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MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

[iPhone] CDMA or GSM or both?

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My uncle was given a free iPhone 4S 64GB yesterday which is in working order, other than we can't get it activated. It came with a Sprint SIM Card. I thought CDMA (Sprint/Verizon) didn't use SIM cards? So I'm a bit confused. This iPhone was shipped from the Apple Online Store according to the shipping papers.

Anyway, we can't get it to activate... we've tried the following:

1. Removed SIM Card and powercycled and tried to activate using iTunes and WiFi, no go.

2. Put the phone in DFU mode and let iTunes restore it and still unable to activate it.

3. Tried putting an AT&T Sim Card in the device but gives error that the SIM Card is incorrect.

4. Tried connecting to WiFi and activate over it but still get same error.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Thinkdiff
MVM,
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY

Thinkdiff

MVM,

The Sprint SIM isn't used for normal phone operation or authentication, but it does tell the iPhone that it should be using Sprint's CDMA network.

You did call Sprint to add the ESN/MEID to your account, right?

Only the first batch of Sprint 4Ss were SIM unlocked, IIRC. You can get Sprint to unlock it, but I'm not sure what their criteria are.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

We have AT&T, we don't use Sprint as their coverage is this area is non-existent. Is there a way to unlock it by perhaps paying for an unlock code online? I'm still confused as to why we can't activate it over WiFi or USB.

Thinkdiff
MVM,
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY

Thinkdiff

MVM,

I was taking it to mean it could not Activate the phone part of the iPhone.

By DFU mode, do you mean you followed the instructions here:
»support.apple.com/kb/HT1808

Did you get a more detailed error message when trying to activate it in iTunes? Maybe the phone is blacklisted - where did your father get it for free? You may have to call Apple or bring it into a store if iTunes activation is not working after a full restore with the latest official ipsw.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

My uncle got the iPhone from a coworker. My uncle has the shipping/packing slip and everything from the owner so it's not like it was stolen or anything.

As for the DFU mode, yes, followed the steps as stated on that site There isn't any Apple Stores here so going to one would be out of the question

RiseAbove
Premium Member
join:2004-01-30

RiseAbove to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
Here is about the only options you have

1) Unless you have Sprint service that thing can only be used as a glorified ipod touch, you can skip through the activation and get to the main menu pretty easily if you restore it and then when it comes up and asks you to either hook to itunes or wifi to activate you pick your home wifi and then it will ask you to enter your itunes ID, hit skip this step and you will then be graced with the main screen.

2) When sprint first put out the 4S they were completely unlocked for any network, then they issued an update and locked the phones down again. I don't know what Sprint's rules are but you might be able to call and get them to unlock it again so you can use it on AT&T.

3) Start service on Sprint. use the phone, etc.

Those are about your only options.
tdumaine
Premium Member
join:2004-03-14
Seattle, WA

tdumaine to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
Even if you can get sprint to unlock it, it will NOT work for AT&T. CDMA 4S if unlocked by sprint (or verizon for thiers) will only unlock the sim for international sims (read as outside North America). This is where there are no 3rd party imei unlock sites that will or can do a CDMA 4S. You could pop the AT&T sim in it after sprint unlocks it and it will still say "invalid sim"

Now, the reason you can not activate it is two fold.

1. The person who ordered it and then gave or sold it to you. They have a contract with sprint unless they paid full price. Doubt they paid full price, but i guarantee this 4S now has a bad ESN/MEID (call sprint to verify, dont have to give them a name or anything, just say "i need to check an ESN/MEID please")

2. Without the ESN/MEID being clean, it will not activate with or without the sprint sim in it (you dont need the sprint sim in it to activate). There is no way to bypass activation on a 4S, even if you jailbreak it (catch 22, cant jailbreak it without it being activated, no bootrom exploit on A5 devices [4S/5/ipad2/ipad3/ipad mini/ipod touch 5th gen])

After contacting sprint and verifying the ESN/MEID is in fact not clean, you should get your money back if anything was paid.

Ive unlocked over 2000 iphones just this year alone (i run a biz doing it), so i kind of know the in's and out's of activating, restoring, jailbreaking, and unlocking.

Hope this helps you

Frank
Premium Member
join:2000-11-03
somewhere

Frank

Premium Member

said by tdumaine:

Even if you can get sprint to unlock it, it will NOT work for AT&T. CDMA 4S if unlocked by sprint (or verizon for thiers) will only unlock the sim for international sims (read as outside North America). This is where there are no 3rd party imei unlock sites that will or can do a CDMA 4S. You could pop the AT&T sim in it after sprint unlocks it and it will still say "invalid sim"

Now, the reason you can not activate it is two fold.

1. The person who ordered it and then gave or sold it to you. They have a contract with sprint unless they paid full price. Doubt they paid full price, but i guarantee this 4S now has a bad ESN/MEID (call sprint to verify, dont have to give them a name or anything, just say "i need to check an ESN/MEID please")

2. Without the ESN/MEID being clean, it will not activate with or without the sprint sim in it (you dont need the sprint sim in it to activate). There is no way to bypass activation on a 4S, even if you jailbreak it (catch 22, cant jailbreak it without it being activated, no bootrom exploit on A5 devices [4S/5/ipad2/ipad3/ipad mini/ipod touch 5th gen])

After contacting sprint and verifying the ESN/MEID is in fact not clean, you should get your money back if anything was paid.

Ive unlocked over 2000 iphones just this year alone (i run a biz doing it), so i kind of know the in's and out's of activating, restoring, jailbreaking, and unlocking.

Hope this helps you

couldnt he just use a gevey sim?
tdumaine
Premium Member
join:2004-03-14
Seattle, WA

tdumaine

Premium Member

Nope, not on a CDMA 4S on 6.0. Requires being jailbroken and there is no jailbreak for 6.x.x on A5 devices (tethered on A4 and below). A5 devices are: iphone 4S, iphone 5, ipad 2, ipad 3, ipad mini, and ipod touch 5th gen.

GSM 4S can use a gevey on 6.0 since GSM does not require being jailbroken

Frank
Premium Member
join:2000-11-03
somewhere

Frank

Premium Member

said by tdumaine:

Nope, not on a CDMA 4S on 6.0. Requires being jailbroken and there is no jailbreak for 6.x.x on A5 devices (tethered on A4 and below). A5 devices are: iphone 4S, iphone 5, ipad 2, ipad 3, ipad mini, and ipod touch 5th gen.

GSM 4S can use a gevey on 6.0 since GSM does not require being jailbroken

whoops, didnt know iphone 4s came with 6.0....

hmm..... how about gpp? websites seem to say it works with sprint cdma and ios 6
tdumaine
Premium Member
join:2004-03-14
Seattle, WA

tdumaine

Premium Member

No idea there. Looks like it can be done, but you would be surprised how many had such a hard time with gevey and dialling 112. Most of the "average user" wouldnt be able to do the steps