Multi-carrier Apple SIM 'dedicated' to AT&T's network upon activation, not carried by Sprint Stores

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 46
    runbuhrunbuh Posts: 315member
    adrayven wrote: »
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Appleinsider
    "It is unclear if Sprint and T-Mobile do the same."



    It is NOT unclear..

    I have an iPad Air 2 from Apple.. I have switched between T-mobile and Sprint and back again.. They do NOT lock it if you buy it outright from Apple.

    I can understand AT&T locking it if we had some 'commitment' to hardware.. but we don't. Waiting for first Class Action against AT&T now.. 3... 2... 1...

    What are you going to sue them for? You can put in a SIM from another carrier and it will work just fine. You just can't re-use the Apple SIM with a different carrier once the Apple SIM is locked to AT&T.

    Plus, you get a warning before the SIM gets locked to AT&T.

    700
  • Reply 22 of 46
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member

    Time to file a complaint with the FTC.

     

    In the mean time, if you're going to choose AT&T, at least buy your iPad Air 2 elsewhere. Heck, even if you're not going to use T-Mobile, reward them for their freedom promoting ways by purchasing your iPad from them.

  • Reply 23 of 46
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    so the whole bit about "if you travel" you may be able to switch to a local carrier is a lie, since ATT have 'dedicated' it, in other words, irreversibly programmed it only for their own networks - which ought to be illegal. It makes it a long term commitment after all, particularly for the SIM, i.e. lifetime

    Now its just like getting an ATT branded iPad, can only be used on their network. 
    That's only partially correct; they lock the Apple SIM card only, the actual iPad remains carrier unlocked. So what this means is if you travel abroad, that Apple SIM will be useless and you'll still have to get the native carrier SIM installed, like it's always been to this point, but your iPad will still work.

    They basically made the Apple SIM redundant for many buyers hoping for this type of smart SIM though, bastards! :no:
  • Reply 24 of 46
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    runbuh wrote: »
    What are you going to sue them for? You can put in a SIM from another carrier and it will work just fine. You just can't re-use the Apple SIM with a different carrier once the Apple SIM is locked to AT&T.

    Plus, you get a warning before the SIM gets locked to AT&T.

    700
    HAHA!!! Love that tweet, John for the win!
  • Reply 25 of 46
    Typical.... Lock them in with tricks instead of quality service
  • Reply 26 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by runbuh View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RoundaboutNow View Post



    On the one hand, it looks like it is best not to purchase your iPad from a carrier store (unless perhaps if they offer a really good deal). But is the article saying that if you activate on AT&T, you are tied to their network, even if you purchased elsewhere? That's cold.


    I believe the logic is that if you activate the SIM on the AT&T network, then the SIM is locked to AT&T. You can get a SIM from another carrier and use it in the iPad in place of the now-locked-to-AT&T SIM.

     

    OK, well then I guess that's not cold, but it is definitely not cool!
  • Reply 27 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RoundaboutNow View Post

     

    But is the article saying that if you activate on AT&T, you are tied to their network, even if you purchased elsewhere? That's cold.


    No. It's saying that the SIM is tied to AT&T. The device is not locked.

     

    You can switch networks by buying another SIM.

     

    But, still, a dumbass move by AT&T.

  • Reply 28 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post



    Isn't the SIM built in, and non-swappable?

    No. Not built-in. Yes - swappable.

  • Reply 29 of 46

    The whole point of the ?SIM was that you could switch networks (presumably while traveling) without having to obtain a new sim... you could do it from the lounge at the airport (or wherever you happen to be)... not have to go find a brick-and-mortar store for the carrier you wish to use and swap SIMs.  ATT is defeating the entire purpose of the ?SIM card.

     

    It was supposed to turn carrier-switching into a software (and payment, of course) issue that could be done anywhere, anytime!

  • Reply 30 of 46
    Just bought a iPad Air 2 today in NL.

    Looks like its only the US/UK which get this Apple SIM, since it%u2019s not issued over here.

    I am so glad that I can still stick my own SIMs in.
  • Reply 31 of 46

    Darn - I was looking forward to shopping all of the Carrier plans at one time and actually having a convenient way to choose my data plan.

     

    btw - a new Apple SIM costs $5 at the Apple Store. Not sure what ATT charges for a new SIM but I will be finding out tomorrow. If they are free I will be picking up a new one daily just to piss them off. If not I have no need for ATT.

  • Reply 32 of 46
    willrobwillrob Posts: 203member
    What's the deal with Verizon? Do they require a dedicated SIM?

    Also, even if the SIM is locked to ATT, when traveling to another country can't you still buy a local SIM to use? The device isn't locked to any carrier, only the Apple SIM.
  • Reply 33 of 46
    sirozhasirozha Posts: 801member

    This is the first in a sequence of upcoming stupid moves from AT&T that will probably make me switch. If T-Mobile continues to improve its network, it will be worth switching everything to T-Mobile. I like their CEO's attitude to stop all the bullish*t and just do honest business. 

     

    AT&T knows that T-Mobile can't compete with them on the network coverage yet, and so they are doing this Apple SIM locking to screw their competitors. What they are end up doing is screwing their customers, so in the modern world of plenty of choice in the wireless carrier business, I fire those who screw with me. 

