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Can an unlocked 5S model A1453 support both GSM and CDMA?

I want to buy an unlocked 5S to use in Canada, USA and the UK.

Issue is I need access to both GSM and CDMA bands.

I live in Canada and while the Rogers GSM service is good in major centers and along main highways, it is completly absent once you travel to smaller communities. However CDMA service from Telus and Bell is great almost everywhere. And I spend a lot of time in smaller communities off the beaten path.


In the UK the only option is GSM. While in the USA CDMA holds top spot, but GSM has lots of coverage as well. So either service will be OK while I am there.

I am tired of having multipal phones. I would like to reduce it to "1".


The technical literature for the 5S model A1453 lists both GSM and CDMA bands as being supported. However I spoke with a tech support person today and when confronted with the question - "How do I use the 5S across both bands and how do I select which service I use if a region is covered by both?" I was met with silence - for a while - then a non-informative answer of "The phone will select the best signal and use that band."


I am rather reluctant to drop the better part of a grand on a phone only to find out it is half baked on one band or the other, or does not allow me to choose which service provider I use in a region that has both GSM and CDMA.


I asked how I could make the GSM carrier the primary choice and only select CDMA on a need to basis. I did not get a reply to that. Can I leave a Simm card plugged in at all times if I want to use CDMA? ???????? No answer.


Does anybody know how this works? Can I leave a simm card in for GSM at al times. How do you go about selecting which band to use if both are available? Does the phone support both services equally?

iPhone 5

Posted on Sep 11, 2013 9:52 PM

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8 replies

Sep 11, 2013 9:59 PM in response to cleoandchewie

Considering that it hasn't been released yet I would be suprised if anybody knew anything about it. I would guess it works the same as a 5 which means yes but its painful and I would recommend sticking with GSM just because it works both places. But maybe someone else might have an easy way to switch it back and forth. I've never owned an unlocked model so there could be stuff I don't know.

Oct 2, 2013 4:45 PM in response to cleoandchewie

I'm curious about this too. On http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/specs/ says A1453 has exact same spec as A1533 (GSM) plus CDMA and more LTE bands. Sounds better than AT&T version. This should be for Sprint and other similar networks. As I recalled, Sprint iPhone previous models can be used outside US by inserting local SIM card.


Oh and I find that A1453 is $100 cheaper from Virgin. http://www.virginmobileusa.com/shop/cell-phones/iphone5s-32gb-gray-phone/feature s/


Interesting discussion: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5386996?answerId=23213558022#23213558022

Oct 2, 2013 4:44 PM in response to cleoandchewie

It will only work for CDMA on the CDMA network it is sold as locked to. CDMA locking is a completely different process than GSM SIM-slot locking. A GSM SIM-slot is easily unlocked, but a CDMA unlock would require the NEW carrier to be willing and able to physically re-flash the ROM of the iPhone AND add your iPhone to their CDMA network's allowed devices database. No CDMA carrier will do that.


So effectively or practically, no CDMA phone is unlockable. An iPhone sold for use on a particular CDMA network will never work on any other CDMA network. If it's SIM-slot is unlocked, it WILL work on any GSM network.

Jul 29, 2015 9:55 AM in response to Harlypark

Harlypark wrote:


Michael, Please need your comments.



living in VENEZUELA, i have iphone 5s model 1453 iOS 8.1.2. and working perfect with SIM. BUT Two weeks ago will update mi phone to iOS 8.4 and i CANT USE because mi phone cant be activated



So, what happened? why mi phone dont work

What most likely happened is that your phone was hacked or jailbroken to illegally unlock it. Updating has caused it to revert to its original locked state. Only the carrier it is locked to can authorize unlocking it. It may no longer be able to activate it at all, even on the original carrier, as the hack could have caused permanent damage.

Can an unlocked 5S model A1453 support both GSM and CDMA?

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