Verizon iPhone 5 GSM unlocked?

[Red Storm]

From what I've read the Verizon iPhone 5 is GSM unlocked out of the box and ready to accept other SIMs. Does anyone here have experience with this? Thinking of taking the Wife's iPhone 5 off of Verizon and onto Straight Talk.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I'm sure you'd have to pay ETF at some point.

 

[Barpanda]

This sounds amazing, let us know more about your experience with it.

 

[Tyranicus]

Straight Talk has phased out their bring your own phone program and no longer offers SIMs. Also, you will absolutely have to pay an early termination fee with Verizon.

 

[bearxor]

Straight Talk offers SIM's. They just no longer offer AT&T compatible SIM's.

I tried a iPhone 5 with Verizon and it was indeed unlocked, which I believe is one of the requirements for their 700mhz spectrum deal.

The downside to this is that the CDMA iPhone only supports WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100. With a tmobile SIM that means you're left to only the refarmed markets on TMobile and there no chance you could exchange it at Apple for one that supports AWS.

If you look on ebay, you'll find some AT&T Straight Talk SIM's. They run about $50 or so. You'll have an ETF when you cancel your line, but you should be able to start coming out ahead in like 6 months or so.

 

[Spineshank]

Yes, all Verizon iPhone 5's are unlocked out of the box.

 

[vailr]

Yes, all Verizon iPhone 5's are unlocked out of the box.

Only the GSM function is unlocked when purchased from Verizon. For example: the GSM function would/should work outside of the U.S. with a foreign provider's GSM SIM card.
However: there would likely be problems trying use a freshly purchased Verizon iPhone, and then traveling with it outside the U.S. to access a non-U.S. carrier that also uses CDMA. CDMA functionality doesn't use or rely on SIM cards. Whether the CDMA function would need unlocking for use in a foreign country? Not sure about that.

 

[AkumaX]

The downside to this is that the CDMA iPhone only supports GSM HSPA UTMS 850/900/1900/2100. With a tmobile SIM that means you're left to only the refarmed markets on TMobile and there no chance you could exchange it at Apple for one that supports AWS.

werd. happen to know if the new official T-Mobile version supports AWS1700/2100 for HSPA AND LTE?

Only the GSM function is unlocked when purchased from Verizon. For example: the GSM function would/should work outside of the U.S. with a foreign provider's GSM SIM card.
However: there would likely be problems trying use a freshly purchased Verizon iPhone, and then traveling with it outside the U.S. to access a non-U.S. carrier that also uses CDMA. CDMA functionality doesn't use or rely on SIM cards. Whether the CDMA function would need unlocking for use in a foreign country? Not sure about that.

I don't think people care about using CDMA in a foreign country..

The GSM portion is unlocked for both outside AND inside the US.

AT&T can get HSPA 3G/"4G" speeds off the 850MHz and/or the 1900MHz band. T-Mobile can get HSPA 3G/"4G" off of just the 1900MHz band, if they're in a re-farmed market.

http://www.airportal.de/ for 1900MHz coverage map on T-Mo

 

[Red Storm]

Yes, all Verizon iPhone 5's are unlocked out of the box.

Thank you.

 

[cganesh75]

but the sprint version of iphone 5 is not unlocked? also this only applies for iphone 5 or older 4S as well?

 

[GregGreen]

but the sprint version of iphone 5 is not unlocked? also this only applies for iphone 5 or older 4S as well?

Only the Verizon iPhone 5.

 

[Spineshank]

Only the GSM function is unlocked when purchased from Verizon. For example: the GSM function would/should work outside of the U.S. with a foreign provider's GSM SIM card.
However: there would likely be problems trying use a freshly purchased Verizon iPhone, and then traveling with it outside the U.S. to access a non-U.S. carrier that also uses CDMA. CDMA functionality doesn't use or rely on SIM cards. Whether the CDMA function would need unlocking for use in a foreign country? Not sure about that.

CDMA is based off of ESN's. You cant unlock it. Unlocking only ever referrs to GSM.

 

[bearxor]

werd. happen to know if the new official T-Mobile version supports AWS1700/2100 for HSPA AND LTE?

The A1428 model before the TMobile release supported LTE on AWS.

The A1428 model that is the new model (it's the same model now if you buy it for either AT&T or TMobile or unlocked, provided it was released after May 12th or whatever and not back stock they've been hiding) basically just added WCDMA for 1700mhz (the old model supported WCDMA in 2100 already).

So...
Old iPhone 5 A1428
WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 - LTE bands 4 (AWS) and 17 (700bc lower)

New iPhone 5 A1428
WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 - LTE bands 4 and 17

CDMA iPhone 5 (Sprint/Verizon) A1429
CDMA 800/1900/2100 - WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 - LTE bands 1 (2100mhz), 3 (1800mhz), 5 (850mhz), 13 (700c upper) and 25 (1900mhz)

International model A1429
WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 - LTE bands 1, 3 and 5.

 

[Oyeve]

Hmm, my job supplied ip5 is A1429. Nice. May sell it now!

