iPhone 4S on Sprint to be SIM-locked on signup from today
updated 07:35 am EST, Fri November 11, 2011
New iPhone 4S on Sprint to be SIM restricted
New iPhone 4S users on Sprint will have the SIM card locked from Friday onwards, a last-minute leak uncovered. The activation process from here onwards, as seen by SprintFeed, will require that customers at least initially use a Sprint SIM when traveling abroad. Sprint's memo allows for an unlock through the Worldwide team, although it didn't reaffirm whether this was possible for free following the 60-day window mentioned earlier.
Existing subscribers whose iPhones were already activated before November 11 should still keep their unlocked SIM slots and have the freedom right away to use a GSM carrier's SIM.
The move adds a restriction and, during the period that the SIM card is locked, will make customers pay more than they have to for roaming. If a temporary lock, however, it's most likely to prevent customers from exploiting Sprint to buy an unlocked phone, cancel service, and promptly go to another carrier or another country with a fully functioning GSM device.
