# Will my Sprint Iphone 4 work on another carrier without jailbreaking it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684 "2013-08-31T19:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/1 "2013-08-31T19:12:12Z")
And I mean one of the low cost carriers like Page Plus or Straight Talk. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/2 "2013-09-01T08:38:23Z")
Jailbreaking doesn’t automatically unlock your phone. I maintain a jailbroken iPhone, but to get it unlocked, I had to ask my carrier. There may be a way to unlock your phone similar to jailbreaking, but I went the traditional route. If your phone is out of contract (or you paid cash for the full price), the phone company should unlock it for you. If your phone is in contract, you still may be able to get it unlocked. I was one year into my two year ATT contract when I filled out their online unlocking request. Because of this, I did not meet the qualifications for unlocking, but an hour later, I got notice that my unlock request was granted. My understanding is that phone companies have a person sitting there who just mass approves the online unlocking requests. Some of these folks actually review them, some don’t. I got lucky. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/3 "2013-09-01T12:35:37Z")
I used to do customer service and tech support for AT&T wireless, and I unlocked motherfuckers left and right. ROFL It was against policy in many cases (because people were still under contract, many times), but, as long as the call lasted less than 3 minutes, or more than 14 minutes, we _knew_ the call wasn’t going to be listened to by a call monitor, so…I usually did it. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/4 "2013-09-01T13:11:51Z")
One thing to note is that Sprint uses CDMA, so you will have to go, even after it’s unlocked, to a carrier that uses the same CDMA bands as Sprint. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/5 "2013-09-01T16:17:57Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > One thing to note is that Sprint uses CDMA, so you will have to go, even after it’s unlocked, to a carrier that uses the same CDMA bands as Sprint. That’s true. Straight Talk specifically excludes CDMA iPhones from service on their plans. CDMA iPhones can only be unlocked for international GSM use, but not domestic due to agreements between Apple and the major U.S. carriers. You could buy an iPhone from Straight Talk, but at full price. But at least it would be GSM-unlocked. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/6 "2013-09-01T18:02:30Z")
Well it’s not only that, but the CDMA iPhone 4 doesn’t even have a GSM radio in it. It physically can’t operate on a GSM network. Only the 4S has both radios. For the iPhone 5 they went back to unique phones. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/7 "2013-09-02T01:22:35Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > I used to do customer service and tech support for AT&T wireless, and I unlocked motherfuckers left and right. ROFL It was against policy in many cases (because people were still under contract, many times), but, as long as the call lasted less than 3 minutes, or more than 14 minutes, we _knew_ the call wasn’t going to be listened to by a call monitor, so…I usually did it. I will remember this for when I get my 5s in a bit. Do you suggest calling or doing it online? ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/8 "2013-09-02T02:30:25Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I will remember this for when I get my 5s in a bit. Do you suggest calling or doing it online? Try both. You can definitely call or go online more than once. Call late in the month, like the 30th or 31st. All of the call monitoring has been done by then. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/9 "2013-09-03T00:48:41Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Try both. You can definitely call or go online more than once. Call late in the month, like the 30th or 31st. All of the call monitoring has been done by then. Awesome. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![jayaz777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@jayaz777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayaz777)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-sprint-iphone-4-work-on-another-carrier-without-jailbreaking-it/667684/10 "2014-01-28T01:29:36Z")
BS I got a Galaxy Note 3 paid off… and they told me I need to Have service with them at least 90 days and in good standing for me to be able to obtain the code That’s BS… Now I have a cell I can not use with anybody at least I pay to unlock it.