Verizon iPhone 4S SIM UNLOCK Tutorial

[SGMD1]

Verizon has confirmed (here and here) they WILL unlock the SIM on the iPhone 4S, allowing for use of local SIM cards while traveling abroad (no word yet on whether this will allow for use on AT&T and T-Mobile.) This is different than the jailbreak unlocking method; SIM unlocking through Verizon is permanent and will not affect your warranty in any way.

1. Meet the following requirements:

* Must be a Verizon Wireless customer.
* The iPhone 4S being unlocked must be active on a Verizon Wireless line of service.
* The line of service must be active at least 60 days.
* The line of service must be in good standing for the past 60 days.
* Only one SIM Unlock per line every 10 months.

If you don't meet one or more of the above requirements, call anyway. You may still get lucky.

2. Insert a foreign SIM into the SIM card slot on the side of your phone (only required to confirm that the unlock is successful.)

3. Call 1-800-711-8300 (Verizon Global Support) and ask the representative for a SIM unlock. Occassionally a representative may not know exactly what you are referring to; make sure you are not transferred to a different department. You are in the right place. Explain that they should have a walkthrough on how to do this, and that it allows for the use of local, non-Verizon SIM cards while traveling abroad.

4. Get confirmation from the rep that the unlock has been applied to your account, then check your phone to make sure it recognizes your SIM and can connect (if successful it will roam on AT&T, assuming you are calling from the USA.) You will NOT see an unlock confirmation in iTunes as that is for a factory-applied unlock only.

5. Enjoy your new unlocked iPhone 4S!

[SGMD1]

Has anyone done this successfully yet?

[BX4]

Verizon seems to be having a problem getting the unlock information to Apple at the moment. If your iPhone says "Pending Unlock" in Verizon's computers the unlock has NOT gone thru it needs to show "completed" or "unlocked." it works for some iPhone 4S but not for others. They seem to be working on it. Calling Apple won't get you anywhere as it appears all unlock requests must go thru this system.

[sdlaw]

I'm curious about this part of what you said.

"SIM unlocking through Verizon is permanent and will not affect your warranty in any way." 

What does it mean it is permanent. If I'm going on a trip to say australia for two weeks and I unlock it and throw in an australian sim, come home and want to get back on verizon will I need a sim card?  I assume the CDMA network will still work since all the components are there?

Assuming I only take 1 international trip every 10 months can I just unlock for while I'm gone then get back on CDMA when I get home?  If not what's the disadavantage?

In other words, is their any downside to unlocking at all?

Thanks

Also to answer the previous posters question... I highly doubt anyone has tried this since it's technically impossible for anyone to have had the iPhone 4S for 60 days.  In 30-60 days we'll probably see a lot more people who have done it.

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[SGMD1]

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sdlaw wrote:

I'm curious about this part of what you said.

"SIM unlocking through Verizon is permanent and will not affect your warranty in any way." 

What does it mean it is permanent. If I'm going on a trip to say australia for two weeks and I unlock it and throw in an australian sim, come home and want to get back on verizon will I need a sim card?  I assume the CDMA network will still work since all the components are there?

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That just means that once it's unlocked, the phone can't be relocked, even if you do a restore or factory reset. The unlock is tied to your phone's IMEI number. If you go to Australia, just go into Settings -> Carrier and switch to GSM; when you get back, just switch back to Verizon in your settings. No downside whatsoever.

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sdlaw wrote:

Assuming I only take 1 international trip every 10 months can I just unlock for while I'm gone then get back on CDMA when I get home?  If not what's the disadavantage?

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Unlocking won't affect the CDMA capability at all. It just means you can use your own SIM while traveling abroad on a GSM network. When you get home and switch back to Verizon, your phone's GSM portion will still be unlocked for whenever you travel abroad again. No disadvantages whatsoever.

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sdlaw wrote:

Also to answer the previous posters question... I highly doubt anyone has tried this since it's technically impossible for anyone to have had the iPhone 4S for 60 days.  In 30-60 days we'll probably see a lot more people who have done it.

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You don't need to own the iPhone for 60 days; you just need to be a Verizon customer for 60 days. People who aren't new customers can get their iPhone 4S unlocked today.

[swedegirl]

YES.. and I tried putting my Swedish sim card in the phone and it come s upp as roaming through T mobile (I guess that is who the swedish provider has a deal with ) and when I make a call my swedish cell number shows up on my caller ID so it absolutely works!!!!!

[silver6055]

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swedegirl wrote:

YES.. and I tried putting my Swedish sim card in the phone and it come s upp as roaming through T mobile (I guess that is who the swedish provider has a deal with ) and when I make a call my swedish cell number shows up on my caller ID so it absolutely works!!!!!

