Can iPhone 4s be used on Straight Talk network?

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zBernie


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I have a locked Verizon iPhone 4s. I spoke to someone at Straight Talk regarding using an UNLOCKED iPhone 4s on their network, and they said that iPhones from other carriers will not work on their network.

Has anyone had any success using an iPhone with the Straight Talk network?

I would very much like their $45/month plan!
 
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chas_m

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I think they are wrong (certainly their website seems to indicate that).

Your iPhone is a CDMA phone, which is not compatible with Straight Talk's (AT&T) GSM network. However, if your phone HAS an empty SIM card slot in it, it might work anyway (ie it has both GSM and CDMA).

If this were at GSM iPhone there would be no question of it working, but with your particular phone you'll have to test it by finding someone with a micro-sim for another GSM network and testing it out.
 
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I have a locked Verizon iPhone 4s. I spoke to someone at Straight Talk regarding using an UNLOCKED iPhone 4s on their network, and they said that iPhones from other carriers will not work on their network.
Click to expand...

I would skip "Straight Talk" and instead look at "Page Plus" whose network does use CDMA and has some very good price plans. They are a nation wide sub carrier that uses the Verizon network by lease. However, their pricing is a lot more economical than Verizon. No contract required.

Page Plus = Wikipedia

Page Plus Cellular info
 
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chscag said:
I would skip "Straight Talk" and instead look at "Page Plus" whose network does use CDMA and has some very good price plans. They are a nation wide sub carrier that uses the Verizon network by lease. However, their pricing is a lot more economical than Verizon. No contract required.

Page Plus = Wikipedia

Page Plus Cellular info
Click to expand...

thanks I'll check them out. But my wife has straight talk and only pays $45 per month for unlimited everything.
 
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chas_m said:
I think they are wrong (certainly their website seems to indicate that).

Your iPhone is a CDMA phone, which is not compatible with Straight Talk's (AT&T) GSM network. However, if your phone HAS an empty SIM card slot in it, it might work anyway (ie it has both GSM and CDMA).

If this were at GSM iPhone there would be no question of it working, but with your particular phone you'll have to test it by finding someone with a micro-sim for another GSM network and testing it out.
Click to expand...

Actually the phone is CDMA and GSM world phone. I have confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 4s will only work with the Verizon network. There is a GPP SIM hack which is purported to work. Search for GPP sim and you'll see that several websites offer them.
 
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chas_m

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If it is as you say, zBernie, then there's no need to hack anything. The SIM card slot should be unlocked (since Verizon doesn't use it).
 
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@zBernie:

Great article, good explanation. Hopefully, our "inactive" congress will get off their duffs and pass a law where all carriers will be required to completely unlock their phones after a customer's contract is completed or the phone is purchased outright.
 
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chas_m

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Thanks zBernie. As Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that."

Incidentally, while we're on that topic, it looks like Virgin Mobile in the US (reseller of Sprint) also doesn't "really" unlock phones, even when they are sold at full price. So beware.
 
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chscag said:
@zBernie:

Great article, good explanation. Hopefully, our "inactive" congress will get off their duffs and pass a law where all carriers will be required to completely unlock their phones after a customer's contract is completed or the phone is purchased outright.
Click to expand...

So in summary:

1. Verizon will unlock your iPhone 4s. After that, it will accept SIM cards from overseas carriers, but not American carriers.

2. You can purchase an unlocked iPhone 4s directly from Apple, at a cost of around $450.

3. You can use a GPP SIM to unlock the iPhone 4s, But its a illegal.

But as far as I'm concerned, after entering into a two year contract with Verizon, then finding your phone will only work with Verizon, is a crime!
 
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chas_m

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That's CDMA for ya. It's a mystery to me why anyone would go with one of those carriers (barring "had no choice," obviously).
 
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One of the problems is that Verizon has become too big for its britches! They've treated me well as far as my FIOS cable and TV subscription is concerned, but I know of other persons that were not. They had better start re-thinking their customer relations or other carriers are going to begin to eat into their sales.
 
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zBernie said:
So in summary:

1. Verizon will unlock your iPhone 4s. After that, it will accept SIM cards from overseas carriers, but not American carriers.

2. You can purchase an unlocked iPhone 4s directly from Apple, at a cost of around $450.

3. You can use a GPP SIM to unlock the iPhone 4s, But its a illegal.

But as far as I'm concerned, after entering into a two year contract with Verizon, then finding your phone will only work with Verizon, is a crime!
Click to expand...

OH @#$%^&*!!!! I just got a "free" 4s in exchange for a 2 year contract with Verizon, and was assuming after the contract runs out in 2 years I could switch to US Cellular. (They keep promising to support iPhone by the end of this year.) The article was really good, but the news is really bad.

At least Verizon's coverage is excellent, and so far the service is okay.
 

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