Sprint iPhone 5s on AT&T

[eyoungren]

What if I go order the unlocked version online to pick up at the store? They won't have any Sprint models since the gold ones are rare and took me a while to get in my area. So then I can be like this is all you guys had and maybe they can try to activate it for me? I know it's a long stretch but maybe, just maybe?

You can try it if you like. I don't see much hope in it, but you never know.

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Interesting theory, is it tested?

Yes, actually it is. Twice. There are two users here that I know of that have had this happen to them. The first one informed me about it (about a week ago or so) and the second I passed along the information that was given to me to explain what probably had happened to him.

MY theory is that Apple has finally gotten annoyed at Sprint over this and is using the contract terms to force them to activate unlocked iPhones. But who knows. The only thing I can be certain of is that it's happened to a few people and that it seems to be happening more now that I've heard about it.

 

[kanimo]

MY theory is that Apple has finally gotten annoyed at Sprint over this and is using the contract terms to force them to activate unlocked iPhones. But who knows. The only thing I can be certain of is that it's happened to a few people and that it seems to be happening more now that I've heard about it.

Hi eyoungren-san, how are you today? Thanks to your advice, I was able to avoid buying a Sprint 5s! I ended up buying a Verizon iphone 5c, but I am satisfied with it.

By the way I am amazed by your opinion on this thread! And I would appreciate it if you could give me your opinion again.

If I visit the USA again, buy a Sprint 5s, fly back to Tokyo, and use it on my Docomo sim-card, what are the chances that it works normally? Docomo, my carrier, uses A1453 so a Sprint 5s is a perfect match.

Thank you always!

 

[eyoungren]

Hi eyoungren-san, how are you today? Thanks to your advice, I was able to avoid buying a Sprint 5s! I ended up buying a Verizon iphone 5c, but I am satisfied with it.

By the way I am amazed by your opinion on this thread! And I would appreciate it if you could give me your opinion again.

If I visit the USA again, buy a Sprint 5s, fly back to Tokyo, and use it on my Docomo sim-card, what are the chances that it works normally? Docomo, my carrier, uses A1453 so a Sprint 5s is a perfect match.

Thank you always!

kanimo-san.

Respectfully, it's a gamble. If you buy a Sprint iPhone 5s you will need to have service with Sprint for 90 days in the US for it to be unlocked internationally. Then you could go home and use your SIM.

But if Apple gives you an unlocked phone because they do not have a Sprint iPhone of the model you are asking for then it doesn't matter and you'll be good.

The gamble is if Apple has the Sprint model you are looking for or not. If they do, you lose. If they don't you may possibly win should Apple decide to give you an unlocked phone.

It just depends on how willing you are to gamble. Personally, I'd just stick with a Verizon iPhone 5s, but that's just me.

 

[Pirate515]

You have no shot, unless it's Apple doing it. You can't go buy say a Verizon iPhone and ask Apple to force Sprint to activate it.

What's happening is that a Sprint customer goes in to an Apple store and tells Apple that they want a Sprint iPhone X (X being whatever model) and they will pay full price for it. Apple looks around in the back and says, we're sorry, but we do not have a Sprint iPhone in that model that you want. But let us see if we can make this right for you.

So, Apple goes and gets an unlocked iPhone X (but not a Sprint model, because they just told the customer they don't have one since they don't) and activates it on Sprint for the customer.

Sprint is bound by Apple's iPhone terms. So, Sprint has to activate it. Since it's already in the unlock database, it's unlocked.

HOWEVER! If a customer goes in to Apple and asks for a Sprint iPhone X (X being whatever model) and Apple looks around in the back and HAS one, then the customer is out of luck.

It's all about Apple trying to make it right for the customer. But Apple is not doing to take an unlocked iPhone and activate it on Sprint just because you ask them to do so.

This is also NOT going to work at a Sprint store because all the phones Sprint will have will be locked.

And I thought it was not "technologically" possible to take an iPhone not specifically designed for a given CDMA network and activate it.

