Buying an "unlocked" cell phone...

[vi edit]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64355&item=5100532094&rd=1

Sweet phone. Even better price. Guy has pretty good reviews. Is there any catch to buying an "unlocked" phone? Is it illegal? Are there any drawbacks? I'm assuming I could buy this from Europe and set up on a plan here, right?

 

[BCYL]

unlocking a phone is definitely not illegal... can't really think of any drawbacks...

 

[NutBucket]

The only issue might be the data features. They may or may not work. SMS and voice should be no problem, however.

 

[vi edit]

What does unlocking it mean? Does it make it able to work under any provider? Like, say I buy a phone from AT&T, is it specialy keyed to work with AT&T networks only? Would unlocking it allow me to carry it over to Verizon?

I'm a cell phone numbskull. I don't know jack about them.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
What does unlocking it mean? Does it make it able to work under any provider? Like, say I buy a phone from AT&T, is it specialy keyed to work with AT&T networks only? Would unlocking it allow me to carry it over to Verizon?

I'm a cell phone numbskull. I don't know jack about them.

You're basically correct, however the phones still have to work with your provider. Providers use either CDMA or GSM phones, so make sure the phone you are buying is compatible with your network.

The other thing is that startup graphics, and a bunch of features are usually set in firmware by the provider, you can change the settings yourself to fit your new provider if you know what you're doing (poke around the web enough and you'll find everything you need). Voice and SMS should work out of the box.

I'm using a GSM phone that I bought for next to nothing and unlocked, then I called my provider and got them to enable GPRS (internet) and downloaded everything else I needed off of the web.

For GSM phones the only really important thing is the little card with embedded memory, I'm not too sure how CDMA works but I can't imagine it being all that different.

 

[vi edit]

I know the V600 is compatible with my provider (AT&T). I've been eyeing them in the area but the best I can do is $300 without the blue tooth headset. Those are usually $50 for the cheapies, and up to $180 for the more expensive ones.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle

Originally posted by: vi_edit
What does unlocking it mean? Does it make it able to work under any provider? Like, say I buy a phone from AT&T, is it specialy keyed to work with AT&T networks only? Would unlocking it allow me to carry it over to Verizon?

I'm a cell phone numbskull. I don't know jack about them.

You're basically correct, however the phones still have to work with your provider. Providers use either CDMA or GSM phones, so make sure the phone you are buying is compatible with your network.

The other thing is that startup graphics, and a bunch of features are usually set in firmware by the provider, you can change the settings yourself to fit your new provider if you know what you're doing (poke around the web enough and you'll find everything you need). Voice and SMS should work out of the box.

I'm using a GSM phone that I bought for next to nothing and unlocked, then I called my provider and got them to enable GPRS (internet) and downloaded everything else I needed off of the web.

For GSM phones the only really important thing is the little card with embedded memory, I'm not too sure how CDMA works but I can't imagine it being all that different.

CDMA has no ''card". There is such a thing as a RUIM which was suppose to be the CDMA equivalent of a SIM card but that never panned out. Anyhow, Sprint won't activate any ESN (serial number) that isn't in its system. That is, they will only activate phones that they sold. Verizon does activate any ESN but you will most likely not be able to use any data features.

 

[bmacd]

RaynorWolfcastle hit it dead on the nail.

-=bmacd=-