iPhone 5S, switch to international use?

Factual Questions
1

Hello,

My (US) company just replaced my old Verizon iPhone 5S with a new phone. I have permission to let a friend who lives in Colombia have the old phone, but I don’t know if I can make it work.

I read that Verizon CDMA phones have to be allowed to use GSM with a SIM card, but I don’t know how that works. Can she just plug in her non-Verizon SIM card? There is currently no service for the phone…it’s practically an iPod for the moment. Is there any way that she can use this phone for her Colombian cell service?

Sorry if this isn’t enough information - I don’t even know what facts I should give!

2

I’m not certain about this, but I believe that Verizon iPhones will have a CDMA radio but not a GSM/WCDMA radio. If that’s the case, then there would be no way for your friend to use the phone when LTE is not available. There are probably other complications too.

3

Scratch what I just said, it appears that the phone has both radios. Verizon won’t let you change it to work with another carrier’s CDMA network, but it may be possible to use only the GSM/EDGE/WCDMA.

But then there are issues with LTE bands.

It’s complicated!

4

The Verizon 5S phone has a GSM/WCDMA LTE and CDMA radios.

You need to have the phone unlocked so that it will work with non Verizon sims. I do not know the procedure for that.

This is from the Apple website. The models with CDMA also have GSM and UMTS stuff.

Model A1533 (GSM)*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25)

Model A1533 (CDMA)*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25)

Model A1453*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26)

Model A1457*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20)

Model A1530*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20); TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40)
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi

5

All Verizon iPhones since the iPhone 5 have been unlocked for GSM use.

6

You will need to take it to a Verizon store, or call up their customer support line, and tell them that you want to unlock the phone so that it can be used internationally on non-Verizon networks. They will give you instructions on how to unlock it, or do it for you if you’re in their store.

7

Thanks, everyone! This was all a big help!