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Verizon iPhone 4S SIM UNLOCK Tutorial

it works

In Australia, had my 4S unlocked prior to leaving the states. Got a local SIM here in Sydney, put it in & the phone activated it within 30 seconds. no problem!
 
Anybody using Verizon network travel to Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City please help me call VZ to unlock my phone, I'm willing to pay 100$ for helping me, my phone number in Vietnam +84949060996
 
eyespii said:
Also, after the unlock, did anyone else have a problem where contact names weren't showing up in the SMS app? Instead of names, some of the message threads are labeled by phone numbers. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

This is a known issue. To fix, change the language of your phone to something else and then back to english.

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Can anyone tell me how to verify if I am unlocked without having an activated foreign SIM? It turns out the 2 canadian microsims I have access to are not activated, so the phone says Searching... then No Signal.

When I go to carrier options and turn off automatic, about 20 seconds later I can choose between AT&T and T-Mobile. I can't get past that because the sim card is not activated. Does the appearance of those two networks mean I'm unlocked?
 
haiaune said:
Anybody using Verizon network travel to Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City please help me call VZ to unlock my phone, I'm willing to pay 100$ for helping me, my phone number in Vietnam +84949060996
Click to expand...

Your iPhone needs to be currently on the Verizon Network. if you are using another SIM, put the Verizon back in and call the global number. You can do it in Vietnam too. They won't charge you, it's free airtime.
 
After the unlock i took the phone off verizon service and brought it to singapore where it is now with a local carrier. I replaced the 4s with another verizon non smartphone so i did not need to pay early termination.

I have a queation. If i restore the iphone, will it lose the unlock? Since its not on verizon anymore. What troubled me was this post http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3198

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itisme1760 said:
Your iPhone needs to be currently on the Verizon Network. if you are using another SIM, put the Verizon back in and call the global number. You can do it in Vietnam too. They won't charge you, it's free airtime.
Click to expand...

I might be wrong but if youre in VN then you wont be on verizon, but rather eg viettel of mobifone. Even id the phone is tied to a verizon line of service, will the carrier unlock initiate internationally?
 
Just in case you were wondering, the Absinthe jailbreak does not affect the unlock in any way.
 
deengu said:
After the unlock i took the phone off verizon service and brought it to singapore where it is now with a local carrier. I replaced the 4s with another verizon non smartphone so i did not need to pay early termination.

I have a queation. If i restore the iphone, will it lose the unlock? Since its not on verizon anymore. What troubled me was this post http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3198


Even after a restore, your phone will remain unlocked, forever. Doesn't matter what you do to it, once unlocked, stays unlocked.
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SGMD1 said:
Verizon has confirmed (here, here and here) they will unlock the SIM on the iPhone 4S, allowing for use of foreign SIM cards while traveling abroad, or for use of foreign SIM cards roaming on GSM networks in the United States (this will not allow for AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card use.) This is different than the jailbreak unlocking method; SIM unlocking through Verizon is permanent, free, and will not affect your warranty in any way.

1. Meet the following requirements:

* Must be a Verizon Wireless customer.
* The iPhone 4S 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.

If you don't meet one or more of the above requirements, call anyway. You may still get lucky.

2. Insert a foreign SIM into the SIM card slot on the side of your phone (only needed to confirm the unlock is successful.)

3. Call 1-800-711-8300 (Verizon Global Support), select option 2, and ask the representative for a SIM unlock. Occassionally a representative may not know exactly what you are referring to; make sure you are not transferred to a different department. You are in the right place. Explain that they should have a walkthrough on how to do this, and that it allows for the use of local, non-Verizon SIM cards while traveling abroad.

4. Get confirmation from the rep that the unlock has been applied to your account, then check your phone to make sure it recognizes your SIM and can connect (if successful it will roam on AT&T, assuming you are calling from the USA.) You will NOT see an unlock confirmation in iTunes as that is for a factory-applied unlock only.

5. Enjoy your new unlocked iPhone 4S!
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Worked like a charm! The call took all of 5 minutes. You won't get any special "notification" other than when you insert the foreign SIM it will say "Activation Required." I just inserted an Israeli micro-SIM from Pelephone into the slot, did WiFi activation and I was roaming on AT&T. Pulled it out, swapped in an Orange SIM (from France) and same thing.

I have a centralized call blasting service I use here in USA and I never give out my actual Cell Phone number so I just added my SIM numbers to the call blast chain and anyone that calls me will still reach me.

Fantastic solution!
 
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I bought a clean esn/imei iPhone 4S and my cousin was kind enough to try to add it to his Verizon account and tried to unlock it for me because I'm in Mexico. I was told that altought the iPhone was clean, the former phone number it had was in process of port out from Verizon and that he should call them again in four days. Do you know something about it? Will Verizon really unlock it or they just gave us false advice just to hung up on us?
 
