-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: Which is the most hair-raising South African mountain pass you've driven?
buying an iphone in the us
- Thread starter saaj02
- Start date
Pho3nix
The Legend
Just be aware your SP needs to support eSims or you’ll be stuck with a phone you can’t use
airborne
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2007
- Messages
- 28,526
- Reaction score
- 14,810
Do no US iPhones have sim slots?
itareanlnotani
Executive Member
Diff frequencies used in the states than here (bands). Be careful.
Make sure your intended network supports whatever bands they use on the device you buy.
Make sure your intended network supports whatever bands they use on the device you buy.
SauRoNZA
Honorary Master
No longer the case. They are all global bands for a long while now.
The problem is since the iPhone 14 there’s no longer a SIM slot.
SauRoNZA
Honorary Master
Not since the iPhone 14 no.
airborne
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2007
- Messages
- 28,526
- Reaction score
- 14,810
But that’s not a Us specific thing or is it?
Please dumb it down for me me
how do i check this?
Ask them for an unlocked iPhone or an iPhone on T-mobile. Some of the AT&T/Verizon ones are network locked due to a contract between Apple and AT&T and Verizon.
I've bought a few phones in the US. Just tell them at the Apple Store you're taking it back home and they will give you the right one.
From Apple's website:
"Yes. An iPhone purchased from apple.com is unlocked. Once your new iPhone is activated, it remains unlocked, which means you can use it with any network that provides service for iPhone. The exception is when you buy an iPhone with an AT&T Installment Plan. It will be locked to AT&T and will only work on the AT&T network for the term of your Installment Plan agreement."
The only thing I have not checked: Unfortunately dodgy and criminal business dealings are common in South Africa and I would not put it past MTN, Vodacom etc to refuse to eSim a phone they didn't sell (or that came through their corrupt supplier Core Group). So I would check that first to be 100% sure.
I've bought a few phones in the US. Just tell them at the Apple Store you're taking it back home and they will give you the right one.
From Apple's website:
"Yes. An iPhone purchased from apple.com is unlocked. Once your new iPhone is activated, it remains unlocked, which means you can use it with any network that provides service for iPhone. The exception is when you buy an iPhone with an AT&T Installment Plan. It will be locked to AT&T and will only work on the AT&T network for the term of your Installment Plan agreement."
The only thing I have not checked: Unfortunately dodgy and criminal business dealings are common in South Africa and I would not put it past MTN, Vodacom etc to refuse to eSim a phone they didn't sell (or that came through their corrupt supplier Core Group). So I would check that first to be 100% sure.
This doesn't apply anymore, all iPhones are full-band for a while now:
See here: https://www.apple.com/iphone/cellular/
Can you bring me with AirPods please it’s cheaper there I’d pay you
The Voice
Honorary Master
iPhone 14s don’t have a SIM try.
SauRoNZA
Honorary Master
Mostly US and a few others.
SauRoNZA
Honorary Master
U.S.A iPhone 14’s don’t have a Sim tray.
The Voice
Honorary Master
He’s buying it from the US.
itareanlnotani
Executive Member
Watch Out: With iPhone 13, There Are Now 5 Different iPhone Models by Country
Apple has always had different global models of the iPhone, but now there are more than ever.
and another for the 14 https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/which-iphone-models-have-5g/ which goes into differences in 5g support
So, not quite true, but better than it was, and you shouldn't see an issue here, at least in the 4G range on most providers. 5g may be an issue on some providers in some cell tower areas (potentially) though.
Last edited:
itareanlnotani
Executive Member
And they'd be within their rights to, as no ICASA sticker. (unfortunately)
ICASA assesses the device.
The devices are identical and manufactured in the same place. Literally the only difference is where you buy it and protecting supply chains - absolutely nothing else
Just tell them at the shop you’ll be using it outside of US. They know what to give you. I’ve bought a few iPhones in the US and never had to check. Once they know you’re not a local they’ll always default to the unlocked LTE/5G devices.
The problem I don’t know is whether your eSim can be activated here. And our networks are shooting themselves in the foot because it’s becoming cheaper to roam data in South Africa from international providers. One day I’m going to just get an eSim from a global travel provider (or 3, you can even chop and change them when cheaper) and use that and they can go fly a kite. The only thing you won’t have is voice and I won’t miss that even a little bit lol.
PS - if RAIN got on the bandwagon and allowed eSim regardless of device they would be coining it lol.
Last edited: