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Alveezy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 6, 2011
207
0
Hawaii
So i got my Verizon iPhone 5 replaced due to a faulty Sleep/Wake button. I got it on release day and after about 5 weeks, the Sleep/Wake button stopped working and i have to press it a certain way for it to function. I went ahead at the genius bar and showed them the issue and got a replacement iPhone 5. when i put my sim on the replacement phone...i went to the process of putting in my info and i came about the activation section. it asked what carrier i wanted to use it on. i thought it was weird, so i just picked verizon. it then said that it was going to be locked to that carrier only. i then asked the genius bar if all the CDMA model of the iPhone 5 especially the verizon iPhone 5, if they were unlocked? she said "they're made to only work for Verizon and it doesn't come unlocked". i then replied with "there's a million articles about the Verizon iPhone 5 being unlocked straight out of the box" she then said "well they must doing it illegally". it was really awkward after that, and the phone still bothered me a little because of that activation thingy. i stumbled upon this article on iDownloadBlog on how to check if your phone is factory unlocked. i went to that website imei.info to check the status of my device...it pulled up the right info but when i went ahead to check to see if the phone was unlocked, sadly it said "Locked". can anyone confirm this? i still haven't tried putting in a different sim because i have no access to another micro sim. i'll gladly buy a t-mobile pre-paid sim but they don't have the mircro-sims at my local retailer yet.
 

Newbie MacUser

macrumors member
Jun 22, 2012
77
0
So i got my Verizon iPhone 5 replaced due to a faulty Sleep/Wake button. I got it on release day and after about 5 weeks, the Sleep/Wake button stopped working and i have to press it a certain way for it to function. I went ahead at the genius bar and showed them the issue and got a replacement iPhone 5. when i put my sim on the replacement phone...i went to the process of putting in my info and i came about the activation section. it asked what carrier i wanted to use it on. i thought it was weird, so i just picked verizon. it then said that it was going to be locked to that carrier only. i then asked the genius bar if all the CDMA model of the iPhone 5 especially the verizon iPhone 5, if they were unlocked? she said "they're made to only work for Verizon and it doesn't come unlocked". i then replied with "there's a million articles about the Verizon iPhone 5 being unlocked straight out of the box" she then said "well they must doing it illegally". it was really awkward after that, and the phone still bothered me a little because of that activation thingy. i stumbled upon this article on iDownloadBlog on how to check if your phone is factory unlocked. i went to that website imei.info to check the status of my device...it pulled up the right info but when i went ahead to check to see if the phone was unlocked, sadly it said "Locked". can anyone confirm this? i still haven't tried putting in a different sim because i have no access to another micro sim. i'll gladly buy a t-mobile pre-paid sim but they don't have the mircro-sims at my local retailer yet.

Apple Genius Don't KNOW a damned thing! Whenever I go to an Apple Store to ask questions about a device or a service it turns out I know more than they do and I don't even work there. I know they aren't allowed to comment on rumors but you are right there is no way the verizon iPhone 5 cannot have it's GSM capability locked to a carrier. The CDMA doesn't really matter because 90% of the world uses CDMA. The only issue with getting the Verizon A1429 model is that you won't be able to simultaneously talk while using data service/apps/maps/other data consuming services on the phone. That is the trade off you get for getting the Verizon one, even though you do have the Global LTE capability because it is compatible with all the major 4G LTE bands.
 

Charadis

macrumors 65816
Jul 3, 2010
1,003
209
The only issue with getting the Verizon A1429 model is that you won't be able to simultaneously talk while using data service/apps/maps/other data consuming services on the phone. That is the trade off you get for getting the Verizon one, even though you do have the Global LTE capability because it is compatible with all the major 4G LTE bands.

Actually, the Verizon iPhone 5 can do simultaneous voice plus data if on AT&T, and probably other gsm networks. I'm using a Verizon iPhone with my AT&T account, and the only thing it can't do is LTE on AT&T.

It also comes unlocked out of the box. Sent from my iPhone 5.
 

Alveezy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 6, 2011
207
0
Hawaii
So you believed what a misinformed rep told you but not what verizon announced about the verizon i5 being unlocked cause of the FCC deal about LTE spectrum.

even Verizon Customer Service denied it when i asked them about it being unlocked out of the box...it's ridiculous. i just don't get why it would come up as "Locked" on an IMEI checker if it's really Unlocked out of the box.
 

Arisian

macrumors 68000
Sep 14, 2007
1,546
1
China
Exact same situation here.

1) Replace Verizon iPhone because of faulty battery glue
2) Worried new one is locked

** I've read that those IMEI checkers dont work and read everything as being locked. Not sure...
 

Jtludwig

macrumors 6502
Mar 24, 2012
419
310
Exact same situation here.

1) Replace Verizon iPhone because of faulty battery glue
2) Worried new one is locked

** I've read that those IMEI checkers dont work and read everything as being locked. Not sure...

If you guys don't even have any sims from other carriers to try, then why do you care if it's locked or not? You're obviously not using it because its unlocked?
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
even Verizon Customer Service denied it when i asked them about it being unlocked out of the box...it's ridiculous. i just don't get why it would come up as "Locked" on an IMEI checker if it's really Unlocked out of the box.

Its 10000% unlocked for GSM use.
Dont trust any of those IMEI check sites. Most of them are wrong.
 

