I have an unlocked AT&T iphone 5c that I want to use on Verizon pay as you go. Why is Verizon telling me I cannot?

[Jenny_64]

I have an unlocked AT&T iphone 5c that I want to use on Verizon pay as you go. Why is Verizon telling me I cannot? I thought when a phone is unlocked it can be used on any carrier. Thanks!

 

[rgd1101]

AT&T use Gsm Verizon use CDMA, not compatible

 

[why_wolf]

Like rgd said. If you want a cheap, no contract, no frill plan look to Cricket Wireless. They're owned by AT&T (thought they will never tell you this) so all AT&T hardware will work with them.

 

[boosted1g]

It can be used on any carrier, assuming the carrier uses the same signal.

Verizon/sprint uses a completley different kind of signal called CDMA vs ATT/T-Mobile/Pretty much rest of the world called GSM. Not to mention that there are over a dozen different LTE bands that different carriers use and most phones only have a portion of those bands so in short there is no such thing as a universal phone that is compatible with ALL cariers.

Doubt you are going to Verizon because it is cheaper then AT&T so the cricket suggestion is not really viable if this the case.
So bassically you are going to need to sell your old phone and get a verizon iphone.to switch to verizon.

 

[gjlang]

All companies have a list of bands they operate on. All phones have a list of bands they work with. For instance, I'm with Consumer Cellular which uses the AT&T network. Didn't care for the phones offered so chose about 10 different phones I liked offered overseas. Only two of my choices included bands used by AT&T and both made for the Taiwan market. Chose an LG and it works fine here in the US. It's a matching game. You have to find an unlocked phone capable of using the Verizon transmission specs.