Questions About Unlocking a Sprint Phone for International Use...

[mark]

Questions About Unlocking a Sprint Phone for International Use...

 

The background:

 

My daughter has a good job in the UK.

 

She is currently using an iPhone 4S in the UK.

 

I would like to get her an iPhone 6+ that she could use in the UK.

 

Will the following work?

 

We are customers in good standing (more than a decade) with three lines on an out-of-contract legacy plan (1500 minutes Family Unlimited Data).

 

All three of our phones (two iPhone 5c's and one 5s)...according to our mysprint account page...are eligible for international unlocking...but as of yet have not been unlocked. We have not plans to unlock these three phones.

 

What I would like to do is purchase a 6+...and upgrade (replace) one of our 5c's (in other words, remove the 5c from Sprint service)...use the 6+ for 90 days...ask that it (the 6+) be unlocked...then go back and replace the 6+ (i.e. remove it from the Sprint network) with the 5c that had been taken out of service 90 days previous.

 

So we have two 5c's and one 5s with Sprint now. I'd like to buy a 6+...use it for 90 days...get it unlocked...give it to my daughter as a gift for her to use in the UK...and return at that time to the working devices that we have now with Sprint in the USA (two 5c's and one 5s).

 

Does this make sense?

 

Will this work?

 

Will my daughter be able to activate her Christmas gift (the 6+) in the UK...and use it for as long as she remains in that country (could be 2 years)?

 

And when she returns (permanently) will the 6+ be usable on the Sprint network?

 

Sprint will have unlocked it (the 6+) but it will not be active on our Sprint account...does this matter? Will there be any monthly charge to our three phone Sprint account for her using a fourth phone that is not on the account?

 

I am not trolling here...so real answers are appreciated.

 

Can I get an authoritative opinion on what I'm trying to accomplish? Or at least bring some clarity to my thinking?

 

Thanks much.

Edited September 3, 2015 by mark

[TheCUJuan]

Apple now sells unlocked iPhones. Why not just do that...

[darickster09]

 

Sprint will have unlocked it (the 6+) but it will not be active on our Sprint account...does this matter? Will there be any monthly charge to our three phone Sprint account for her using a fourth phone that is not on the account?

 

 

 

are you asking something to do with leasing or easy pay for the 6+ phone?  is that what you mean by will there be any monthly charge to your account?  Because if you do a lease or an easy pay i do not believe you can take the phone to another carrier like that.  Pretty sure with the lease option at least you cant do it.  But the easy pay you may be able to.  

 

You really need to clarify your questions here as this is a little bit confusing.

 

If she is using the iphone 6+ on a different carrier that is in the UK then i dont see why you would be paying sprint for that, but if you are making payments on the 6+ (I.E. you did the lease or easy pay) then I would imagine you would have to continue making payments on the phone. 

 

I did a 2 year lease on my Galaxy S6 Edge and I am currently active duty military with the chance of getting deployed over seas.  So I decided to ask Sprint about this before I leased the new phone.  They allow military suspensions for any of you lines (I know not really related to your question but kinda relevant to my explanation).  The only thing is if you leased a phone you must return the equipment to sprint if you suspend your line.  

 

I hope that this helps.  again please try to clarify your questions...

[mark]

are you asking something to do with leasing or easy pay for the 6+ phone?  is that what you mean by will there be any monthly charge to your account?  Because if you do a lease or an easy pay i do not believe you can take the phone to another carrier like that.  Pretty sure with the lease option at least you cant do it.  But the easy pay you may be able to.  

 

You really need to clarify your questions here as this is a little bit confusing.

 

If she is using the iphone 6+ on a different carrier that is in the UK then i dont see why you would be paying sprint for that, but if you are making payments on the 6+ (I.E. you did the lease or easy pay) then I would imagine you would have to continue making payments on the phone. 

 

I did a 2 year lease on my Galaxy S6 Edge and I am currently active duty military with the chance of getting deployed over seas.  So I decided to ask Sprint about this before I leased the new phone.  They allow military suspensions for any of you lines (I know not really related to your question but kinda relevant to my explanation).  The only thing is if you leased a phone you must return the equipment to sprint if you suspend your line.  

 

I hope that this helps.  again please try to clarify your questions...

 

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I am considering purchasing a Sprint-capable iPhone 6+ and not making any changes to our legacy account...we still want only three lines.

 

I wish I hadn't added the confusing sentences.

 

We have three iPhones.

 

I want to buy a fourth iPhone (no lease...no easy pay...just buy it outright with cash)...and replace one of our currently-activated Sprint iPhones with the new fourth iPhone (we would still have three activated lines).

