Need to ask a question about getting the iPhone 5 without an upgrade available.

[artanas]

Alright so I have currently an iPhone 4S and do NOT have an upgrade available. My question is how do i go about buying the 5 then? From what I know, Apple sells "unlocked" phones at around $750 (I want the 32gig version) but wont come out on launch day. Is there a Verizon specific phone that I can get instead of an "unlocked" phone that would cost cheaper and I can get it on launch day? Or do I have to preorder it through verizon's website?

Another thing is...is there certain fee's that I would have to pay to go along with the phone if I can buy it?

[Skaterculture]

You can buy the full retail price I Phone 5 tonight through VzW. No additional fee's will be charged as you're purchasing it at full retail price.

Also if you order it online tonight you'll be able to break up the payments on it.  I believe they'll let you commit to 3 payments.

[artanas]

What if I want to buy it through apple's website? Would it still work the same way?

[Skaterculture]

Yeah you could order the Iphone 5 through Apple then activate it with VzW with no additional fee's.

As for breaking up the payments on it, not sure if Apple does that on phone pre-orders, VzW does.

Apple will probably ask you what carrier you're with to ensure the appropriate Iphone 5 is sent to you.

[artanas]

but what i dont get is through apples website according to this site

http://modmyi.com/content/8776-apple-reveals-unlocked-iphone-5-pricing.html#comments_start

The "unlocked" phones arent available on launch day. Is that what i would have to get? or can i preorder one for verizon without a contract and get it on launch day?

[Skaterculture]

If you pre-order without a contract you WILL Get it on launch day AS LONG AS you order it soon after the availability to pre-order.

No one has any clue how MANY Iphone 5's will be available...could be a "delayed shipping" nightmare depending on the supply and demand or after seeing how popular the phone it they'll have enough stock until Noon..no one knows.

If you pre-order and it goes through and you get confirmation, you will receive it ON launch day. Just like someone that ordered it as an upgrade...a phone order is a phone order...

[sfJeff]

Really Skaterculture..? Because I ordered 2 ON launch day AT 12:45am PST and elected to pay full retail price. My confirmation email shows an expected delivery date of 9/21, but the order status page on Verizon's website shows an expected date of 10/5... I hope they are wrong on the website.

[pemoe26]

"Unlocked" is not the same as buying the phone at full retail price. The "unlocked" iPhone means it can be used with other compatible-network carriers (ex: an "unlocked" AT&T iPhone can be used with a T-Mobile SIM).

Buying a phone at full price means just that - and it's still locked to that specific carrier. So, while the "unlocked" version may not be available yet, the "locked" version at full price will be.

[sfJeff]

Pernoe: I'm no expert, but this is the way I understand unlocked phones. Unlocked phones that use GSM technology can work on either T-Mobile or AT&T networks. Unlocked phones that use CDMA technology can work on either Sprint or Verizon networks. I can't tell you the difference between GSM and CDMA... I just don't really know what it is, just that AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM and Sprint and Verizon use CDMA.

That being said, I purchased (or at least ordered... my credit card has not been charged yet) 2 iPhone 5's from Verizon and opted to pay full price instead of taking the contract discount. You don't need to buy an unlocked phone to pay full price. You just have to select "month-to-month" pricing instead of "2 year contract" pricing when you buy the phone.

[sfJeff]

Oops. Meant to direct that reply to Artanas, not Pernoe.