Buying used Verizon iPhone 5 for use on AT&T

MisterLas · Jan 18, 2013

Hello,

I'm looking at buying a Verizon iPhone 5 to use on AT&T. I want to make sure the seller (craigslist) won't report the phone as lost/stolen to Verizon somehow after I buy the phone. From what I am reading:

1. It would still be GSM unlocked (would work fine for me)
2. It's ESN would be blocked from Verzion (maybe them only?).

I am only concerned because I don't want to hose the resale value of the phone if/when I decide to sell it in the future.

Is there a way I can protect myself from this happening? TIA

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

MisterLas said:
Hello,

I'm looking at buying a Verizon iPhone 5 to use on AT&T. I want to make sure the seller (craigslist) won't report the phone as lost/stolen to Verizon somehow after I buy the phone. From what I am reading:

1. It would still be GSM unlocked (would work fine for me)
2. It's ESN would be blocked from Verzion (maybe them only?).

I am only concerned because I don't want to hose the resale value of the phone if/when I decide to sell it in the future.

Is there a way I can protect myself from this happening? TIA

AFAIK verizion ip5 are factory unlocked so yes u can use it for ATT

now when it comes to ESN block, i don't think u will need that because you're using ICCID anyways (SIM CARD) for ATT. i think...

MisterLas · Jan 18, 2013

Appl3FTW said:
AFAIK verizion ip5 are factory unlocked so yes u can use it for ATT

now when it comes to ESN block, i don't think u will need that because you're using ICCID anyways (SIM CARD) for ATT. i think...

Yes, I understand that... But I want to make sure it DOESNT get blocked from Verizon as well... I might want to switch to them in the future, who knows... It would also reduce the resale value of the phone if the CDMA side was blocked.

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

iono man beats me... i don't do verizon

fireshot91 · Jan 18, 2013

As far as I know, the LTE won't work. And even then, I thought Verizon's iPhones, after being unlocked, don't work for AT&T, but every other carrier?

Why not just buy an AT&T iPhone?

cheezeit · Jan 18, 2013

Meet in a Verizon store.... That way they can verify it isn't stolen then have them take it off their account (if they haven't already) after that they can't report it if its not on their account.

----------

Using an Verizon iphone in att will allow you to not pay for data or let you run the $10 dumbphone data

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

fireshot91 said:
As far as I know, the LTE won't work. And even then, I thought Verizon's iPhones, after being unlocked, don't work for AT&T, but every other carrier?

Why not just buy an AT&T iPhone?

if its unlocked... then it is what it is, unlocked to use to other GSM carriers.

MisterLas · Jan 18, 2013

fireshot91 said:
As far as I know, the LTE won't work. And even then, I thought Verizon's iPhones, after being unlocked, don't work for AT&T, but every other carrier?

Why not just buy an AT&T iPhone?

Sorry, meant to add that I know the LTE wont work either... I live in WV, we won't see that for another 30 years anyways. I am under contract with ATT and no upgrade for awhile. People are selling their Verizon iPhone 5s, but nobody on ATT is here.

Meet in a Verizon store.... That way they can verify it isn't stolen then have them take it off their account (if they haven't already) after that they can't report it if its not on their account.

----------

Using an Verizon iphone in att will allow you to not pay for data or let you run the $10 dumbphone data

Nice. Thanks for the reply on that. Have you tried this? Waiting on Verizon to open to confirm they will do this for me (seeing that I am not a Verizon customer).

davidnyjets · Jan 18, 2013

I'm pretty sure it can be used on AT&T's network. What I want to know is if you can use HSPA+ 4G and LTE. Anyone know for sure?

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

davidnyjets said:
I'm pretty sure it can be used on AT&T's network. What I want to know is if you can use HSPA+ 4G and LTE. Anyone know for sure?

i think it will only run 4G HSPA+ since verizon LTE is on a different frequency as ATT LTE, so NO... the only matching LTE (when it comes this year) is tmobile and ATT.

Dwalls90 · Jan 18, 2013

It will only run on 4G, not LTE, and it won't be locked or disabled on Verizon's network.

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

this is unless you buy a factory UNLOCK iPhone from Apple.

davidnyjets · Jan 18, 2013

Appl3FTW said:
i think it will only run 4G HSPA+ since verizon LTE is on a different frequency as ATT LTE, so NO... the only matching LTE (when it comes this year) is tmobile and ATT.

So in terms of speed, it is basically equivalent to the 4S? (cellular of course, not processing, etc.)

Thanks.

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

davidnyjets said:
So in terms of speed, it is basically equivalent to the 4S? (cellular of course, not processing, etc.)

Thanks.

in paper, yes and no...
yes because they are both running 4G frequency but it also depends on your provider 4G speed in your area.

no because ip5 has a faster internal specs like processor and ram it will process slightly faster performance wise than iphone 4s

scaredpoet · Jan 18, 2013

Appl3FTW said:
if its unlocked... then it is what it is, unlocked to use to other GSM carriers.

Actually, there are varying degrees of "unlocked." Verizon, from what I understand, "unlocks" their phones only for GSM carriers outside of North America. So, you can take your Verizon iPhone 5 to Europe and use it on a GSM carrier, but not on AT&T or T-Mobile US.

Sprint does the same thing. You can ask to unlock an iPhone on their network, but they will only unlock for international travel.

The OP needs to be very careful. I don't think he'll be able to do what he wants to do here, because that Verizon iPhone 5 might not work on AT&T like he expects it to.

Appl3FTW · Jan 18, 2013

scaredpoet said:
Actually, there are varying degrees of "unlocked." Verizon, from what I understand, "unlocks" their phones only for GSM carriers outside of North America. So, you can take your Verizon iPhone 5 to Europe and use it on a GSM carrier, but not on AT&T or T-Mobile US.

Sprint does the same thing. You can ask to unlock an iPhone on their network, but they will only unlock for international travel.

The OP needs to be very careful. I don't think he'll be able to do what he wants to do here, because that Verizon iPhone 5 might not work on AT&T like he expects it to.

well if it's the verizon ip5 that was released here... those were verified that they work on Att/Tmobile. so yea they work.

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