 

Sprint says after 90 days they'll unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...I would take advantage of that unlocking process...unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...then remove it from Sprint service...give it to my daughter (for her to use long-term in the UK)...then bring back the one phone we had to sit for 90 days while the 'fourth iPhone' was serving its necessary 90 days to get the international unlock from Sprint.

 

Does this help?

Edited September 3, 2015 by mark

[darickster09]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I am considering purchasing a Sprint-capable iPhone 6+ and not making any changes to our legacy account...we still want only three lines.

 

I wish I hadn't added the confusing sentences.

 

We have three iPhones.

 

I want to buy a fourth iPhone (no lease...no easy pay...just buy it outright with cash)...and replace one of our currently-activated Sprint iPhones with the new fourth iPhone (we would still have three activated lines).

 

Sprint says after 90 days they'll unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...I would take advantage of that unlocking process...unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...then remove it from Sprint service...give it to my daughter...then bring back the one phone we had to sit for 90 days while the 'fourth iPhone' was serving its necessary 90 days to get the international unlock from Sprint.

 

Does this help?

 

Why dont you just buy an unlocked one from Apple?  It would be much less confusing and probably easier...

 

Also im pretty sure if you just purchase the phone out right from them they should unlock it at your request you dont have to wait the 90 days since you are just buying the phone full price and not putting it on a contract.  I may be wrong, but thats how i understand it.

[TheCUJuan]

Something to consider is that the unlocked phones Apple sells are the sprint variant anyway. They don't charge a premium if that is a worry.

[anthony.spina97]

I will echo what the other members are saying. I would just buy the "SIM-Free" iPhone from Apple, because it is unlocked from the get-go, and is compatible with every US carrier and every UK carrier. If you're going to buy full retail, that is the route to go. No sense in buying it from Sprint.

 

-Anthony

[techfranz]

In general which Sprint & Verizon phones can be unlocked and used on GSM carriers?

Generally speaking, any of the more recent LTE Phones can be put on GSM if unlocked?

Are the SIMS compatible?

 

I assume the answer is yes or this thread wouldn't exist. Long time ago I used an AT&T Sim in an unlocked Verizon Imagio Smartphone and it worked. It was an HTC Imagio.

The reception was awful on both AT&T and Verizon.

[bigmachine]

In general which Sprint & Verizon phones can be unlocked and used on GSM carriers?

Any of the more recent LTE Phones can be put on GSM if unlocked?

Are the SIMS compatible?

 

I assume the answer is yes or this thread wouldn't exist. Long time ago I used an AT&T Sim in an unlocked Verizon Phone and it worked. It was an HTC Imagio. THe reception was awful on bot AT&T and Verizon.

I've used my M8 on GSM carriers overseas with no problem.  I would take a guess that most high-end smartphones would have that same ability.

[TheCUJuan]

I've used my M8 on GSM carriers overseas with no problem.  I would take a guess that most high-end smartphones would have that same ability.

I've used my unlocked (from apple) 6+ in GSM networks in other countries without a problem.

[Dfarley]

If you're looking to use one of your available upgrades to get a discounted 6+, have it unlocked, and then exchange that line with an older 5C after 90 days and the 6+ is unlocked, you should be able to do that. With that said, if you're willing to buy the phone outright, like others have said your easiest route is to simply purchase a 6+ "SIM free" from Apple. Lastly, don't forget that Apple will be announcing the newest 6s/s+ devices next week which will typically be released for sale shortly thereafter. The current 6/+ devices will most likely have a slight discount and / or you could purchase the newer device for her after that announcement.

[snowmobiler487]

In general which Sprint & Verizon phones can be unlocked and used on GSM carriers?

Generally speaking, any of the more recent LTE Phones can be put on GSM if unlocked?

Are the SIMS compatible?

 

I assume the answer is yes or this thread wouldn't exist. Long time ago I used an AT&T Sim in an unlocked Verizon Imagio Smartphone and it worked. It was an HTC Imagio.

The reception was awful on both AT&T and Verizon.

I have used my iPhone 6 on both Sprint and T-mobile (pretty disappointing service compared to Sprint in my area BTW) in the U.S.

[snowmobiler487]

If you're looking to use one of your available upgrades to get a discounted 6+, have it unlocked, and then exchange that line with an older 5C after 90 days and the 6+ is unlocked, you should be able to do that. With that said, if you're willing to buy the phone outright, like others have said your easiest route is to simply purchase a 6+ "SIM free" from Apple. Lastly, don't forget that Apple will be announcing the newest 6s/s+ devices next week which will typically be available for resale shortly thereafter. The current 6/+ devices will most likely have a slight discount and / or you could purchase the newer device for her after that announcement.

I second the idea of waiting about 2 weeks until the new phones are announced and either you can get the new models for the same price that you would currently pay for a 6+ or you can get a 6+ for $100 less regardless of which purchase route you choose.