Buy an iphone 4s in the U.S. and now I can not use in Venezuela help please

[vanessatb]

Please I need help with my iphone 4s

I was on holiday in the U.S. and buy an iphone 4s told me it was unlocked and gave me a verizon sim card, returning to my country Venezuela take the phone to office telephony that I use here in my country "Movilnet "and inserting the card and try to set the phone says to activate the iphone only can use the operator sim cards compatible. insert the sim card charging that came with your iphone or visit a shop to support operator change the sim card.

My husband also bought one but did not came with the verizon sim and also says the same thing to put him Movilnet sim here in Venezuela.

Please help me with this need. I am in Venezuela and is not that way I can fix this to work my iphone here.

[Ann154]

You needed to purchase the unlocked GSM version that is only available from the Apple.  It sounds like you got a Verizon Wireless version.  You can't get the phone unlocked unless you are an Verizon Wireless customer.

[vanessatb]

That means I can not do anything with my phone? there is no way I can have my phone with line here from Venezuela? Thanks for your reply.

[silver6056]

Where did you buy the phone, in a Verizon corporate store, in an Apple store, or somewhere else?   If you bought it in a Verizon store, and an employee there told you that you could use your phone in Venezuela, there is a *possibility* (but not a great one) that enough complaining to the executive complaint line will get some resolution (either refunding or unlocking your phone).  But, as you are not in the US, and not a customer, they may not care that much...   If you bought it in a Apple store, Apple might be able to help.

The real issue is that Verizon doesn't use SIM cards (for its 3G phones) for use in the US, Verizon is a CDMA provider.  The SIM card is for GSM use outside the US, most Verizon iPhone customers never make use of that. The GSM functionality is locked to a particular Verizon GSM partner.   Verizon does have a good unlocking policy (by US standards) but does require that you are a Verizon customer.

Hope you find some help!

[budone]

Vanessa Tineo wrote:

That means I can not do anything with my phone? there is no way I can have my phone with line here from Venezuela? Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, the phone is a brick in Venezuela.

[budone]

silver6056 wrote:

Where did you buy the phone, in a Verizon corporate store, in an Apple store, or somewhere else?   If you bought it in a Verizon store, and an employee there told you that you could use your phone in Venezuela, there is a *possibility* (but not a great one) that enough complaining to the executive complaint line will get some resolution (either refunding or unlocking your phone).  But, as you are not in the US, and not a customer, they may not care that much...   If you bought it in a Apple store, Apple might be able to help.

The real issue is that Verizon doesn't use SIM cards (for its 3G phones) for use in the US, Verizon is a CDMA provider.  The SIM card is for GSM use outside the US, most Verizon iPhone customers never make use of that. The GSM functionality is locked to a particular Verizon GSM partner.   Verizon does have a good unlocking policy (by US standards) but does require that you are a Verizon customer.

Hope you find some help!

It sounds to me it was bought elsewhere and never activated on VZW's system as it was purchased on holiday. VZW would not have allowed the phone to be purchased due to the OP not being a US resident.