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Unlocked 4S CDMA

P

psykick5

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 4, 2011
350
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So it seems to say on the Apple website that "The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint."

Why won't the 4S work? It has a dual GSM/CDMA chipset...

This is frustrating because I want to buy a 4S, use it on my remaining T-Mobile contract, then switch to Verizon next year.
 
psykick5 said:
Does that mean it's just software? As in can be changed/removed/edited through an implication I'm making?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I think we'll have more luck fighting this kind of thing through government intervention than through an external software unlock.

Maybe one day, a special Gevey SIM could work with an unlocked Verizon iPhone...
 
brand said:
I believe that I said it would be an unlocked phone so I have no idea what you are trying to say.
Click to expand...

Ask yourself if, the "unlocked" iPhone that you mentioned will work work on Verizon (or Sprint for that matter).
 
al256 said:
Ask yourself if, the "unlocked" iPhone that you mentioned will work work on Verizon (or Sprint for that matter).
Click to expand...

Since the iPhone would not be locked to a specific wireless provider there would be no reason for it not to.
 
brand said:
Since the iPhone would not be locked to a specific wireless provider there would be no reason for it not to.
Click to expand...

Great. Now here's the first thing the OP posted in this thread:

psykick5 said:
So it seems to say on the Apple website that "The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint."
Click to expand...

Which can be found here in the "About the Unlocked iPhone" hyperlink.

So now is it clear that the "unlocked" iPhone is not helpful or useful for the OP?
 
CDMA phones can't be transferred from carrier to carrier without hacking as they require some programming on the phone side for them to work.

I imagine the iPhone is no different.
 
brand said:
Since the iPhone would not be locked to a specific wireless provider there would be no reason for it not to.
Click to expand...

This is directly from Apple's website "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."

Thats what al256 was trying to say; the iPhone 4S model isn't truly unlocked since it can't be activated with 2 out of the 3 carriers (well 4 now with Cspire) that offer it.
 
See I would go and buy it non-contract from Verizon, but you have to have an account in good standing for 60 days to have it unlocked. I have a family member who's on Verizon but I don't know if I could just go to the Verizon store with them, buy it, and have it unlocked on the spot. I guess I'll have to try it.
 
OK, I see now. I apologize for my misunderstanding. To me an unlocked iPhone means unlocked. I could see this being very confusing for customers.
 
brand said:
OK, I see now. I apologize for my misunderstanding. To me an unlocked iPhone means unlocked. I could see this being very confusing for customers.
Click to expand...

Unlocked should mean unlocked. You're right.

Well, the more you know now.
 
al256 said:
Which can be found here in the "About the Unlocked iPhone" hyperlink.

So now is it clear that the "unlocked" iPhone is not helpful or useful for the OP?
Click to expand...

What the **** is that crap Apple is talking about. I bought the unlocked on the basis I could use it on CDMA carriers when travelling and they touted it as a "world phone" even though you can't use CDMA carriers. Seriously **** them.

Sorry about the language I am pissed.
 
al256 said:
Unlocked should mean unlocked. You're right.
Click to expand...
There are CDMA subsidy locks but "unlocked" is typically used by people only when referring to GSM devices or the GSM portion of CDMA/GSM hybrid devices.

al256 said:
Ask yourself if, the "unlocked" iPhone that you mentioned will work work on Verizon (or Sprint for that matter).
Click to expand...
But is it actually due to a locking issue or because the CDMA carriers won't activate the devices? The link doesn't clarify that at all. It can certainly be unlocked but unusable on CDMA. IIRC those carriers won't activate CDMA devices from other carriers as it is.

macingman said:
I bought the unlocked on the basis I could use it on CDMA carriers when travelling and they touted it as a "world phone" even though you can't use CDMA carriers.
Click to expand...
Based on what? Links? Don't assume. There are countless prior world phones that can't be used with just any CDMA carrier.
 
Last edited:
Unlocked on CDMA has no context on the iPhone (nor the carriers) since CDMA switching is impossible in the US. Verizon nor Sprint will let you register an unknown device to their network (and since an unlocked phone would be considered an unknown device), hence you can't use the unlocked iPhone with CDMA carriers.
 
alphaod said:
Unlocked on CDMA has no context on the iPhone (nor the carriers) since CDMA switching is impossible in the US. Verizon nor Sprint will let you register an unknown device to their network (and since an unlocked phone would be considered an unknown device), hence you can't use the unlocked iPhone with CDMA carriers.
Click to expand...

Was it always that way? I recall a few years back that I could get a used BlackBerry off Ebay with a clear ESN (or something to that effect) which was labeled with the Sprint logo but could be used on Verizon as well.
 
takeshi74 said:
Based on what? Links? Don't assume. There are countless prior world phones that can't be used with just any CDMA carrier.
Click to expand...

Apple said in their keynote it is a world phone supported by both GSM and CDMA however Apple than put in fine print on their site that it only supports GSM (the unlocked version).
 
al256 said:
Was it always that way? I recall a few years back that I could get a used BlackBerry off Ebay with a clear ESN (or something to that effect) which was labeled with the Sprint logo but could be used on Verizon as well.
Click to expand...

I did recall that being possible a long time ago, but from many friend's experiences they changed that a while back as well.

I think it was around the time when the Treo 700p just came and a friend of mine bought a Sprint one hoping to use it on Verizon, but wasn't able to after many repeated attempts.
 
alphaod said:
Unlocked on CDMA has no context on the iPhone (nor the carriers) since CDMA switching is impossible in the US. Verizon nor Sprint will let you register an unknown device to their network (and since an unlocked phone would be considered an unknown device), hence you can't use the unlocked iPhone with CDMA carriers.
Click to expand...
I seem to recall Verizon started allowing non-verizon CDMA phones on their network as long as they were compatible.
Don't recall the exact details, but I have seen Sprint branded phones operating on Verizon before.
 
It won't work because they have to program the phone to use the correct towers. It isn't like the GSM phones that are controlled by the SIM card.
 
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