Is the iPhone5 and up not Network locked? In my experience phones have been locked to the carrier, requiring a hefty fee and a contract payout to transfer them to another carrier. (Just because they can). 

This commentator writes:


  Oh all iphone 5 and up are not sim/network locked (didn’t know that)


My question is: Is the iPhone5 and up not Network locked?

(I'm aware that Apple has patents for future Sim-less phones that will further obviate this problem).
This is not true. iPhones can still be network-locked.

See this Apple KB article for information on unlocking iPhones, demonstrating that they are still able to be locked:


http://support.apple.com/HT201328