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View Full Version : A question on Pocket PC phones


JesterMania
05-12-2006, 04:49 PM
Recently, I began investigating on pocket pc phones, and I noticed that most cellular phone providers are offering their own versions of popular devices such as the UTStarcom 6700, but with their own branding on it. My question is, if I buy a ppc phone from a certain service provider, but decide to switch service providers later on, will that same ppc phone work for a different service provider, or must I buy another one from the new provider?

Edgar_
05-12-2006, 05:05 PM
Service providers that provide subsidized phones, that is phones that are heavily discounted with 1-2 year contracts attached, provide the phone with a SIM lock on it - forcing the phone to only work on their network. If you put in a competing SIM (such as a Cingular SIM in a T-Mobile phone) you get an error.

However, some carriers, T-Mobile for one, will unlock the phone for a fee after a period of contract time and with some resemblance of a reason.

Otherwise, there are independant services that will unlock the phone anytime, for a reasonable fee, allowing you to use it anywhere in the world with whatever SIM

I and others here have used www.imei-check.co.uk with great results.

-Edgar

JesterMania
05-12-2006, 07:21 PM
Okay thanks for clearing that up. I just don't want to buy an expensive device and have it tied permanently to a single service provider.

Edgar_
05-12-2006, 07:29 PM
One caveat

You need to switch between the same transport technology. You can't use one radio on another's network.

GSM -> GSM; CDMA->CDMA; PCS->PCS

So, for example, you can go Cingular to T-Mobile; but NOT Verizon to Sprint and NOT to Cingular/T-Mo

JesterMania
05-12-2006, 08:05 PM
Thanks for the heads-up Edgar. I'm not very familiar with cell phone technology at all (own a basic cellphone currently - one of those tied down permanently to a service provider) so that information right there is very valuable to me.

ADBrown
05-13-2006, 12:09 AM
If you don't want to be locked in to a single carrier, a GSM device is the way to go. Verizon and Sprint will only activate their own pre-approved devices, while GSM providers will activate any GSM phone.

JesterMania
05-13-2006, 02:49 AM
Thanks, just as an afterthought, are there ppc phones in existance that support 2 or 3 of these standards all in one device? Or is each device capable of only one standard?

Edgar_
05-13-2006, 02:59 AM
Well, there USED to be a phone called a GAIT phone that did Analog and GSM. But with the death (or almost death) of analog thats a moot device.

And, soon, a chipset is being released that can be programmed for multiple signals. But right now, nope, there really isn't anything that does CDMA, GSM, PCS on a single handset.

Sorry

ADBrown
05-13-2006, 03:16 AM
Thanks, just as an afterthought, are there ppc phones in existance that support 2 or 3 of these standards all in one device? Or is each device capable of only one standard?

No, existing devices are either GSM or CDMA. (PCS is basically CDMA.) Even if there were, it's doubtful that Verizon or Sprint would be willing to carry it--they're very proprietary about the devices they let on their networks.

Cybrid
05-14-2006, 09:04 PM
Thanks, just as an afterthought, are there ppc phones in existance that support 2 or 3 of these standards all in one device? Or is each device capable of only one standard?

No, existing devices are either GSM or CDMA. (PCS is basically CDMA.) Even if there were, it's doubtful that Verizon or Sprint would be willing to carry it--they're very proprietary about the devices they let on their networks.

Motorola A840, not a PPC phone but...CDMA/GSM capable. Still, you'd need the local carriers to allow activation.

ADBrown
05-14-2006, 09:10 PM
Motorola A840, not a PPC phone but...CDMA/GSM capable. Still, you'd need the local carriers to allow activation.

Yes, but:

1. Not a smartphone

2. Not usable on Sprint

3. Not usable on any US GSM networks

It's basically the one thing that Verizon offers international travellers as a sop to the fact that their technology is incompatible. More to the point, it's locked to Verizon's overseas partner Vodafone, so it's not usable for true GSM roaming internationally.

Cybrid
05-14-2006, 09:41 PM
Yes, but:

1. Not a smartphone

2. Not usable on Sprint

3. Not usable on any US GSM networks

It's basically the one thing that Verizon offers international travellers as a sop to the fact that their technology is incompatible. More to the point, it's locked to Verizon's overseas partner Vodafone, so it's not usable for true GSM roaming internationally.


Motorola A840, not a PPC phone but...CDMA/GSM capable.
Still, you'd need the local carriers to allow activation.

Yep, Like I sed, I totally agree with you ;)