Verizon iPhone 5 Confirmed to Be Unlocked on GSM 3G Networks

MacRumors · Sep 21, 2012, 02:42 PM

iDownloadBlog has confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 5 being sold on contract does arrive unlocked for use on GSM networks, allowing users with a nano-SIM or a trimmed micro-SIM from a GSM carrier such as AT&T to use the device on their networks.

Quote:

I can confirm that the Verizon iPhone 5 is indeed GSM unlocked. Even though I bought an iPhone 5 from Verizon under contract, I was able to cut down my AT&T Micro SIM, and use it in my Verizon iPhone 5 to pick up an AT&T signal. By doing so, I was able to hop onto AT&T's HPSA+ network, or "4G" as they so ridiculously name it.

As the report notes, users attempting to use a Verizon iPhone 5 on AT&T in the United States will not have access to AT&T's LTE network, due to hardware differences that leave the Verizon iPhone 5 (which is essentially a single CDMA/GSM world-mode phone for 3G purposes) incompatible with LTE frequency bands 4 and 17 used by AT&T and Canadian carriers.

For other international GSM carriers, Verizon iPhone 5 owners should simply be able to obtain a nano-SIM card from the international carrier and use it in their phone.

Article Link: Verizon iPhone 5 Confirmed to Be Unlocked on GSM 3G Networks

jessica. · Sep 21, 2012, 02:44 PM

Correct me if I am wrong but this is awesome!

gotluck · Sep 21, 2012, 02:45 PM

this is surprising. it would be simply insane if it had the appropriate bands for att lte and remained unlocked - too good to be true!

regardless, this is still good! especially for the secondary / prepaid market - more compatible phones for straight talk and the like..

WatchTheThrone · Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM

That's the way it should have always been!! You're still under contract anyway which means you'll still have to pay your monthly bill even if you wanna use any other sim.

iParis · Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM

Soooo that's including T-Mobile? I'm sure this will help with resell value!

herocero · Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM

that would have been useful information to have before i pre-ordered. bummer.

MOKHAN · Sep 21, 2012, 02:49 PM

That's amazing, no more having to wait till the end of your term!

britboyj · Sep 21, 2012, 02:49 PM

That's awesome. Don't even need to call for a SIM Unlock when I travel? Verizon looks better and better.

Holding off until we figure out whether the house we buy has U-Verse or FiOS. The discount AT&T U-Verse gives for bundling your phone with them is like $50 a month for the package we want! That's like free Internet!

yhtomitn64 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:50 PM

I used my Mom's upgrade who is on another account. I was under the impression I could just bring the phone to the Verizon store and activate it on my account. She was up for renewal and I wasn't so I used her upgrade and paid for the phone. When I brought it to the store they said I'm not up for renewal so I won't be able to use the phone on my account.

Is there a way I can get the phone on my account? I'm going to give her my 4S and I've already signed her up for a data plan on her account.

Any ideas? Can I cut down the SIM card from my 4S and stick it in the Iphone 5 and have it be on my account?

jav6454 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:51 PM

Now the question is, which signal takes dominance? The Verizon CDMA signal or the AT&T GSM signal when a Verizon activated (and in service) iPhone 5 is fed an AT&T nano-SIM.

Or does the iPhone let you select which carrier? I hunk this last statement is mostly true.

ace198 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yhtomitn64

I used my Mom's upgrade who is on another account. I was under the impression I could just bring the phone to the Verizon store and activate it on my account. She was up for renewal and I wasn't so I used her upgrade and paid for the phone. When I brought it to the store they said I'm not up for renewal so I won't be able to use the phone on my account.

Is there a way I can get the phone on my account? I'm going to give her my 4S and I've already signed her up for a data plan on her account.

Any ideas? Can I cut down the SIM card from my 4S and stick it in the Iphone 5 and have it be on my account?

Call Verizon on the phone and they'll help you. Just make sure to activate the iPhone 5 on her account first. After that, you should be good to go on your account.

