Should Sprint accept unlocked Verizon iPhone's?

[FreakyLocz14]

Would this be a good business move for Sprint? Unlike unlocked GSM iPhone's on T-Mobile, the CDMA Verizon-branded iPhone will work on Sprint's 3G EV-DO network.

Discuss.

 

[EmoTonyB]

i voted yes... that is not to say that i would own one... i have sprint and would never give up android for an iPhone. then again i would never give up my macbook pro for a windows 7, but thats a different thread. i just feel like everyone should have the choice to use whatever phone they want on whatever service they want. i

i know that it is good business to have a product that is specific to a brand, but i think they should be willing to take the hit if i just want the handset from them, but prefer different service. even if they dont offer it as a feature, i feel like the ABILITY for a backdoor type thing like unlocking and using a different service.

so iphones on sprint... hell, DROIDS on sprint. EVO's on verizon... i think it should all be possible

 

[FreakyLocz14]

i voted yes... that is not to say that i would own one... i have sprint and would never give up android for an iPhone. then again i would never give up my macbook pro for a windows 7, but thats a different thread. i just feel like everyone should have the choice to use whatever phone they want on whatever service they want. i

i know that it is good business to have a product that is specific to a brand, but i think they should be willing to take the hit if i just want the handset from them, but prefer different service. even if they dont offer it as a feature, i feel like the ABILITY for a backdoor type thing like unlocking and using a different service.

so iphones on sprint... hell, DROIDS on sprint. EVO's on verizon... i think it should all be possible

I wouldn't give up Android either, but just like T-Mobile attracted iPhone users that unlocked their AT&T branded iPhone's (despite being stuck on EDGE), I'm sure Sprint and other regional CDMA carriers (i.e. MetroPCS, Cricket, U.S. Cellular, etc.) will attract iPhone users who unlock the Verizon-branded iPhone looking for a better deal on wireless service. Hell, T-Mobile even started selling their European micro SIM cards to U.S. users, even though only unlocked iPhone users would need a micro SIM.

 

[mbell75]

So now that there is a CDMA iPhone, one would assume you can get one, jail break it and run it on Sprint correct? Sucks it wouldnt run on 4G though.

 

[mbell75]

Yep and I would be tempted to switch too. I have 3 Macs, an iPad and Apple TV but an Evo haha. I am really tired of having to upgrade phones that werent even that old (Hero) just to get the new Android OS and waiting around forever while other people get the new OS for Sprint to decide if they even want to upgrade your phone.

 

[EmoTonyB]

http://androidforums.com/sprint/255371-should-sprint-accept-unlocked-verizon-iphones.html

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Yep and I would be tempted to switch too. I have 3 Macs, an iPad and Apple TV but an Evo haha. I am really tired of having to upgrade phones that werent even that old (Hero) just to get the new Android OS and waiting around forever while other people get the new OS for Sprint to decide if they even want to upgrade your phone.

You would lose 4G, however.

 

[RoboMonkey]

hmmm paying full price for a iPhone and switch it over to sprint for my wife....I think not. Mabye if I could pick one up on Ebay for $200. But I don't see how sprint makes any money on the deal. I have a family plan now, so they gain nothing.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

hmmm paying full price for a iPhone and switch it over to sprint for my wife....I think not. Mabye if I could pick one up on Ebay for $200. But I don't see how sprint makes any money on the deal. I have a family plan now, so they gain nothing.

They gain customers that they wouldn't have gained otherwise.

 

[mbell75]

You would lose 4G, however.

Ummm, I dont even have 4G now! I have been paying Sprint $10 a month for something that was promised months ago. As usual, still waiting on Sprint...I wouldnt do it until the iPhone 5 comes out this summer. That will run on Verizon's LTE network.

 

[RoboMonkey]

They gain customers that they wouldn't have gained otherwise.

No not necessarly. Did you read my post?
I have a family plan now. If I get an iPhone and port it to sprint. I pay VZ full price, sprint makes $0 on the deal.

