Can I gift my unlocked iPhone 4S to my dad abroad without roaming charges?

[riggedveda]

I have a new iPhone 4S that I recently got SIM-unlocked by Verizon in preparation for my trip to Dubai (to visit my dad - he lives there). I don't quite fancy the phone as much as my earlier Droid X, so I want to give it to my Dad instead.

Two questions:

1. When I return from Dubai, I will activate the Droid X on my line in place of the iPhone 4S. Will this impact his ability to continue using the iPhone with his GSM carrier? I am guessing it shouldn't - I don't see how Verizon would be able to disable the phone?

2. He travels to India fairly frequently, and since India has both GSM and CDMA (he will be using a GSM carrier there) I run a risk of roaming charges if the phone automatically connects to CDMA when the GSM signal is poor. Can I be hit by such charges from Verizon even when the phone is no longer on my line?

I guess I will find out these answers in a month or so myself, so if no one else knows, I can post the answer here when I find out for myself.

[gina7239]

I think u could but I don't know a lot about keeping a phone unlocked after removing it from an account. I would put AppleCare on it before leavening if ur going to remove it.

[ArnettH_VZW · Accepted solution]

Hello riggedveda,

Congrats on your trip to Dubai! I always wanted to go to Dubai! I hope that you have a wonderful time while you are there! Feel free to post pictures so the community members can see! I'm sure that you are aware of the many benefits of having an unlocked global device like the iPhone! May I ask does you dad have a Verizon Wireless mobile number? If he does then he can use your unlocked iPhone 4S on his number! Also, the great news is that once the iPhone 4S is unlocked, it can be used on an international carrier, even if it is not active on the line that it was unlocked on. So if you decide to let your dad use your iPhone while in India with an international carrier then he is free to do so. Since the Verizon Wireless SIM card is not in the phone, he will not incur any roaming charges from us. Below are a few recommendations that I would like to make prior to giving the device to your dad.

• Sync all of your current information from your iPhone to your computer using iTunes.
• Sign out of iTunes on the device and on the computer that the iPhone syncs with.
• Perform a factory reset on the iPhone so your information won't be mixed with your dad's.
• Verify that the device is deactivated from your mobile number before he leaves to Dubai.
• Insert the international SIM card in the iPhone when he arrives in Dubai.
• Activate/unbrick the iPhone using either wi-fi or a computer with iTunes and a data connection. (See link below)

http://support.verizonwireless.com/how_to_use/activating_iphone_4.html

Even though the steps provided in the link are for activating Verizon Wireless service in the US, the steps are the same with an international SIM card while traveling abroad. If you have any additional questions or concerns then feel free to reply to this posting for more help.

Thank you & happy traveling!...

ArnettH_VZW

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