Sprint won't offer iPhone 4S with unlocked micro-SIM card slot

There has been a bit of confusion about how the "global" iPhone 4S will work overseas. Here is some clarification on Sprint’s policy on the micro-SIM card included with the world phone, which may be just the tie-breaker you need to pick a line to park yourself in a few hours.

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There has been some confusion over how this supposedly travel-friendly iPhone 4S will work as Apple is also selling an officially unlocked (and carrier-agnostic) version that won’t be available till November. Even we weren't sure at first. Then things got complicated when Macworld reported you'd be able to unlock the Verizon and Sprint iPhone 4S to run on any international GSM carrier, just by sticking in a new SIM card.

Then Ars Technica reported that you won't be able to unlock the Sprint model. But they quoted a Sprint rep as saying that's probably the same policy for the Verizon iPhone 4S. Although the iPhone 4S has both the CDMA and GSM antennae, that does not mean American users will be able to switch from Verizon to T-Mobile’s upcoming $30 smartphone plan from Walmart, for example.

According to a statement Macworld obtained rom Sprint’s spokesperson Michelle Leff Mermelstein:
In theory, an unlocked micro-SIM slot would allow customers to use pre-paid cards on networks outside the U.S., effectively bypassing Sprint's roaming charges. Sprint’s policy is to have the iPhone 4S SIM locked to our network domestically and internationally. At launch, the International SIM will be unlocked. We do expect a SIM lock to be pushed to the devices shortly after launch.

Apple will launch an unlocked version of their popular device on November 5th, starting at $649, though it will only allow access to GSM networks within the U.S. In other words, the unlocked SIM card that comes with Sprint’s iPhone 4S will be short-lived as it will become locked via an over-the-air update soon, and will only be unlocked if your account is on good terms.

Verizon has yet to officially comment on their specific version of the device, however Michelle Mermelstein, a Sprint wireless device public relations representative, said that she believes the CDMA network's unit will work "in the same way."

AT&T’s iPhone 4S will be locked to its own GSM network, and when you travel, you will have to pay AT&T and its international partners for roaming.

Confusing!

Let's get this all straight. Here's a quick breakdown:
• Verizon and Sprint's networks run on the CDMA standard.
• AT&T runs on the GSM standard.
• Most international carriers run on GSM, meaning it has always been really easy for AT&T customers to roam overseas. (But it'll cost you a lot.)

So what happens if Sprint and Verizon customers want to take their new iPhone 4S overseas?. It’s important to remember unlocking the micro-SIM card to use on GSM networks outside of the U.S. for travel, is not the same as Apple’s unlocked iPhone 4S that will work on any GSM network in America. Both devices come with a SIM card designed to operate the phone on each carrier's overseas partners. (For example, Verizon is partnered with Vodafone to provide customers with service outside the U.S.)