Just did it in London, with no issues but needed to call them again. Using 3pay as you go since unlimited data. ONE question, Verizon says you can't forward your US to the London number since too many digits. Anyone have any success with forwarding?
 
I had Verizon unlock my 4s a few weeks ago.
I had an "issue" with my jailbroken 4s so I had to restore.
Restored fine and at the end I received the "Congratulations, your iPhone is now unlocked" screen in iTunes. Popped in an internation SIM and it works fine.

Long story short, even if you jailbreak and then restore your phone back to stock, you keep your unlock no matter what.
 
Travelers to Philippines

For my Filipino brothers and sisters! I just came back from using my 4S and I was on Globe the entire time. The 3G connection, when available, was good. I was in Cebu, Manila, parts of Quezon City, Tagbilaran City, Puerto Princesa and those places all had 3G.

I bought a SIM card and used a microsim cutter and installed. Restarted the phone and I was on Globe with 3G. As the cheesy tourism phrase goes, it's more fun in the Philippines!
 
Unlock using Canadian Sim

Hi everyone. I called Verizon and they did the unlock in a few minutes and the rep said it went through fine. I need to get an international SIM to test it out. I am hoping it will work with Canadian SIMS like Fido or Rogers. Has anyone tried it using a Canadian SIM? I wasn't sure because Canada still uses the +1 number system,

I enjoy vacationing in Canada and it is soooo much cheaper to use a prepaid SIM from Fido rather than using the Verizon CDMA roaming agreements.

Thank you,

Nick :)
 
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SoIsays said:
For my Filipino brothers and sisters! I just came back from using my 4S and I was on Globe the entire time. The 3G connection, when available, was good. I was in Cebu, Manila, parts of Quezon City, Tagbilaran City, Puerto Princesa and those places all had 3G.

I bought a SIM card and used a microsim cutter and installed. Restarted the phone and I was on Globe with 3G. As the cheesy tourism phrase goes, it's more fun in the Philippines!
Click to expand...

How did you get calls from your US cellphone number? Can you forward it to the phone number of the prepaid sim?
 
jettie1767 said:
How did you get calls from your US cellphone number? Can you forward it to the phone number of the prepaid sim?
Click to expand...

I couldn't get calls if someone would dial my verizon # when I was using the sim. I didn't try to see if I could forward to my prepaid sim, either. I mainly communicated via text/email with the US and if the US wanted to speak they'd just call the sim or the landline I had. It was cheaper either way versus verizon's int'l rates.
 
FYI, you will get an unlock confirmation via iTunes if you ever restore your unlocked Verizon 4s.
 
nickdearing88 said:
Hi everyone. I called Verizon and they did the unlock in a few minutes and the rep said it went through fine. I need to get an international SIM to test it out. I am hoping it will work with Canadian SIMS like Fido or Rogers. Has anyone tried it using a Canadian SIM? I wasn't sure because Canada still uses the +1 number system,

I enjoy vacationing in Canada and it is soooo much cheaper to use a prepaid SIM from Fido rather than using the Verizon CDMA roaming agreements.

Thank you,

Nick :)
Click to expand...

I too like going up to Canada. My in-laws have a cabin near bruce mines. I'd like to know what carrier offers the best prepaid sim that I could use while I'm up there for a week (or two) at a time. It's getting to a point where we REALLY need two working phones up there and I'm not willing to pay Verizons crazy international fees.
 
Back from Australia

Kept the Optus sim in the phone to see if it would work here, it does, roaming on AT&T
 
Problems with TRU micro SIM and Verizon iPhone 4s

I have a Verizon iPhone 4s and have followed the procedure to have the SIM slot unlocked by Verizon.

I have also received and activated a TRU micro SIM. Activation has been confirmed both on-line and via phone help.

A Verizon phone rep confirmed that my SIM slot is unlocked.

So in essence - both TRU and Verizon say they have done their part in making this micro SIM work.

But... I have a problem:

I activated my TRU micro SIM over the internet prior to placing it in my phone.

I confirmed on-line the activation had taken place.

When I removed the Verizon micro SIM from my iPhone it alerted "No SIM In Phone" - that's normal.

When I put the TRU micro SIM in my phone nothing happened - no search for carrier, no indication that anything had changed.

My iPhone still reports its on the Verizon network with the TRU micro SIM in the iPhone.

Is it possible the micro SIM is defective?

Have I failed to follow the instructions somehow?

Does anyone have experience putting a TRU micro SIM in a Verizon iPhone 4s?

I would appreciate any help. As it stands now I have a micro SIM that appears not to function in my iPhone and a trip to the UK in about a month or so.

Any help greatly appreciated!

Phil
 
Did any of you guys find that the hotspot feature no longer works properly after unlocking on Verizon? I've found that my iPhone 4 can no longer connect to my Verizon (unlocked) 4S hotspot even when connected to the Verizon network :S Any ideas?
 
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