CDMA Mobile 6 can I buy one "unlocked"?

[possmann]

OK - Sprint has the "Mogul" Verizon is taking their sweet time in releasing basically the exact same device... I know that anyone can basically trip over unlocked GSM phones just about anywhere on the web - why isn't that the same for the 2 CDMA large carriers? (Sprint and Verizon)
I think it would be great if we could go to some place like expansys.com and get one of these devices and be able to "activate" it much like we would do with GSM based phone carriers.
I'm not heading back to T-Mo and forget ATT. Verizon has given me the best reliabilty and speed and I have had too many bad memories with Sprint to switch simply for a phone - but man I am really jonesing for that new HTC device...
Would appreciate any help... someone send me a link please!

[Cybrid]

why isn't that the same for the 2 CDMA large carriers? (Sprint and Verizon)Just cause it isn't ! :(
GSM phones are "dumb terminals", they need a SIM, the SIM has all the account and network data on it...Switch out SIM's and use any handset.

On CDMA phones, no SIM, the phone is internally carrying account and network data. While this can be erased and set to a new phone...what incentive is there for the carrier to allow it?

[possmann]

Thanks - I was afraid of that answer... :roll:
No wonder it is easy to pick up an "unlocked" GSM phone and use that on any network. Seems like that model make more sense - even for the company - than the CDMA model where the company has to pre-load some firmware into the actual physical device in order to allow it to function. Of course then they "gotcha". I would think that if more people would be aware that they could increase their CHOICES that CDMA would want to move to a GSM model where a "SIM" card retains customer and carrier specific information rather than the actual device.

until then... :bawl:

[burtcom]

Thanks - I was afraid of that answer... :roll:
No wonder it is easy to pick up an "unlocked" GSM phone and use that on any network.

I for one am glad that here in Montana we have a GSM carrier -- I was able to buy a cool E-TEN device from Ebay, slip in a SIM and I was good to go.

If you have a choice and value your phone freedom (TM) go for GSM :)

[Cybrid]

Thanks - I was afraid of that answer... :roll:
No wonder it is easy to pick up an "unlocked" GSM phone and use that on any network.

I for one am glad that here in Montana we have a GSM carrier -- I was able to buy a cool E-TEN device from Ebay, slip in a SIM and I was good to go.

If you have a choice and value your phone freedom (TM) go for GSM :)"pseudo-freedom"...
GSM still has the same finacial limitations... If you signed up for a contract, say 3 years then an upgrade will not be offered to you for atleast 1-2 years. Only way to switch SIMs to a new phone is to pay full price for the new phone.
Here's the funny thing...You could purchase a phone at full price on a CDMA network and switch too. The only advantage is there is a larger choice in hardware...provided the super advanced phone is quad band. Many are not.

[possmann]

Now I thought that because it is CDMA I could NOT switch from one CDMA carrier to another and continue to use a CDMA phone from another CDMA carrier.

Yes, there are contract issues with switching from GSM carriers - nothing changes regarding contracts between carriers. However there is a greater choice and flexibilty with GSM phone, not to mention Global acceptance (I could start a rant about why we americans continue to be non-metric in measurements, but that I'll save for another time) - true world phones.

However, being on Verizon I really have to say that personally it is the most reliable signal with no dropped calls - much more that I could hvae ever said for T-Mo and more than my friends can say for ATT (aka Cing). The connection is fast as well, so I'm stuck with waiting for Verizon to finally put the 6800 (WM6) out - sigh...

[Cybrid]

Now I thought that because it is CDMA I could NOT switch from one CDMA carrier to another and continue to use a CDMA phone from another CDMA carrier.Well you can't... :? You could hop within your carrier's limited selection...
I was merely pointing out that on the whole... Cost wise, it is pricey and so most (90%+) of people don't go hardware hopping. Only us, the geek, early adopter minority, does.