Yes, you can cut down the SIM but I wouldn't recommend that. Verizon should give a nano SIM for free.

Mad Mac Maniac · Sep 21, 2012, 02:51 PM

Finally!! Verizon users can talk and surf at the same time!!

rnizlek · Sep 21, 2012, 02:53 PM

Nice for VZW customers. I almost jumped ship to have the ability to unlock when I went abroad. Definitely a selling point for them. Wish AT&T would offer something like this - I'd even agree to pay a higher ETF for it.

mossme89 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:54 PM

Any news on the AT&T variant? Is it unlocked also?

yhtomitn64 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Mac Maniac

Finally!! Verizon users can talk and surf at the same time!!

I thought on Verizon that you won't be able to do this. Has this changed?

jcw5002 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:55 PM

This is so awesome!!

yhtomitn64 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ace198

Call Verizon on the phone and they'll help you. Just make sure to activate the iPhone 5 on her account first. After that, you should be good to go on your account.

Yes, you can cut down the SIM but I wouldn't recommend that. Verizon should give a nano SIM for free.

Thanks for the quick reply. We are completely different accounts. Not the same line on the same account but different accounts under different names. The Verizon store said I won't be able to do this but I was hoping there was some loophole or something. I'm going to give Verizon a call this evening when I have more time. Thanks again for the reply. Much appreciated.

realeric · Sep 21, 2012, 02:57 PM

Screw AT&T.......

jtp098 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad mac maniac

finally!! Verizon users can talk and surf at the same time!!

hhahahhahha rofl

Roessnakhan · Sep 21, 2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yhtomitn64

I thought on Verizon that you won't be able to do this. Has this changed?

You didn't get the joke.

OrangeSVTguy · Sep 21, 2012, 02:58 PM

Cool my buddy is selling his verizon iPhone 5 and I can use it on AT&T. Guess I'll just buy it

Added:
Isn't this what happened before and then the phone providers locked it once they got word? Thinking it was Sprint maybe?

yhtomitn64 · Sep 21, 2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roessnakhan

You didn't get the joke.

Ha ha you are right. Got it now. Ha ha. I'm dumb and posted too quick.

Beezzy · Sep 21, 2012, 02:59 PM

This is awesome!!!

samiwas · Sep 21, 2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yhtomitn64

I thought on Verizon that you won't be able to do this. Has this changed?

I think it was a joke. As in, Verizon users can now put in an AT&T SIM and talk and surf at the same time.

EDIT: never mind, I see that 5 more posts were made while I was typing this explaining it! :P

macUser2007 · Sep 21, 2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iParis

Soooo that's including T-Mobile? I'm sure this will help with resell value!

Nope, you have to buy the AT&T model in order to use the iPhone 5 on T-Mobile's LTE network.

It's beyond me why anyone goes with Verizon or AT&T. Both offer the same service as T-Mobile or Virgin, at almost double the price.

But hey, you get a subsidized phone....

Sep 21, 2012, 02:44 PM	#2
jessica. macrumors Nehalem Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wrong girl from the right side of the tracks	Correct me if I am wrong but this is awesome! __________________ Because I'm an ahole.
	17

Sep 21, 2012, 02:45 PM	#3
gotluck macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: East Central Florida	this is surprising. it would be simply insane if it had the appropriate bands for att lte and remained unlocked - too good to be true! regardless, this is still good! especially for the secondary / prepaid market - more compatible phones for straight talk and the like.. __________________ Windows 7 PC & 8740w - iPhone 4 (6.1 Jailbroken - StraightTalk w/ AT&T SIM) - HP Touchpad (CM10 Jelly Bean) - iPod Classic
	3

Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM	#4
WatchTheThrone macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2011	That's the way it should have always been!! You're still under contract anyway which means you'll still have to pay your monthly bill even if you wanna use any other sim.
	11

Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM	#5
iParis macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Mexico	Soooo that's including T-Mobile? I'm sure this will help with resell value! __________________ - AirPort Express Base Station 2012 - iPhone 5 64GB / Black & Slate / Verizon / iOS 6.1 - MacBook C2D 2.16GHz / 2GB ram / 120GB HD / 10.7.5 - Mac mini C2D 1.83GHz / 4GB ram / 120GB HD / 10.7.5
	8

Sep 21, 2012, 02:49 PM	#8
britboyj macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2009	That's awesome. Don't even need to call for a SIM Unlock when I travel? Verizon looks better and better. Holding off until we figure out whether the house we buy has U-Verse or FiOS. The discount AT&T U-Verse gives for bundling your phone with them is like $50 a month for the package we want! That's like free Internet! __________________ "No raindrop believes it is responsible for the flood."  iMac 27" 2.8 Ghz Core i5 Quad-Core 12GB RAM MacBook Pro 15" 2.0Ghz i7 8GB RAM Anti-Glare 16GB Wifi iPad 2 16GB Black Verizon iPhone "5"
	1

Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 PM	#6
herocero macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: down on the upside	that would have been useful information to have before i pre-ordered. bummer.
	3

Sep 21, 2012, 02:49 PM	#7
MOKHAN macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toronto, Canada	That's amazing, no more having to wait till the end of your term!
	1

Sep 21, 2012, 02:50 PM	#9
yhtomitn64 macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2012	I used another accounts upgrade, would this help me get the phone on my account? I used my Mom's upgrade who is on another account. I was under the impression I could just bring the phone to the Verizon store and activate it on my account. She was up for renewal and I wasn't so I used her upgrade and paid for the phone. When I brought it to the store they said I'm not up for renewal so I won't be able to use the phone on my account. Is there a way I can get the phone on my account? I'm going to give her my 4S and I've already signed her up for a data plan on her account. Any ideas? Can I cut down the SIM card from my 4S and stick it in the Iphone 5 and have it be on my account?
	2

Sep 21, 2012, 02:51 PM	#10
jav6454 macrumors G5 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: 1 Geostationary Tower Plaza	Now the question is, which signal takes dominance? The Verizon CDMA signal or the AT&T GSM signal when a Verizon activated (and in service) iPhone 5 is fed an AT&T nano-SIM. Or does the iPhone let you select which carrier? I hunk this last statement is mostly true. __________________ Al MacBook 2.4GHz Late '08 \| Macross Click Me
	1

Sep 21, 2012, 02:51 PM	#12
Mad Mac Maniac macrumors 68030 Join Date: Oct 2007	Finally!! Verizon users can talk and surf at the same time!! __________________ Now I have a Signature!
	11

Sep 21, 2012, 02:53 PM	#13
rnizlek macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Burlington, VT	Nice for VZW customers. I almost jumped ship to have the ability to unlock when I went abroad. Definitely a selling point for them. Wish AT&T would offer something like this - I'd even agree to pay a higher ETF for it.
	0

Sep 21, 2012, 02:54 PM	#14
mossme89 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2009	Any news on the AT&T variant? Is it unlocked also?
	0

Sep 21, 2012, 02:55 PM	#16
jcw5002 macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2010	This is so awesome!!
	0

Sep 21, 2012, 02:57 PM	#18
realeric macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: United States	Screw AT&T.......
	5

Sep 21, 2012, 02:58 PM	#21
OrangeSVTguy macrumors 68040 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeastern Ohio	Cool my buddy is selling his verizon iPhone 5 and I can use it on AT&T. Guess I'll just buy it Added: Isn't this what happened before and then the phone providers locked it once they got word? Thinking it was Sprint maybe? __________________ *010011110111001001100001011011100110011101100101010100110101011001010100011001110111010101111001*
	2

Sep 21, 2012, 02:59 PM	#23
Beezzy macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2011	This is awesome!!! __________________ Late 2011 15" MacBook Pro, 2.4GHz i7, 8GB RAM, 750GB HD, AMD HD6770 w/1GB VRAM VZW iPhone 5 64GB Black/Slate iPad 4 32GB Black Apple TV3
	1

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