With the CTIA order to unlock all devices (for eligible users) by February 2015, Sprint seems to have updated it's unlock policy to weasel out of some:
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www.sprint.com/legal/unl ··· icy.htmlQ: I've been told by another carrier that Sprint needs to unlock my SIM slot in order to use my phone on the other carrier's network.
A: ... Specifically, devices manufactured with a SIM slot within the past three years (including, but not limited to, all Apple iPhone devices), cannot be unlocked to accept a different domestic carrier's SIM for use on another domestic carrier's network. Sprint has no technological process available to do this. In accordance with Sprint's voluntary commitment contained within CTIA's Consumer Code for Wireless Service (Unlocking Commitment), Sprint is working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015 are capable of being unlocked domestically.
So, they have "no technological process" to domestically unlock the SIM slot? Does this really mean that they just don't feel like asking Apple to do it like T-Mobile, AT&T, etc. does? Technically, this affects the 4S, 5, 5S, and probably 6 (because it will be released before 2/11/15).
I was the understanding that Apple does handle the actual unlock, but the carriers have to actually put in a request, and then Apple does it. (And then, once you connect to iTunes and restore, it tells you the phone is unlocked.) AT&T and T-Mobile will unlock iPhones (under certain conditions), and Verizon ones are already unlocked (except the same excuse as Sprint on the 4S about no domestic unlocks). That leaves Sprint left refusing to unlock every iOS device with a SIM slot they have sold so far.
Can anyone explain to me WHY a simple request to Apple is a "technological process" which Sprint does not possess?
I'm just curious because this whole thing seems so stupid...