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

[jsoto]

About the Unlocked iPhone
The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a contract commitment. You can activate and use it on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T in the United States.* The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.
If you don’t want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It arrives without a micro-SIM card, so you’ll need an active micro-SIM card from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the micro-SIM card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.

 

[jca24]

No...if you buy it from Verizon or Sprint there isn't a SIM card installed. You can roam on international CDMA networks but they're only in a few Asian countries and North/South America. If you want to use it in Europe you'd need to get a local SIM to use the GSM networks there.

wrong, no local sim card use

 

[outie2k]

too many conflicting reports. i tend to believe jason snell from macworld considering he is a pretty good authority on osx/ios, but ars technica is pretty reliable as well.

who the hell knows at this point - i hope some lucky sprint customers get their phones early and can test it for us!

Unfortunately Macworld was wrong. Sprint has confirmed that its sim will not be unlocked and you have to roam internationally.

 

[kdarling]

No...if you buy it from Verizon or Sprint there isn't a SIM card installed. [...] If you want to use it in Europe you'd need to get a local SIM to use the GSM networks there.

Typically, a Verizon World Phone either comes with a Verizon SIM already in place, or you can ask for one if you're going out of country.

I would be very surprised if Verizon or Sprint gave up a chance to sell people a world roaming plan that included GSM, as they normally do.

Edit: Ars Technica is saying that Sprint will offer GSM roaming plans. I'm sure Verizon will, too. Unlocking to use non-Sprint or non-Verizon SIMs is the only question, and Ars says Sprint will not.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

Unfortunately Macworld was wrong. Sprint has confirmed that its sim will not be unlocked and you have to roam internationally.

So who is bowing to whom here?

According to posts prior, Sprints World Phones have ALWAYS shipped unlocked and not tied to a carrier. Why is the iPhone different? Who is putting the pressure on them?

Verizon better not jack with their current policy of unlocking if you have been a customer in good standing for 60 days, I want this feature on my next phone.

Ugh. Really, wireless carriers suck.

 

[WannaGoMac]

ok then how does it help AT&T or Tmobile? as far as I know there are no roaming aggreements between US CDMA and GSM carriers...if there were one we'd know...

I don't follow your response on helping GSM carriers.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

Typically, a Verizon World Phone either comes with a Verizon SIM already in place, or you can ask for one if you're going out of country.

I would be very surprised if Verizon gave up a chance to sell people a world roaming plan that included GSM, as they normally do.

And how many casual travelers are going to bother with seeking a local sim and all that? They market it to them and still make that insane amount of money, and they techno traveller just sorts it out without them.... Avoiding paying the fee anyway.

 

[0007776]

Unfortunately Macworld was wrong. Sprint has confirmed that its sim will not be unlocked and you have to roam internationally.

That's too bad. I was hoping it would be sold unlocked, as if it was I would buy one from Sprint. But if it's locked, I wont.

 

[hwrdrrk]

can someone summarize what has been learned?

This post is ridiculously confusing, at least for me.

Based on everyones research, phone conversations with sprint/verizon/at&t/(TMobile)

can someone summarize what has been learned?

 

[faffing]

talked to Sprint

here is what they are saying:
(quote from Sprint international live chat service)

Benjamin H.: The IPhone 4S does come pre unlocked, but it has been advised by Apple that if you choose to use a international SIM card it will be at your risk. There is a possibility that the phone may not work correctly upon arrival back into the States.

he then clarified saying:

Benjamin H.: Apple provides the phone unlocked. We advise you that it can mess with your domestic CDMA connection to our network if you choose to use an international SIM we did not provide.

and that thus using a sim not provided by sprint will void your warranty. (this point I do not understand)

 

[bacaramac]

here is what they are saying:
(quote from Sprint international live chat service)

Benjamin H.: The IPhone 4S does come pre unlocked, but it has been advised by Apple that if you choose to use a international SIM card it will be at your risk. There is a possibility that the phone may not work correctly upon arrival back into the States.

he then clarified saying:

Benjamin H.: Apple provides the phone unlocked. We advise you that it can mess with your domestic CDMA connection to our network if you choose to use an international SIM we did not provide.

and that thus using a sim not provided by sprint will void your warranty. (this point I do not understand)

It is Sprint's way of saying please don't put another SIM in this phone, it hasn't been tested and verified to work.

Kind of how Infiniti tells me to use Infiniti parts and they can't vouch for other non-OEM parts on the car. We all know brakes from another company work fine, but Infiniti doesn't promise it will.

That is my guess. Apple would never make a phone with a SIM slot that would break CDMA functionality. If it did, they would still replace it unless the manual specifically says you can't do it.

 

[wireless-toyz09]

So many conflicting reports

I did a chat with a Sprint rep last night and according to her, the Sprint 4S WON'T be unlocked out of the box BUT she said i could call the Sprint Worldwide Support to have it internationally unlocked- "To unlock the phone, you need to call before you travel". I later asked her if the unlock would work if i was to insert an AT&T sim in it and she said she could not comment on the unlock working for a US GSM carrier as she was not 100% sure.

I am very much interested to see if the Sprint 4S will be unlocked out of the box (for ALL carriers including AT&T) or not. I guess we'll have to wait until friday to know for sure.

 

[Kar98]

Told ya so.

