How come???

Live forum: http://forum.freeipodguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=72777

Twon

08-01-2008 19:30:47

Why will a cell phone not work for a certain company? For example, why will the iPhone not work in Canada? I know that no provider supports the iPhone, but why do they have to support that phone specifically? Why can't I just take any phone I want and activate it with any cell phone provider that I want? I don't understand how it works.

gafdpc

08-01-2008 20:51:29

This is a rather simplistic view of it but this is how I understand it (for GSM networks at least).

Your phones firmware is locked so that it only accepts SIM card from a specific providers. All phones are able to be 'unlocked' with a code that your provider can give you that is usually specific to your IMEI number (which is hard-coded to the phone). Once unlocked, the phone will then accept any SIM card and you can use it with any GSM network (Europe, Canada, whatever).

dmorris68

09-01-2008 05:29:21

That's pretty much it. Phones are locked to specific carriers, in order to subsidize the cost of phones and make them more affordable. Free/cheap cellphones are available only because they lock you into a contract with the carrier, which helps pay the cost of the phone. Unlocked phones are available for purchase outside of carrier deals, but they're very expensive due to loss of the subsidization. After a contract ends, many carriers will unlock your phone for free, or a small service charge, so that you can sell it or use it on another compatible carrier. And of course there are ways to have your phone unlocked outside of the carrier, too.

With new/hyped phones, like the RAZR when it first came out, the Chocolate, or the iPhone, the manufacturers often negotiate exclusive deals with a single carrier for a period of time. With the iPhone specifically, Apple and AT&T have an exclusivity deal. Who knows how long it will last, since the iPhone is a bit unique in both technology and manufacturer. With most phones, it's usually 6-12 months of exclusivity before those phones are available to other carriers (assuming the other carriers have compatible infrastructure, for example CDMA for Verizon and GSM for almost everybody else in the US). Some phones are released to support multiple infrastructures, while others are not. For instance, unless/until Apple releases a CDMA iPhone for instance, or Verizon switches to GSM, there will never be a Verizon iPhone.

Twon

09-01-2008 13:46:08

So does that mean that I could get an unlocked iPhone and I would be able to use it with Telus in Canada?

manOFice

09-01-2008 14:22:00

[quotee8030639d0="Twon"]So does that mean that I could get an unlocked iPhone and I would be able to use it with Telus in Canada?[/quotee8030639d0]

Sure but you can't unlock the iphone... well you can but I think at&t pushes an update to brick it? i'm not sure really

Twon

09-01-2008 14:43:25

Wht is it that companies suck?

CollidgeGraduit

09-01-2008 15:19:32

[quote17806ffb24="Twon"]Wht is it that companies suck?[/quote17806ffb24]

Something about making a profit and being a successful company i think

Twon

09-01-2008 15:37:55

[quoteda563334f6="CollidgeGraduit"][quoteda563334f6="Twon"]Wht is it that companies suck?[/quoteda563334f6]

Something about making a profit and being a successful company i think[/quoteda563334f6]

bah!

forexmarsx

16-01-2008 20:39:33

You have to crack the SIM LOCK. You can find the software on Google.
Universal Simlock Remover 1.0.9
Is what i used all the time on my phones and works great. Free of charge

google it

good luck


liliThis method is not illegal. You can do it. Certain phones are already SIM LOCK disabled from China. They just want to use their own logos and not share it with other providers. Due to competition.

samz465

16-01-2008 21:45:29

[quotec1ad85539e="forexmarsx"]You have to crack the SIM LOCK. You can find the software on Google.
Universal Simlock Remover 1.0.9
Is what i used all the time on my phones and works great. Free of charge

google it

good luck


liliThis method is not illegal. You can do it. Certain phones are already SIM LOCK disabled from China. They just want to use their own logos and not share it with other providers. Due to competition.[/quotec1ad85539e]
That won't work on the iPhone.

kelbypayday

16-01-2008 21:59:03

[quote91ff981925="dmorris68"]That's pretty much it. Phones are locked to specific carriers, in order to subsidize the cost of phones and make them more affordable. Free/cheap cellphones are available only because they lock you into a contract with the carrier, which helps pay the cost of the phone. Unlocked phones are available for purchase outside of carrier deals, but they're very expensive due to loss of the subsidization. After a contract ends, many carriers will unlock your phone for free, or a small service charge, so that you can sell it or use it on another compatible carrier. And of course there are ways to have your phone unlocked outside of the carrier, too.