Newbie MacUser

macrumors member
Jun 22, 2012
77
0
Its 10000% unlocked for GSM use.
Dont trust any of those IMEI check sites. Most of them are wrong.

Ditto.....I think they are ALL Wrong!

----------

Actually, the Verizon iPhone 5 can do simultaneous voice plus data if on AT&T, and probably other gsm networks. I'm using a Verizon iPhone with my AT&T account, and the only thing it can't do is LTE on AT&T.

It also comes unlocked out of the box. Sent from my iPhone 5.

So, I guess even the verizon one isn't totally LTE compatible, if it can't connect to AT&T's LTE network? That kinda doesn't make much sense to me because, then for someone who travels sporadically out of the country getting the Verizon one doesn't make much sense if they have AT&T here in the U.S. Only if you spend lets say more than 40% of your time out of this country would having 4G LTE throughout the world EXCEPT in the U.S. What about T- mobile? Anyone tried 4G LTE with that service?
 

Cebuano1976

macrumors regular
Oct 11, 2012
137
0
Verrado, Buckeye, Arizona
For those who are constantly wondering if their iPhone 5's unlocked, here's to check for $0.39.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1?tag=dealnewscom&ie=UTF8&smid=A3509C3JXQLA43

----------

Wrong. Not all of Verizon LTE phones are unlocked. Don't believe those rumors. In fact, the droid Razr M is not unlocked.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/25/3405610/verizon-iphone-5-unlocked-open-access-fcc

All iPhone 5 for Verizon are.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/24/verizon-iphone-5-wont-ever-be-locked-most-likely-due-to-the-fcc/
 

darster

Suspended
Aug 25, 2011
1,703
1
For those who are constantly wondering if their iPhone 5's unlocked, here's to check for $0.39.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1?tag=dealnewscom&ie=UTF8&smid=A3509C3JXQLA43

----------



All iPhone 5 for Verizon are.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/09/24/verizon-iphone-5-wont-ever-be-locked-most-likely-due-to-the-fcc/

Verizon doesn't care. They locked the Razr M which is an LTE phone. The fines they would receive are extremely small. And thanks to a new ruling, new phones after 2013 can be prevented from being jailbroken in US.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/DMCA-Gets-Dumber-Smartphone-JailBreaking-Illegal-in-2013-121800
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.

darster

Suspended
Aug 25, 2011
1,703
1
I was talking about all verizon iphone 5 models.
Who said anothing about droids or any of that?
Verizon itself announced it that all verizon iphone 5's are gsm unlocked out of the box even for US domestic use.

I'm not denying that they are unlocked, it's just not that they are required because the law is so vague. Verizon at any time, could change their minds.
 

Alveezy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 6, 2011
207
0
Hawaii
Since T-Mobile now has Micro Sims available for purchase on their website...I'm gonna get one on my next paycheck to test it out. It's really weird because when i got the iPhone 5 on release day, I activated it via my landline phone. As i was going through the set up...It didn't have the "Choose Carrier" and "If you Choose this, Your Phone will be locked to this carrier". It only did that with the replacement phone after i popped in my sim card from the previous iPhone 5.

I just ran Tiny Umbrella to save my 6.0.1 blobs(just in case & i missed the 6.0 window) and this showed up.
zv1smu.png


hmm "iPhone5_World"...hopefully it's none of that stupid CDMA roam thingy that verizon's making you pay for when you go abroad but an actual "World Phone" that you can use on any carrier.
 

tymaster50

Suspended
Oct 3, 2012
2,833
58
Oregon
Apple Genius Don't KNOW a damned thing! Whenever I go to an Apple Store to ask questions about a device or a service it turns out I know more than they do and I don't even work there. I know they aren't allowed to comment on rumors but you are right there is no way the verizon iPhone 5 cannot have it's GSM capability locked to a carrier. The CDMA doesn't really matter because 90% of the world uses CDMA. The only issue with getting the Verizon A1429 model is that you won't be able to simultaneously talk while using data service/apps/maps/other data consuming services on the phone. That is the trade off you get for getting the Verizon one, even though you do have the Global LTE capability because it is compatible with all the major 4G LTE bands.
I thought the rest of the world used GSM
 

Arisian

macrumors 68000
Sep 14, 2007
1,546
1
China
See my previous post(s) for back story.

Nonetheless, my iPhone5 replacement (Which is different in every way) was 'locked to Verizon' but I checked it yesterday, works on every sim I threw at it.

Fear not replacing your Verizon iPhones and having them locked - assuming it's a replacement from apple.

Thanks,
B
 

BFizzzle

macrumors 68020
May 31, 2010
2,443
0
Austin TX
Since T-Mobile now has Micro Sims available for purchase on their website...I'm gonna get one on my next paycheck to test it out. It's really weird because when i got the iPhone 5 on release day, I activated it via my landline phone. As i was going through the set up...It didn't have the "Choose Carrier" and "If you Choose this, Your Phone will be locked to this carrier". It only did that with the replacement phone after i popped in my sim card from the previous iPhone 5.

I just ran Tiny Umbrella to save my 6.0.1 blobs(just in case & i missed the 6.0 window) and this showed up.
Image

hmm "iPhone5_World"...hopefully it's none of that stupid CDMA roam thingy that verizon's making you pay for when you go abroad but an actual "World Phone" that you can use on any carrier.

well you did miss the 6.0 window... ;) hence it saved the 6.0.1
 
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