How to Unlock a Bad ESN Sprint iPhone 4S for GSM Networks
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Hamooz10 • October 8, 2012 at 4:38am
I have a Sprint iPhone 4S with a bad ESN running iOS 6. Is there a way to factory unlock it or use a Gevey SIM interposer to make it work on GSM networks?
Answers
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iClarified • January 12, 2026 at 1:22am
Unlocking a Sprint iPhone 4S with a bad ESN for use on GSM carriers is challenging because Sprint will not officially unlock blacklisted devices. For use within the United States, a bad ESN typically prevents the phone from registering on any domestic network even if it is SIM unlocked. However, for international use, you can utilize hardware SIM interposers such as the Gevey Ultra S or R-SIM 7. These chips are placed in the SIM tray alongside your SIM card to bypass carrier restrictions. While this is not a permanent factory unlock, it was a common solution for iOS 6. Be aware that third-party IMEI unlock services for bad ESN devices are often unreliable and can be expensive. For most users, using a hardware interposer for international travel or using the device as an iPod is the most realistic path forward.
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worldrocker • October 31, 2012 at 1:51pm
Hardware interposers like the R-SIM 7 or Gevey Ultra S can be used to bypass the Sprint carrier lock on an iPhone 4S running iOS 6. These devices are placed in the SIM tray with your SIM card. Note that while this may enable GSM functionality for international use, the bad ESN status will likely still prevent the device from working on any domestic US carriers.