Sprint, Verizon iPhone 4S handsets to be unlocked [updated]

By on Oct 12, 2011 at 9:15 AM
mobile October 12, 2011

Sprint and Verizon Wireless will both offer iPhone 4S handsets that will be GSM-unlocked, a new report states. Macworld on Tuesday confirmed that iPhone 4S units sold by Sprint will be GSM-unlocked out of the box, while handsets sold by Verizon Wireless will come locked, but a user can call Verizon asking for an “international unlock” and the carrier will oblige provided the user’s account has been in good standing for 60 days. Customers who plan to roam internationally or use an unlocked iPhone 4S in the U.S. should note that the handset requires a micro-SIM rather than a standard SIM card.

UPDATE: A Sprint spokesperson told Ars Technica that it will not, in fact, be selling GSM-unlocked iPhones.

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38 Comments

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  • Brian Wenger

    Oh.

  • Brownie

    Technically, an unlocked Sprint or Verizon iPhone 4S can be used with an At&t micro sim card with full 3G?

    • Anonymous

      Don’t forget that MicroCell Tower (Cingular)…

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    • Anonymous

      Yep, with a Sprint ETF it works out to being the same price as buying one unlocked from Apple next month. The one from Apple won’t support CDMA networks. I would suspect the Sprint 4S should hold some amazing resale value as it is a Factory unlocked GSM phone with the added bonus of support for Sprint U.S. 

      • BurleyShells

        All the phones are the same. So the one from apple supports CDMA and gsm

      • Anonymous

        Wrong, while it is a world phone, Apple’s site states

        “The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as
        AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a
        micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone will not
        work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.”

        It has since been picked up by numerous blogs that the GSM unlocked 4S from Apple will not work with CDMA networks.

      • http://twitter.com/WillieFDiazSF William Diaz ✔

        Cliqsquad said it best. Apple will only support the GSM side. While the phones are the same, the ESN/MEID has not been supported in the Apple sold iPhone 4S, by Sprint or Verizon, therefore it cant be activated by either. In order for that you need carrier branded (as branded as it will be) iPhone 4S. Sprint is definitely a better value.

  • http://www.thegadgetgurus.net Vic

    Wow, who would have thought that Verizon and Sprint would offer a better international iPhone vs. AT&T. AT&T better step their game up, or they’ll start losing a decent chunk of the international buyer sector.

    • Anonymous

      Now watch a good chunk of those two-hundred thousand who pre-ordered on AT&Trumped cancel and switch to Verizon or Sprint.

    • Anonymous

      It’s the same phone is it not? I assumed the AT&T version could be activated on CDMA networks but not roam on them in the US.

      • http://www.thegadgetgurus.net Vic

        The GSM version cannot be activated on CDMA carriers. When it comes to unlocking, it’s up the carrier to unlock the device. This isn’t a limitation by iPhone models, but by the carriers. If AT&T refuses to unlock it, then you’ll have to unlock it by other means.

      • http://twitter.com/WillieFDiazSF William Diaz ✔

        The Verizon CDMA iPhone wont work on Sprint and Sprint CDMA iPhone wont work on Verizon Not because they are different, they arent, they are the EXACT SAME PHONE, but because CDMA networks only activate ESN/MEID numbers they already have in their database. Sprint wont add, Verizon wont add, and MetroPCS only will add select ESN/MEID numbers. However, if you were to buy a Sprint iPhone then you would be able to take it to Sprint for service, AT&T for 4G HSPA+ service, or T-Mobile for EDGE service. So all in all, it really is the best value. Verizon you would have to stay on contract 60 days, and Verizon unlike Sprint doesnt unlock their phones out of contract (as Sprint comes out of box unlocked). 

      • Anonymous

        “However, if you were to buy a Sprint iPhone then you would be able to take it to Sprint for service, AT&T for 4G HSPA+ service, or T-Mobile for EDGE service.”

        Afraid not, BGR didn’t include the statement, but Sprint say’s the SIM card is non-removable and they believe Verizon’s is the same. AT&T’s may still be removable but odds are that a new hidden feature of the 4S is non-removable SIM cards.

