Sprint 4S - International Unlocked Question?

[ET iPhone Home]

I have an international buyer interested in my Sprint 4S. I've disclosed that if ever they come to the U.S., they will "not" be able to use it on any network other than Sprint (and that's only if Sprint has a pay-as-you-go plan allowing this model to be activated). Sprint's pay-as-you-go plans only allow for certain phones sold by them directly.

My question is, I had Sprint unlocked the 4S when I purchased it 3 years ago for international use. If I reset it as factory new, will the "international unlock" still activate when the purchaser sets up the phone using an international sim from his/her country?

 

[eyoungren]

I have an international buyer interested in my Sprint 4S. I've disclosed that if ever they come to the U.S., they will "not" be able to use it on any network other than Sprint (and that's only if Sprint has a pay-as-you-go plan allowing this model to be activated). Sprint's pay-as-you-go plans only allow for certain phones sold by them directly.

My question is, I had Sprint unlocked the 4S when I purchased it 3 years ago for international use. If I reset it as factory new, will the "international unlock" still activate when the purchaser sets up the phone using an international sim from his/her country?

Once it's unlocked, the IMEI/MEID/ESN is in Apple's unlock database. No amount of resetting, upgrading, etc can remove the IMEI/MEID/ESN from the database because that has nothing to do with the phone.

So no, resetting it as new will not in any way affect the unlock status. You'd have to remove the IMEI/MEID/ESN from the unlock database to do that.

 

[ET iPhone Home]

Once it's unlocked, the IMEI/MEID/ESN is in Apple's unlock database. No amount of resetting, upgrading, etc can remove the IMEI/MEID/ESN from the database because that has nothing to do with the phone.

So no, resetting it as new will not in any way affect the unlock status. You'd have to remove the IMEI/MEID/ESN from the unlock database to do that.

Perfect… Thank you so much. My mind is at ease. The buyer was only concern about being able to pop in a sim card from any country in Asia except the U.S. I repeatedly inform them that my Sprint 4S could never be used here in the U.S. because of Sprint's CDMA restrictions. And that Sprint only allowed certain smartphones to be linked to their pay-as-you-go plans and mine was not one of them.

 

[eyoungren]

Perfect… Thank you so much. My mind is at ease. The buyer was only concern about being able to pop in a sim card from any country in Asia except the U.S. I repeatedly inform them that my Sprint 4S could never be used here in the U.S. because of Sprint's CDMA restrictions. And that Sprint only allowed certain smartphones to be linked to their pay-as-you-go plans and mine was not one of them.

Technically, if the buyer ever comes here he could also use Ting or Boost. The reason for that is that Ting and Boost are MVNOs that use Sprint's network, so technically the phone would still be ON Sprint's network - you'd just get your billing from those MVNOs.

But that's a fine point on it. You were right in stressing that it can't be used off Sprint's network in the US.