     

    Those who buy the new iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 should not use the Apple SIM if they decide to activate their iPads on AT&T. Just take out the Apple SIM and keep it for future use - especially if you want to travel internationally with it because having multiple carriers on one SIM is definitely a convenience. Demand an AT&T SIM card from AT&T. They have plenty of those and give them for free when you activate your plan with them - at least for the phones. For the tablets, they may charge you $10 or something, but in my book, it's worth this.

     

    If AT&T doesn't wise up, it's going to be seeing an exodus of customers. AT&T must be really intimidated by T-Mobile for them to devise such an elaborate scheme to try and keep their customers from switching. The end result with the completely opposite. What a bunch of morons. 

  • Reply 34 of 46
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by MagMan1979 View Post





    HAHA!!! Love that tweet, John for the win!

    Are you kidding?  I couldn't even understand what he was saying.  Was he speaking English?

  • Reply 35 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by malax View Post

     

    Are you kidding?  I couldn't even understand what he was saying.  Was he speaking English?




    yes he was speaking english - didn't seem to hard to understand

  • Reply 36 of 46
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MarkyMark7 View Post



    I think that Apple is making a super-major Microsoftian blunder by continuously trying to bend globally-used SIM cards to its will; I hope that European carriers refuse to go along with this.

     

    I think Apple would love it if it could do away with SIMs altogether and just have it so that the customer could choose whichever carrier he or she wanted whenever he or she wants simply through software. It would significantly reduce the number of separate SKUs they need to carry. The carriers had become stodgy, anyway. I'm not sure why people are opposed to the phone makers trying to get the carriers to bend a little.

  • Reply 37 of 46
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by willrob View Post



    What's the deal with Verizon? Do they require a dedicated SIM?



    Also, even if the SIM is locked to ATT, when traveling to another country can't you still buy a local SIM to use? The device isn't locked to any carrier, only the Apple SIM.

     

    Yes, Verizon requires a dedicated SIM.

     

    The whole point about the Apple SIM is that it was supposed to make it easier to choose between plans, and make it easier when traveling. For instance, I may purchase a 30-day T-Mobile plan with 3GB of data, try a Sprint plan the next month, or activate a 7-day EE plan on a trip to London, all without having to get new SIMs.

  • Reply 38 of 46
    How would everyone react to being told that when you sign up with Comcast your mouse would be locked to Comcast, and when you moved to a city that only Charter Communications was availabe you would have to buy a new mouse? It is your hardware and your property. Almost all the carriers charge $10 for a Sim card. Plus you have to go to them to get it. Is your time not worth anything? Even if you are told upfront that if you sign up with a carrier your sim will be restricted, one should not view that as being at free choice. To use your iPads cellular capability you have to enter into an agreement that reverses funtionality of the original device. But you really don't have a choice. Just because someone is doing something in the open does not mean it is legal. The carriers are counting on the basic lazy nature of people. This won't stop everyone from switching, but it will some and that is worth dollars to them. I really hope someone can form a class action lawsuit to get this stopped. Hey and the carriers can take all of the money they make selling sim cards and go buy politicians to protect them with new laws.
  • Reply 39 of 46
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    malax wrote: »
    Are you kidding?  I couldn't even understand what he was saying.  Was he speaking English?
    Guess you don't read a lot of tweets, as he used a bit of shorthand, and I was able to understand it perfectly.
  • Reply 40 of 46
    sdbryansdbryan Posts: 351member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by runbuh View Post





    What gets locked in? The SIM gets locked to AT&T, or the device gets locked to AT&T? I suspect the former. Other sites are saying the SIM gets locked. Big freakin' deal. Go get another SIM when you need to switch carriers.



    Edit: even this site clearly states that the SIM, not the device, is locked to AT&T. Reading comprehension skills are low on Friday night. Alcohol could be a factor.



    It may not be a 'Big freakin' deal' to a customer who is willing to play the sim switching game. But to the vast majority of customers this makes the carrier switching option more than just theoretical. This impulse, to extend technology beyond the devoted tech enthusiast class, has driven Apple since the introduction of the Apple ][ almost 40 years ago. Some tech enthusiasts may remain baffled what all the fuss is about this development, but the robber baron thugs are neither confused nor amused. They want as much 'friction' as possible to inhibit consumer choice. Breaking Apple's sim (and make no mistake, that is what ATT is doing) is its pushback. If it were not Apple's iPad we are talking about they might not allow the device on their network.

     

    I suppose everyone here knows this fact but it is worth recalling that there is no legitimate reason to lock the sim. The carrier provides exactly $0 to subsidize the purchase of an iPad. There is no two year contract requirement to enable a subsidized price. The irony is that ATT is the carrier that accepted Apple's terms for the iPhone and allowed it to be launched in the USA. That was the move that began to erode the veto powers of carriers that kept technical innovation from providing better technology and user experience to the customers. Now ATT is an incumbent and they brazenly break your equipment to inhibit you from enjoying the benefit of Apple's engineering effort. I hope someone, maybe the EFF, organizes a movement to boycott ATT until this vandalism is officially ended.

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