Sprizon!!!

[eyoungren]

Nice to finally have something go my way with the old Sprint phones!

My wife's old phone is an iPhone 5 locked to Sprint. It was original, meaning it's never been in to Apple for service until today.

Her battery has been swelling and so I finally made a move to have it swapped.

$86 and change because they only charge you for the battery out of warranty.

Here's the good part.

I wanted to keep the Sprint SIM since those are tied to the phone. The genius asked if I had a backup, blah, blah blah. Answer was all no because this phone hasn't been used as a primary phone since February 2015 and my wife doesn't use it and I don't. So, pretty stock phone.

I told the genius we weren't even with Sprint any more. So, during setup she asked me to choose a carrier - either Sprint or Verizon.

I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I chose Verizon - because all Verizon LTE phones are unlocked.

And you know what?

It took my SIM! When I got home I tried my tablet SIM and I had data on 4G. I tried my 6s+ SIM and my son called me and the phone rang.

So…yeah. I now have a formerly Sprint iPhone 5 unlocked! It's 4G but it works on T-Mob's network!

Pretty happy about that!

 

[Debel]

Damn nice !!

 

[eyoungren]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Wife decided to give my son the new 5 this morning and since he's on 9.3.5 and this phone is on 9.3.2 I decided to restore as new to 10.2.1.

And…lookie what I was greeted with!

After five years of being locked to Sprint, full domestic unlock!

Hey Sprint! What was that about 'technical difficulties' and MSL codes when it comes to the Sprint iPhone 5?!!!!

I do believe however that the Sprint carrier bundle is probably toast on this phone. The old Sprint SIM is in and all I get is 'SIM Failure'.

Looking forward to repeating this process with my own iPhone 5 when I take it in for it's battery swelling replacement sometime soon!

 

[BigMcGuire]

That's pretty awesome. lol. That would make my day. Are the phones usable on 10.2.1 ? I'm ok with lag as long as it's usable lag. That's some serious usage out of those phones - September 12, 2012 (iPhone 5 release date). I'm hoping to get some similar serious usage out of my 6s+. And to think you do all of this caseless. Just awesome.

 

[eyoungren]

That's pretty awesome. lol. That would make my day. Are the phones usable on 10.2.1 ? I'm ok with lag as long as it's usable lag. That's some serious usage out of those phones - September 12, 2012 (iPhone 5 release date). I'm hoping to get some similar serious usage out of my 6s+. And to think you do all of this caseless. Just awesome.

The phone I turned in was on 10.1.1 (I think). I updated it to 10.2.1 before turning it in. I haven't had any issues, but neither this phone nor my own 5 are primary phones any more.

In any case, it will be a step up for my son. He has a 4s on 9.3.5 with 8GB total storage. He's getting a faster processor, 8x the storage and a full 1GB of ram. He's had no complaints on his 4s so I expect him to be very happy with this.

For the rest of us, this is a step down, but not for him.

As for length of use - well, we own our devices until they die and we use them, even if it's only on occasion.

What's cool is that the old phone had a ding. My wife actually dropped it at some point. The only flaw in it. Now, no dings because the device is brand new.

 

[Applejuiced]

Lol
Dont you just love Sprint?
Glad it worked out great for ya

 

[eyoungren]

Lol
Dont you just love Sprint?
Glad it worked out great for ya

LOL!!!!

Yeah, five years later when the unlock doesn't matter as a means to leave Sprint!

But it's cool! Made a call today on the 5 to my wife, downloaded an app on 4G and ran a speed test on 4G. Got around 12 down here at work on 4G. My son still won't have LTE but 4G is plenty fast for him to work with.

 

[Applejuiced]

LOL!!!!

Yeah, five years later when the unlock doesn't matter as a means to leave Sprint!

But it's cool! Made a call today on the 5 to my wife, downloaded an app on 4G and ran a speed test on 4G. Got around 12 down here at work on 4G. My son still won't have LTE but 4G is plenty fast for him to work with.

