All Verizon iPhones starting with the iPhone 5 (that shipped in 2012) are unlocked! This means if you have an old iPhone 5 or later, which was previously purchased to work on Verizon, you can take that phone to another network.
There are a few exceptions, however. Situations in which this will not work include: Phones which have been reported stolen and which do not have a clean ESN (this can be because the previous owner had a billing dispute with their carrier and canceled service without paying the early termination fee).
Exceptions aside, Verizon iPhones are your best value. Verizon is the ONLY carrier (to date) where you can buy an UNLOCKED iPhone at a subsidized price.
You can purchase a used Verizon iPhone 5 or later, either online or from a friend and use it on any GSM network, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Boost, Cricket, Straight Talk and MetroPCS. STAY AWAY FROM SPRINT! Sprint's iPhones will not work on any network other than Sprint and you cannot take a Verizon iPhone to Sprint either. Sprint sucks! They also modify their iPhones to limit functions such as hotspot data sharing. Stay far from Sprint! Save yourself the pain and suffering! Don't even go there.
USING YOUR VERIZON IPHONE ON METROPCS AND OTHER NETWORKS:
Some networks such as MetroPCS offer rates as low as $30/month. In order for your Verizon iPhone to work on MetroPCS you must take your phone to an authorized MetroPCS store, because the phone has to be provisioned to your account/SIM card (you're also going to the store because you will need a SIM card). Basically what that means is, the IMEI (number in your phone) and the SIM have to be paired in the MetroPCS database, its not plug and play like T-Mobile and AT&T. If your MetroPCS rep tells you "it won't work" (the rep is an idiot) ask to speak with someone with more experience. PLEASE NOTE: You may have to update your iOS and carrier settings through iTunes or via the Internet to get full 4G LTE service.
When it comes to using your Verizon iPhone with AT&T or T-Mobile, it's plug and play! Insert your SIM card, restart your phone and you're ready to go!
Now, you might be saying to yourself; "This sounds too good to be true! Why would Verizon allow this?"
Well, it isn't because the folks at Verizon are kind hearted people who don't believe in locking phones... They’re doing it because they’re required to by law, specifically Title 47, Part 27, Subpart B, Section 27.16 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Devices that operate in the 700 MHz C block—which Verizon paid $9.4 billion in 2008 to use—the following paragraph applies:
(e) Handset locking prohibited. No licensee may disable features on handsets it provides to customers, to the extent such features are compliant with the licensee's standards pursuant to paragraph (b)of this section, nor configure handsets it provides to prohibit use of such handsets on other providers' networks.
You can thank Google for this as they fought for open access standard during the 700MHz C block auction.
Unfortunately, this rule doesn’t apply to AT&T’s use of the B block which is why they are happily selling locked iPhones.
