How to tell if an iPhone 4s is locked or unlocked?

I bought a brand new iPhone 4s off eBay, it said that it was for Sprint. When I turned on the phone it said it wasn't activated and also that there's no SIM card inserted. How can I tell whether this phone is locked or unlocked? I've already tried the websites that supposedly tell you with the IMEI number but it doesn't tell me anything. And if I were to connect it to Sprint, would they insert their own SIM card or does the whole SIM card thing mean it's unlocked?

Just take it in to sprint. Tell them what's going on, and they can either fix it, or tell you what's wrong.

Oh dear lord…

Sprint/Vierzon/Virgin Mobile Iphones are CDMA Global Ready Unlocked… This means they only work on Sprint and other NON-USA GSM Carriers in other countries…

CDMA Iphones from Sprint, Verizon and Virgin Mobile will not work on ANY GSM Carrier or SIM Card in the USA. Apple themselves have blocked those frequencies and SIMs. There's no hack for this.

But hey… If you find a way… Make Millions! Cause alot of people are dying to have the ability to make there Sprint/Verizon/Virgin Mobile CDMA Iphones work on USA GSM carriers like ATT/Tmobile/Straight Talk… Get my drift?

Try a SIM from any carrier and see if the phone picks up signal. If you can make calls and text, it's unlocked. If not, then the phone isn't. Sprint doesn't have SIM cards as they're CDMA. If you want to use it on Sprint, you can get it activated on your plan, talk to Sprint about activation.

The best way to find out the lock status of an iPhone is to get the Apple Network & Lock Info Service from http://www.unlock-zone.com/apple-network-lock-info-service/rs16wp10/ This service can be used to find the current Network and the Lock status of any Apple Device. I have used this service couple of times. It is really worthy.

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