Edumucate me on unlocked phones

[Christien]

Our contract is up the end of February, and I'm looking to replace my "brick" of a Blackberry. I've been reading countless pages of phones and plans, and it's all starting to sound the same.

So what's the cliff's notes on unlocked phones, in particular BBs or iPhones? Where's the best place to buy one? Ebay? Kijiji? What's the point of an unlocked phone?

Yeah, I know any 13 year old knows this stuff inside out. When I was 13 I taught my then-40-year-old pop BASIC. In another 5 or so years, my kids will be able to explain it all to me. But until then...

[Steve Viegas]

I don't know if you want an unlocked phone or not. Unlocked means that it is not tied to a specific carrier. Certain carriers use similar frequencies though and while a phone may be able to operate on multiple carriers, it will likely not be able to work on all. A phone that works on Verizon, for example will only work on Verizon, even it if it unlocked (but this has to do with their media access protocol).

Anyway, if you want an unlocked phone, then it will allow you to connect to a variety of carriers. If you are looking for a phone to continue your same service under, or a way to get service without a contract, then you are likely looking to purchase an unsubsidized phone. Again, you likely will want to pick your carrier, but now you do not need to extend your service for a contract period.

I hope that helped.

[Hugh R]

I had my old BB "unlocked" by a guy I found on CL, for $10 via PayPal. It allowed me to buy a Sim card in London, with a local phone # and call home for 17 cents/minute instead of Verizon's $170/min, but that Sim card would not work here, so I put the original Sim card in the BB when I came home and it worked fine.

[Steve Viegas]

Excellent point Hugh. Obviously I had not even considered that use.

[rattlsnak]

I *know* several people that have unlocked iPhone's and are using T-Mobile without any issues. Search YouTube..

[Scuba Steve]

I'll second the T Mobile / iphone thing. The lady that used to sit next to me at work did that.

My Nokia N82 is unlocked. What an unlocked phone has already been covered well so no need to go into that here. I like it because there's no bloatware embedded into any of the menus from a carrier and the full features of the phone are ready and available. A SIM card from any carrier will work in it, and it should hopefully be easier to sell if I don't just trade it in through Gazelle at some point later.

It'd be even better if I could get a discount on my family plan for bringing my own phone, but the corporate discount on that is already pretty good I guess.

[Joeaksa]

Not sure who you guys are using for carriers but ATT will unlock a BB if you simply go into the store and tell them that you are heading overseas and need to use foreign SIM cards.

We did it on a regular basis when I was working overseas. Other way is to make it over to somewhere out of the country and pay someone $20 or so to get it unlocked.

Now you have changed nothing on the phone but its ability to use ANY SIM card. Its still the same phone doing the same thing.

Joe A

[nota]

if you want the very latest phone esp a i-phone
you may do better with the stupid plans discounts
as new/used i-phones go for stupid money 2 to 3 x retail
as they are not on sale yet in Timbuktu type places

any way a older model is far cheaper

[Brian 162]

Christien

You could try the Pacific Mall at Kennedy Rd. and Steeles. I know it's a bit of a drive for you but there would probably be a store there that would have what you are looking for.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

I *know* several people that have unlocked iPhone's and are using T-Mobile without any issues. Search YouTube..

Kind of / sort of true. Your friend can use voice and EDGE data. WiFi works fine too. But 3G data is on a different frequency.

[Christien]

Thanks guys - explained everything in a nutshell, as much as I needed!

[MattKellett]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Not sure who you guys are using for carriers but ATT will unlock a BB if you simply go into the store and tell them that you are heading overseas and need to use foreign SIM cards.

We did it on a regular basis when I was working overseas. Other way is to make it over to somewhere out of the country and pay someone $20 or so to get it unlocked.

Now you have changed nothing on the phone but its ability to use ANY SIM card. Its still the same phone doing the same thing.

Joe A

T-Mobile does the same thing, they unlocked my BB when I told them I needed to use the phone in Europe. I would check with your carrier and tell them you need it unlocked, so that you can use foreign prepaid sim cards.

[Joe Bob]

Joe A.....Are phones w/o SIM cards at the mercy of the domestic carrier rate charges when they go abroad? Like Verizon?

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Joe A.....Are phones w/o SIM cards at the mercy of the domestic carrier rate charges when they go abroad? Like Verizon?

Normally they don't work at all when you go overseas. They use CDMA instead of GSM to communicate with the tower, and I don't think you find a lot of CDMA operators outside of North America and Korea.

Last Verizon phone I carried along when I went to Europe functioned as a silver-colored brick until I got back home. They do offer a few world band phones though I think (they have a SIM card).

[Joeaksa]

As Steve said, non-SIM card phones usually do not work at all. Different format and network.

Verizon for years could care less about overseas operations, then finally gave up and got a couple of SIM phones so that their customers who travel can stay in touch. Just make sure the Verizon phone you have takes a SIM card and its been unlocked.

Other option is to find one here thats unlocked, or go to a used cell phone shop where you are traveling and buy a cheap phone there for use overseas.