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Verizon iPhone 5s

timeconsumer

timeconsumer

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 1, 2008
2,183
2,288
Portland
Apologies if this has been asked...

Does anyone know if the Verizon iPhone 5s will be unlocked similarly to how the iPhone 5 was?
 
Does sprint iPhones have to be unlocked by the carrier or can they be unlocked in a similar fashion as the tmobile and AT&T models (where you see those unlocked companies or when a method to jailbreak the phone also unlocks it)? Thanks
 
cnotes2019 said:
Does sprint iPhones have to be unlocked by the carrier or can they be unlocked in a similar fashion as the tmobile and AT&T models (where you see those unlocked companies or when a method to jailbreak the phone also unlocks it)? Thanks
Click to expand...

Sprint has to be unlocked by the carrier.
 
cnotes2019 said:
Is there a reason why it's impossible for an exploit to be found that would unlock ? Thanks
Click to expand...

Because the carriers are willing to unlock it now provided you meet their criteria. No motivation to exploit a unlock much anymore.
 
Diseal3 said:
Because the carriers are willing to unlock it now provided you meet their criteria. No motivation to exploit a unlock much anymore.
Click to expand...

I'm asking if it can be unlocked for domestic use. I know if you pay your bill etc they will unlock it for international use but I was wondering why it's so hard to unlock it for domestic use? I've heard of it being unlocked via eBay so I will look there.
 
cnotes2019 said:
I'm asking if it can be unlocked for domestic use. I know if you pay your bill etc they will unlock it for international use but I was wondering why it's so hard to unlock it for domestic use? I've heard of it being unlocked via eBay so I will look there.
Click to expand...

not sure to be honest. That's the reason why I opened this thread was to make sure the verizon version would be unlocked for domestic and international use. I don't believe the sprint iPhone 5 was unlocked for domestic usage (please somebody correct me if wrong) so based on that I don't think the iPhone 5s sprint version will be unlocked for domestic use.
 
I see listing on eBay and videos on YouTube claiming that a sprint iphone 5 can be unlocked for use on tmobile or AT&T etc. I'm just looking for verification if that is so
 
The way I understand it is this:

The CDMA LTE side will only work with Verizon. Not with any other CDMA carrier like Sprint or US Cellular.

The GSM side of the VZW iphone will work internationally on many LTE bands. Domestically, due to the 700 mHz FCC laws, it cannot be carrier locked. This means that domestically it can be used with at&t, tmobile, straightalk, aio, etc.. However - just because it can work with them does not mean it has to work on their LTE bands.

For example - If I put my wife's at&t iPhone 5 sim card into my VZW iphone 5, it works but only on their HSPA+ network. Not on their LTE. Same thing for my iPad. I have a Verizon 4th Gen. It works LTE with a verizon SIM but only "4G" HSPA with an at&t SIM.

I beleive it will be the same for the 5S. The difference is that internationally, you will have more options for LTE.

Again, this is just my understanding. If I am wrong, please feel free to correct me. Politely (something grossly missing on this website)
 
cnotes2019 said:
I see listing on eBay and videos on YouTube claiming that a sprint iphone 5 can be unlocked for use on tmobile or AT&T etc. I'm just looking for verification if that is so
Click to expand...

Good to know. In that case I am not sure... Hopefully somebody here can answer then.
 
I was able to put claim that my Verizon iPhone 5 is unlocked to test. Last weekend my cousin's boyfriend let me use his simcard from AT&T. It took 60-90 seconds to find signal and then I made a phone call to my wife and it worked. I did not test if data worked though. At least I know my Verizon iPhone 5 is unlocked :)

timeconsumer said:
Good to know. In that case I am not sure... Hopefully somebody here can answer then.
Click to expand...
I am not sure but you need model A1429 (international)
 
As per the above it seems that the Verizon iPhone 5 will work on other domestic carriers on their non-LTE networks. This is to be expected, however, I was more interested if anyone knew if the Verizon iPhone 5S will work on t-mobile or AT&T LTE networks (as well as their HSPA+ networks) since according to http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ it should assuming that the simcard slot is unlocked from verizon.
 
cnotes2019 said:
I see listing on eBay and videos on YouTube claiming that a sprint iphone 5 can be unlocked for use on tmobile or AT&T etc. I'm just looking for verification if that is so
Click to expand...

