Selling Verizon iPhone 4S: remove SIM card?

[limsilas]

Hi all, I recently upgraded from an iPhone 4S to an iPhone 5S, and the 5S came with its own SIM card. I'm now preparing to sell the 4S - can I remove and discard the SIM card that's in the 4S, or will the buyer need it to activate the phone?

Thanks!

 

[Diseal3]

Hi all, I recently upgraded from an iPhone 4S to an iPhone 5S, and the 5S came with its own SIM card. I'm now preparing to sell the 4S - can I remove and discard the SIM card that's in the 4S, or will the buyer need it to activate the phone?

Thanks!

Verizon 4S sim is for international use only. You can remove it and the phone will activate just fine.

 

[powerstrokin]

On CDMA iPhones (Verizon, Sprint) the sim card's only purpose in life is to allow 4G/LTE to work on the phone. The sim card is tied to the phone and holds NO personal data. Leave it in and just forget it even exists.

If ever the sim card is removed, 4G/LTE will not work on a Verizon/Sprint iPhone. The user would have to go to their carrier and get a new one, for future reference in case you ever buy a used CDMA iPhone with no sim.


EDIT- I stand somewhat corrected by the post above mine. 4S iPhones it's for international use.. (and LTE if I'm not mistaken, 4S had LTE right?) Certainly on the 5 and up, it's for LTE and international.

 

[lanestew]

I always remove sim before selling. The buyer will get their own to activate.

 

[powerstrokin]

I always remove sim before selling. The buyer will get their own to activate.

On a CDMA iPhone that is completely unnecessary. There's NO personal data on it.

Removing the sim would be the equivalent of not giving the buyer the lightning cable. Sure, the phone will operate without it technically, but it really should be sold with the phone.

 

[Diseal3]

On CDMA iPhones (Verizon, Sprint) the sim card's only purpose in life is to allow 4G/LTE to work on the phone. The sim card is tied to the phone and holds NO personal data. Leave it in and just forget it even exists.

If ever the sim card is removed, 4G/LTE will not work on a Verizon/Sprint iPhone. The user would have to go to their carrier and get a new one, for future reference in case you ever buy a used CDMA iPhone with no sim.


EDIT- I stand somewhat corrected by the post above mine. 4S iPhones it's for international use.. (and LTE if I'm not mistaken, 4S had LTE right?) Certainly on the 5 and up, it's for LTE and international.

4S does not have LTE therefore it is only for GSM international roaming. iPhone 5 and up the SIM is for LTE and also to authenticate on the CDMA network (Verizon Anyway, Unsure about sprint).

Sprint's sim cards are paired to their phones, Verizon is not. Verizon you can swap a sim between LTE phones and have them work the same way as swapping a sim between phone for a GSM carrier.

 

[limsilas]

Thanks for all the replies. As stated above, the Verizon iPhone 4S does not have 4G/LTE capability - so I assume that the only purpose of the SIM card is for international roaming.

What do you all think - include or not include when I sell the 4S on eBay? As a buyer, would you care either way? (And would Verizon just give you one anyway if you really needed to roam internationally?)