moving to the UK - should i get a new phone?

Question

Level 1

4 points

moving to the UK - should i get a new phone?

I recently (November 2016) bought a new iphone 7 plus through Verizon. In January, we found out we are moving to London, England. I am now worried that my new phone will not work well in London. In calling Verizon, they said that i needed to update the SIM card and the phone would work with whatever provider i choose. Is this correct or are they missing any details? It appears from previous answers that there may be problems accessing certain networks? I'm clueless when it comes to this and would appreciate any advice!

tl;dr - will my Verizon US-bought iphone 7 plus work with a new provider in the UK?

iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 10.2.1

Posted on Mar 9, 2017 6:28 AM

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Answer 1

Karghnar

Level 3

646 points

Mar 9, 2017 8:08 AM in response to mcatmay

Hello,

Carriers provide handsets with 2 different technologies in the US, depending on which carrier you choose. If however you called your provider, and they tell you that you can change provider without issue then it shouldn't be an issue.

There are 2 types of network technologies in the US

GSM networks use a SIM-card to store a subscribers identity and information.
CDMA networks have electronic serial numbers embedded in the device, and require reprogramming to change network.

With a GSM you can swap your SIM card, and if your device is unlocked from the respective carrier you should be able to switch easily.

But since the network operators launched LTE networks, it became easier. All LTE networks in the US are built using GSM technology. So newer Sprint and Verizon LTE-enabled handsets include a SIM card and may work on all GSM networks, big and small.

Kind regards,

K

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Answer 2

mcatmay Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 9, 2017 5:05 PM in response to mcatmay

Karghnar,

Many thanks for an incredibly thorough and helpful answer. I wasn't confident in my provider's answer, hence my double checking here. Your answer gives me peace of mind that i should be able to use the phone in the UK.

Best,

M.

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