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Are you doing this in the US?  If so, that means it doesn't have US carriers blocked, which is better than the Droids!

[gerelee]

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silver6055 wrote:

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swedegirl wrote:

YES.. and I tried putting my Swedish sim card in the phone and it come s upp as roaming through T mobile (I guess that is who the swedish provider has a deal with ) and when I make a call my swedish cell number shows up on my caller ID so it absolutely works!!!!!

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Are you doing this in the US?  If so, that means it doesn't have US carriers blocked, which is better than the Droids!

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i've been waiting at least 4 hours but so far no luck with the unlock .... verizon says apple hasn't provided them with all the codes and it may take a while .. i'm trying to activate it with an at&t sim card, which, according to verizon, should work .. keeping my fingers crossed! 

[newhavenmaven]

This sounds good.  But what does the limitation of one Unlock per line per 10 months mean?     My wife and I both will have Iphone 4S phones on a Shared Family Plan.  We will both want to unlock our phones after the 60 days because we often spend time in italy and want to use the local Italy SIM service there.  So will be both be able to unlock our phones at the same time?     You say that the phones will then stay unlocked--are you sure about that?  I'm wondering if that 10 month rule means that you can only request an unlock every 10 months, meaning that the phone becomes locked again after a short period of time.  I'm wanting to be sure about this because being able to use the 4S unlocked abroad is really the only reason we are switching from AT&T.....

[silver6055]

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newhavenmaven wrote:

This sounds good.  But what does the limitation of one Unlock per line per 10 months mean?     My wife and I both will have Iphone 4S phones on a Shared Family Plan.  We will both want to unlock our phones after the 60 days because we often spend time in italy and want to use the local Italy SIM service there.  So will be both be able to unlock our phones at the same time?     You say that the phones will then stay unlocked--are you sure about that?  I'm wondering if that 10 month rule means that you can only request an unlock every 10 months, meaning that the phone becomes locked again after a short period of time.  I'm wanting to be sure about this because being able to use the 4S unlocked abroad is really the only reason we are switching from AT&T.....

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Really, the phones stay unlocked!  The limitation is merely to prevent people unlocking and then reselling, several phones.   And the limitation is per line, so since you and your wife have phones with different numbers, you will both be able to unlock your phones.   I have done this several times with Verizon, though not of course with the iPhone 4S.  I was able to unlock several phones on my account because they were on different lines, the phones stay unlocked, and when I got a new phone (more than 10 months later) I was able to unlock the new phone on a line that had previously been used to unlock.

Caveat:  this all applies to other phones (Moto/HTC smartphones and samsung/motorola feature phones) so there MAY be a difference with the iPhone, but everything posted on this forum by employees (and elsewhere) suggest that Verizon is adhering to its standard unlock policies.

[newhavenmaven]

Thanks. I hope you are right and that they don't change their minds about this.  Is there somewhere official---like on the Verizon Web Site--that has the policy written out about unlocking after 60 days?  The links you included quoted a Verizon PR person, but were on non-Verizon sites. Since this matters a lot to us---we are only switching to Verizon to take advantage of this unlocking policy--I'ld feel better seeing it directly on a Verizon page.....

[gerelee]

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newhavenmaven wrote:

Thanks. I hope you are right and that they don't change their minds about this.  Is there somewhere official---like on the Verizon Web Site--that has the policy written out about unlocking after 60 days?  The links you included quoted a Verizon PR person, but were on non-Verizon sites. Since this matters a lot to us---we are only switching to Verizon to take advantage of this unlocking policy--I'ld feel better seeing it directly on a Verizon page.....

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i can't give you links to prove that they will unlock the phone, but i DID talk to them on the phone today and they WILL unlock a phone ... they did not ask me any questions, so i imagine they checked to make sure i met the eligibility requirements while i was on the phone.

[silver6055]

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gerelee wrote:

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newhavenmaven wrote:

Thanks. I hope you are right and that they don't change their minds about this.  Is there somewhere official---like on the Verizon Web Site--that has the policy written out about unlocking after 60 days?  The links you included quoted a Verizon PR person, but were on non-Verizon sites. Since this matters a lot to us---we are only switching to Verizon to take advantage of this unlocking policy--I'ld feel better seeing it directly on a Verizon page.....

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Well, the link the OP posted (the link for "Requirements) goes to http://community.vzw.com/t5/DROID-DROID-2-by-Motorola/Unlocking-Droid-2-Global/m-p/461632/message-ui...

and this is a Verizon Wireless employee confirming the general unlock policy on a verizon controlled site.  As this is old, it's not the iPhone of course, but given the weight of all the posted evidence I'm not sure exactly what you want. 

