Carrier Question (SPRINT)

[tr1lln1gga]

If I buy a used iPhone 4s, will I be able to activate it on the spot? or will I have to go to the sprint store to get a sim card, I am coming from a SGSIII and that 4S has a sim card whereas the SGSIII doesn't. Can someone explain this to me ?
Thanks

 

[eyoungren]

That depends.

Some things to consider:
Most importantly, is this a Sprint iPhone? If it's not, it doesn't matter. Sprint won't activate it. It's their policy never to activate any phone (iPhone or not) that was not originally intended for their network.

If it is a Sprint iPhone, does it have a clean ESN? If it doesn't, then Sprint won't activate it. The ESN/IMEI is specific to the device and not the SIM card.

A SIM card is bascially a chip that allows you to use different networks. Sprint only allows a non-Sprint SIM card to be used in their devices for international use, i.e. it's unlocked for international use. The SIM card that is in that iPhone will need to be a Sprint SIM card if you want to use it on Sprint's network. It follows then that the iPhone will need to be a Sprint iPhone.

If you have a Sprint iPhone and a Sprint SIM card and the ESN on the iPhone is clean then you should not have any issue activating the iPhone. If any of these are a problem then Sprint can't activate the iPhone for you.

 

[Lylyluvda916]

if by any chance the device has a bad esn, you will not be able to activate it with sprint however, you can use gpp to use it on any gsm carrier.

Kuddos to post above.

 

[tr1lln1gga]

That depends.

Some things to consider:
Most importantly, is this a Sprint iPhone? If it's not, it doesn't matter. Sprint won't activate it. It's their policy never to activate any phone (iPhone or not) that was not originally intended for their network.

If it is a Sprint iPhone, does it have a clean ESN? If it doesn't, then Sprint won't activate it. The ESN/IMEI is specific to the device and not the SIM card.

A SIM card is bascially a chip that allows you to use different networks. Sprint only allows a non-Sprint SIM card to be used in their devices for international use, i.e. it's unlocked for international use. The SIM card that is in that iPhone will need to be a Sprint SIM card if you want to use it on Sprint's network. It follows then that the iPhone will need to be a Sprint iPhone.

If you have a Sprint iPhone and a Sprint SIM card and the ESN on the iPhone is clean then you should not have any issue activating the iPhone. If any of these are a problem then Sprint can't activate the iPhone for you.

It's a sprint iPhone 4S , and I will be purchasing it from swappa. It has a
clean ESN, but does not include a sprint sim card. I want to use it on my sprint account. Are iPhones activated by the ESN like others on sprint's network? I just dont want to run into any issues with activation .i dont' have a sprint SIM because i am coming from an s3 which is all cdma.

 

[eyoungren]

It's a sprint iPhone 4S , and I will be purchasing it from swappa. It has a
clean ESN, but does not include a sprint sim card. I want to use it on my sprint account. Are iPhones activated by the ESN like others on sprint's network? I just dont want to run into any issues with activation .i dont' have a sprint SIM because i am coming from an s3 which is all cdma.

You should be fine then. The only issue you'll have is getting a Sprint SIM card. Technically, you should be able to walk into a Sprint store and ask for one. However, I've heard of quite a few cases where Sprint defers people to Apple and Apple sends them right back to Sprint.

You may also be able to call them up and ask them to send you one. The problem is getting a CSR that understands anything about SIM cards. Sprint has only been using SIM cards very recently so the CSRs don't always get it.

Under no condition should you be forced to pay for a SIM card, or at least very much anyway.

EDIT: Sprint activated my replacement iPhone by asking me for the IMEI number. So, activation is based on your IMEI.