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Verizon's Shipping iPhone 5 Unlocked
Will Work on GSM Networks...
by Karl Bode Monday 24-Sep-2012 tags: competition · business · wireless · AT&T · Verizon · wireless · cellular
Despite neither company playing well with one another in terms of interoperability (despite both using LTE technology), the Verizon version of the iPhone 5 appears to be unlocked, and will also work on AT&T's (or any GSM) HSPA+ network. Verizon has confirmed they're effectively selling the phone as unlocked, a curious shift for the company. Verizon was the only carrier to decide it was a good idea to lock the Galaxy S3 bootloader, despite the fact that tinkerers had circumvented the restrictions just one month later. T-Mobile meanwhile hasn't been selling the iPhone, but has been courting owners of unlocked iPhones urging them to bring their iPhone to the T-Mobile network.

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brawney
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Frederick, MD

Mistake?

Maybe this is a mistake? I doubt it.

Maybe VZW is planning to buy T-Mobile and figures the deal will be done by the time the 2 year contract is up on the folks who buy these phones and they can move on over to T-mobile and take their phone with them.

In any case, this is pretty interesting and will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Sammer

join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Re: Mistake?

said by brawney:

Maybe VZW is planning to buy T-Mobile and figures the deal will be done by the time the 2 year contract is up on the folks who buy these phones and they can move on over to T-mobile and take their phone with them.

How could the government approve that after causing the collapse of the AT&T deal?

h8verizonDSL
Had fiber today

join:2005-02-25
Middletown, DE
kudos:1

Way to Go VZW!

Works great with AT&T nano SIM. It would seem VZW is complying with a condition after receiving the 700 MHz C Block. No devices can be blocked from using other networks. Devices must be open.

We can thank Google for that.

fifty nine

join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
kudos:2

Re: Way to Go VZW!

said by h8verizonDSL:

Works great with AT&T nano SIM. It would seem VZW is complying with a condition after receiving the 700 MHz C Block. No devices can be blocked from using other networks. Devices must be open.

We can thank Google for that.

I kind of doubt it. Verizon has always been liberal with the unlock.

h8verizonDSL
Had fiber today

join:2005-02-25
Middletown, DE
kudos:1

Re: Way to Go VZW!

said by fifty nine See Profile[b :

I kind of doubt it. Verizon has always been liberal with the unlock.

Overseas yes. Domestically NO. Using an VZW iPhone on GSM in the US was always blocked. Until now.
Telco

join:2008-12-19
Why would anyone purchase the VZ model, only to use it AT&T's HSPA...

h8verizonDSL
Had fiber today

join:2005-02-25
Middletown, DE
kudos:1

1 edit

Re: Way to Go VZW!

It's not a matter of purchasing an iPhone from one network to use on another network. It's about having the choice to do so. VZW has great coverage, especially LTE. When you are in a slow VZW 3G area, and AT&T has good HSPA+ coverage, pop in the SIM and you are good to go.
BiggA

join:2005-11-23
EARTH

Re: Way to Go VZW!

Seriously? Verizon 3G EVDO is just fine. And less than a year from now, Verizon will be 100% LTE.

I like AT&T, but seriously, it's not like you're going to die because your phone is ONLY pulling 800kbps. Pretty sure that's just fine.

telcodad

join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ
kudos:2

1 edit
said by h8verizonDSL:

It would seem VZW is complying with a condition after receiving the 700 MHz C Block. No devices can be blocked from using other networks. Devices must be open.

Yes, see: »www.tuaw.com/2012/09/24/verizon-···-to-fcc/

EDIT: On the other hand: »www.theverge.com/2012/9/25/34056···cess-fcc
bemis

join:2008-07-18
Reading, MA

$90??

Did I read this right?

Is it really $90/mo for VZ iPhone service + 1GB of data?

That's insane!

Boricua65
Premium
join:2002-01-26
Sacto Sh*tty

Re: $90??

It's never insane when people want that iPhone by at any cost .

a333
A hot cup of integrals please

join:2007-06-12
Rego Park, NY
Reviews:
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Re: $90??

Speaking of insane...

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMsLAref···=g-trend
..... enjoy
decifal

join:2007-03-10
Bon Aqua, TN
kudos:1

Re: $90??