Those rely on OS exploits and are usually ruined with OS updates. Also a ton of people purchased those R-Sims to unlock the Sprint iphone 5 and were hit with the phone always searching for a signal.

Don't waste your money. If you do get a Sprint iphone 5(S) just sell it and get the version you really want.
 
Vetvito said:
Those rely on OS exploits and are usually ruined with OS updates. Also a ton of people purchased those R-Sims to unlock the Sprint iphone 5 and were hit with the phone always searching for a signal.

Don't waste your money. If you do get a Sprint iphone 5(S) just sell it and get the version you really want.
Click to expand...

But I would really want the sprint version since it has more bands than the other model but in that case I may just get the Verizon and/or AT&T 5s. Ill see what happens after it's launch
 
cnotes2019 said:
But I would really want the sprint version since it has more bands than the other model but in that case I may just get the Verizon and/or AT&T 5s. Ill see what happens after it's launch
Click to expand...

Like said above.
Do not get the sprint one. Get either the verizon or AT&T one.
Or you will be stuck with a sprint iPhone that you cannot use and if you do unlock it with a gevey sim adapter you will lose the unlock if you ever update the firmware.
 
Applejuiced said:
Like said above.
Do not get the sprint one. Get either the verizon or AT&T one.
Or you will be stuck with a sprint iPhone that you cannot use and if you do unlock it with a gevey sim adapter you will lose the unlock if you ever update the firmware.
Click to expand...

Already said that much but how am I not going to be able to use it ? If I buy it I will have sprint service so I will be able to use it....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
cnotes2019 said:
Already said that much but how am I not going to be able to use it ? If I buy it I will have sprint service so I will be able to use it....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Oh ok.
I thought you were buying it for international or other domestic gsm use.
if sprint is your carrier and you don't plan on switching then you have to get a sprint iPhone.
 
Applejuiced said:
Oh ok.
I thought you were buying it for international or other domestic gsm use.
if sprint is your carrier and you don't plan on switching then you have to get a sprint iPhone.
Click to expand...

No I was buying it for both those reasons but if I was to buy it or any phone for that matter I would be also paying for service with said company. I would just use it on other carriers if possible. I wouldn't buy a phone from one company with no intent on using it with that company either initially or soon after. I just wanted to buy the sprint one as it had slightly more band support than the other model. Thanks for your help though. I will wait until after the launch and more hands on reviews happen.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
cnotes2019 said:
No I was buying it for both those reasons but if I was to buy it or any phone for that matter I would be also paying for service with said company. I would just use it on other carriers if possible. I wouldn't buy a phone from one company with no intent on using it with that company either initially or soon after. I just wanted to buy the sprint one as it had slightly more band support than the other model. Thanks for your help though. I will wait until after the launch and more hands on reviews happen.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Oh I see.
Well the verizon and sprint iPhones are identical so they have the same bands supported.
Good luck with witchever device you decide to go with.
 
No the sprint version has slightly more bands than the Verizon/tmobile/AT&T iPhone 5s. Thanks !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
Verizon iPhone 5s

True but this time around Apple made things better buy combining Verizon tmo and AT&T plus others. Sprint version has all those bands plus a little more others. It would have been better if they made one model for the entire world :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
cnotes2019 said:
True but this time around Apple made things better buy combining Verizon tmo and AT&T plus others. Sprint version has all those bands plus a little more others. It would have been better if they made one model for the entire world :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

True, but its not really Apples fault.
Sprint is the only carrier that will not fully unlock its iPhone's. They only do it for international use. Unlike Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
 
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