Around 2 years ago when 4S came out and Apple was even offering factory unlocked models, they specifically said that unlocked one will NOT work with Verizon or Sprint. I did run into someone on one of the web forums who claimed to have worked for Verizon and asked him; my specific question was how come, especially when 4S has both CDMA and GSM hardware. His answer was as follows:

Verizon and Sprint version of 4S require extra baseband programming for CDMA portion. While it is theoretically possible to re-program the unit, it is a somewhat involved process and neither Apple nor carriers trust anyone at retail level to deal with that. For that reason, iPhone models for any carriers that utilize CDMA in any way, shape or form get that portion pre-programmed at the factory and get sold as models assigned to specific carriers. On iPhones meant for GSM carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as unlocked ones, that CDMA portion is left un-programmed, which is why it will not work on CDMA networks such as Verizon or Sprint.

Now, LTE utilizes SIM cards just like GSM, so down the road when all carriers here in the US have LTE and VoLTE deployed all over their networks, phones should be more interchangeable. However, it will be quite a long time before that happens. And until Verizon and Sprint completely shut down their CDMA/3G networks, handsets sold for use on their networks will continue requiring that extra baseband programming.

With that being said, even if Apple employees want to bend over backwards for customers, there is only so much they can do. In some cases, they can accommodate. For example, if a customer comes in and wants either 5s on AT&T or T-Mobile, they can substitute one for the other, and also they can substitute with a Verizon version as well. However, if a customer wants a Verizon or Sprint one, I would imagine that they are SOL if there are none in stock left. Unless Apple now trusts their employees to program change baseband programming if needed, or all 5s units are automatically pre-programmed for both Verizon and Sprint CDMA networks as well.

 

[eyoungren]

And I thought it was not "technologically" possible to take an iPhone not specifically designed for a given CDMA network and activate it.

Around 2 years ago when 4S came out and Apple was even offering factory unlocked models, they specifically said that unlocked one will NOT work with Verizon or Sprint. I did run into someone on one of the web forums who claimed to have worked for Verizon and asked him; my specific question was how come, especially when 4S has both CDMA and GSM hardware. His answer was as follows:

Verizon and Sprint version of 4S require extra baseband programming for CDMA portion. While it is theoretically possible to re-program the unit, it is a somewhat involved process and neither Apple nor carriers trust anyone at retail level to deal with that. For that reason, iPhone models for any carriers that utilize CDMA in any way, shape or form get that portion pre-programmed at the factory and get sold as models assigned to specific carriers. On iPhones meant for GSM carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as unlocked ones, that CDMA portion is left un-programmed, which is why it will not work on CDMA networks such as Verizon or Sprint.

Now, LTE utilizes SIM cards just like GSM, so down the road when all carriers here in the US have LTE and VoLTE deployed all over their networks, phones should be more interchangeable. However, it will be quite a long time before that happens. And until Verizon and Sprint completely shut down their CDMA/3G networks, handsets sold for use on their networks will continue requiring that extra baseband programming.

With that being said, even if Apple employees want to bend over backwards for customers, there is only so much they can do. In some cases, they can accommodate. For example, if a customer comes in and wants either 5s on AT&T or T-Mobile, they can substitute one for the other, and also they can substitute with a Verizon version as well. However, if a customer wants a Verizon or Sprint one, I would imagine that they are SOL if there are none in stock left. Unless Apple now trusts their employees to program change baseband programming if needed, or all 5s units are automatically pre-programmed for both Verizon and Sprint CDMA networks as well.

I have not the slightest clue as to what it takes to do this. I can only report what seems to be happening.

I am not saying you are wrong, and I'm not saying I am right. What I am saying is that there are a handful of people that for whatever reason managed to get unlocked iPhones activated on Sprint. How Apple accomplished that in regards to programming or anything like that is way beyond me.

 

[locoboi187]

You can try it if you like. I don't see much hope in it, but you never know.

