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Wow Sprint...

T

tenderous

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 14, 2014
10
0
Southern California Suburbs
I recently received a Sprint iPhone 4 from a friend who recently upgraded to a 6, and was hoping to get it unlocked.

At first I called Sprint and at first they said "Oh, you need to have an active account to unlock it." But as of the new FCC rules they HAD to unlock it if it wasn't in a contract so I directed them to the FCC website.

So after apologizing and saying "they didn't know" then they told me I had to call Apple and give them this 6 digit code so they could unlock it. I then proceeded to call Apple.

The Apple representative had no idea what Sprint was talking about and told me that Sprint should be the ones unlocking the phones, not them.

She had me stay on the line while she tried to contact Sprint using the same number I had called less than 5 minutes earlier, and interestingly, they had closed for the night.

Now Apple is going to try to contact Sprint tomorrow, and should get the problem resolved. So if anyone is switching to Sprint, think again.
 
Last edited:
Don't waste your time.
A Sprint iPhone 4 cannot be unlocked.
It doesn't even have a sim tray so not sure how you were planning on using it elsewhere.
Verizon won't activate it on their network either.
Pretty much useless device.
 
Don't waste your time.
A Sprint iPhone 4 cannot be unlocked.
It doesn't even have a sim tray so not sure how you were planning on using it elsewhere.
Verizon won't activate it on their network either.
Pretty much useless device.
Click to expand...
^^^This.

I'm guessing that you are a complete newbie to Sprint. Sprint's draconian unlock policy has been a bone of serious contention since at least 2011.

Lots of people seem to think that this new CTIA agreement and unlock "law" are going to magically make Sprint unlock because…well because it's a law and an agreement.

Not so.

If you have an iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 or 6+ then this is indeed going to apply to you. If you have an iPhone 4, 4s, and iPhone 5 you're out of luck. The SIM card on the 4s and 5 is of an ENTIRELY different type than the 5c, 5s, 6 and 6+.

And as AJ has pointed out, the Sprint iPhone 4 does not even HAVE a SIM tray.

PS. MSL codes are worthless. Apple does not use them - period.

If you had an Android or WinMo device that would be different, but they don't work on iPhones because Apple uses an entirely different process.
 
Did you ask ting yet if this will work and if they will flash it on their network?
Calling Apple or Sprint will get you nowhere besides wasting your time.
It's a well known fact that Sprint does not unlock any of their iPhones for domestic use besides starting with the iPhone 5c models and newer devices only.
New fcc rules don't apply to 5 year old iPhones.
 
tenderous said:
I'm going to be using it on Ting (A MNVO that runs on Sprint).
Click to expand...
Then you need to talk to Ting because what you are doing is a lateral move. It's not an unlock.

Ting, as you said, is a Sprint MVNO. Sprint phones can be moved over because Ting still uses Sprint's network and systems. There is no unlock involved.

The majority of Ting phones are all still locked to Sprint.
 
Applejuiced said:
Did you ask ting yet if this will work and if they will flash it on their network?
Calling Apple or Sprint will get you nowhere besides wasting your time.
It's a well known fact that Sprint does not unlock any of their iPhones for domestic use besides starting with the iPhone 5c models and newer devices only.
New fcc rules don't apply to 5 year old iPhones.
Click to expand...

Why do you say they don't apply? There's nothing in the rules that exempt 5 year old phones.
 
tenderous said:
Why do you say they don't apply? There's nothing in the rules that exempt 5 year old phones.
Click to expand...

Go read Sprint's unlock policy. Argue with them if you wish but there are exemptions for "technical" reasons.

PS. You are still talking unlock when all you are doing is a lateral move. Ting does not need your phone to be unlocked as they use Sprint's network.
 
eyoungren said:
Go read Sprint's unlock policy. Argue with them if you wish but there are exemptions for "technical" reasons.

PS. You are still talking unlock when all you are doing is a lateral move. Ting does not need your phone to be unlocked as they use Sprint's network.
Click to expand...

Correct.
Only people the op should be contacting is the ting customer support asking them if he can use this sprint iPhone 4 with them. They will give you definite answers.
Don't call Apple, Sprint, the fcc, Obama or anyone else.
It won't make a difference when it comes to that locked device.
 
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