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The way it was told to me, yes...but I hope grumpleton is right. It would be MUCH better if wifi/computer were not necessary.

Hope he is right also, hopefully Verizon will work the same as Sprint but you never know what these individual providers will do. I went with Verizon mainly for the ability to unlock that SIM overseas, will be pissed if it doesn't work
 
what does the sim card do?
It contains information allowing you to connect to GSM cell phone networks. CDMA networks (Verizon/Sprint) don't use SIM cards.
can you remove it?
Yes
does it unlock other gsm phones?
Generally, subsidized GSM phones will be locked to one carrier; this prevents someone from buying a cheap phone from one carrier and then using a SIM card from a different network.

SIM cards don't unlock phones; Your network provider can unlock phones, allowing any* carrier's SIM card to be used.

(*Even if a GSM phone is unlocked, carriers can impose "MNC" or "MCC" which will only allow for use of other SIM cards while traveling abroad. For example, the Droid 2 Global from Verizon when unlocked will not allow for use of AT&T or T-Mobile SIM cards.)
 
This is what I got when inserting the AT&T sim card from my company phone into my new out of the box Sprint 4S. I did not call and request any unlocking from Sprint.

screenshot.png
 
thats what i got with my vzw phone but i noticed that when i try a different sim card i get the option to choose a carrier but it wont find any. i have an h20 sim card coming in the mail, im going to try that. then im going to order a t-mobile sim card.
 
This is what I got when inserting the AT&T sim card from my company phone into my new out of the box Sprint 4S. I did not call and request any unlocking from Sprint.

Image

Call Sprint and ask for unlock, see if they will unlock it for you.

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I think they are unlocked in the sense of international use, but not with domestic SIMs.

I think they locked all the gsm except vodafon. There doesn't have a way to only lock several carriers, but all others. The only way is allow one, lock others.
 
Anyone else using Verizon/Sprint?

can confirm this?

there is another thread going and confirming the ATT Full priced iPhones are unlocked by default.

these CDMA iPhones with GSM Unlocked would be boon for the overseas travelers!!!
 
can confirm this?

there is another thread going and confirming the ATT Full priced iPhones are unlocked by default.

these CDMA iPhones with GSM Unlocked would be boon for the overseas travelers!!!

I'm wondering if someone was to buy an off contract/full price phone from Sprint or Verizon, would they get the same unlocked message.
 
This is what I got when inserting the AT&T sim card from my company phone into my new out of the box Sprint 4S. I did not call and request any unlocking from Sprint.

Image

Worth mentioning that I also got the same message when I used my IPad 2 microsim in the 4s.
 
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So now I will have to jailbreak my new iPhone 4S again to use it abroad .... But one thing to remember, the iPhones use the mini SIM and I have never seen the mini SIM available for the pre-paid SIM cards, anywhere in Europe.... :mad:

If that is the case, then what good does a factory unlocked iPhone do for frequent travelers? I'm very confused about whether to buy a contract phone and pay the ridiculous fees to use outside the USA (which could be the better part of a year for me) versus buying a full price phone and purchasing local micro SIMs. If local microSIMs are hard to find, that would cause even more headaches than a contract phone would :(
 
So now I will have to jailbreak my new iPhone 4S again to use it abroad .... But one thing to remember, the iPhones use the mini SIM and I have never seen the mini SIM available for the pre-paid SIM cards, anywhere in Europe.... :mad:

if you buy the unlocked GSM iPhone (which is coming in November) you should be able to use anywhere with any carrier.

regards to SIM card, i think you can get the sim card to make it to micro sim card, i believe it is available in other places like Asia, Europe and Africas... if not how iPhone is selling in these places ...
 
If that is the case, then what good does a factory unlocked iPhone do for frequent travelers? I'm very confused about whether to buy a contract phone and pay the ridiculous fees to use outside the USA (which could be the better part of a year for me) versus buying a full price phone and purchasing local micro SIMs. If local microSIMs are hard to find, that would cause even more headaches than a contract phone would :(

You can easily change a sim card to mini sim. Also has an adapter to change it back to regular sim card.
 
I'm in Taiwan and already nabbed a Sprint 4s off of Ebay, and please correct me if I'm wrong: It looks like I'll be able to use my micro-SIM I've already got through the local provider and the phone will be completely unlocked (at first). In the US the phone will still be locked to Sprint's CDMA towers, however.

Sprint claims that they will push an update to lock these at a later date - this happens via an Itunes software update now, as opposed to separate carrier updates before iOS4, correct? So if I don't ever update the phone I should be "safe"? In the same line of thinking, if I do update, I run the risk of having the baseband relocked internationally?

So far are there any solid reports of people having full 3G connection speeds outside of the states using Sprint phones?

Thanks for the help, I'm hoping to avoid unnecessarily paying to ship this here!
 
I also live in Taiwan, just wait for the official release here. It's def. within 2 months and your phone will be factory unlocked. You don't want to ever be in the position of not being able to update your OS. If you really can't wait that long, fly to hong kong and buy one there. They also factory unlocked and without contract.
 
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