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Unlocked iPhone for Sprint?

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teamturbo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 30, 2007
34
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Hi guys,

Im trying to figure something out for my younger college sister. She has a Sprint plan and is interested in getting an unlocked iPhone and hooking it up to her network. I told her to ask at her local Sprint retailer, they told her its impossible, but I just want to make sure, as a lot of them think it runs only on ATT.

I read that Sprint uses CDMA technology which does not have SIM cards for their phones. I don't know what this means, but its not compatible?

Thanks in advance!
 
teamturbo said:
Hi guys,

Im trying to figure something out for my younger college sister. She has a Sprint plan and is interested in getting an unlocked iPhone and hooking it up to her network. I told her to ask at her local Sprint retailer, they told her its impossible, but I just want to make sure, as a lot of them think it runs only on ATT.

I read that Sprint uses CDMA technology which does not have SIM cards for their phones. I don't know what this means, but its not compatible?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

iPhone won't work with Sprint.
 
Sprint, Verizon = CDMA
At&t, T-Mobile = GSM

2 completely different and incompatible standards. So NO, you cannot use an iPhone on Sprint or Verizon.
 
teamturbo said:
Hi guys,

Im trying to figure something out for my younger college sister. She has a Sprint plan and is interested in getting an unlocked iPhone and hooking it up to her network. I told her to ask at her local Sprint retailer, they told her its impossible, but I just want to make sure, as a lot of them think it runs only on ATT.

I read that Sprint uses CDMA technology which does not have SIM cards for their phones. I don't know what this means, but its not compatible?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

iPhone is not compatible with sprint by any means. Sprint is TDMA and iPhone is GSM, different wireless technology. The only carrier that i know of with gsm in the states is t-mobile.
 
Jsingh said:
iPhone is not compatible with sprint by any means. Sprint is TDMA and iPhone is GSM, different wireless technology. The only carrier that i know of with gsm in the states is t-mobile.
Click to expand...
Sprint is CDMA, not TDMA. The old AT&T and Cingular used to use TDMA (analog). It used to be the only network that worked most everywhere.
 
Iphone on sprint

I understand the iphone wont work with sprint due to lack of Sim card. Does this hold true with the international phones, because the international phones (like the blackberry 8830, or samsung ace)have a gsm sim card. I am currently rebuilding my credit (long story) and love the iphone. Does the pre-paid version have all the features that the one with a contract would??
 
Thanks to all

thanks everyone for answering. I live in NY and reception is all pretty much the same. Minutes aren't an issue because I average maybe 75 a month with about 3000 text messages. Just found out work might be paying for it all so doesnt matter what it costs!!! Again thanks everyone for your help!!:D
 
Maybe in 2012

Maybe we will see Sprint version in 2012! By that time the iPhone will be thinner than a match box...oh it's already that thin!
 
Ok need help again

I beg for patience, as I am still trying to learn. This year is the year of the apple. First I was given an IMAC from the early 2000's. Being a photographer and never experiencing an apple, I think I have found a lifelong love. That inspired my macbook. Luckily my paycheck matched the release of the 2.6 Processor. Now I have turned to cell phone, and this is where I seek knowledge from the all knowing MAC-Ites. The highest form of intelligent life on the net. After being mislead by an unknowing AT&T rep, Iphone is undoubtly my next phone. I come to you with these questions.

The current iphone and 3g iphone, what are the differences?? internet speed??

If this is the only difference, how does it compare to sprint's treo 755?? I realize this may be like comparing apples and oranges, but I am grateful for ANY information that could be given. I guess i am so used to sprints NON-Accessable internet that speeds don't really matter:apple:
 
Avenger4all said:
I beg for patience, as I am still trying to learn. This year is the year of the apple. First I was given an IMAC from the early 2000's. Being a photographer and never experiencing an apple, I think I have found a lifelong love. That inspired my macbook. Luckily my paycheck matched the release of the 2.6 Processor. Now I have turned to cell phone, and this is where I seek knowledge from the all knowing MAC-Ites. The highest form of intelligent life on the net. After being mislead by an unknowing AT&T rep, Iphone is undoubtly my next phone. I come to you with these questions.

The current iphone and 3g iphone, what are the differences?? internet speed??

If this is the only difference, how does it compare to sprint's treo 755?? I realize this may be like comparing apples and oranges, but I am grateful for ANY information that could be given. I guess i am so used to sprints NON-Accessable internet that speeds don't really matter:apple:
Click to expand...

3G is a lot faster than ATT's current EDGE but Sprint's EVDO is faster than EDGE. Some people like the Palm OS interface of the treo but I think it looks like something from the 90s. Also the treo doesn't have the iPod functionality of the iPhone.
 
Well I have a Sprint phone (A Samsung) with a Sprint SIM card (as I travel outside of the US), so does that mean I could make use of an unlocked iPhone?
 
pwhite8314 said:
Well I have a Sprint phone (A Samsung) with a Sprint SIM card (as I travel outside of the US), so does that mean I could make use of an unlocked iPhone?
Click to expand...

The sim card would only allow you to roam overseas with 900/ 1800mhz for voice and data gsm roaming partners. Sprint uses cdma so the iphone will not work. The dual radio handset has become more popular for verizon and sprint as their native technology is less popular across the world, but that will not help you with the iphone.
 
cdd543 said:
The sim card would only allow you to roam overseas with 900/ 1800mhz for voice and data gsm roaming partners. Sprint uses cdma so the iphone will not work. The dual radio handset has become more popular for verizon and sprint as their native technology is less popular across the world, but that will not help you with the iphone.
Click to expand...

I would think the SIM card could be used with an unlocked iPhone. If you use it in the US it would be roaming 100% of the time. I would think Sprint would eventually shut you down.
 
Thanks all for the responses. It's a company cell, so I cant just switch networks, though there's talk of moving to AT&T, so I guess I'll have to hold out for that, since the choice of Sprint phones is v v limited, and mostly crap.
 
dacreativeguy said:
All the carriers will break your heart if you just give them enough time...
Click to expand...

Yea from what I gather ALL carriers have crappy coverage and support. That leaves you to pick the one with the best phones :)

I personally love the flexibility of GSM .... Being able to get a local pre-paid SIM when I go over seas is very nice.
 
pwhite8314 said:
Well I have a Sprint phone (A Samsung) with a Sprint SIM card (as I travel outside of the US), so does that mean I could make use of an unlocked iPhone?
Click to expand...

skubish said:
I would think the SIM card could be used with an unlocked iPhone. If you use it in the US it would be roaming 100% of the time. I would think Sprint would eventually shut you down.
Click to expand...

Sprint would shut you down in a heartbeat. I am fairly certain that the SIMs are not set to roam in the USA, only overseas. And if they found that you were "roaming" on T-Mobile or AT&T in a perfectly good Sprint area, they'd definitely shut you down instantly.

This was beaten to death in the Verizon thread too.
 
question fear said:
Sprint would shut you down in a heartbeat. I am fairly certain that the SIMs are not set to roam in the USA, only overseas. And if they found that you were "roaming" on T-Mobile or AT&T in a perfectly good Sprint area, they'd definitely shut you down instantly.

This was beaten to death in the Verizon thread too.
Click to expand...


Has anyone tried this? Is there proof of being shut down?
 
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