Omfg man! That woman was just completely off the charts on insane!!!!

tphillips
Premium
join:2009-02-04
Apopka, FL
Classic.... Apple 5
jvanbrecht

join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD
I could not watch that all the way through.. I seriously hope that woman never procreates...

skeechan
Ai Otsukaholic
Premium
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170
kudos:2

Re: $90??

Or votes

aaronwt
Premium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
said by a333:

Speaking of insane...
(youtube clip)
..... enjoy

Is that actually real?? That was hilarious... thanks for the laughs.
Telco

join:2008-12-19
Reviews:
·Callcentric
said by Boricua65:

It's never insane when people want that iPhone by at any cost .

Well it costs that for any smartphone service.

The iphone 5 is currently benchmarked as the fastest phone out there.

skeechan
Ai Otsukaholic
Premium
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170
kudos:2

Re: $90??

Until the S4 SD based handsets come out later this year which will be stupid fast.

Mike
Premium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA
kudos:1

Re: $90??

A phone in the future will be faster than a phone released now?

Tell me more.

skeechan
Ai Otsukaholic
Premium
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170
kudos:2

Re: $90??

I know, shocking right? That is why "who is fastest" is irrelevant.

Mike
Premium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA
kudos:1
Reviews:
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Verizon Wireless
Yep.

However Verizon is also nice enough to sign you up for unlimited calling and unlimited text messages for all iPhones (that you can't get rid of) which you can use on the nation's largest 4G LTE network crystal clear cellular network.

I'm going to go try to maim myself with a spoon now.
PS, it's about as clear as a himalayan salt lamp.
--
"If something about the human body disgusts you, complain to the manufacturer" - Lenny Bruce
What this country needs is a good five dollar plasma weapon.

n2jtx

join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

Sprint: Are You Listening?

I wish Sprint would do this too and even implement it for existing 4S customers. One way or another they will get paid due to contract conditions including an ETF. Right now I am unlocked for international SIM's but having the option to use a throwaway prepaid SIM domestically would be nice.

At this time, I do not believe Sprint will fully unlock an iPhone 4S even if all conditions of the contract are met and the device is no longer being used.
--
I support the right to keep and arm bears.
clone

join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

said by n2jtx:

I wish Sprint would do this too and even implement it for existing 4S customers. One way or another they will get paid due to contract conditions including an ETF. Right now I am unlocked for international SIM's but having the option to use a throwaway prepaid SIM domestically would be nice.

At this time, I do not believe Sprint will fully unlock an iPhone 4S even if all conditions of the contract are met and the device is no longer being used.

No, Sprint won't unlock an iPhone domestically, and it's F'ing ridiculous. Every other Sprint world phone I ever owned was fully SIM unlocked. Before I purchased the 4S, I was told by Sprint, numerous tech sites (Engadget, BGR, probably here, everywhere I looked), and Apple themselves that the 4S was going to be SIM unlocked on Sprint. I preordered and had one on the first day, and voila! It was SIM locked. I am still livid to this day about being lied to and probably won't ever purchase another Apple product or ever renew my Sprint contract because of it. Google "Sprint iPhone Unlocked" and you can still find all the reports where they were baiting people like me, just to pull the switch once the contract was signed.

As for why it bothers me: I get poor service in some very rural areas I travel to on a regular basis. On my other Sprint world phones, I kept a prepaid AT&T SIM in the slot so when I lost CDMA coverage, it seamlessly roamed over to GSM. No hassle, no fuss, no worries.

Now I have to carry multiple phones all the time, usually the prepaid phone ends up being dead when I need it, and it's overall just a major hassle. Eventually I will probably just switch that line to a better carrier, but why wouldn't a company like Sprint, who needs every last subscriber they can get, make people's lives easier rather than harder? It's mind boggling, and makes no sense, as even if you jump ship, you still have to pay the ETF, or in my case, actually keep my Sprint service on but use the SIM slot as a backup when I can't get the admittedly-poor (by their own CS's mouth) Sprint native service.

bobjohnson
Premium
join:2007-02-03
Orlando, FL
Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
·Sprint Mobile Br..

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

said by clone:

said by n2jtx:

I wish Sprint would do this too and even implement it for existing 4S customers. One way or another they will get paid due to contract conditions including an ETF. Right now I am unlocked for international SIM's but having the option to use a throwaway prepaid SIM domestically would be nice.

At this time, I do not believe Sprint will fully unlock an iPhone 4S even if all conditions of the contract are met and the device is no longer being used.