As none of this contractual, it is subject to change, so there is risk, but the fact that a Verizon PR person says something is actually stronger than some statement appearing on a site in my opinion, it makes it much harder to climb down when they are on the record.

[swedegirl]

Yes Im sitting in the US as Im doing this, so this means that the SIM is unlocked for all carriers even in the US....;==)

[niteriderxp]

Swedegirl have you tried an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM in your phone? Did the phone go through an activation process and ask for WiFi when you inserted a Swedish SIM? Hmm, wish I could find the Cosmote SIM I got in Greece a while ago. Though it may not work anymore anyway, its been three years.

[willzzz88]

Everyone,

1. There is a DIFFERENCE with inserting a DIRECT US DOMESTIC SIM card +1 US subset routing (AT&T and T-Mobile) and inserting a foriegn (+X other than +1 US subset, e.g. Canada/Carribean and non +1) routing.

2. Of course once the phone is UNLOCKED and the person inserts a FORIEGN SIM card activated with international roaming (e.g. Europe/Asia/Latin America/Middle East) on the foriegn provider Apple/iTunes/Verizon is authenticating the FORIEGN SIM card, contacting the local networks list in the USA (AT&T and T-Mobile), sending a global roam query to a authentication provioder GRX/IPX/CRX cluster in NYC/Washington/Miami etc etc and other places where there are massive data-centers, foriegn provider sees AT&T or T-Mobile as partners, in this case "T-Mobile USA", in your case because it doesn't have the AWS bands of 3G for T-mo (but does for AT&T) it connects to T-Mobile, phone sends authentication details of foriegn SIM card and starts roaming INTERNATIONALLY INSIDE THE USA DOMESTICALLY on a FORIEGN SIM CARD!

So your European +44 number is now active roaming on AT&T or T_Mobile on a unlocked VZW phone INSIDE the USA!

As you said all outgoing/incoming calls, SMS and provider data profile (this stuff is ALL VIRTUALIZED SOFTWARE NOW!) is using the EU number but physically in the USA roaming on VZW competitors...

Native AT&T or T_Mobile SIM card with NATIVE +1 USA number unlocked on VZW!? I doubt it... Maybe that is possible.

Actually VZW is getting VERY smart for Fortune 500 customers... The people that want this are business and personal customers and the MORE FREEDOM you give me the MORE REVENUE OPPORTUNITY that VZW can simply SELL THEIR SUPERIOR SERVICE/NETEWORK!!!

[willzzz88]

Regarding the T_Mobile, I mean't your EU roaming partner in the US is T-Mobile... and it's 2G...

If it was a more post-paid business plan it would be with AT&T and 3G...

[willzzz88]

http://gizmodo.com/5850241/att-iphone-4s-already-coming-unlocked-when-you-buy-off+contract

Apple is getting VERY smart...

Verizon wants international roaming revenue in-bound on their network IN THE USA in the future on their LTE network (this makes AT&T and T-mobile like $500 Million+ a year onto their quarterly revenue)...

Verizon is in the process with LTE overlaying their network with a CDMA + GSM/LTE hybrid network so they can have ONE simplified network integrated into a whole...

It's all about revenue $$$ people...

[kev10]

hahahaah your comments makes me laught guys im gonna buy an iphone 4s and ill try it

[chahelin]

Hello Sir,This is Jandy In china,I have got a verizon iphone 4s,but is locked,so I can not use any other card in China,Can you help me unlock my phone?thank you very much,Please contact:  <<  Personal information removed to comply with Verizon Community TOS >>

Please use the Direct Message feature of this Community to contact other users and/or exchange personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses.

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[JohnB_VZW]

Thank you SGMD1 for your input regarding the Verizon iPhone 4S SIM unlock procedure. You are correct, we will unlock the SIM for the iPhone 4S as long as the qualifications are met as you stated in your post. To qualify for 3G SIM Unlock, a customer must meet the following requirements:

1. Must be a Verizon Wireless customer. Verizon Wireless only unlocks devices for Verizon Wireless customers.

2. The device being unlocked must be active on a Verizon Wireless line of service. *Exception: If you have upgraded to a new device, the previous global device that was on the line of service can have a 3G SIM Unlock processed.

3. The line of service must be active at least 60 days.

4. The line of service must be in good standing for the past 60 days.

5. You may only have one 3G SIM Unlock per line every 10 months.

*Note: Your manufacturer's device warranty is not affected by a 3G SIM unlock as long as you remain with Verizon Wireless.

If you need to have your SIM unlocked on your iPhone 4S please contact our Global Support team at 800-711-8300 to start the process.

I trust this information has been helpful.