Following the initial confusion regarding the state of the SIM slot in the Sprint iPhone 4S after multiple conflicting statements, the definitive statement and policy on the iPhone 4S international roaming policy has been released and….makes very little sense.
“Sprint’s policy is to have the iPhone 4S SIM locked to our network domestically and internationally. At launch, the International SIM will be unlocked. We do expect a SIM lock to be pushed to the devices shortly after launch. We will then allow existing customers in good standing to unlock the SIM for international use if needed in the future.”
Our emphasis on the forthcoming SIM lock update. In effect, the iPhone 4S on Sprint will be sold under Sprint’s current world phone sales policy at launch when sales begin tomorrow morning, but a future update will effectively change that policy in order to ensure that Sprint customers that wish to unlock the SIM slot in the future must have an account in good standing for an undetermined amount of time.
Future Sprint iPhone 4S units will be locked from shipment. This is in an effort to match Verizon’s SIM unlock policy on a device that Sprint is paying higher-than-ever subsidies to carry, and Sprint is working to ensure that devices are not converted to GSM, global iPhones, while leaving Sprint with a subsidy bill.
For more information on iPhone 4S’s integration between CDMA and GSM, check our previous article on the subject.
Article updated to clarify future iPhone 4S Sprint units will be factory-locked.
How exactly would Sprint get stuck with a subsidy bill? If the subsidy is higher than the ETA, than that’s their own fault!
While you are correct, there is a high level of fraud when it comes to iPhone.
People sign up with fake/stolen social security numbers, with no intention of even paying the first bill… just taking the device right to the aftermarket and letting the bill go straight to collections.
With a GSM unlocked Sprint iPhone 4S, in such a case Sprint would be out the full subsidy, with no way of stopping the phone from being activated on AT&T, T-Mobile, or carriers abroad… fully functional.
The comment left by Chris is very on point. Additionally Apple dictates a lot of the policy the carriers cope with, as in this situation. Phones being shipped locked should resolve the issue, it’s a small inconvenience for the customer but a major issue in terms of fraud.