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Unlocking my iPhone 5, drawbacks?

A

AlexHaines

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 18, 2012
33
0
I want to unlock my iphone 5, because I've never done it before and want to try it out. I am just wondering what I need to do after getting it unlocked via ATT, or ebay. Do i get a verizon sim somehow? I wouldnt even know how to go about doing that, and then, would i have to activate that sim card?

I'm sorry if this is a repost, but, i've read through the forums and cant find exactly what im asking.
 
Or, does this not make much sense anyway because it cant be used on Verizon's LTE network? Also concerned doing something like this might mess with my unlimited data plan if something goes wrong.
 
Verizon uses CDMA so an AT&T unlocked iPhone which is GSM will not work with Verizon. It will work with any GSM provider.

The benefit of an unlocked phone is you can use it with any GSM carrier you wish to use it with. If you travel overseas you can buy a local prepaid SIM and use it in your phone and not have to pay your carriers insane international roaming rates.

Or if you want to use your iPhone with TMobile you can do so.

I travel to the Caribbean and Brazil often so when I land in a new country I go to a phone store at the airport and buy a $40-$50 prepaid SIM, pop it in my phone then give out that local number to my friends. I keep the prepaid SIM so when I return to the country I keep the same number. Since it's prepaid I only add money to the SIM as needed.
 
Last edited:
Coleman2010 said:
Verizon uses CDMA so an AT&T unlocked iPhone which is GSM will not work with Verizon. It will work with any GSM provider.

The benefit of an unlocked phone is you can use it with any GSM carrier you wish to use it with. If you travel overseas you can buy a local prepaid SIM and use it in your phone and not have to pay your carriers insane international roaming rates.

Or if you want to use your iPhone with TMobile you can do so.

I travel to the Caribbean and Brazil often so when I land in a new country I go to a phone store at the airport and buy a $40-$50 prepaid SIM, pop it in my phone then give out that local number to my friends. I keep the prepaid SIM so when I return to the country I keep the same number. Since it's prepaid I only add money to the SIM as needed.
Click to expand...
Nope. Looks like things have changed, with a vengeance. Verizon's iPhone 5 is unlocked, outta da box, and WILL work on GSM as well as CDMA. Several articles today. Example: http://www.cultofmac.com/192238/ver...ut-of-the-box-works-on-gsm-carriers-like-att/
 
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