OT. How do I use an unlocked Iphone in Canada?

[pampam]

I understand there are benefits from having an unlocked phone, so this is what I'd like to do. Bell and Best Buy will only sell me an Iphone locked to whoever, so I will have to buy from Apple, which is ok. Once I get the phone, how do I use it without locking it to a phone service provider? This is all new to me so please explain it in simple terms.

 

[Canooknic]

You will still be 'tied' to a provider because if you're planning to use it as a phone instead of just for apps etc you'll need a SIM card.
The benefit of an unlocked phone is that you can use any provider and can get a pre-pay SIM - basically avoiding a long term contract with anyone

 

[pampam]

So, if I understand this, I can buy an Iphone from Apple, go to Bell and buy a sim card. How do get the minutes or plan I want without signing up and locking my phone up?

 

[starvenger]

Went through the same concerns when I bought an iPhone 6 from the Apple Store a couple of years back. I don't think the SIM locks your phone - I think the ones purchased from a carrier come pre-locked.

In any event, tell the agent you are bringing your own phone and they should be able to set you up properly. You'd still be bound by the terms of the contract (if you get a new one), but the phone should remain unlocked. I can confirm this as I've purchased SIMs in the US and UK, and they've worked with no issues.

 

[xlxo]

Correct... phones are locked at the point of manufacturer. Not based on the first SIM plugged into it.

If you did purchase a locked phone for Bell. After 3 months of an active contract, you can call the carrier up to have the phone unlocked for a $50 plus taxes.
http://support.bell.ca/Billing-and-Accounts/Security_and_privacy/My_mobile_phone_is_locked

I have to admit, a lot of my friends no longer bother with getting a US sim. Canadian carriers now offer travel packages where they can take their phones to the US and use them for $5 to $8 daily. Check with your carrier on how to sign up for the travel package.

Personally, I prefer to use a Roam Mobility SIM as I am I heavy data user when I cross the border.

 

[pampam]

So, if I bought an Iphone from Apple, and a sim card and prepaid plan from Bell, and after a while decided I didn't like Bell customer service and wanted to go to Rogers, must I purchase another Sim card from Rogers? Sorry if these seem to be dumb questions.

 

[starvenger]

So, if I bought an Iphone from Apple, and a sim card and prepaid plan from Bell, and after a while decided I didn't like Bell customer service and wanted to go to Rogers, must I purchase another Sim card from Rogers? Sorry if these seem to be dumb questions.

They are not dumb questions. To be honest, it can be confusing as heck at times.

But basically, yes. that's what you do. If you get a plan from Rogers, you would need to get a SIM from them. Also, I think the iPhone is compatible with both networks (Rogers and Bell/Telus), but it may just be a specific model.

Personally, I prefer to use a Roam Mobility SIM as I am I heavy data user when I cross the border.

I'm a data guy as well. For a trip to WDW it's not as big of an issue since there is free wifi, but for other trips (such as when I went to Hawaii last year) it made more sense just to get a SIM since I couldn't be assured of finding wifi everywhere.

 

[isabellea]

I bought my iphone SE from Apple then called Virgin and they gave me a great plan without any contract since I was bringing my own phone. When Fido was offering twice the data I had for only 1$ extra I called them and they rapidly offered me the same deal since they knew I wasn't tied to them.

 

[star72232]

So, if I bought an Iphone from Apple, and a sim card and prepaid plan from Bell, and after a while decided I didn't like Bell customer service and wanted to go to Rogers, must I purchase another Sim card from Rogers? Sorry if these seem to be dumb questions.

Yes, but the SIMs are cheap. Around $10, so it isn't a big commitment.

 

[dancin Disney style]

We only have unlocked IPhones and currently have 4 of them in our household. A phone that you purchase directly from Apple will be unlocked and will always be unlocked even if you get a plan with ANY of the carriers. There are not really any advantages to having an unlocked phone except that the phone itself is not tied to a plan or carrier in any way. I suppose to some that would be an advantage.

 

[bankr63]

One thing to be aware of is that every carrier uses different frequencies for their networks, and not every iPhone supports every frequency. So be sure that the specific model handset you are buying (for the iPhone 6 there are 4 versions) supports the carriers you expect to use. I wouldn't worry if you are buying an unlocked phone at an Apple Store in Canada (they know which ones work), but if you are buying your phone online from an offshore supplier, or even in the US, you may have less than optimal supported frequencies in Canada.

You can find the frequencies for the 4 i6 models here: https://support.apple.com/kb/sp706?locale=en_CA about 1/3 of the way down the page. A quick google of your provider will show what frequencies it owns; for instance google "rogers frequencies" and the first box shows the offered bands. Match the rogers list to the Apple list to get the right handset model.

Older phone models often had many more handset models as each generally supported less frequencies. It seems that newer phones are packing many more supported frequencies into a single handset, so this "issue" is getting less critical.

 

[kiford]

One thing we discovered a few years ago after buying unlocked phones from Apple is that, if you are in the store, just ask them for a SIM card for one of the main carriers and they'll give you one for free. No need to go to Bell and buy the card. Then just log into your Bell account and enter the SIM card number. Best part about having a unlocked phone is then you can get either prepaid cards from the US or wherever or switch your carrier at any time.

 

[pampam]

Thank you for all your quick responses. We picked up the Iphone at Apple, then shopped around for the deals. We learned about the boxing day specials, and were able to get a great deal.