Unlocking CDMA for switch to GSM on next contract

[estockme]

Hello- I have a question.

I'm currently on Sprint and planning to get the new apple telephone in the next month or 2. However due to a workplace discount I plan to switch to ATT in the next year. When this happens I would like to just switch my phone over with an unlock and a sim.

Does anyone believe that an unlock will ultimately allow dual-mode CDMA-activated phones to ultimately be used on a GSM network? I realize that I could also just sell the phone to subsidize my switch...

Thanks.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Maybe.

Won't you have ETF to deal with? Might be cheaper in the long run to sell the Sprint phone to pay ETF and get a subsidized phone on AT&T, than to pay ETF out of pocket and not buy a new phone.

 

[Obscurelight]

nope unless you jailbreak and unlock.

 

[sviato]

There's a thread here saying that the sprint iphone is gsm unlocked, try looking there for info maybe

 

[kdarling]

Last I heard, you cannot use an ATT SIM in a Sprint or Verizon iPhone (they will only unlock the GSM side for non-US carriers).

 

[estockme]

There's a thread here saying that the sprint iphone is gsm unlocked, try looking there for info maybe

I'm aware of that, but the reports have said this is only for international travel and not a true unlock. CDMA and GSM use different hardware and software, and my understanding is that there is something more to making that jump than simply popping in a new sim... sprint would need to release its ESN number or something, i don't know. I DO read the forums before i ask and the nuance of this question was something different from the gsm unlock you are talking about.

also, sprint has said they will be pushing out an update that re-locks it anyways. I know because i read that article too.

 

[gerelee]

Last I heard, you cannot use an ATT SIM in a Sprint or Verizon iPhone (they will only unlock the GSM side for non-US carriers).

true .. i tried with my at&t sim .. no luck. i even tried a restore with my at&t sim...same result. some unlock huh?

 

[kdarling]

true .. i tried with my at&t sim .. no luck. i even tried a restore with my at&t sim...same result. some unlock huh?

True, none of the US carriers, CDMA or GSM, want to make it easy for their current customers to move to another US carrier.

Note that this is also true of quite a few non-USA carriers. About half of the world's carriers sell the iPhone as locked, and not all of them will unlock it.

At least the US CDMA carriers will unlock the GSM side of their subsidized iPhones for use overseas, unlike AT&T.