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Surprise: CDMA iPhone 4S Comes With An Unlocked SIM Slot

Oooo. Verizon and Sprint throw'n down the gauntlet on you, AT&T. How's that non-exclusivity feel now? :p

Wont be able to keep holding contract-fulfilled customers hostage anymore without them jail-breaking their devices now, huh?
 
hexproject said:
i have been to japan and their iphone service is SOFTBANK.

SOFTBANK = ATT
DOCOMO = VERIZON

They are technically sim free outside of Japan.

But you can't put in a DOCOMO DOMESTIC SIM.

But you can can put in an ATT sim because it's internationl, not from Japan...

So there's a way to distinguish international or domestic... but i just don't know the details or this will apply ... only time will tell...
Click to expand...

If you are saying that iPhones purchased in Japan are unlocked for overseas use, that is not correct. Softbank-issued iPhones are NOT unlocked.

I often travel to the States with my iPhone, and I've always had to jailbreak and unlock if I wanted to use a prepaid SIM from AT&T or T-mobile.
 
How does this differ from Apple's disclaimer on it's website about the GSM unlocked phone? I've read it a few times and unless I misunderstand, it says that the GSM unlocked phone will not work on the CDMA networks.

To quote from Apple:

"The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint."

If the CDMA iPhone 4S allows full unlocked operations between any supported CDMA and GSM frequency, that's huge! :eek:

And huge enough to make me pay the ETF in a few months time once supplies come back to par and roll over to Sprint...
 
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Arq said:
How does this differ from Apple's disclaimer on it's website about the GSM unlocked phone? I've read it a few times and unless I misunderstand, it says that the GSM unlocked phone will not work on the CDMA networks.

To quote from Apple:

"The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint."

If the CDMA iPhone 4S allows full unlocked operations between any supported CDMA and GSM frequency, that's huge! :eek:

And huge enough to make me pay the ETF in a few months time once supplies come back to par and roll over to Sprint...
Click to expand...
The CDMA side is carrier locked, Sprint will only work on Sprint and so forth. A phone must be sold tied to a CDMA carrier for it to work om CDMA, so therefore you can't buy one from a GSM carrier.

But apparently, there is no need to sell the unlocked CDMA one thru Apple, because they can be unlocked (Verizon) or ship unlocked (Sprint).

This rocks!! I'm excited!!! I go no where and don't currently have a passport, but when I do go, my phone will be ready! LOL!!

ATT needs to at least start unlocking off contract....
 
TraceyS/FL said:
The CDMA side is carrier locked, Sprint will only work on Sprint and so forth. A phone must be sold tied to a CDMA carrier for it to work om CDMA, so therefore you can't buy one from a GSM carrier.

But apparently, there is no need to sell the unlocked CDMA one thru Apple, because they can be unlocked (Verizon) or ship unlocked (Sprint).

This rocks!! I'm excited!!! I go no where and don't currently have a passport, but when I do go, my phone will be ready! LOL!!

ATT needs to at least start unlocking off contract....
Click to expand...

Ah, so each CDMA version is carrier locked on the CDMA side but both will provide unlocked GSM capabilities.

Very cool and ahead of what AT&T is doing.
 
TraceyS/FL said:
The CDMA side is carrier locked, Sprint will only work on Sprint and so forth. A phone must be sold tied to a CDMA carrier for it to work om CDMA, so therefore you can't buy one from a GSM carrier.

But apparently, there is no need to sell the unlocked CDMA one thru Apple, because they can be unlocked (Verizon) or ship unlocked (Sprint).

This rocks!! I'm excited!!! I go no where and don't currently have a passport, but when I do go, my phone will be ready! LOL!!

ATT needs to at least start unlocking off contract....
Click to expand...

So what happens if you purchase an iPhone on a GSM network (say, in Europe) and then want to switch carriers to Sprint or Verizon at a later point? Would the CDMA carrier be able to do that at their discretion, since it's really a software adjustment?
 
Last year i had a blackberry tour (world phone) with sprint. once i swap the blackberry to an android phone and the blackberry was de-activated from my sprint account, i was avail to insert a tmobile and att sim card and was avail to make calls. I never tested data. It would be cool to see if the iphone from sprint is actually full gsm unlocked including the states.
 
AT&T better step up its game. Next time I go overseas if AT&T still refuses to unlock my iPhone 4 I'm running back to Sprint -- where I was before the iPhone.
 
Why does everyone assume that a GSM unlock by Sprint or Verizon can't be restricted? How do you think AT&T restricts their phones from being used on other GSM carriers, either domestically or oversees? Of course it's possible--whether or not Sprint/Verizon do it, we'll just have to wait and see.

----------
philiplipetz said:
T mobile 3G frequencies are not built into the iPhone 4s

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394135,00.asp
Click to expand...

He didn't ask if it supported 3G, only whether or not it can be used. If it is truly unlocked, yes it can be used on T Mobile for both voice and data, albeit only at EDGE speeds.
 
iMrNiceGuy0023 said:
http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/10/surprise-cdma-iphone-4s-comes-with-an-unlocked-sim-slot


The days when CDMA iPhone users were at a disadvantage when traveling internationally are long behind us. As just discovered by Macworld, the iPhone 4S is even more of a worldphone than we originally thought.

