iPhone 5 (Sprint) unlock for foreign use

[Niki21]

Hi there,

(Long time lurker, first time poster here).

I have an iPhone 5 which was gifted to me by an American friend who works for Apple in the US. I live in the UK but didn't open it for 6 months because I was super busy with work.

I opened it recently to find a Sprint sim card inside.

I've read here and elsewhere that it can be unlocked for foreign use - any tips?

The furthest I've got is that I can bypass the need to activate it with a GPP sim, which then leaves me open to unlock it (somehow).

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[eyoungren]

Hi there,

(Long time lurker, first time poster here).

I have an iPhone 5 which was gifted to me by an American friend who works for Apple in the US. I live in the UK but didn't open it for 6 months because I was super busy with work.

I opened it recently to find a Sprint sim card inside.

I've read here and elsewhere that it can be unlocked for foreign use - any tips?

The furthest I've got is that I can bypass the need to activate it with a GPP sim, which then leaves me open to unlock it (somehow).

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Thanks.

The only way this can be done is to meet Sprint's requirements.

It is: A minimum of 90 days as a Sprint customer with the bill paid on time. So, you have to establish service with Sprint, be a customer for 90 days and then they will unlock for international use.

Sprint is pretty strict on this policy.

 

[Niki21]

The only way this can be done is to meet Sprint's requirements.

It is: A minimum of 90 days as a Sprint customer with the bill paid on time. So, you have to establish service with Sprint, be a customer for 90 days and then they will unlock for international use.

Sprint is pretty strict on this policy.

Thanks for this.

That is what I had gathered too. But there are a lot of YouTube videos demonstrating people bypassing the activation screen with a GPP sim.

Wanted to know if this is at all credible?

Thanks regardless.

 

[eyoungren]

No idea. This is the very first time I have ever used a phone with a SIM on Sprint and my understanding is that it's only for LTE. Sprint never had SIM cards until the iPhone.

I've also never had need to use a different SIM. Hopefully someone else can answer that.

 

[Niki21]

No idea. This is the very first time I have ever used a phone with a SIM on Sprint and my understanding is that it's only for LTE. Sprint never had SIM cards until the iPhone.

I've also never had need to use a different SIM. Hopefully someone else can answer that.

Yeh it's new for the iPhone, so confusing.

Thanks for your help - one final question if you'd be so kind.

If I can activate with the GPP, can I unlock it with other, more known techniques?

Thanks.

 

[eyoungren]

Yeh it's new for the iPhone, so confusing.

Thanks for your help - one final question if you'd be so kind.

If I can activate with the GPP, can I unlock it with other, more known techniques?

Thanks.

Again…sorry, I don't know.

However, I'd consider this. In all of the chatter about unlocking the iPhone, whether it's on AT&T or any other carrier, how much talk do you or have you ever heard about unlocking being available for Sprint iPhones?

That giant sucking sound you may hear, I think is probably a big clue.

At least, in all my reading here and elsewhere I have yet to hear someone reputable make any comment about a legitimate Sprint unlock.

 

[abz1981]

What I do not understand is why your American Apple employee friend never gave you an unlocked iphone ( I believe Verizon is unlocked). This would have solved your problem.

 

[Niki21]

Again…sorry, I don't know.

However, I'd consider this. In all of the chatter about unlocking the iPhone, whether it's on AT&T or any other carrier, how much talk do you or have you ever heard about unlocking being available for Sprint iPhones?

That giant sucking sound you may hear, I think is probably a big clue.

At least, in all my reading here and elsewhere I have yet to hear someone reputable make any comment about a legitimate Sprint unlock.

Hey, thanks anyway.

And yes indeed I was in optimistic self-denial about the lack of discussion and enthusiasm for Sprint unlocks. That being said, there are a number of popular YT channels with videos with 100s of likes, which is certainly not enough to bet on but it gives one hope. The verdict is not 'completely impossible'... yet.

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What I do not understand is why your American Apple employee friend never gave you an unlocked iphone ( I believe Verizon is unlocked). This would have solved your problem.

It very much would have.

Might have helped if I had asked him or checked the iPhone sooner than what, approaching 7-8 months after I was gifted it. Busy lives have downsides.