Michelle Steiner

<http://www.electronista.com/articles...t.into.doing.t
he.same/>

MacWorld Senior Editor Jason Snell is reporting that Sprint plans to offer
the iPhone 4S with its micro-SIM slot unlocked, and that Verizon will
remove the carrier lock from any iPhone 4S if the customer has been with
them for 60 days or more in good standing (and requests an "international
unlock"). Apple itself sells the iPhone 4 and 4S (along with 3G iPad) with
the micro-SIM "factory" unlocked, but U.S. carriers generally put a
"carrier" lock on them to ensure customers don't switch networks easily.
The news that Sprint and Verizon will offer customers an easy way to remove
the carrier lock is a first for the U.S. market, and may put pressure on
AT&T -- which has traditionally not offered carrier unlocking, although
Apple retail stores can now, under certain circumstances, override the
simlock -- to offer the service themselves at little or no charge. The
change makes the iPhone 4S a true "world phone" for U.S. customers for the
first time, with both Sprint and Verizon customers able to buy prepaid
micro-SIM cards in the countries they visit, avoiding any international
roaming fees.

Customers who just used the iPhone 4S' built-in ability to log into GSM
networks without changing the SIM, however, would still see roaming charges
that tend to be quite expensive. AT&T customers have been able to use
"world roaming" for some time, but roaming charges are much higher than
being able to "unlock" a GSM-compatible iPhone and use a pre-paid local
micro-SIM in the country users are visiting. The unlocking has no effect
within the U.S.; Sprint customers would be unable to switch to T-Mobile by
replacing the SIM, for example, as the GSM roaming only works with non-U.S.
GSM frequencies.

Apple began selling unlocked GSM iPhone 4 models in June, but at a cost of
at least $649, with Verizon customers unable to take advantage of most
world networks, which are largely GSM-based. The iPhone 4S is the first
iPhone model with both CDMA and GSM compatibility built into a single model.

The iPhone 4S comes with a "roaming SIM" when purchased from Verizon, that
allows users to immediately join non-U.S. GSM networks at standard Verizon
roaming charges. Verizon's unlocking policy has been in place for other
models before, but the iPhone 4S is the first iPhone model that could take
advantage of the unlocking offer.

By Electronista Staff

--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.

David Empson

Michelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org> wrote:

> <http://www.electronista.com/articles...t.into.doing.t
> he.same/>
>
> MacWorld Senior Editor Jason Snell is reporting that Sprint plans to offer
> the iPhone 4S with its micro-SIM slot unlocked, [...]

Sprint have told Ars Technica this report is wrong, at least as far as
Sprint is concerned.

<http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...l-iphone-4s-wi
th-unlocked-micro-sim-card-slot.ars>

--
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz

JF Mezei

Michelle Steiner wrote:
> <http://www.electronista.com/articles...t.into.doing.t
> he.same/>
>
> MacWorld Senior Editor Jason Snell is reporting that Sprint plans to offer
> the iPhone 4S with its micro-SIM slot unlocked, and that Verizon will
> remove the carrier lock from any iPhone 4S if the customer has been with
> them for 60 days or more in good standing



Ars Technica contacted Sprint who confirmed that the iphones will be SIM
LOCKED, forcing customers to use Sprint SIM cards if they wish to roam
outside the USA.

Sprint spokesperson said that they believed Verizon would have the same
policy.

So it appears to be at the "he says, she says" stage right now, and
Verizon Sprint probably trying to figure out what the other network will
do before settiling on a real policy.

Note that not locking the phone to SIMs belonging to Sprint/Verizon
woudl allow those customers to just buy AT&T pre-paid cards or even get
subscription to AT&T.

However, this would not remove the issue of them having signed a 2 year
contract with Verizon/Sprint and having to pay ETF if they wish to
switch carrier. But it will allow them to move their iPhone to the new
carrier (which is standard practice outside of north america).