Advice on unlocked iPhone 5 from the US, in Singapore

[yosoyaki]

Hi folks,

I'll be moving to Singapore from the US at the end of the year, and am trying to figure out how to best do my cell phone set up there. Right now, I'm on an AT&T contract, and have convinced them to sell me a new iPhone 5 for $199. (Which is a funny story, btw).

The catch is, a US-purchased iPhone 5 is of course locked; but my plan is to unlock it before heading to Singapore - either unlock it myself, go through the formal AT&T process, or pay a store here to do it. Either way, I'm hoping to bring an unlocked, AT&T iPhone 5 to Singapore, and sign up for service w/ a local carrier there. Without having to pay that carrier 400 odd Singapore dollars for the phone there, since I can buy it here for just $199, in the US.

That said, my question for the group is whether anyone has successfully unlocked an iPhone 5 in the US, has successfully used it in Singapore?

I called Singtel, who claimed that as long as my iPhone 5 was unlocked, I could waltz into a store, sign up, and start using the phone.

But I wanted to double check here, and in particular, see if there might be any SIM-card related issues (i.e. I unlock the phone, but then have a problem using a Singapore SIM card, if it's at all different).

As well, apparently the AT&T iPhone 5 is an A1428 iphone 5, which is GSM. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ That same site says Singapore is also GSM, but model 1429. Might that mean I either can't use the 1428 in Singapore, or that if I can, I won't get faster/LTE speeds?

If anyone has any related experience, tips or advice, I'd definitely appreciate it!

Thanks very much,

Aki

[taxico]

if i'm not wrong, AT&T has a special iphone 5 made just for them.

as a consequence it _will_ work in singapore but you only get 3G internet (?)... or something along that line.

my wife wanted to buy an iphone from the US to use in singapore too but was advised of the above.

[zzm9980]

Yes, it will work, but no not on LTE. AT&T iPhone5 and local iPhone5 are different models, supporting different LTE bands. You'll only get normal 3G bands, which are slow as shit and spotty coverage in Singapore.

[beenthere]

The most common LTE frequencies worldwide are 1800/2600 and both of these are supported by all three Singapore carriers. ATT on the other hand supports 700/1700/2100 so as the previous posters have said you'll end up on 3G or less here.

[nakatago]

Yes, it will work, but no not on LTE. AT&T iPhone5 and local iPhone5 are different models, supporting different LTE bands.

That is news to me (didn't really look into it nor did it show up on my radar much). So much for a world phone.

[zzm9980]

Yes, it will work, but no not on LTE. AT&T iPhone5 and local iPhone5 are different models, supporting different LTE bands.

That is news to me (didn't really look into it nor did it show up on my radar much). So much for a world phone.

Yeah. welcome to LTE fragmentation. From what I understand, there isn't really any decent "world" LTE phone yet. I think Note2 might be, but that would be due to it's size allowing more chips and battery.

[yosoyaki]

Thanks, all, this is super helpful.

I'll def. wait until getting there to buy the phone then, it'd be good to avoid to get the extra speed with a Singapore phone.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it!

[nakatago]

Yes, it will work, but no not on LTE. AT&T iPhone5 and local iPhone5 are different models, supporting different LTE bands.

That is news to me (didn't really look into it nor did it show up on my radar much). So much for a world phone.

Yeah. welcome to LTE fragmentation. From what I understand, there isn't really any decent "world" LTE phone yet. I think Note2 might be, but that would be due to it's size allowing more chips and battery.

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy. Also, it's in the news that the Nexus 4's "dormant" LTE chip works...only in AWS (e.g. Canuckistan, aka "not the US"), so no big red for you's.

But you want THE prime example of fragmentation? Why can't the world agree on the shape of their electrical plugs?

[andrealeong4]

I moved here from states as well a couple of months ago. Ever if u do get ur iphone unlocked, the day u update itl be game over.
My advice for u is to buy a new phone once you come here.

[taxico]

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy...

why you so like that. amerikaa #1 okay.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/usa-1-40-embarrassing-things-that-america-is-the-best-in-the-world-at

[nakatago]

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy...

why you so like that. amerikaa #1 okay.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/usa-1-40-embarrassing-things-that-america-is-the-best-in-the-world-at

'murika is the best in the wurld!

[andrealeong4]

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy...

why you so like that. amerikaa #1 okay.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/usa-1-40-embarrassing-things-that-america-is-the-best-in-the-world-at

Agree with you, America all the way.

[sundaymorningstaple]

[x9200]

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy...

why you so like that. amerikaa #1 okay.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/usa-1-40-embarrassing-things-that-america-is-the-best-in-the-world-at

Very manipulative list.

[zzm9980]

That is why you Americans can't have nice things. Even your GSM is screwy...

why you so like that. amerikaa #1 okay.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/usa-1-40-embarrassing-things-that-america-is-the-best-in-the-world-at

Very manipulative list.

Agreed. Biased and lack of citations with obvious agenda.

I was going to link to a dozen or so "America F-ck Yeah!" jpgs, but im lazy.