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I think this iPhone is


  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .

newport123

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
23
0
1)purchased iphone from craigslist was told its a verizon version by the seller
2)popped in sim and it said its not a valid sim. i am thinking this is a sprint phone and i was tricked. Phone does show the bars but says can not be activated due to incompatible sim.
Phone is still not activated and i can not even mavigate to the home screen tried connecting with itunes etc
3)call apple and they confirm this is a sprint phone
4) call up sprint provide seriel number and imei and they say its not a sprint phone and they didnt mention if its stolen or reported stolen. I had asked this in bold in my email to sprint

So now i have a iphone 5 which i can nto activate . Its locked and lying as a paper weight

In the mean time i buy a AIR update to new os install itunes 8 etc etc
i decide to connect the iphone 5 just for fun and boom it says syncing and shows me the home screen. I am happy I do a quick song and dance sequence with 5 yo mama jokes. JK

Now when i go to general about i am super confused
Carrier says AT&T 13.0
Model is MD657LL (This is a sprint model number)
So which iphone 5 is this Friends ???????
:apple:

Model Number is A1429
http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
 

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jent

macrumors 6502a
Mar 31, 2010
892
567
Did you pop in an AT&T SIM?

Verizon and Sprint iPhones can be unlocked internationally but not domestically, meaning the GSM radio in CDMA iPhones can be unlocked for use with any non-American GSM carrier.
 

newport123

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
23
0
Did you pop in an AT&T SIM?

Verizon and Sprint iPhones can be unlocked internationally but not domestically, meaning the GSM radio in CDMA iPhones can be unlocked for use with any non-American GSM carrier.
With ATT sim it said not compatible sim etc etc
but it was showing me bars on the top left
 

617aircav

Suspended
Jul 2, 2012
3,975
818
I am amazed at how people bu phones on Craigslist and do no check to see if the phone is working.
 

jent

macrumors 6502a
Mar 31, 2010
892
567
That number is either for sprint or verizon is a CDMA phone
Sprint and Verizon's unlocking policy keep the domestic GSM carriers locked out, so that will not work with any U.S. GSM carrier.
 

Jtludwig

macrumors 6502
Mar 24, 2012
419
310
Sprint and Verizon's unlocking policy keep the domestic GSM carriers locked out, so that will not work with any U.S. GSM carrier.

Please stop posting incorrect information.

While the Sprint Iphone 5 is locked, the Verizon version is GSM unlocked out of the box for any GSM carrier worldwide, including the USA.
 

darster

Suspended
Aug 25, 2011
1,703
1
Sprint and Verizon's unlocking policy keep the domestic GSM carriers locked out, so that will not work with any U.S. GSM carrier.

Verizon phone works with T mobile and smart talk. So much for your knowledge.

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To OP, you have a Sprint phone. This is exactly what happens with the sprint iphone 5 when trying to activate AT&T sim. If you had Verizon iphone 5, it would have worked. AT&T gsm network will work with the verizon phone, but you will not get LTE. With Sprint phone, nothing from AT&T will work unless you get Sprint to unlock the phone.
 

deannnnn

macrumors 68020
Jun 4, 2007
2,090
625
New York City & South Florida
You definitely have a CDMA phone, it is not an AT&T phone. You need to call Verizon to activate it, you can't just put a SIM card in and expect anything to happen. It wouldn't work with an AT&T SIM because it's locked to a CDMA network (either Sprint or Verizon) which is preventing it from connecting to AT&T.
 
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