iDownloadBlog has confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 5S is indeed GSM unlocked for use with carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S., and additional GSM carriers in other countries/. By cutting down a T-Mobile Micro SIM, they were able to use it in the Verizon device and pick up a T-Mobile signal.
As you all know, I picked up my Verizon iPhone 5s on launch day, but I haven’t been able to test it out with a GSM sim card [until now].
I…picked up one of T-Mobile’s No Annual Contract kits that contains the SIM card starter kit. Unfortunately the SIM card that came with the kit was one of the old-school normal sized SIM cards (people still use those?), so I had to break out a pair of scissors and cut it down. After a few minutes of manicuring the SIM card down to a nano size, I was ready to rock and roll. I popped out my Verizon SIM, inserted my T-Mobile SIM, and sure enough, I was on T-Mobile’s “4G” network.
While T-Mobile’s LTE is still rolling out to many areas, users without T-Mobile LTE can still use their HSPA+ “4G,” which offers ample speeds for most data uses. “4G” speeds are nothing like true LTE speeds, they are faster than 3G. We’ve reached out to Verizon, who have additionally confirmed that the Verizon iPhone 5S is GSM unlocked, and could be used with another SIM – even thought the phone is under contract.
This is mostly good news for travelers, especially those who travel overseas, as they can use their iPhone as a real “world phone” without purchasing it for the full “no commitment” price. It’s also hardly surprising, as iPhones offered by Verizon have been unlocked by default since the launch of the LTE-supporting iPhone 5. Has anyone else tried their Verizon iPhone 5S with an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM? Tell us your results in the comments section below.
