member. $428 with taxes for a 64gb is a no-go. I think a lot of people like the DEAL they got as much as the phone itself. It feels good to get a great deal, and it makes the product seem better by default.
 

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,588
16,345
You may not need to. I just popped an international SIM card on mine and the device accepted it.

oh nice!

maybe they're locking devices that are in the financing route after 30 days or something? who knows

I have a t-mobile SIM somewhere I'll try at some point

such a mind boggling deal. and people are all 'you're paying for it with your postpaid plan anyways'

fine. but still commitment free and cant get a better deal with that coverage than what we have :D
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,651
12,792
The $199 deal leaves a bad taste in your mouth if you’re on T-Mobile. You will pay more for a 64gb SE than someone on Verizon would pay for a 256gb version. I don’t really even have a use for it (too small for me) but for $199 I would have picked one up for a family member. $428 with taxes for a 64gb is a no-go. I think a lot of people like the DEAL they got as much as the phone itself. It feels good to get a great deal, and it makes the product seem better by default.
Those on T-Mobile are probably paying less for monthly service anyway. If you consider that, T-Mobile users are probably way ahead of the $200 discount. ?‍♀️

But yes, as someone on the big 2's postpaid, the deal is pretty great (although I would've bought the SE regardless).
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Those on T-Mobile are probably paying less for monthly service anyway. If you consider that, T-Mobile users are probably way ahead of the $200 discount. ?‍♀️

But yes, as someone on the big 2's postpaid, the deal is pretty great (although I would've bought the SE regardless).
I pay $140 per month for 4 lines unlimited everything. I assume that’s pretty standard now days. Been with T-Mobile for over 15 years now.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,651
12,792
I pay $140 per month for 4 lines unlimited everything. I assume that’s pretty standard now days. Been with T-Mobile for over 15 years now.
Similar plan is around $160-200 on AT&T and Verizon depending on what discounts you're eligible for so you're paying anywhere from $480-1440 less over the course of 2 years.
 

Steven-iphone

macrumors 68000
Apr 25, 2020
1,953
16,490
United States
That extra monthly plan fees to ATT make up for the lower device cost. I have a 10GB plan with Tmo - $40/month, included music streaming which does not count against data allowance. Apples to Apples.
 

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
34,587
50,269
In the middle of several books.
The $199 deal leaves a bad taste in your mouth if you’re on T-Mobile. You will pay more for a 64gb SE than someone on Verizon would pay for a 256gb version. I don’t really even have a use for it (too small for me) but for $199 I would have picked one up for a family member. $428 with taxes for a 64gb is a no-go. I think a lot of people like the DEAL they got as much as the phone itself. It feels good to get a great deal, and it makes the product seem better by default.
Verizon users have to pay more per month than T-Mobile users.
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Similar plan is around $160-200 on AT&T and Verizon depending on what discounts you're eligible for so you're paying anywhere from $480-1440 less over the course of 2 years.
But those on atnt and Verizon are no doubt getting better signal in a lot of areas.
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,651
12,792
But those on atnt and Verizon are no doubt getting better signal in a lot of areas.
If signal on T-Mobile isn't good enough, customers are free to switch carriers.

Walmart can afford to offer a deal like this since they're likely getting a big commission from AT&T and Verizon. AT&T and Verizon can afford to pay big commissions and offer better coverage because they charge more for their service. Just the way it goes. ?‍♀️
 

yagru

macrumors member
Mar 10, 2008
61
4
Can you pay it off with a credit card or have to just tack it on overall bill, the payout amount?

Thought you had to wait a billing cycle or two to be able to buy it
I paid mine off within 2 days of receiving it. A day after that I was eligible for an upgrade again
 

JagRunner

Suspended
Oct 18, 2018
580
2,735
Houston,Texas
T-Mobile and Verizon work the same here, terribly. Only AT&T works.

Thinking about getting my husband the SE, his old 6S (Was mine) is dying a miserable death.

Yeah, it depends where you live. AT&T worked fine when I lived in Dallas. I moved to Houston and it was terrible. I switched to Verizon and it works great again.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Verizon users have to pay more per month than T-Mobile users.
It depends how you look at it if you like to buy devices yearly etc.

I pay currently 4/lines $160 for att elite unlimited. Att best plan with work discount (which probably 60-70% of people in USA qualify for ). 100gb unthrottled. And potential throttle after that but rare. Plus 30gb hotspot plus hbo. So similar plan is T-Mobile magneta plus 4 lines/$170 (taxes include)

so with my att state federal taxes. I will pay $180/4 lines

T-Mobile doesn’t discount unless you are military emt police.

so basically the same price for 4 lines. 5 lines with att best plan is now 5/$175.
I’d say 4-5 lines att directly competes with T-Mobile very well on pricing.

now factor in more availability with “upgrade” discount. Like Sams club offers $300-400 gift cards routers for “upgrades” I can pay off any time and am eligible for discounts again.

tmobile still a better deal for those with 1-3 lines. But the math tends to favor verizon att when factoring in device discounts promotions like gift cards for those with 4-5 lines for EXISTING CUSTOMERS.

I had T-Mobile and it’s earlier companies for 15 years. I currently use att and verizon (work) and sprint (work). So I know about all the plans.
 

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,588
16,345
When I input my IMEI in the ATT unlock website (primary IMEI, not the eSIM one in settings), it said it wasn't an ATT phone.

I have to find my T-Mo sim, which is somewhere just not sure where but is it somewhat safe to assume, if I paid it off and they retroactively removed the one month financing charge for last month's bill, so paid $249 as quick as possible, its an unlocked phone and has remained unlocked?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,651
12,792
When I input my IMEI in the ATT unlock website (primary IMEI, not the eSIM one in settings), it said it wasn't an ATT phone.

I have to find my T-Mo sim, which is somewhere just not sure where but is it somewhat safe to assume, if I paid it off and they retroactively removed the one month financing charge for last month's bill, so paid $249 as quick as possible, its an unlocked phone and has remained unlocked?
This one, it's better to confirm than assume.

I've heard some horror stories about people bringing their devices (under the US reseller flex policy) overseas and not being able to use them with local SIM card.
 
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