According to them, not only can your Sprint or Verizon CDMA iPhone be used internationally on GSM networks, but the SIM slot that it comes with is actually unlocked, meaning you can pop in any SIM you want. That’s right, when you’re traveling to other GSM countries, you’ll be able to buy a local micro-SIM card (or a normal one and cut it), and pop it into your iPhone 4S.

While Sprint will be making this a standard, Verizon will still be locking the iPhone 4S SIM slot for new users, and will only grant what they call “international unlock” for folks who’ve been good and around for at least 60 days.

The big unknown, of course, is whether you could actually pop an AT&T micro-SIM into such a device. We’ve tried to find out, but haven’t been able to figure that out yet. If it’s the case, that would be a very interesting feature. After all, since you’re paying for the contract, why should the carrier prevent you from doing what you want with the phone, right? But that’s a whole other debate.
Click to expand...

wooha!! seems I'm going to switch to Verizon or Sprint in a few weeks then. All I need is good reception in the US (Boston area, that excludes ATT) and the ability to use my german T-Mobile card in Europe (have to get a microsim though or use scissors...).

Solves all my problems! In addition when your Verizon/Sprint contract runs out I still have an unlocked iPhone while with ATT I'm stuck with a locked phone. Suck it ATT.
 
tbayrgs said:
Why does everyone assume that a GSM unlock by Sprint or Verizon can't be restricted? How do you think AT&T restricts their phones from being used on other GSM carriers, either domestically or oversees? Of course it's possible--whether or not Sprint/Verizon do it, we'll just have to wait and see.
Click to expand...


Macworld is a pretty big publication for Verizon and Sprint to lie to. I would take their article as fact unless proven otherwise.
 
AbyssImpact said:
So this means if i have a prepaid sim card from rogers, it will work on verizon/sprint iphone 4s? If so, i am going to buy one on ebay and not wait for the unlocked version coming in november. Please confirm, i seriously do not want to wait until november to get the new iphone.
Click to expand...

I suspect, if the phone already knows it is set-up for use on a CDMA network, that it will give preferential treatment to CDMA signals if it has a choice between that and a GSM network. I suspect that it will only pay attention to the GSM side of things if it's already determined that there aren't any compatible CDMA signals available for it to use instead.

Verizon and Sprint likely already have CDMA-based roaming partners in Canada (eg. Bell and/or Telus). So Sprint and Verizon iPhone 4S MIGHT detect the presence of a compatible CDMA signal, and ignore anything you may have installed in the SIM tray.

The preceding two paragraphs, by the way, might be true regardless of whether or not the GSM side of the phone is SIM-locked. The SIM-locked status of the phone would only matter while the GSM side of the circuit is switched on -- as long as the GSM side is switched off, it really doesn't matter if it is SIM-locked or not. As soon as the CDMA-side is switched off to make way for the GSM side to start working, the SIM-locked status of the phone would come into play -- if it is SIM-locked, then only Sprint / Verizon's designated international roming partner SIM card would work; if it is SIM-unlocked, then any foreign SIM card would be accepted.
 
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Here's the official Verizon policy on obtaining the SIM unlock code (as of March 2011):

The following qualifications must be met for the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) to be unlocked:

Must be a Verizon Wireless customer.

•The device being unlocked must be active on a Verizon Wireless line of service.
•The line of service must be active at least 60 days.
•The line of service must be in good standing for the past 60 days.
•Only one SIM Unlock per line every 10 months.
•The customer's manufacturer's device warranty is not affected by a SIM unlock as long as the customer remains with Verizon Wireless.
Click to expand...

So as long as you've been a VZW customer for 2 months, you theoretically should be able to call VZW Global Support (908-559-4899 or 1-800-922-0204) on day 1 and get the unlock code. In all likelihood if you're nice they might even give it to new customers.
 
BruiserB said:
Maybe it would work with a US sim card, but there's some override that if there is CDMA signal, then the GSM shuts down?
Click to expand...

World phones usually have several settings. Of course there are the usual subsettings for roaming, data, 3G, etc. However, the main one is:

  • Automatic
  • CDMA only - (always if no SIM installed)
  • GSM/UMTS only

In Automatic mode, you're right, it will go for CDMA first.
 
if you are forced to roam on an international CDMA network that's a roaming partner then i bet Sprint and Verizon will make a killing from the China business trip business
 
tbayrgs said:
Why does everyone assume that a GSM unlock by Sprint or Verizon can't be restricted? How do you think AT&T restricts their phones from being used on other GSM carriers, either domestically or oversees? Of course it's possible--whether or not Sprint/Verizon do it, we'll just have to wait and see.
Click to expand...

I think you are correct, but the MW article isn't as clear as it should be for a professionally edited publication. It seems more likely than not that the GSM unlock is for non-U.S. carriers, and that AT&T & TMob would still be restricted.

I can't see where either AT&T or Sprint or Verizon would want CDMA phones to be 100% unlocked. Personally I think it's a fair trade-off for consumers & makes the Sprint version much more desirable, at least to me.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
I think you are correct, but the MW article isn't as clear as it should be for a professionally edited publication. It seems more likely than not that the GSM unlock is for non-U.S. carriers, and that AT&T & TMob would still be restricted.

I can't see where either AT&T or Sprint or Verizon would want CDMA phones to be 100% unlocked. Personally I think it's a fair trade-off for consumers & makes the Sprint version much more desirable, at least to me.
Click to expand...


Sprint's in trouble. I believe having an unlocked iPhone would only help them. We will see soon enough.
 
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