The iPhone 5 began making its way into the hands of Verizon customers last Friday, and once it did it was discovered that Verizon's iPhone 5 came unlocked and ready for use on GSM networks out of the box. Verizon today issued a comment on the matter, with spokeswoman Brenda Raney telling the Associated Press that the carrier doesn't plan to relock its iPhone 5.

While previous models of the iPhone on Verizon have been unlockable, they were locked when shipped, meaning a customer would need to request an unlock from Verizon if they wanted to use their device overseas. Since the iPhone 5 is unlocked out of the box, though, users don't need to worry about contacting Verizon for an unlock. It's also worth noting that an unlocked Verizon iPhone 5 can access AT&T's network, although it will only be able to use AT&T's HSPA+ network and not the LTE one. It's good to see that Verizon's iPhone 5 will remain unlocked, saving customers some trouble if they want to take their phone overseas. Have any of you Verizon iPhone 5 owners tried throwing another carrier's SIM card into your handset yet?

Via Associated Press