 

[JenSop]

Hi all - I am new here - found the site via a google search.

I'm not a tech person, so I'm a bit confused as to what my best option is....

Currently, I have an iPhone 4S. Love it, but I travel overseas A LOT and it's been a pain to have to purchase a separate "handy" for basic needs overseas. (And always be looking for wifi so I CAN use my iPhone for the internet.)

I currently have Verizon, and am intrigued that the iPhone 5 comes unlocked. I don't want to totally drop my Verizon service - for the times that I AM in the USA, but I DO want to be able to completely switch out the SIM card so that I can use it with a foreign wireless provider - new number - for taking calls AND for data usage.

Am I understanding it correctly that I'll be able to do this with the Verizon iPhone 5? Most of my time abroad is in AUSTRIA and CROATIA. So I will want to be able to possibly get SIM cards for both countries. (Either pay-as-you go, or get a plan over there - the plans are MUCH cheaper over there.) Can I do that for the iPhone 5? I see Croatia listed on a website showing compatibility, but I don't see Austria listed.

Am I better off just buying an iPhone 5 over in Austria and getting a plan there? (Plans there are pretty cheap.) But also have to hope that it is also unlocked and will let me use a different SIM in Croatia? Then I'll keep my current iPhone 4S to use in the USA and my iPhone 5 to use in Europe?

I'm just really overwhelmed as to what to do - there is so much info out on the net, and I can't seem to find anything that helps with my exact situation.

Any advice is more than appreciated. Thanks so much!

Jen

 

[Joe1986]

Yes, you can buy a VZ iPhone 5 and use it overseas without doing anything else, except for buying a new sim card/plan in the country you're visiting and changing the APN:

This service allows you to change the APN (Carrier Settings) on your iPhone/iPad so you can use unofficial carrier sims with your device.

To use the service just visit http://www.unlockit.co.nz from your iPhone/iPad and follow the instructions on screen.

 

[mark128]

so if i have an iphone 5 from verizon and i go to palestine all i need to do is get a sim card from a carrier in palestine?

 

[mark128]

Yes, you can buy a VZ iPhone 5 and use it overseas without doing anything else, except for buying a new sim card/plan in the country you're visiting and changing the APN:

This service allows you to change the APN (Carrier Settings) on your iPhone/iPad so you can use unofficial carrier sims with your device.

To use the service just visit http://www.unlockit.co.nz from your iPhone/iPad and follow the instructions on screen

could this service negativley effect my phone?

 

[bearxor]

so if i have an iphone 5 from verizon and i go to palestine all i need to do is get a sim card from a carrier in palestine?

As long as the carrier you bought the SIM card from in Palestine uses the frequencies supported by the A1429 Verizon model.

CDMA iPhone 5 (Sprint/Verizon) A1429
CDMA 800/1900/2100 - WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 - LTE bands 1 (2100mhz), 3 (1800mhz), 5 (850mhz), 13 (700c upper) and 25 (1900mhz)

A quick Google search seems to say that PA uses 900mhz for it's current network. So you should be fine.

could this service negativley effect my phone?

This site is just to quickly load APN setting on to your device. The way an iPhone works is that Apple keeps a list of these settings for approved carriers on the devices so when the SIM card is inserted, the APN's are automatically inputted. This overrides those settings or inserts settings for carrier profiles not provided by Apple. You could enter them manually, by hand, but this will do it for you automatically.

 

[jeanpierre]

i have an iphone 5 i got a week after the release for verizon is this the one thats unlocked? also if i took my account off the phone and switch my number over to a galaxy note 2, would the unlocking to another carrier not work? thanks in advance

 

[pmmeany]

When I bought my iPhone 4s, I specified that I wanted to use it overseas so they installed a SIM. Verizon has carrier agreements with providers throughout Europe. I was given instructions on how to unlock the phone to install an O2 or Orange SIM but i just used Verizon's SIM and rates (high, but manageable and just expensed them ). Call Verizon, I bet they can install the free SIM and you can use the phone overseas. Texts at $0.25 and calls about $1 per minute, but hey, you can remember the number!

 

[Atty]

Yes, all Verizon iPhone 5's are unlocked out of the box.

But they do not support anything other than 3G cellular systems in the US. They will not run on any HSPA+ or LTE network in the U.S.A.

 

[bearxor]

But they do not support anything other than 3G cellular systems in the US. They will not run on any HSPA+ or LTE network in the U.S.A.

The Verizon iPhone 5 supports AT&T's HSPA+ and T-Mobile's refarmed 1900mhz HSPA+ network just fine. It retains full support for DC-HSPA. It could also, possibly, support AT&T and TMobile's LTE network if (IF) they deploy LTE on 1900mhz in some markets.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Glad I stumbled onto this discussion!!

I'm going to Germany on Friday. I have an unlocked Verizon iPhone 5 and I was planning on just getting a sim and popping it in.

Now I'm a little confused...what do I have to do with the APN setting stuff? I have never heard of doing that before...