Yep, GSM 3G/4G HSPA+ or whatever they want to call it is pretty decent.
Its not like CDMA 3G that is a turtle and you get 0.5 to 1mpbs max

 

[jhearty99]

If Im not mistaken, the iPhone 5 was either a CDMA phone or a GSM phone, not interchangeable by swapping SIMs. So arent you now basically just stuck with Verizon?

Could be wrong though.

 

[eyoungren]

If Im not mistaken, the iPhone 5 was either a CDMA phone or a GSM phone, not interchangeable by swapping SIMs. So arent you now basically just stuck with Verizon?

Could be wrong though.

The model I have is the A1429. It's Sprint/Verizon. It has CDMA and GSM radios (this is a world phone) and the GSM radios operate on at least two of T-Mobile's HSPA+ frequencies.

When setting up you can choose which activation policy to follow. Sprint --> locked, or Verizon --> unlocked. Yes, by choosing Verizon I made it a Verizon phone. It was neither a Sprint phone or a Verizon phone until I made that choice. But by making the choice to have it be a Verizon model it unlocked because Verizon LTE devices are unlocked per agreement with the FCC.

So, as long as we continue with T-Mobile as our carrier this iPhone 5 will NEVER see LTE ever again. But my son has an unlocked Verizon 4s already and only has 4G so he's not going to know the difference. And at 12+ down on 4G I don't think it really matters.

In about nine months or so (assuming he continues being responsible) he's going to end up with my T-Mobile 6s+ anyway and then he'll have LTE.

 

[eyoungren]

Well, it's my turn now.

That light you see on the left side of my iPhone 5 is NOT a reflection! It's the backlight of the screen. The swelling battery on the phone has pushed the screen up far enough you can see it.

Have a 4:50pm appointment at the Arrowhead Apple store for replacement. Hoping I can choose Verizon as the network for the new iPhone.

So long iOS 9.0.1 and so long jailbreak!!!

 

[jhearty99]

That happened to wifes iPhone 5 like 2 years ago and they replaced the phone out of warranty for free.

 

[eyoungren]

That happened to wifes iPhone 5 like 2 years ago and they replaced the phone out of warranty for free.

Yeah, the one I am replacing today was replaced out of warranty for free in August 2015 for the same thing. This is the second swelling battery I've had it replaced for and it will be the third iPhone 5 replacement I've had. They aren't replacing free at this point. $86 and change.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I miss the flat edges. Back in those days I was very anti case and enjoyed using the phone nekkid. Tomorrow should be fun! My wife and I hit our 1 year on the Apple Upgrade Plan and .... it's tempting, very tempting to go to the Apple Store .

 

[eyoungren]

I miss the flat edges. Back in those days I was very anti case and enjoyed using the phone nekkid. Tomorrow should be fun! My wife and I hit our 1 year on the Apple Upgrade Plan and .... it's tempting, very tempting to go to the Apple Store .

LOL!

For once I have to disagree with you.

Sorry, but the 7/7+ are not tempting me at all. Except maybe to run like hell away from them. And with regard to the SE…well there are two iPhone 5's in my household.

Now, if the 8 or 7s or whatever it will be called is redesigned and I like the redesign things may change.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Yeah, the wife and I don't like the 7. We have made the decision to wait till next year. That said, wife really really likes the red iPhone - I figured if she said she had to have that, I could use my 1 year upgrade option to get a 7 plus with dual cameras. But other than that, I don't mind waiting. Hoping for square sides for the 7s/8!

 

[eyoungren]

Replacement iPhone 5 is unlocked!

Apple Genius let me choose the network. Verizon for the win! Sprint iPhone 5 now fully unlocked!!!!

 

[Debel]

Very nice. For the win

 

[Reno Raines]

Awesome!

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah………so added another line.

 

[MsRandall]

Nice