Will the CDMA based iPhone 4 work globally?

not sure if it's locked but CDMA is not widely spread internationally
my part of eu don't even have any cdma networks at all

No, it won't. It will only work in the handful of countries that use the same CDMA standard as Verizon such as Canada, Mexico, Vietnam and a few of the Caribbean Islands.

GSM is pretty much a worldwide standard.

It will work in approximately 40 countless, including Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, India. It won't work in most of Europe. I believenyou can get the entire list on Verizon's website.

More than likely the new CDMA iPhone to be released for Verizon's network in the U.S. next week is carrier locked with Verizon. It can be used internationally via international roaming rates, but switching to another CDMA carrier with a CDMA phone is not as easy as switching to another carrier with an unlocked GSM phone by simply changing SIM cards. A CDMA phone does not have a SIM card. Verizon activates CDMA phones sold for Verizon's network over the air with the phone. I formally did some work for a company that used Verizon. I didn't prefer the company provided phone they wanted to give me and I had an old no longer activated CDMA phone I used with Verizon for personal use before switching to AT&T. I had Verizon re-activate my personal Verizon CDMA phone with the company's line/number instead, which was done over the air after the company had to approve this with Verizon.

Some how, my edit didn't make it in. Yes, the iPhone sold by Verizon will be locked to Verizon's network. It's what's called a subsidy lock. Because the phones are subsidized, the carrier doesn't want people buying them at the subsidized price and then selling them to people who would take them to another country or carrier thus depriving them of revenue.

Back in the early days of digital cellular service, it was possible to move phones between Verizon and Sprint, the other major CDMA carrier. No more...

The Verizon iPhone isn't locked. It's a CDMA-only device. Subsidy/network locks aren't relevant to CDMA devices except for CDMA/GSM hybrids. In such casesm the lock obviously only applies to the GSM portion.

Yes, subsidy locks are quite relevant to CDMA phones. Phones that Verizon sells are locked to Verizon. They can't be used on the other major CDMA carrier, Sprint. Conversely, Sprint phones can't be used on the Verizon network. It is possible to unlock them but, in actuality, it's rarely done.

Verizon could activate a CDMA phone that was originally sold to be used and activated/used with Sprint's network and vice-versa, but they won't or doing so is not common.

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971229

Didn't she already say that? Or is this just an affirmation? Or am I confused?

Not entirely. Read what she provided again plus the info included with the link I provided.

CDMA phones are not carrier locked.

But your post says a Verizon iPhone cannot be activated on Sprint. Isn't this the same thing as locked? Is this just semantics or am I missing something?

My post, or the link I included with my post?

A Verizon iPhone could be activated on Sprint if Sprint choose to do so. Not the same thing as locked.

The link you posted is interesting and not entirely accurate. However, we do agree that the Verizon iPhone ain't gonna work on Sprint.

Message was edited by: Meg St._Clair

Not entirely accurate how?

CDMA phones are not carrier locked.

Sprint being unwilling to do it does not mean it can't be done and does not mean it has never been done. All Sprint needs is the iPhone's ESN number to do so.