Okay so I was on the phone with Sprint. I told them my issue that I bought this phone off contract but it is locked as opposed to buying a Verizon or AT&T phone off contract. I asked him if he could unlock my phone for domestic use with a carrier like AT&T. He said to hold for a second. He came back and said he was able to do so by giving me an unlock code. He pulled up the unlock code and said it was 6-digits of 0s. He said that it was very strange and to hold for a second as he will contact another department and ask for my real code. He came and confidently said the other department also said my code was all 0s. I told him to make sure to note that on my account. He said the process of activating it with a new carrier would be to pop in the other carrier's sim card and when asked for an unlock code put the code you were given (in my case all 0's). I double checked to ask him if this would work domestically, he said yes. I told him to note that in my account as well if I have problems in the future. He said this code is linked to my serial number specifically and to call back if there are any issues. I don't know how much I should trust this as a code of all 0s is a red flag in my eyes...but I suppose I'll ask my AT&T friends to try their sim card for a second to see what would happen...

I don't know how useful this will be to you or anyone else. However, my question is that if I want to test this, do I need to erase my iPhone and then pop in the sim or can I just pop in the sim without erasing my iPhone and then expect a dialog to ask for my code?

 

[eyoungren]

Okay so I was on the phone with Sprint. I told them my issue that I bought this phone off contract but it is locked as opposed to buying a Verizon or AT&T phone off contract. I asked him if he could unlock my phone for domestic use with a carrier like AT&T. He said to hold for a second. He came back and said he was able to do so by giving me an unlock code. He pulled up the unlock code and said it was 6-digits of 0s. He said that it was very strange and to hold for a second as he will contact another department and ask for my real code. He came and confidently said the other department also said my code was all 0s. I told him to make sure to note that on my account. He said the process of activating it with a new carrier would be to pop in the other carrier's sim card and when asked for an unlock code put the code you were given (in my case all 0's). I double checked to ask him if this would work domestically, he said yes. I told him to note that in my account as well if I have problems in the future. He said this code is linked to my serial number specifically and to call back if there are any issues. I don't know how much I should trust this as a code of all 0s is a red flag in my eyes...but I suppose I'll ask my AT&T friends to try their sim card for a second to see what would happen...

I don't know how useful this will be to you or anyone else. However, my question is that if I want to test this, do I need to erase my iPhone and then pop in the sim or can I just pop in the sim without erasing my iPhone and then expect a dialog to ask for my code?

I will answer your last question first. You should be able to just put the SIM card in. No restores or wipes or anything like that.

To answer the main question…it's highly likely that the employee did not know what he was talking about. SIM cards are a new thing to Sprint and poor training is the standard with most customer service reps.

It's possible they thought you meant just for international use (or misunderstood you to mean that). But I highly doubt a series of zeros is an unlock code

Maybe they thought you were asking for the PUC? Personal Unlock Code.

Say you have a SIM unlock code for your SIM card so that if someone gets your phone they have to eter the code to get access to LTE (I have mine set this way). Enter the code wrong three times and you have to call Sprint for the PUC to unlock the SIM card. Note that this unlock is not the same as a network unlock, it's just a security measure so that if someone unauthorized to use your phone trys to use the SIM they have to enter the code to do so. Until they do so, no LTE.

 

[bwsteg]

kanimo-san.

Respectfully, it's a gamble. If you buy a Sprint iPhone 5s you will need to have service with Sprint for 90 days in the US for it to be unlocked internationally. Then you could go home and use your SIM.

But if Apple gives you an unlocked phone because they do not have a Sprint iPhone of the model you are asking for then it doesn't matter and you'll be good.

The gamble is if Apple has the Sprint model you are looking for or not. If they do, you lose. If they don't you may possibly win should Apple decide to give you an unlocked phone.

It just depends on how willing you are to gamble. Personally, I'd just stick with a Verizon iPhone 5s, but that's just me.

