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SpottedCat

join:2004-06-27

Miami, FL SpottedCat Member Sprint? I wonder if this means Sprint might actually start unlocking their phones?



They're pretty much the last holdout. They won't unlock phones for domestic use AT ALL. All the other carriers will once out of contract.

lineofsight

join:2003-01-03

East Saint Louis, IL lineofsight Member Re: Sprint? For domestic use, what good does it do to have an unlocked Sprint phone? I am just wondering.

JimThePCGuy

Formerly known as schja01.

MVM

join:2000-04-27

Morton Grove, IL JimThePCGuy MVM Re: Sprint? Since the CDMA iPhone 5S/5C are universal phones if they were unlocked they could run on any domestic carrier be they CDMA or GSM. I think.

lineofsight

join:2003-01-03

East Saint Louis, IL lineofsight Member Re: Sprint? OK, so this means the iPhone for Sprint has a SIM card slot? GSM uses a SIM card.

JimThePCGuy

Formerly known as schja01.

MVM

join:2000-04-27

Morton Grove, IL JimThePCGuy MVM Re: Sprint? Yes I know the 4S and all newer have SIM slots. Mostly for international roaming (GSM and CDMA) and for the iPhone 5 and newer for domestic LTE.

delusion ftl

@comcast.net delusion ftl to lineofsight

Anon to lineofsight

all iphone's have a sim card slot, no matter the carrier.



Verizon does not sim lock their iphones, ATT and Tmo do but will unlock on request. Sprint locks and will never unlock for any reason.

MrMaster

Rum Connoisseur

Premium Member

join:2000-12-16

St Thomas, VI MrMaster Premium Member Re: Sprint? said by delusion ftl : all iphone's have a sim card slot, no matter the carrier.



Verizon does not sim lock their iphones, ATT and Tmo do but will unlock on request. Sprint locks and will never unlock for any reason.



I have just gotten my 4th HTC One phone unlocked just 2 days ago and all the others were under 30 days on my account.



Sprint sucks on a variety of issues but customer service is not one of them. Bullshit.I have just gotten my 4th HTC One phone unlocked just 2 days ago and all the others were under 30 days on my account.Sprint sucks on a variety of issues but customer service is not one of them.

n2jtx

join:2001-01-13

Glen Head, NY n2jtx to lineofsight

Member to lineofsight

said by lineofsight: For domestic use, what good does it do to have an unlocked Sprint phone? I am just wondering.



Bottom line; JUST DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH SPRINT!! The iPhone 4S, for example, is a dual mode phone. If I put a foreign SIM card in it, it switches from CDMA to GSM/UMTS. Pull the SIM out and it reregisters with Sprint on CDMA. Sprint unlocks iPhone's for use with foreign SIM's but steadfastly refuses to remove the block for SIM's with an MCC of 310 or 311 (United States) other than those owned by Sprint. Sprint is claiming their version of the iPhone 4S is specially modified for them and does not allow unlocking. Those of us who understand how these phones work are crying BS!!! When I put a T-Mobile SIM in my phone, it contacts Apple and the card is rejected. If Sprint tells Apple to remove the block in their servers, the iPhone will accept all SIM's. They just refuse to do it.Bottom line; JUST DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH SPRINT!! sandman_1

join:2011-04-23

11111 sandman_1 to SpottedCat

Member to SpottedCat

Why wait for Sprint, unlock it yourself. I did (EVO 3D).

JimThePCGuy

Formerly known as schja01.

MVM

join:2000-04-27

Morton Grove, IL JimThePCGuy MVM Re: Sprint? Well maybe because it's technically illegal? GLIMMER

join:2004-01-17

Fisher, IL GLIMMER Member Re: Sprint? said by JimThePCGuy: Well maybe because it's technically illegal?



Its illegal to unlock phones made after the ruling.... WRONG!!!Its illegal to unlock phones made after the ruling....

lineofsight

join:2003-01-03

East Saint Louis, IL lineofsight to SpottedCat

Member to SpottedCat

It sounds like Apple goes to extra trouble to manufacture phones that work for Sprint, not Verizon, etc. Perhaps with the new unlocking policy the phone manufacturers will just make one phone that can adapt to each carrier.

JimThePCGuy

Formerly known as schja01.

MVM

join:2000-04-27

Morton Grove, IL ZyXEL USG 50

Asus RT-AC66

ARRIS SB6183

JimThePCGuy MVM Re: Sprint? This goes contrary to my understanding. There are two iPhone 5S/5C CDMA models. On for the US and one for non US. So in theory (I could be wrong) the US CDMA capable iPhone could work on Vz and Sprint if unlocked. Which sort of makes sense since Sprint can roam on Vz and vice versa.

lineofsight

join:2003-01-03

East Saint Louis, IL lineofsight Member Re: Sprint? I was thinking about the LTE bands. I know they don't all use the same bands.

dib22

join:2002-01-27

Kansas City, MO 2 edits dib22 to SpottedCat

Member to SpottedCat





locked phones, or a locked network



Sprint operates a locked network, not locked devices. Verizon does as well.



