This was announced by a high ranking Sprint employee, possibly by mistake.

International travelers: Here is how to SIM unlock your Verizon Apple iPhone 4S

A second announcement claimed that the initial iPhone 4S would be sold unlocked, but the second production wave would be sold as locked. Whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is that the current version of the iPhone 4S that both Verizon and Sprint are selling is locked. However, customers in good standing can request that their phones be unlocked by Sprint or Verizon.

You can call their customer service to make the unlock request. While in the US or Canada, you may have an unlimited data plan — that data plan ceases to exist as soon as you step across the border.

There have been countless articles of the non suspecting iPhone user racking up thousand dollar data usage bills while traveling internationally, so if you do decide to use your iPhone S4 with your current carrier, make sure that you turn off the data in your phone's settings. While free wifi access isn't as common overseas as it is in the US or Canada, you can certainly take advantage of it when it's available.

Sprint and Verizon To Unlock The iPhone 4S For International Travelers (Updated)

For those who do not want to rely on having to find wifi, there are other affordable solutions available for getting data on your iPhone 4S while abroad. If you are traveling to one country, by far the most economical solution for accessing affordable data and voice is to get a local SIM card. With a local SIM card, you are avoiding roaming all together.

Not all countries currently offer prepaid data plans, but many of the popular destinations such as Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany and Israel do. Some countries even offer unlimited plans on their prepaid SIM Cards.

Purchasing a prepaid SIM card from Cellular Abroad is advantageous for several important reason - You get your phone numbers and SIM Card before you depart, a full set of English language instructions, and access to U. If you decide to take a risk and purchase a SIM Card when you arrive, apart from the issue of registering your personal information with the SIM provider, you will also be faced with the difficulty of locating recharge credit locally and dealing with foreign language instructions. This international unlock is available for all Verizon's world phones, but this is the first time it applies to the iPhone.

Ars Technica reports that MacWorld didn't exactly have the story right. According to a Sprint representative, Sprint customers who buy the iPhone 4S will not receive unlocked phones that would allow them to pop in local microSIM cards while travelling abroad.

Apple® iPhone® 4s - Allow / Deny Data Roaming

The Sprint representative suggested that Verizon's iPhone 4S will work the same way. Initially, the iPhone 4S will be sold as an unlocked handset. Shortly after launch, Sprint will push out an update that will lock the handset.

Customers in good standing that are travelling overseas can request an unlock when needed. The A. Share This Story.