All iPhone 5s purchased directly through apple are unlocked from the get go for international use. What I am trying to find out is what happens if I pop in a sim from another carrier. Problem is I don't have access to that other sim.

 

[locoboi187]

I will answer your last question first. You should be able to just put the SIM card in. No restores or wipes or anything like that.

To answer the main question…it's highly likely that the employee did not know what he was talking about. SIM cards are a new thing to Sprint and poor training is the standard with most customer service reps.

It's possible they thought you meant just for international use (or misunderstood you to mean that). But I highly doubt a series of zeros is an unlock code

Maybe they thought you were asking for the PUC? Personal Unlock Code.

Say you have a SIM unlock code for your SIM card so that if someone gets your phone they have to eter the code to get access to LTE (I have mine set this way). Enter the code wrong three times and you have to call Sprint for the PUC to unlock the SIM card. Note that this unlock is not the same as a network unlock, it's just a security measure so that if someone unauthorized to use your phone trys to use the SIM they have to enter the code to do so. Until they do so, no LTE.

Man you're probably right but I hope you are wrong haha. I don't mind sticking with Sprint, it's just that I need some resale value for future phones!

I'm really determined to find a way though!

 

[eyoungren]

All iPhone 5s purchased directly through apple are unlocked from the get go for international use. What I am trying to find out is what happens if I pop in a sim from another carrier. Problem is I don't have access to that other sim.

No.

All Sprint iPhones bought at full price are bought contract free. Unless you can point me to where Sprint has changed it's unlock policy?

There are a few Sprint customers, who because Apple does not have the model they are asking for in stock, are being given unlocked iPhones which Sprint is forced to activate, but you are not buying an unlocked anything if it's a Sprint iPhone. You are simply paying full price for the phone to not be in contract with Sprint.

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I'm really determined to find a way though!

Well, there's always a Gevey SIM. That, or a domestically unlocked iPhone that Apple forced Sprint to activate are the only options.

 

[scaredpoet]

And I thought it was not "technologically" possible to take an iPhone not specifically designed for a given CDMA network and activate it.

This is a common misconception that CDMA carriers like to perpetuate, but it isn't true. The only thing that keeps a CDMA phone on a specific CDMA network is software, software, software. Carriers put software-based locks on the device that prevent it from accepting activation on another network, and their own billing/activation software is what prevents the carrier's network from activating "outside" phones.

If what's been said about Apple successfully pressuring Sprint to activate "non-Sprint" iPhones is correct, it only proves that software is only thing keeping things distinct and separate.

Around 2 years ago when 4S came out and Apple was even offering factory unlocked models, they specifically said that unlocked one will NOT work with Verizon or Sprint.

Unlocked iPhone 4S models came with an IMEI as their device serial number. Sprint and Verizon iPhone 4S models use a slightly different identifier called MEID. This is the only "hardware"-based thing that marks unlocked 4S's as being different from those sold by CDMA carriers.

Are IMEIs compatible with MEID-based systems? Absolutely. They even follow the same format. The only difference is that IMEIs are base-10 numeric-only, while MEIDs are hexadecimal (meaning the letters A, B, C, D, E, and F can be used). But again, the only thing that makes this "not possible" is software, and Sprint/Verizon corporate policy.

I did run into someone on one of the web forums who claimed to have worked for Verizon and asked him; my specific question was how come, especially when 4S has both CDMA and GSM hardware. His answer was as follows:

Verizon and Sprint version of 4S require extra baseband programming for CDMA portion. While it is theoretically possible to re-program the unit, it is a somewhat involved process and neither Apple nor carriers trust anyone at retail level to deal with that.

The alleged employee is right about the baseband firmware needing programming. But in-the-field baseband reprogramming has happened before on a mass scale, dating as far back as the iPhone 3GS. It just requires connecting to iTunes and doing a software update through it. In fact, there was a time with the 3GS that if a user wanted to jailbreak, they had to work hard NOT to update the baseband. Many 3GS users, and iPhone 4/4S/5 users since, have likely updated their baseband firmware without even realizing that they've done so.