 

[jca24]

if you buy the phone on subsidy from sprint or verizon you will buy the gsm int roaming sim from them as well.

ig you buy an unlocked phone in november then you can put a local sim from another country

simple

 

[TraceyS/FL]

here is what they are saying:
(quote from Sprint international live chat service)

Benjamin H.: The IPhone 4S does come pre unlocked, but it has been advised by Apple that if you choose to use a international SIM card it will be at your risk. There is a possibility that the phone may not work correctly upon arrival back into the States.

he then clarified saying:

Benjamin H.: Apple provides the phone unlocked. We advise you that it can mess with your domestic CDMA connection to our network if you choose to use an international SIM we did not provide.

and that thus using a sim not provided by sprint will void your warranty. (this point I do not understand)

I don't get the warranty part either, but Verizon says that as long as you are a Verizon Customer the international sim won't void your warranty. When i read that back a page or so I thought it was a strange thing to say.

Wireless Carrier Scare tactics at their finest?

 

[bacaramac]

if you buy the phone on subsidy from sprint or verizon you will buy the gsm int roaming sim from them as well.

ig you buy an unlocked phone in november then you can put a local sim from another country

simple

Only problem is, the unlocked phone from Apple is GSM only so you can't use it on CDMA like Verizon or Sprint. Not an issue if you like AT&T and have local GSM service, but there is a difference. You will supposedly never be able to take the unlocked phone and attach it Sprint or Verizon if you wanted to, but I guess I will probably never be able to take a Sprint IP4s to AT&T in the US.

 

[Shanpdx]

Who is greedy Apple or Telecoms?

Why a blackberry world phone is GSM unlocked from verizon but iPhone 4S?

 

[goosnarrggh]

Verizon and Sprint have to have an unlocked SIM slot or it's not a true world phone. You can roam on CDMA in a few other countries but the phone would not work at all in Europe.

There is a precedent here that you don't seem to appreciate.

Verizon sells a variety of other World Phones, and they all come with a Verizon-branded international roaming SIM pre-installed for use when you leave a CDMA country and enter a GSM country.

If you don't already have the Verizon-branded international roaming SIM installed in your World-capable device, you can call Verizon customer service and arrange to acquire one before you leave for your trip.

With this Verizon-branded international roaming SIM in place, and the appropriate international roaming feature activated on your account, your Verizon world phone will work in over 220 countries (including GSM countries such as all major European countries), continuing to purchase all your service directly through Verizon (with their various international roaming partners automatically kicking in behind the scenes as you travel).

Why would the iPhone 4S be any different?

 

[kjohn]

Great, now if only pre-paid sims came in micro-sim format

They do in Asia. I've purchased them before in Hong Kong and Thailand. If they don't have them, you can just use scissors and cut the sim. It takes only a few seconds and is a better option than *not* using your iPhone.

 

[WannaGoMac]

There is a precedent here that you don't seem to appreciate.

Verizon sells a variety of other World Phones, and they all come with a Verizon-branded international roaming SIM pre-installed for use when you leave a CDMA country and enter a GSM country.

If you don't already have the Verizon-branded international roaming SIM installed in your World-capable device, you can call Verizon customer service and arrange to acquire one before you leave for your trip.

With this Verizon-branded international roaming SIM in place, and the appropriate international roaming feature activated on your account, your Verizon world phone will work in over 220 countries (including GSM countries such as all major European countries), continuing to purchase all your service directly through Verizon (with their various international roaming partners automatically kicking in behind the scenes as you travel).

Why would the iPhone 4S be any different?

Most of the people who speak to reporters at wireless companies are clueless. Friday we find out.

 

[ZipZap]

Surprise....sprint denies it

 

[ps2pk]

Most of the people who speak to reporters at wireless companies are clueless. Friday we find out.

Is it possible to find out if it's locked/unlocked by going to settings or something? Or does someone actually have to go to Europe and try and see if the sim works?

 

[goosnarrggh]

I just talked to AT&T and they continue to insist that iPhone4 CANNOT be unlocked, and say it's because of Apple.

I told them I don't believe that, and the no-unlock is AT&T's own policy decision.

My contract is up in June and I will certainly NOT be renewing it.

The customer service agent is correct about at least one thing:

He or she personally does not have any tool at their disposal which would allow them to process the unlock request. No matter how many times you ask them, or how nicely you ask them, or how belligerent you may become, they simply CANNOT fulfill your request.

I think it's quite likely that the hold-up probably is in the upper levels of management at AT&T. Until the upper management at AT&T decides that they want to give Apple permission to start provisioning AT&T unlocks, the front-line customer service agents are left with no other options.

 

[clibinarius]

Uh, highly doubt that. I don't believe that sort of "partial" control is possible on a SIM unlock. It's either unlocked or it isnt

A partial unlock is simple and easy, actually. Tie it to GPS, for one thing, or only accept certain carriers (ie: Everyone but AT&T and T-Mobile).

Not a problem technologically.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

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.

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.

There is a precedent here that you don't seem to appreciate.

Verizon sells a variety of other World Phones, and they all come with a Verizon-branded international roaming SIM pre-installed for use when you leave a CDMA country and enter a GSM country.

If you don't already have the Verizon-branded international roaming SIM installed in your World-capable device, you can call Verizon customer service and arrange to acquire one before you leave for your trip.

With this Verizon-branded international roaming SIM in place, and the appropriate international roaming feature activated on your account, your Verizon world phone will work in over 220 countries (including GSM countries such as all major European countries), continuing to purchase all your service directly through Verizon (with their various international roaming partners automatically kicking in behind the scenes as you travel).

Why would the iPhone 4S be any different?

THe further precedent is shown by the post I quoted above you and link to below. They do currently, for their world phones, unlock them if you have been a customer in good standing for 60 days.

I'm sure they really would prefer you use the included Vodaphone sim, but they have unlocked them in the past. Same for Sprint, people have stated Sprint's world phones have shipped GSM UNLOCKED in the past, so why are they possibly changing their tune for the iPhone.

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13560127/