Also having said that, it's crazy to pay full price for an iPhone and port it to sprint. It just doesnt make financial sense.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

No not necessarly. Did you read my post?
I have a family plan now. If I get an iPhone and port it to sprint. I pay VZ full price, sprint makes $0 on the deal.

Also having said that, it's crazy to pay full price for an iPhone and port it to sprint. It just doesnt make financial sense.

They don't make money off you, but they will make money off people subscribing to their service that would have been paying Verizon every month instead.

And Apple doesn't allow the iPhone to be sold at full price. EBay and such, or buying yourself out of your contract by paying the ETF (which is cheaper than paying full price anyway), are your only options.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Ummm, I dont even have 4G now! I have been paying Sprint $10 a month for something that was promised months ago. As usual, still waiting on Sprint...I wouldnt do it until the iPhone 5 comes out this summer. That will run on Verizon's LTE network.

You have been receiving what you are pay $10 a month for this whole time. That fee is not related to the 4G service.

And if you take an LTE-capable iPhone 4G (it probably will be called that and not iPhone 5) and activate it on Sprint, it will only get 3G service. Sprint's 4G network is a completely different standard than Verizon's.

 

[eieio]

Who doesn't think Sprint and Tmobile are next up for the Iphone?

 

[Jus10]

I wouldnt do it until the iPhone 5 comes out this summer. That will run on Verizon's LTE network.

First of all the iPhone 5 working on LTE is just a rumor, for all we know we'll get the iPhone 5 first, then months later we'll get the updated to the iPhone 5s?

And there's also no concrete proof that if an iPhone 5 or iPhone 4G would be released if it will go to Verizon? We won't know until this summer, won't we?

 

[eieio]

Sprint Iphone with Wimax Coming this summer.

 

[momentoid]

A tweet from Sprint on this subject:

sprint Thx 4 the iPhone comments! While it’s a great device, Sprint has a strong device lineup, great 3G/4G network & simple, cost-effective plans.

 

[RoboMonkey]

They don't make money off you, but they will make money off people subscribing to their service that would have been paying Verizon every month instead.

And Apple doesn't allow the iPhone to be sold at full price. EBay and such, or buying yourself out of your contract by paying the ETF (which is cheaper than paying full price anyway), are your only options.

That's what I mean by full price "$200 phone $200 early term fee = $400" just to have the phone on sprint. Why on gods earth do that, to save $10 a month in data fees?

If somone wants a iPhone then just go to VZ it's so 2 old tech.

 

[Knewz]

Sprint Iphone with Wimax Coming this summer.

I'll take that bet

 

[Baldilocks]

Sprint Iphone with Wimax Coming this summer.

THAT, will never happen.

 

[Woosh]

That's what I mean by full price "$200 phone $200 early term fee = $400" just to have the phone on sprint. Why on gods earth do that, to save $10 a month in data fees?

If somone wants a iPhone then just go to VZ it's so 2 old tech.

ETF = $350...$200+$350 = $550 for Iphone on Sprint.

I would say I hope they open it up. Not for the Iphone but for some of the wonderful Droid phones on Verizon. Not gonna happen but a man can dream.

Edit: Forgot to add a months service for the Iphone...So final total being more like $620 ish?

 

[jen8112]

ETF = $350...$200+$350 = $550 for Iphone on Sprint.

I would say I hope they open it up. Not for the Iphone but for some of the wonderful Droid phones on Verizon. Not gonna happen but a man can dream.

Edit: Forgot to add a months service for the Iphone...So final total being more like $620 ish?

I'd pay it. For an iPhone on Sprint? You'd make up the cost with what you save a month in less than a year!

 

[RiverOfIce]

Sprint Iphone with Wimax Coming this summer.

Oh that made me giggle like a school girl! That is soo not going to happen. When was the last time apple to the current technology ? Hint=never. They will not embrace anything new, untested, or even remote possibility that may help anyone but apple.

So, if the apple fans bothered to read this far, before slamming the report and reply button at the same time, think about it.