No, Sprint won't unlock an iPhone domestically, and it's F'ing ridiculous. Every other Sprint world phone I ever owned was fully SIM unlocked.

Very few are "fully" unlocked. Even though they are sim unlocked the baseband is programmed to ignore domestic gsm networks. You have to install hacked software to use Att or whomever. Ex. TP2 and Moto Photon (which btw still hasn't been unlocked)
--


Beans

@dtcc.edu

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

So since I have 4s with AT&T, if I unlock the phone I can go to vz, sprint or any other carrier locally or international and still get good service?

admin123

@myvzw.com

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

Its not shipping unlocked on verizon, its on www.phonedog.com Verizon iPhone 5 will not be relocked, confirms spokesperson.

h8verizonDSL
Had fiber today

join:2005-02-25
Middletown, DE
kudos:1
quote:
So since I have 4s with AT&T, if I unlock the phone I can go to vz, sprint or any other carrier locally or international and still get good service?
No. VZW and Sprint won't activate phones not bought from them to use on their CDMA networks. You are free to use any GSM carrier including GSM based MVNO's if your iP4S is unlocked, international or domestic.
clone

join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN
said by bobjohnson:

Even though they are sim unlocked the baseband is programmed to ignore domestic gsm networks.

And who ordered the baseband to be programmed in such a way? The telephone companies. I'm only salty about it because I was lied to by the telco, Apple, and the media.

Every Sprint world phone I owned *prior* to the release of the iPhone was able to be used on domestic GSM networks with the correct SIM installed. Most were Blackberries, if that has anything to do with it. Just because they've shifted to a "domestic lock" model doesn't make it any less retarded.

If you pay full retail for a phone, the carrier should have no say in locking down features which the phone is fully capable of performing. If you get a subsidy, any locked down feature should be re-enabled at the end of the contract period at the very least.

SIM locks do nothing but cripple functionality. The subsidy is protected by the ETF, end of story. Why put a SIM lock on it on top of that? To be anti-competitive, which when you look that term up in the dictionary it should say "see: telco".

bobjohnson
Premium
join:2007-02-03
Orlando, FL
Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
·Sprint Mobile Br..

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

I agree with every aspect of your post but I just wanted to clarify your op as you stated all the others were unlocked. The domestic restriction is for people like me that would gladly take my mopho to the death star if sprint keeps getting closer to the same price for less.
clone

join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

I understand that. Sprint service has been abysmal for years now.

Although I'm never one to be an apologist for these people, I have to give credit where credit is due to Sprint.

I live in an area that has a number of sites live with Sprint LTE and the network upgrades here are phenomenal. A 1-2 bar (I know it's not a technical term, but I have no "before" dBm readings to compare to) increase in signal strength across the board and 1-2Mbit/second downloads on 3G. Compared to the poor signal/non-existent data speeds on the non-upgraded sites, it's night and day.

If this performs as well across the network, and is rolled out nationwide as they expect to do, I'll be a Sprint customer for a very long time.

bobjohnson
Premium
join:2007-02-03
Orlando, FL
Reviews:
·T-Mobile US
·Sprint Mobile Br..

Re: Sprint: Are You Listening?

said by clone:

I understand that. Sprint service has been abysmal for years now.

Although I'm never one to be an apologist for these people, I have to give credit where credit is due to Sprint.

I live in an area that has a number of sites live with Sprint LTE and the network upgrades here are phenomenal. A 1-2 bar (I know it's not a technical term, but I have no "before" dBm readings to compare to) increase in signal strength across the board and 1-2Mbit/second downloads on 3G. Compared to the poor signal/non-existent data speeds on the non-upgraded sites, it's night and day.

If this performs as well across the network, and is rolled out nationwide as they expect to do, I'll be a Sprint customer for a very long time.

Just for the record I've been with Sprint since 2002 so I doubt i'm going anywhere either. In my area we are the red-headed stepchild for Sprint. No wimax, no LTE and pretty bad 3g. The other big 3 have either lte (vz) or hspa+ but they have started the network vision upgrades and I have noticed an improvement in signal strength and data speed as well. The only reason I said that the way I did is because if they keep bumping the price up for an inferior network I will pay the same price for a better one. Meanwhile, back OT. Since there is no technical reason to block domestic GSM that would be the only reason that would make sense to me for them doing this.
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