      • Anonymous

        actually if verizons world phone trends are to be followed it wont accept any American sim card as it will see the country code and just not work. and even if you over come the country code block you wont get any at&t 3g as it will lack the bands need as its  only standard rest of world 3g frequency

  • Anonymous

    Adding a line so I can get one of these and then I can put this BlackBerry Bold in the desk drawer…..Global Phone Unlocked seals it…..besides haven’t got email in 30 hours and RIM won’t even tell us what’s wrong

    • http://twitter.com/chrischaosays Christopher Chao

      the whole section of EMEA has been experiencing an outage for the past 3 days due to a bug on a RIM server in the UK, it’s been online for a few days…check it out

      hope this helped

      • Anonymous

        I’m in Los Angeles…..if I was in EMEA I would have thrown it away already

  • Anonymous

    True Story – if you call Verizon Wireless one of the rotated messages will say “pre-order the new iPhone 4S World phone now” -

    AT&T only works out in the boondocks of America (with MicroCell Towers of course).

  • Anonymous

    Wow this is earth shattering news. Ive lost sleep thinking about this 

  • Wirelessmodz

    shit this isnt good for at&t

  • http://saarvi.com SD

    This is an awesome news, now I can ask someone to bring iPhone 4S for me in India…great.

  • http://twitter.com/dice90 Alan Dice

    Still going with AT&T. Good luck getting service with Verizon and Sprint in West Virginia. You might be able to roam off of US Cellular and get 1X if you’re lucky. I will stick to my HSPA+ service thanks. Besides… How often do I need to leave the USA? 

    • Pingas

      Sprint is great in Morgantown and Wheeling WV. Not sure what part you’re from…

    • Anonymous

      You didn’t get the BGR memo? If it’s not working full blast in New York City where most of the country does not live we are supposed to think AT&T sucks!

    • buckeyenwv

      Not where I live in WVA up north.  I have full bars and AT&T service is spotty.  I do agree with you on Sprint…terrible service in WVA.

      • http://apple.com Yes_iHave_an_iPhone

        Go BUCKS

  • Anonymous

    Hahaha. Every bit of news “spells problems for at&t…” and then when shit really plays out, it turns out to not be.

  • Lawrence of Arabia

    So Verizon’s SIM is locked to Verizon? They don’t have SIMs!

    • http://twitter.com/WillieFDiazSF William Diaz ✔

      Verizon has “Roaming SIM” which is a SIM card that connects to their billing and roaming network while internationally roaming.

      • Cer

        But is it a micro sim?

  • Anonymous

    Hard to believe that (the late) Steve Jobs would allow carriers to lock-down his device. Restricting functionality of the iPhone should be left to Apple, and not the carriers.

  • Booboolala2000

    Don’t forget dad’s birthday,? May 19th @ 9am. Lol

  • http://twitter.com/drumboy_ Aaron H

    So what is AT&T’s policy on unlocking phones for those of us who travel internationally?  Buy the unlocked 4S or you’re SOL?

    • Anonymous

      Basically. I think they’ll unlock “non-exclusive” devices and I wouldn’t be surprised if they use the cellphone naming schemes that exist in the US to create a loophole and brand a non-exclusive device as exclusive. Let’s be real here, somewhere in that long ass terms and agreements page on that signature pad you sign when opening a new line or upgrading, which no one even bothers to read by the way, is something about buying a phone at a subsidized price and the carrier set limitation that comes along with that. I ALWAYS have an unlocked phone just in case (GSM obviously), but most GSM phones are available for unlock fairly easy and at reasonable prices. I guess since the iPhone is so hard to unlock, it’s in a class by itself in this regard, but if you want to be free of carrier restrictions, like your equipment being locked to that carrier, buy the device unlocked, free of the “terms and conditions” that come with that oh so attractive price.

  • david

    so which is the update? that it will be locked or it will not be?

  • JoeCo

    LOL….another BLUNDER by BGR.  You guys are on a roll with your news reporting; very reputable.  SO GOOD.  

    Hey btw Apple is releasing a space ship next year called the iShip.  Apparently it will be a Sprint exclusive though and the astronauts will use 7 inch iPads to man all controls. 

  • http://www.i-unlocks.com unlock iphone 4s

    I think this was just a rumour and it has later been found out that they will not unlock it

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