Buying a Verizon iPhone 5 without a plan?

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
Is there a way to buy a brand new unlocked Verizon iPhone 5, but without signing up for any kind of plan, not even the month to month?
 

postmortemIA

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2006
7,721
40
91
nope, their pay-as-your go plans are not for smartphones, only for dumbphones. smartphone - need to pay up for a month flat-free to get 2GB of data or such plus voice and texts
source: i have pay-as-you go account with them
 

Chocu1a

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2009
1,386
79
91
Why can't you just walk into a store & buy one? Just tell them it is a gift for a relative.
 

crashtestdummy

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,893
0
0
It doesn't look like this needs a plan. Am I missing something? Not sure what you'd be doing with it without a plan, though.
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
Yeah, basically. I want to get an unlocked Verizon iPhone 5s so that I can use it on different carriers. The Verizon version also has additional hardware that supports more carriers worldwide.
 

bearxor

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2001
6,605
3
81
The Verizon version also has additional hardware that supports more carriers worldwide.

No it doesn't. The GSM and CDMA versions are both A1533. The A1453 version sold on Sprint adds support for 800mhz LTE.

But the TMobile/Verizon/AT&T iPhone 5S are the exact same device, except the CDMA radio isn't provisioned in the GSM firmware.

I'd suspect you could just walk in to any store and just buy one, but I think a VZW store might give you a hard time, wanting to attach it to a number. You could also go to the Apple store and buy an unlocked version as well, but you wouldn't be able to use it on Verizon.
 

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
9,380
26
101
I'm going to be extremely surprised if he could buy a full price Verizon phone by going into a Verizon store without attaching it to a Verizon account. I tried doing something similar with AT&T and it took me three trips to two stores involving at least five different AT&T employees until finally one gave it to me.

Amazon or any other online stores, probably fine, but Verizon stores I wouldn't bet on it
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
No it doesn't. The GSM and CDMA versions are both A1533. The A1453 version sold on Sprint adds support for 800mhz LTE.

But the TMobile/Verizon/AT&T iPhone 5S are the exact same device, except the CDMA radio isn't provisioned in the GSM firmware.

I'd suspect you could just walk in to any store and just buy one, but I think a VZW store might give you a hard time, wanting to attach it to a number. You could also go to the Apple store and buy an unlocked version as well, but you wouldn't be able to use it on Verizon.

Is it possible to provision CDMA radio?
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
I'm going to be extremely surprised if he could buy a full price Verizon phone by going into a Verizon store without attaching it to a Verizon account. I tried doing something similar with AT&T and it took me three trips to two stores involving at least five different AT&T employees until finally one gave it to me.

Amazon or any other online stores, probably fine, but Verizon stores I wouldn't bet on it

I tried. No go.

I can't get one from the Apple website either. They require a Verizon contract plan to purchase online.
 
Feb 19, 2001
20,155
23
81
No it doesn't. The GSM and CDMA versions are both A1533. The A1453 version sold on Sprint adds support for 800mhz LTE.

But the TMobile/Verizon/AT&T iPhone 5S are the exact same device, except the CDMA radio isn't provisioned in the GSM firmware.

I'd suspect you could just walk in to any store and just buy one, but I think a VZW store might give you a hard time, wanting to attach it to a number. You could also go to the Apple store and buy an unlocked version as well, but you wouldn't be able to use it on Verizon.
He asked for the iPhone 5 though. If it's 5S you're correct, but the 5 has a separate AT&T (A1428) and Verizon/Sprint model (A1429). But you're probably right because they don't sell the 5 anymore :) so it must mean he's talking about the 5c/5s
 

ImDonly1

Platinum Member
Dec 17, 2004
2,357
0
76
It doesn't look like this needs a plan. Am I missing something? Not sure what you'd be doing with it without a plan, though.

It is not actually sold by Amazon wireless, but a 3rd party. Same thing as buying one on ebay or swappa.

No one said he can't buy a used one from a third party, just that he can't buy one from a verizon store/website.
 

Kelvinz

Member
Dec 7, 2013
93
0
0
I'm going to be extremely surprised if he could buy a full price Verizon phone by going into a Verizon store without attaching it to a Verizon account. I tried doing something similar with AT&T and it took me three trips to two stores involving at least five different AT&T employees until finally one gave it to me.

Amazon or any other online stores, probably fine, but Verizon stores I wouldn't bet on it

I doubt that would work on Verizon. You need an account to buy a phone...