Both sprint and verizon use CDMA as the voice component to their services... so if your device has voice service (and usually even when it doesn't) you have a CDMA account.



The CDMA chipsets used in the phones in the US (including LTE handsets, remember the voice service is being delivered via CDMA) these days are pretty universal, that is the same chipset will work on both sprint and verizons frequencies, and both CDMA networks are cross compatible (as they are both CDMA networks).



There really isn't a "locked" CDMA handset (ignore lte and international for a min), but that doesn't mean you can use your sprint handset on verizon because of the locked network.



When you add a device to the sprint or verizon network they ask you for the ESN/MEID, which is basically a serial number... they then look at the serial number to see if they will allow it on their network. Currently they only allow devices that they sold, or were sold with authorization. If the phone or device was reported stolen, they will mark in their database that serial number should not be allowed.



If they never sold a device with the serial number you give them (giving sprint a verizon or verizon a sprint phone) they will not be allowed as it either doesn't show up in or is marked as non sprint in the database. If the package was reported stolen when they mailed it to you, they will put in the database not to be allowed. Same situation for non pay or abuse... they simply mark the devices serial number as not allowed.



Now technically... could that sprint handset voice service (the CDMA part) actually work on verizons network to make and receive calls and general data with no software modification? Sure it could... the phone is not locked... the networks "allowed serial number database" is what is blocking it.



(it is true that sprint does sell international phones and iphones with sim slots for using international, they have been pretty stubborn in unlocking that slot for use in the usa... perhaps this will change that.



over time on verizon anyway (and perhaps later sprint) the sims included with the new lte devices will be used as the serial number for even the CDMA side, and the CDMA side will eventually be shut down over time, replaced by LTE and whatever the winner of the fifth generation of wireless standard has created. ) to OP sorry replied by accident meant to be a new post... you are correct about them being very tight with the keys to the gsm slots.Sprint operates a locked network, not locked devices. Verizon does as well.Both sprint and verizon use CDMA as the voice component to their services... so if your device has voice service (and usually even when it doesn't) you have a CDMA account.The CDMA chipsets used in the phones in the US (including LTE handsets, remember the voice service is being delivered via CDMA) these days are pretty universal, that is the same chipset will work on both sprint and verizons frequencies, and both CDMA networks are cross compatible (as they are both CDMA networks).There really isn't a "locked" CDMA handset (ignore lte and international for a min), but that doesn't mean you can use your sprint handset on verizon because of theWhen you add a device to the sprint or verizon network they ask you for the ESN/MEID, which is basically a serial number... they then look at the serial number to see if they will allow it on their network. Currently they only allow devices that they sold, or were sold with authorization. If the phone or device was reported stolen, they will mark in their database that serial number should not be allowed.If they never sold a device with the serial number you give them (giving sprint a verizon or verizon a sprint phone) they will not be allowed as it either doesn't show up in or is marked as non sprint in the database. If the package was reported stolen when they mailed it to you, they will put in the database not to be allowed. Same situation for non pay or abuse... they simply mark the devices serial number as not allowed.Now technically... could that sprint handset voice service (the CDMA part) actually work on verizons network to make and receive calls and general data with no software modification? Sure it could... the phone is not locked... the networks "allowed serial number database" is what is blocking it.(it is true that sprint does sell international phones and iphones with sim slots for using international, they have been pretty stubborn in unlocking that slot for use in the usa... perhaps this will change that.over time on verizon anyway (and perhaps later sprint) the sims included with the new lte devices will be used as the serial number for even the CDMA side, and the CDMA side will eventually be shut down over time, replaced by LTE and whatever the winner of the fifth generation of wireless standard has created. Skippy25

join:2000-09-13

Hazelwood, MO Skippy25 to SpottedCat

Member to SpottedCat

I was speaking with someone about a Nexus 5 yesterday on Sprint and they told me Sprint still required a 2 year contract with it even if you bought it outright on your own.



I have not confirmed this, but I will be as I wanted to get one. pkorx8

join:2003-06-19

San Francisco, CA pkorx8 Member Educate me on iphones... Does sprint iphones (4, 4s, 5, 5s, 5c) have sim card and gsm radio sets?



If so, what bands?

delusion ftl

@comcast.net delusion ftl Anon Re: Educate me on iphones... Yes, same bands as the verizon version for the most part, with the exception of the 5S/5C where sprint has their own model and VZW/ATT/TMO have the same model.

n2jtx

join:2001-01-13

Glen Head, NY n2jtx to pkorx8

Member to pkorx8

said by pkorx8: Does sprint iphones (4, 4s, 5, 5s, 5c) have sim card and gsm radio sets?



If so, what bands? The iPhone 4 DOES NOT have a SIM slot. There were two different versions; a GSM version and a CDMA version. Starting with the 4S, the phones are dual mode and have SIM slots. They have both an IMEI for GSM/UMTS and an ESN for CDMA. 3G and LTE can be problematic depending on the model due to various bands but as of the iPhone 5S, they are all pretty well covered except for Sprint's LTE band 41 (2.5GHz).

