iPhone 4s shipping unlocked?

lolwaitwut · Nov 30, 2011

Does anyone have any information if the iphone is shipping unlocked?

What I want to know specifically is, if I take the phone (packaged/unopened/unactivated), to lets say europe. Then I open it there, take out the sprint sim card and then insert a european sim card. Would it allow me to activate the phone with that sim card or will it pop up the "Invalid sim card" error?

I know sprint started locking down iphones on the 11th, but from what I know they lock it during activation. So just wondering if this would work.

btw I paid the full price of the phone. Not the 2 year contract price.

Thanks

Thomasjtsi · Nov 30, 2011

The trick w/ Verizon or Sprint "unlocking" the SIM port on their branded iPhone is... you must maintain a valid Verizon/Sprint Voice & Data plan in order for the SIM port to remain unlocked. So, there must be an active Verizon/Sprint cell account for the phone to be utilized "unlocked" abroad.

lolwaitwut · Nov 30, 2011

thomasjtsi said:
The trick w/ Verizon or Sprint "unlocking" the SIM port on their branded iPhone is... you must maintain a valid Verizon/Sprint Voice & Data plan in order for the SIM port to remain unlocked. So, there must be an active Verizon/Sprint cell account for the phone to be utilized "unlocked" abroad.

yes I understand that, but the phone isn't technically locked to the carrier until activate. This is from what I've read about sprints initiative about the lock. Here is an image that explains what happens

as you can see, it states that if the phone is activated after 11/11/11, it gets locked down.

But since I won't be in the states and I will activate it with a different sim card. Shouldn't the iphone "lock" down to the sim card that I insert?

Thomasjtsi · Nov 30, 2011

What you're saying does make sense. However... being that it is a Sprint phone, which will use the CDMA radio, it's going to work w/ that technology from the box. Spring has to allow you to use the GSM radio & SIM port... even if you bought it out of contract.

lolwaitwut · Nov 30, 2011

I understand what you mean. I'm going to call up sprint tomorrow and see if I am still held under the contract. Meaning since I didn't buy the phone with a 2 year contract, technically they should unlock it without a problem... hopefully. We'll see.

Thomasjtsi · Nov 30, 2011

Hopefully they'll give you good news! Please let us know what they say... because I'd really like to be wrong about this one. It'd be nice if someone could buy a truly unlocked phone that can be used on any carrier.

Zalypkin · Nov 30, 2011

Please let us know what they say, I will also be going to Europe and was wondering of my phone will work there. I just haven't gotten around to calling sprint.

lolwaitwut · Dec 1, 2011

Zalypkin said:
Please let us know what they say, I will also be going to Europe and was wondering of my phone will work there. I just haven't gotten around to calling sprint.

I just called sprint and they said the phone is locked even if you buy at full price.

iCrank · Dec 1, 2011

Couldn't you have bought it factory unlocked from Apple

إيكرانك...المسطرة

seneca18 · Dec 17, 2011

Sprint sold its original shipments of iPhones (first two weeks or so) unlocked. It wasn't until two weeks after release that they started locking down all the iPhones. I got mine the first week and sure enough it is unlocked woohoo. I quote the gadget section of zite on my iPad for that info that made me go and see if mi e was unlocked which it is.