With new/hyped phones, like the RAZR when it first came out, the Chocolate, or the iPhone, the manufacturers often negotiate exclusive deals with a single carrier for a period of time. With the iPhone specifically, Apple and AT&T have an exclusivity deal. Who knows how long it will last, since the iPhone is a bit unique in both technology and manufacturer. With most phones, it's usually 6-12 months of exclusivity before those phones are available to other carriers (assuming the other carriers have compatible infrastructure, for example CDMA for Verizon and GSM for almost everybody else in the US). Some phones are released to support multiple infrastructures, while others are not. For instance, unless/until Apple releases a CDMA iPhone for instance, or Verizon switches to GSM, there will never be a Verizon iPhone.[/quote91ff981925]

So any at&t phone won't work with verizon?

I have an at&t RAZR that i replaced with my Verizon Chocolatevx8500 after i switched to verizon (before i even heard of the iPhone....bitches)...So if I unlocked the RAZR would I be able to use it with my verizon network?

I doubt it but it would be pretty sweet if I could.

samz465

16-01-2008 22:27:13

[quote55e0bb2d2e="kelbypayday"][quote55e0bb2d2e="dmorris68"]That's pretty much it. Phones are locked to specific carriers, in order to subsidize the cost of phones and make them more affordable. Free/cheap cellphones are available only because they lock you into a contract with the carrier, which helps pay the cost of the phone. Unlocked phones are available for purchase outside of carrier deals, but they're very expensive due to loss of the subsidization. After a contract ends, many carriers will unlock your phone for free, or a small service charge, so that you can sell it or use it on another compatible carrier. And of course there are ways to have your phone unlocked outside of the carrier, too.

With new/hyped phones, like the RAZR when it first came out, the Chocolate, or the iPhone, the manufacturers often negotiate exclusive deals with a single carrier for a period of time. With the iPhone specifically, Apple and AT&T have an exclusivity deal. Who knows how long it will last, since the iPhone is a bit unique in both technology and manufacturer. With most phones, it's usually 6-12 months of exclusivity before those phones are available to other carriers (assuming the other carriers have compatible infrastructure, for example CDMA for Verizon and GSM for almost everybody else in the US). Some phones are released to support multiple infrastructures, while others are not. For instance, unless/until Apple releases a CDMA iPhone for instance, or Verizon switches to GSM, there will never be a Verizon iPhone.[/quote55e0bb2d2e]

So any at&t phone won't work with verizon?

I have an at&t RAZR that i replaced with my Verizon Chocolatevx8500 after i switched to verizon (before i even heard of the iPhone....bitches)...So if I unlocked the RAZR would I be able to use it with my verizon network?

I doubt it but it would be pretty sweet if I could.[/quote55e0bb2d2e]
No you wouldn't
Verizon and Sprint use CDMA Technology. If you look in the back of the phone, you'd see that there is no sim card.
However, T-Mobile, AT&T, and most of the world uses GSM which as a Sim card Slot.

For instance, if you took a Cingular V3, got it unlocked, and took it to France, you could buy a local prepaid Sim card from there which would be a lot cheaper than paying roaming + long distance charges on Cingular's network over there. Additionally, you would get a local France number too. This is why a lot of people opt to get their phones unlocked when traveling.

forexmarsx

17-01-2008 04:54:48

watch this video

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABh2WcmlLzQ&feature=related