I purchased an iphone 4 from a friend, i called the carrier and they have unlocked it for me but the phone still needs to be activated as i have restored it. Can i activate the iphone through itunes by using a different carriers sim card?

VinnyF

Phone and Messaging,  Basics
Help Please,
I purchased an iphone 4 from a friend, i somehow cleared it and it's now at the original activation screen, i have spoken to the carrier and they have unlocked it for me. Once the carrier unlock details get sent to apple, will i be able to use any carrier sim card to activate the iphone? currently when i connect to itunes it says the sim is not the original one and i need to insert the original sim... will this happen now that it has been carrier unlocked? i have been told the unlocking can take between 5 and 72 hours, do i just keep trying with itunes or do i have to do something different?
This is a christmas present for my son and i am running out of time, i'm not in an area that i can just go into an apple store and ask, i'm currently overseas in a very poor country and there are not many iphones that i have seen here so your help would really be appreciated.
i think the operating system is 6.0.1
Thanks,
Matt.
        iPhone 4, iOS 6.0.1