Will Apple factory unlock a virgin mobile USA iPhone 4s?

Question

Will Apple factory unlock a virgin mobile USA iPhone 4s?

I just decided to switch over to Virgin Mobile USA since its less than half the price of my current verizon plan and has more to offer but I was wondering if Apple will factory unlock the GSM capabilities like they did with my verizon iPhone 4s since I bought it straight out just as I did the VMU iPhone 4s. I dont believe virgin mobile themselves will unlock it from what Ive been able to see but can I take it to an Apple store and have it unlocked? Id really like to know being Id like to use it as my international phone and with Tmobile in areas that virgin's reception is terrible as it is in some areas.

Thanks

iPhone, iOS 6.1.4

Posted on May 20, 2013 1:25 AM

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Answer 1

Ocean20

Level 6

13,727 points

May 20, 2013 1:27 AM in response to FurryForeverAM

Apple does not unlock phones only the carrier to which the phone is locked can unlock it for you

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Answer 2

May 20, 2013 1:29 AM in response to Ocean20

Actually I had my verizon iPhone 4s unlocked at the apple store, I just had to show that I bought it outright off contract. Being that the VMU iPhone is techinally being bought outright with no service agreement it would stand to reason that they should allow it to be unlocked. Atleast I hope so.

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Answer 3

gracejj

Level 1

1 points

Sep 16, 2013 10:16 PM in response to FurryForeverAM

Virgin Mobile says they will unlock the iPhone for you, though I haven't personally tried it: https://community.virginmobile.com.au/t5/Phones-knowledge-base/How-do-I-unlock-m y-Apple-iPhone/ta-p/80

I am also wondering whether the unlocked iPhone can be used as an international phone. Apparently it's hard to switch carriers since Virgin Mobile iPhones use CDMA rather than GSM so there is no SIM card. Anyone with more info on this should definitely share!

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Answer 4

carl wolf

Level 6

14,625 points

Sep 16, 2013 10:31 PM in response to FurryForeverAM

Your experince would explain why you posted your question, rather than have your iPhone unlocked by the Apple store.

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Answer 5

SSSW

Level 1

0 points

Nov 23, 2013 6:18 AM in response to gracejj

gracejj - I stumbled on this link a few months ago, but it is to the Virgin Mobile Austraila site. No good for Virgin Mobile US.

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Answer 6

Nov 23, 2013 6:28 AM in response to FurryForeverAM

FurryForeverAM wrote:

Actually I had my verizon iPhone 4s unlocked at the apple store, I just had to show that I bought it outright off contract. Being that the VMU iPhone is techinally being bought outright with no service agreement it would stand to reason that they should allow it to be unlocked. Atleast I hope so.

Apple didn't unlock the phone. All they did was submit a request for Verizon to unlock the phone, and then once the request was approved, they restored the phone for you. They didn't do anything at the store that you couldn't have done on your own.

Apple does not unlock phones. It is always at the discretion of the wireless carrier, except in the most extreme circumstances (usually because the device was accidentally locked to a carrier that it was never supposed to be locked to in the first place.)

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Answer 7

Mar 2, 2014 5:57 PM in response to Ocean20

So can a virgin mobile iPhone be unlocked by them?

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Answer 8

GStreakT

Level 1

4 points

Jul 5, 2014 7:20 PM in response to stafford harmond

I'm currently a VirginMobile US user, and VirginMobile USA (along with Sprint) will NOT unlock the phones provided with them. They sell CDMA devices which is hard-locked to their service only. Their devices can be unlocked in other ways but it's considered illegal and can void the warranty of the phone (if it still has warranty).

As far as the iPhone 4S is concerned, although it does have a GSM slot tray, it is useless if it's bought via Sprint and VirginMobile USA.

VirginMobile USA does offer their iPhones off-contract but it does not mean it's sim-unlocked. The instrument is bound only to their network.

I bought the iPhone 4S from VirginMobile a year ago and am still using it. Their plan is great, and will save you much more than Verizon's and Sprint's plan, but after paying almost 400$ for an instrument, the device is still not yours to own.

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