The orignal iphone came out only 2g.
You still can't get a mac with a blu ray drive.
You can't get a mac with the last generation graphics cards.
You can't get a mac with the latest cpu's.
You can't get a mac with the latest memory.
You can't get a mac with the latest harddrives.
You can't get a mac with the latest raid drive, and you still pay 700bucks.

There is no way in H E double hockey sticks that mac is going to take on wimax or lte. Not until one is clearly the victor, which we both know is not going to happen. So keep dreaming.

And to the op, no sprint should not accept iphones on the next work. They are so many reason why, but the best is simply because phones require a full commitment to the product by the consumer, that can only happen on a carrier in which apple has an agreement with. I hope to god sprint does not agree to work with apple because it would cost sprint billions. Apple is about apple and controlling people that are really bad at math.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Activating unlocked CDMA devices is more complicated that using an unlocked GSM device. When people were unlocking AT&T branded iPhones, all they had to do was pop a T-Mobile (or any other GSM carrier) SIM card in and they were on that carrier's EDGE network witht their iPhone. CDMA devices do not use removable SIM cards, so the subscriber's information is tied to the device itself instead of to an easily swappable SIM card. In order to activate an unlocked CDMA iPhone on Sprint's network, one would have to have Sprint tie the ESN/MEID number to their network. Sprint officially has a policy of not activating ESN/MEID numbers that they do not recognize as their own. I highly doubt that Sprint will lift this restriction... or even make an exception for unlocked iPhone owners.

 

[Rigmaster]

Oh that made me giggle like a school girl! That is soo not going to happen. When was the last time apple to the current technology ? Hint=never. They will not embrace anything new, untested, or even remote possibility that may help anyone but apple.

So, if the apple fans bothered to read this far, before slamming the report and reply button at the same time, think about it.

The orignal iphone came out only 2g.
You still can't get a mac with a blu ray drive.
You can't get a mac with the last generation graphics cards.
You can't get a mac with the latest cpu's.
You can't get a mac with the latest memory.
You can't get a mac with the latest harddrives.
You can't get a mac with the latest raid drive, and you still pay 700bucks.

There is no way in H E double hockey sticks that mac is going to take on wimax or lte. Not until one is clearly the victor, which we both know is not going to happen. So keep dreaming.

And to the op, no sprint should not accept iphones on the next work. They are so many reason why, but the best is simply because phones require a full commitment to the product by the consumer, that can only happen on a carrier in which apple has an agreement with. I hope to god sprint does not agree to work with apple because it would cost sprint billions. Apple is about apple and controlling people that are really bad at math.

All of your points are valid, and your overall inclination is probably right. The most logical reason Apple wouldn't do it though is they maintain exclusivity/premium status by having ATT & VZW bid against each other for the 4G iPhone. I don't think Apple will do that though.

Consider these things:

• Apple is fully aware it's losing market share to Android.
• Apple is fully aware that staying on ATT allows it to have the option of that version of LTE without doing much other than testing it out. By the way, the tie with ATT still leaves iPhone as a "global" phone via GSM.
• The iPhone gained it's sales and reputation for being unique. While 4G-capability via LTE or Wimax wouldn't make it unique, it would open the door to a lot of repeat customers.
• No chance an iPhone would be released at this point that isn't Wimax + LTE. Now that Apple has iPhone on both ATT & VZW, why ever go back to a one-carrier exclusive when you can do it via dual Wimax+LTE device?
• Apple's true market is to be able to sell 4G compatible phones in other parts of the world first or at least to a more advanced standard that already exists. If Apple wanted to give ATT a nudge, this is how to do it.
• CNET just posted a speed test of iP4 on ATT vs VZW. ATT came out on bottom. And since I think this is only going to fuel even more defectors to VZW, ATT will have to pull out all stops to get the 4G iPhone first. Though I won't go so far as to say ATT has to go all-in, I'm not convinced ATT's not far from that level of concern. If not, they should be.

The primary reason Wimax might make sense for ATT and iPhone is through ties to U-Verse and making the link between home and smartphone. I can't see that happening though.