Buying iPhone from Cricket - Is it carrier unlocked?

[Lyzardo]

This article ("Cricket or Virgin: What's best iPhone deal?") from USAToday seems to confirm that you can buy the phone here then use it overseas:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...gin/55619450/1

Money quote: But for one group of customers, a Cricket iPhone could be enormously helpful: Those who travel overseas. Cricket says it will keep the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card slot on its iPhone 4S unlocked for international use.

[reddragonprodz]

This article ("Cricket or Virgin: What's best iPhone deal?") from USAToday seems to confirm that you can buy the phone here then use it overseas:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...gin/55619450/1

Money quote: But for one group of customers, a Cricket iPhone could be enormously helpful: Those who travel overseas. Cricket says it will keep the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card slot on its iPhone 4S unlocked for international use.

U can just skip the whole deal and buy it already UNLOCKED through Apple and some on REFURBISH status..

On the side note the launch happen today and not as a surprise no one was lining up for it LOL.. The Corp store around here only sold 2 and they were upgrades. Indirect fair way better, but are limited in stock..

[jarrodpd]

I am exactly hoping to cut 200$ off the price compared to Denmark, yet that'll only work if it has a GSM module and can be used overseas. I really don't want to start jailbreaking on each new version of iOS, as I will be foregoing some things by buying in the US, such as a 1 year warranty instead of 2 and that I'd have to go to the US to get it repaired.

I understand they wont release it till the 22'th june, so I guess there's no way to know if this will be possible before then or if the GSM is gutted?

One thing I don't understand, if there's no contract, and you pay as you go, there should be nothing preventing people from moving from one tele company to another? Or is that what CDMA is for? In EU we only use GSM.

Or if you don't want to risk it you could spend an extra $140 and be certain it will work. Also I think thats the main reason CDMA was designed for is to lock people in and cause anti competition. I plan on waiting till the next iPhone and buying it unlocked because I use T-Mobile and also I might be moving abroad so I don't have to beg on my knees to Verizon, Sprint, or At&T to use the phone I paid for in other countries without the rediculous roaming rates they charge or the hassle of constantly jail breaking like you stated above.

[EliteABombAZ]

Oh my god. This post is full of so much misinformation. Here are truths from an Apple fan:

The iPhone 4 came in 2 versions. The GSM/UMTS model WITH SIM CARD SLOT (AT&T) and the CDMA model WITH NO SIM CARD SLOT (Verizon and Sprint). The Cricket version of the iPhone 4 will be the CDMA version with no SIM slot.

The iPhone 4S is THE SAME DEVICE NO MATTER THE CARRIER. It is a unified device that supports both CDMA and GSM/UMTS. All iPhone 4S models will have a SIM card slot... even if the slot is not being used... like with a CDMA carrier.

Depending on your carrier, their policies and if you bought it subsidized or outright... determines your SIM lock status.

Example, buying an AT&T iPhone 4S outright with no contract, results in iTunes unlocking the SIM at first sync.

The first weeks of 4S being on Sprint, they came with unlocked SIM slots, later shipments came locked.

All 3 national carriers will SIM unlock your iPhone, pending your device qualifies per their company policies.

The 4S supports CDMA and GSM in the same device, but CDMA is only available if bought it with service from a CDMA carrier.
(Officially, anyway... hacking to make it available is feasible.)

Example... you cannot go to Apple and buy an unlocked iPhone 4S and take it to Cricket for activation. (Officially... without hacking.)

The expected practice would be to go to Cricket and buy their iPhone.

Cricket's 4S is $500, but even at that price it is STILL partially subsidized. I could see them wanting to protect their investment and NOT have unlocked SIM slots.

Oh.... and the people complaining about Cricket iPhones not "being supported." Ultimately, this is STILL an Apple product and Apple has the best support in the industry. If you have a problem with your iPhone, take it to the Apple store and they will help you as long as it isn't physical damage.

[Lyzardo]

We may be getting off of the original question here. Based on the article I posted above (and from the creator of this thread's original question), we're not talking about unlocking for use in the USA. The Cricket iPhone will not allow that. However, for those going overseas or living overseas, the Cricket iPhone will work unlocked there. So, a person could come here, buy the Cricket iPhone and a month's activation, then return to Europe, Australia, etc. and use it freely there with a local SIM.

The question is for such a person, $500 for the phone and $55 for one month service saves less than $100 from just buying unlocked in the first place. Is it really worth it?

[Sepurb]

he will save $200 according to his post.

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[AppleMac]

he will save $200 according to his post.

Sent from my LG-VM696 using HowardForums

He meant saving $100 from the Apple store USA's price. I truly think that's the way to go here.

[nTranced]

I'm going to send a 4s to my cousin in Nicaragua this week to see if it works, They go for $800-900 there so I may have a cash cow on my hands.

[Sepurb]

He meant saving $100 from the Apple store USA's price. I truly think that's the way to go here.

I didn't know it was the same website worldwide and I was thinking it was higher or something. hmmm... I wonder where he gets the $750 price from?

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[jamestan]

Oh my god. This post is full of so much misinformation.

LMAO! Seriously. And the worst part is that it's not people trolling...just a bunch of people who have no hard facts and a ton of conjecture. If you don't know what you're talking about, you shouldn't even reply. All these people have done is muddy the waters and create confusion with what's the right information.

YES - the GSM radio in this phone is unlocked
YES - Compared to the $750 price tag in Denmark, buying it this way will save you about $200

And why the hell do people keep bringing up the $650 price of buying the phone from Apple directly??? The guy is asking if the $555 option will work for his needs (which it will) and more than a few people have tried to sway him to just go buy a $650 iPhone directly from Apple. Completely illogical and worthless advice

[Lyzardo]

Completely illogical and worthless advice

I disagree. To me, saving an extra $95 (he's going to save a hundo over Denmark prices no matter what) isn't with the hassle of activating a phone on Cricket, then having a phone that isn't completely unlocked around the world. If he ever made it back to the USA, wouldn't the $95 be worth it to be able to choose from Straight Talk/ATT, TMo, any new prepaid service that may pop up in the future, whatever? Wouldn't the phone also be worth less at resale being locked to Cricket (at least for US buyers?)

I guess it is a moot point if he never gets back to the USA, but I certainly wouldn't call paying $95 extra to simply walk in to an Apple Store (of which there are many more than Cricket outlets across the country - depending on where he lands in the USA) and get a completely unlocked and hassle-free phone a bad move. You may not agree, but it's nowhere near illogical and worthless advice.

[jamestan]

If he ever made it back to the USA, wouldn't the $95 be worth it to be able to choose from Straight Talk/ATT, TMo, any new prepaid service that may pop up in the future, whatever? Wouldn't the phone also be worth less at resale being locked to Cricket (at least for US buyers?)

Hello and greetings from Denmark

I'm travelling to the US later this month and saw the news about cricket and the iPhone 4s.

I wondering, does this mean I can buy a unlocked iPhone 4s at 500$ from Cricket, pay a one month 55$ subscription, cancel it and then take the iphone with me back to Denmark and use it there with my local providers since it's unlocked(Denmark uses only GSM networks)?

The iphone starts at 750$ here, so it'd be quite the amount of money I save.

He made his intentions clear...at least to me. He's visiting the US for an unspecified amount of time with intentions to return home with an iPhone for use in his native Denmark. At no point did he express interest in StraightTalk or any other carrier here statewide. Not sure what the $95 premium would actually do for his expressed needs. Seems like nothing

[Sepurb]

@jamestan that's exactly what I got from this also, but I was somewhat confused when people started saying he'd only save $100 and stuff lol