Having said that, everything from PRL updates to baseband programming on the CDMA side of things has always been messy and less-reliable than equivalent procedures on GSM/HSPA/LTE handsets. This is one reason why Verizon and Sprint are reluctant to activate ANY phone that isn't "theirs." But again, if Apple is making Sprint activate non-Sprint iPhones today, that's proof right there that it isn't impossible to do.

Unless Apple now trusts their employees to program change baseband programming if needed, or all 5s units are automatically pre-programmed for both Verizon and Sprint CDMA networks as well.

Again, baseband reprogramming has been done before. Apple has arguably made the process dead simple to do. It shouldn't be above the pay grade of anyone who knows how to plug a dock connector or lightning cable into a device and restore it from iTunes.

 

[AppleFanatic10]

No.

All Sprint iPhones bought at full price are bought contract free. Unless you can point me to where Sprint has changed it's unlock policy?

There are a few Sprint customers, who because Apple does not have the model they are asking for in stock, are being given unlocked iPhones which Sprint is forced to activate, but you are not buying an unlocked anything if it's a Sprint iPhone. You are simply paying full price for the phone to not be in contract with Sprint.

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Well, there's always a Gevey SIM. That, or a domestically unlocked iPhone that Apple forced Sprint to activate are the only options.

I heard the Gevey SIM was kind of dangerous, and that it could fry your phone. Is that true? I've thought about using it before (when I was thinking about buying an AT&T iPhone 3GS back in the day for international use).

 

[bwsteg]

No.

All Sprint iPhones bought at full price are bought contract free. Unless you can point me to where Sprint has changed it's unlock policy?

There are a few Sprint customers, who because Apple does not have the model they are asking for in stock, are being given unlocked iPhones which Sprint is forced to activate, but you are not buying an unlocked anything if it's a Sprint iPhone. You are simply paying full price for the phone to not be in contract with Sprint.

I have had 3 different iphone 5s purchased directly from Apple in a span of 5 weeks. All 3 were bought using an upgrade and all 3 have been unlocked. Whether that means international or domestic, who knows because I don't have a sim from another company.

The first was purchased online at launch, and the next two were purchased using pick up option - so this isn't about Apple not having a phone in stock.

Also there are numerous people who have also stated the same thing.

Those who purchased from apple check your imei & and those who purchased from sprint, do so as well.


http://iphoneimei.info/?imei=990002251149454

 

[eyoungren]

I have had 3 different iphone 5s purchased directly from Apple in a span of 5 weeks. All 3 were bought using an upgrade and all 3 have been unlocked. Whether that means international or domestic, who knows because I don't have a sim from another company.

The first was purchased online at launch, and the next two were purchased using pick up option - so this isn't about Apple not having a phone in stock.

Also there are numerous people who have also stated the same thing.

Those who purchased from apple check your imei & and those who purchased from sprint, do so as well.


http://iphoneimei.info/?imei=990002251149454

Well. OK. I'm not doubting you or saying that you are lying.

Maybe Sprint changed their unlock policy and didn't bother to let anyone know?

In any case, there's the info I have related ad nauseum in this thread and then there is your experience, which obviously contradicts that. I do know one use here who's recently purchased iPhone 5c for his fiance is still locked domestically to Sprint. He paid full price for two phones and his phone is only unlocked because Apple replaced it with an unlocked model. At this point I don't know what to tell you in regards to your experience.

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I heard the Gevey SIM was kind of dangerous, and that it could fry your phone. Is that true? I've thought about using it before (when I was thinking about buying an AT&T iPhone 3GS back in the day for international use).

I can't say. I've never had cause to need one so I've never used one. From what I hear though, you have to get a new one each time there is a software update because the SIM is specific to the update.

That's all I know, YMMV.

