My understanding is that when you buy for a particular carrier/line, it does still have to be activated on that carrier/line before it will work. It could very

My understanding is that when you buy for a particular carrier/line, it does still have to be activated on that carrier/line before it will work. It could very well be that if he set up the phone with a Verizon SIM, it would immediately be unlocked. But this is a single data point based on what sounds like someone relaying information from Verizon tech support and a remote girlfriend having tech troubles.