Iphone 5 on virgin mobile from verizon?

Verizon iphone 5 is unlocked.
Verizon iPhone 5 is A1429 (CDMA) model which is for Sprint and Verizon.
Virgin Mobile uses Sprint's network.

so technically… My verizon iphone 5 should work on virgin's network… Right?
has anyone done this?

IPhone 5

Apple iphone 5.

Theoretically, Yes. Realistically, No.

The problem is with Virgin mobile and the way they approve or activate phones on the network. The reason I say no is due to them seeing your IMEI number and establishing the fact your phone is from Verizon. They will deny activation and say that they can't support it due to the built in software. Which is somewhat true. The internals to your phone were built and installed specifically for verizon and the network it operates on. These can be changed to understand another carrier, say sprint. This is a big undertaking if you have no experience in flashing software.

The reason I say yes: If you can change the software to virgin mobile, if you can trick virgins database into believing that this iPhone is one of their phones, if you can configure the settings to connect with virgin, than yes it can be done but it will be a headache.

Technically, yes, it should.

Reality: no, it won't. The CDMA hardware on US-purchased iPhones are locked to one carrier. Period. And CDMA phones don't get "unlocked" (unless it has a GSM SIM card slot, like the 4S).

Virgin will not (and can't) activate a Sprint-branded device on their network, even though they buy network services from Sprint. All that get's them is airtime.

Read the second question in this column for some more detail:

http://news.cnet.com/...s-carrier/

This is why the CDMA carriers are such a scam. I will never use a phone from wither one of those networks, or any CDMA network in the US. Ever. I don't care how great their service is supposed to be.

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