Regardless of which iPhone 5 you are going to purchase, they all come with SIM slots. Sometimes, depending on carrier, those slots could be locked to the carrier from which you bought it; but in Verizon’s case, the slot is completely unlocked and open.
With most things that are good for the consumer, this wasn’t Verizon’s idea. Instead, it was a demand from the FCC as a result of the commission’s Network Access Regulations. Two of those regulations – the ones that affected Verizon’s iPhone 5 – are right here:
(e) Handset locking prohibited. No licensee may disable features on handsets it provides to customers, to the extent such features are compliant with the licensee’s standards pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, nor configure handsets it provides to prohibit use of such handsets on other providers’ networks.
It should be noted that, even though Verizon’s iPhones are unlocked, they are incompatible with AT&T’s LTE network. However, they are compatible with international LTE bands.
Will you be taking your Verizon iPhone to another carrier?
Thats cool. Then if you go abroad you don’t have to buy another gsm phone.
Finally someone sticking it to verizon like they stick it to us…..
How come they follow these rules, while other carriers dont?
Is it because of the spectrum purchase that happened a bit ago? Was it because all of their terms and conditions?
Yes. Its because of the 700 MHz Block C they purchased and use for their LTE network.
Heheheh! All the carriers stick it too us!!!
If I properly understand this, Verizon’s iPhone 5′s will be able to be used abroad. What steps will be necessary to be able to do so at a reasonable cost?
Good for using it abroad!