JimThePCGuy

Formerly known as schja01.

MVM

join:2000-04-27

Morton Grove, IL ZyXEL USG 50

Asus RT-AC66

ARRIS SB6183

JimThePCGuy to pkorx8

MVM to pkorx8



The frequencies/bands are documented here for the 5S and 5C.

»www.apple.com/iphone-5s/specs/ 4 and 4s have SIM cards to permit international GSM roaming I don't think their radios are on the same frequencies and domestic GSM carriers. BUT the iPhone 5C and 5S are capable of all the domestic GSM, CDMA and LTE frequencies.The frequencies/bands are documented here for the 5S and 5C. ISurfTooMuch

join:2007-04-23

Tuscaloosa, AL ISurfTooMuch Member Re: Educate me on iphones... The GSM version of the 4 does, but the CDMA version, at least the one that ran on Verizon, does not. ISurfTooMuch ISurfTooMuch Member What about non-customers What about phones that were previously used on a carrier but that are now inactive because the customer closed their account?

dib22

join:2002-01-27

Kansas City, MO dib22 Member Re: What about non-customers said by ISurfTooMuch: What about phones that were previously used on a carrier but that are now inactive because the customer closed their account?



»www.att.com/deviceunlock ··· t/en_US/ quote: Business customers should make a request to unlock a business device at ATT.com/biz.



Current customers will be allowed up to five (5) unlocks per account, per year.



Former customers will be allowed a total of five (5) unlocks per former account.



In addition, AT&T will unlock any AT&T Mobile Device for an active and deployed member of the military who is a current AT&T customer in good standing and is able to provide AT&T with deployment verification.

who knows if that will change in the coming months. generating profit should dictate that they would unlock a million handsets per customer per year if the customer was paying for them... Totally up to the carrier... att for example limits it to 5 of them per current or former accounts a year.who knows if that will change in the coming months. generating profit should dictate that they would unlock a million handsets per customer per year if the customer was paying for them... shmerl

join:2013-10-21 930.5 953.2

shmerl Member This is just masking the symptom, not curing the cause There is a real need to reform the law and to repeal DMCA 1201 which forbids circumventing DRM even when there is no infringement involved. This would resolve all these issues once and for all, since it's the root cause of all the unlocking problems. See » fixthedmca.org ctggzg

Premium Member

join:2005-02-11

USA ctggzg Premium Member Typical anti-business bias "It technically remains legal for you to jailbreak your phone, but you can't unlock it without carrier permission. The absurdity of that concept..."



What absurdity? A company giving you a discount on hardware in exchange for being required to stay their customer? That happens all the time and there's nothing wrong with it. Would you prefer that they sell you unlocked phones for a higher price?

ctceo

Premium Member

join:2001-04-26

South Bend, IN ctceo Premium Member RE: Unlimited Now if only we can use the same petition method to stop providers from using the word unlimited and furthermore charging absurd prices for shitty 2, 4 & 6gb 4g packages. wispalord

join:2007-09-20

Farmington, MO wispalord Member Just buy a unlocked phone google amazon and several others sell phones no contract unlocked and u can use them anywhere that's the answer.. I agree with the phone company there saving you $300 or more on a phone till you stay with them or pay the etf why let u use it else where you owe them money?! be like financing a car and selling it to you friend and be like here find a way to get it legal with out me paying it off... wake up ppl sonnyb

join:2013-12-18

US sonnyb Member Re: Just buy a unlocked phone This whole industry IMO is built on deception, game playing and confusion, anyone reading this with a cell phone, knows exactly what I am talking about, Its worst then talking to a used car salesman. until the phone purchase gets separated from the phone service this will only get worst, these phones are producing tremendous markups for these companies even at the provider contrat discounted prices. which then, on the other hand only plays in there favor, by then making the retail store unlocked phone prices seem like highway robbery. I also read why apple would make a phone for this one diffent then for that one etc, its really simple, it's inflating the phone prices overall which means more profit for them, its a no brainer.



Can you imagine a world "or should I say the United States" since the rest of the world does do this" in which you can shop for the phone you really want based on options, without the contrat bs mixed in, then you can move on to compare providers, based on service not this works with that, or this for this long, costing that much if you get this plan.



My wife and I walked into a Metro PCS corporate store last week, bought a 49.00 Samsung for my 14 yr old, no confustion or sales bs, the guy was straight forward on the throttling after 500mg or something and had no problem confirming more then once they will unlock it after 3 months of service by giving us the unlock code if requested. now the whole family will be moving over in a few months as well. from what I read on this tread its amazing Sprint even has a customer base left, but then again we stuck with Verizon for all these years so I guess anything's possiable. until people wake up and start acting with their wallets, nothing will ever change, I signed up here to get some advice on switching over to MagicJack or Basic Talk, maybe even Staright talk since its wireless noy dsl dependent and just came upon this after activating.



Glad I signed up. their are some good reads around here.



Sonny your comment..