 

[locoboi187]

I have had 3 different iphone 5s purchased directly from Apple in a span of 5 weeks. All 3 were bought using an upgrade and all 3 have been unlocked. Whether that means international or domestic, who knows because I don't have a sim from another company.

The first was purchased online at launch, and the next two were purchased using pick up option - so this isn't about Apple not having a phone in stock.

Also there are numerous people who have also stated the same thing.

Those who purchased from apple check your imei & and those who purchased from sprint, do so as well.


http://iphoneimei.info/?imei=990002251149454

Holy crap my iPhone 5S says unlocked while my dad's iPhone 5 says locked...

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Well. OK. I'm not doubting you or saying that you are lying.

Maybe Sprint changed their unlock policy and didn't bother to let anyone know?

In any case, there's the info I have related ad nauseum in this thread and then there is your experience, which obviously contradicts that. I do know one use here who's recently purchased iPhone 5c for his fiance is still locked domestically to Sprint. He paid full price for two phones and his phone is only unlocked because Apple replaced it with an unlocked model. At this point I don't know what to tell you in regards to your experience.

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I can't say. I've never had cause to need one so I've never used one. From what I hear though, you have to get a new one each time there is a software update because the SIM is specific to the update.

That's all I know, YMMV.

Can you ask your 5c friend what it says for him on that IMEI website?

 

[eyoungren]

He's probably reading this thread already so if he doesn't reply later, I'll ask.

But I have to say that he knows what he knows because he's already checked the unlocked status of both phones.

 

[locoboi187]

He's probably reading this thread already so if he doesn't reply later, I'll ask.

But I have to say that he knows what he knows because he's already checked the unlocked status of both phones.

No I mean that if his IMEI says unlocked and his phone didn't work with another carrier, then I guess we are out of luck.

 

[bwsteg]

No I mean that if his IMEI says unlocked and his phone didn't work with another carrier, then I guess we are out of luck.

Unlocked doesn't mean it can be used with another domestic carrier. From my understanding, it's unlocked for international use only.

However, this is the first time seeing a Sprint iphone sold from Apple come unlocked. This is why I desperately want to try another carrier sim on my iphone.

 

[locoboi187]

Unlocked doesn't mean it can be used with another domestic carrier. From my understanding, it's unlocked for international use only.

However, this is the first time seeing a Sprint iphone sold from Apple come unlocked. This is why I desperately want to try another carrier sim on my iphone.

I understand but I have never seen a phone come pre unlocked before. Like I said, my dad's 5 is locked but my 5S is not. That by itself is very strange.

 

[blackberrycubed]

My sprint is showing unlocked is that international unlocked or full unlocked ?

 

[bwsteg]

My sprint is showing unlocked is that international unlocked or full unlocked ?

Pop in a sim from another carrier & report back...

 

[blackberrycubed]

Pop in a sim from another carrier & report back...

I am selling it so I cannot open it

 

[Applejuiced]

My sprint is showing unlocked is that international unlocked or full unlocked ?

Sprint iphones that are unlocked only work with gsm carriers outside the US.
It wont work with any other US carrier.

 

[locoboi187]

Sprint iphones that are unlocked only work with gsm carriers outside the US.
It wont work with any other US carrier.

Yes that's old news when I had my 5. Strangely the 5S are coming pre-unlocked which is nothing like before. May it be just for international use we will not know unless someone tries it. If Sprint didn't tell us they come interntionally unlocked now, there could be other things they didn't tell us either like for domestic use. Never hurts just to try on the 5S.

 

[Applejuiced]

Yes that's old news when I had my 5. Strangely the 5S are coming pre-unlocked which is nothing like before. May it be just for international use we will not know unless someone tries it. If Sprint didn't tell us they come interntionally unlocked now, there could be other things they didn't tell us either like for domestic use. Never hurts just to try on the 5S.

Interesting.
Its been close to 4 weeks now that the Sprint 5S is out and never heard of anyone confirm such a thing.
All you gotta do is stick an AT&T or Tmobile sim in and let us know.