Sprint doesn't lock their world phones but who knows with this one.

I placed a pre order for the 4S this morning and didn't see any new international plan options. Sprint doesn't even do a good job of advertising that they have international capability on these phones. Interesting that this phone wa even made with this ability. Sprint had to have had some influence there. That's why I'm thinking they will eventually have some sort of a new plan.

OK. Here is the Sprint's policy on Iphone SIM locking and unlocking:
"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. We will then allow existing customers in good standing to unlock the SIM for international use if needed in the future."

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/13/s...will-be-unloc/

I find it deeply troubling that they can remotely lock your phone.

I wonder how the push will work would iphone ios 5 OTA updates have to be one? I THINK that in the further statement, Sprint said that they WOULD unlock for customers in good standing.

But only after they lock it first ;)

Would be nice to see what would happen to international customer for example in Europe when Sprint will push SIM Lock update. Will they loose ability to use another SIM on the spot? or if there is no Sprint sim, they might not be able to push it.

There is no way that sprint can push a sim lock update while the user is overseas.

Can it pushed via itunes account?

possibly
 

possibly, as an OS update but just don't update the os.

I spent a decent amount of time trying to figure out whether I could unlock my Sprint iPhone 4S. The problem was that the instructions that you see both online and hear from Sprint reps say the following:

- they reg. the request with Apple, who then provides them with the unlock code
- they unlock the phone from your end
- you should back up your phone through iTunes, turn it off, turn it on, do a full restore
- (here's the confusing point) when you restore your phone, you will get an OS update (presumably with Sprint's unlock code). According to Sprint (and the online forums) you should get a message in iTunes that says "Congratulations! Your iPhone is unlocked." However, despite doing this several times, I never received the message
- It is then suggested you restore your iPhone from the backup you created

I called and talked to about 4-6 different people over the course of a month at Sprint International dept. At some point, I got one of the supervisors, who confirmed what all but one person told me - that on their side the phone is listed as unlocked and I should have no problems with it. The one dissenting voice, a CS rep, made me uneasy, but I had no choice as I was moving to the UK and had to trust them.

Well, I walked into Carphone Warehouse in London, they popped a 3 micro-sim into my iPhone and everything worked swimmingly. So the lesson here for me was that the supervisor was right: you don't necessarily have to see the Congrats message in iTunes in order to have your phone unlocked.