iPhone 5 on T-Mobile - Best Way

[tforst]

Hello,

I'm wondering if there is anyway to unlock an iPhone 5 for tmobile and if so, do all the features work?

Does a "factory unlocked" iPhone 5 work perfectly on tmobile?

Bottom line, if buying one on eBay for tmobile, will it work and does it need to be factory unlocked?


Thanks!

[Simon]

Yes, it needs to be factory unlocked. It will work fine on t-mobile but depending on your location you may not get 3G, they haven't added iPhone compatible 3G to their entire network yet so you would be on 2G most likely.

[tforst]

My unlocked iPhone 4 always loses service and needs to be restarted a bunch of times before it comes back. Sometimes the mms and push notifications stopped working randomly. It is not factory unlocked. Will those same issues occur on a factory unlocked iPhone 5?

Also, my galaxy s3 usually shows that it has 4g, why wouldn't the iPhone 5?

[Simon]

You shouldn't be losing service, depending on t-mobiles coverage that is. But if you do experience issues with your iPhone 4 it is likely a iPhone 5 will give you the same issues since they share the same frequency radio. MMS has always been an issue with t-mobile and iPhones too.

Your GS3 is most likely a T-mobile GS3, meaning it uses the 3G/4G radio frequency that t-mobile uses for their network. It is a different frequency than what ATT uses. They have only just recently started to implement the same frequency for 3G/4G that ATT use and only in certain cities.

[tforst]

So it won't be truly "fully functional" if mms will be an issue...

Thanks for the help

[Simon]

Ya, afaik MMS is always an issue on Tmobile with an iPhone. I'm not in the US though so never had to deal with it personally.

[blkcadi]

Been using iPhones on T-Mo for 5 years, never had an issue with MMS or signal lose, all functions work as well. Having the correct APN settings is most times the key.
I might try restoring your iPhone 4 to see if you have a software issue.
Most major cities have at least 3G speeds now and T-Mo is updating their entire network, so If you don't have at least 3G speed, you should soon. In fact T-Mo will begin offering the iPhone by May if not sooner of this year.

[tforst]

Blkcadi, thanks

Are you using an iPhone 5 on tmobile? Do you get FaceTime? Push notifications? Group texts?

[blkcadi]

Yes, I have Facetime, Push, group text, it all works just as it should no worries. And...at about a 35% savings vs AT&T costs and truly unlimited data too.

[Cmds187]

Yes works great for me i5/F.unl /Tmobile

[Justahbu]

I have Iphone 5 Full unlocked, everything works perfect

[cmb7684]

Where did you get your IP5 factory unlocked and what did it cost? I'm trying to avoid being ripped off for a phone I cant use on Tmobile?

[blkcadi]

Where did you get your IP5 factory unlocked and what did it cost? I'm trying to avoid being ripped off for a phone I cant use on Tmobile?

Since unlocking in some circumstances is illegal now (law enacted recently) , it's a bit tougher. Search Google or eBay may bring you results.

[Timz717]

You can get factory unlocked phones from Canada. Although it's expensive because it'll be $50 more, plus the money conversion and I think tax is like 12%.

[Simon]

You can get factory unlocked phones from Canada. Although it's expensive because it'll be $50 more, plus the money conversion and I think tax is like 12%.

You can get factory unlocked iPhones in the US too. Right from the Apple store.

[Nerologic]

How good is your reception with the iPhone 5?

I just left Straight talk for TMobile and my reception is horrible :/

[blkcadi]

No reception problems at all for me, never had an issue either.

[mustangfrnk]

I also had reception issues with model #1428, signal would fade in and out constantly for no reason at all. Now that I'm on model # 1429, no issues whatsoever at all and both with t-mobile.