BuzzDar
join:2006-01-28
West Frankfort, IL | Others Will Follow.
I think all other carriers will follow suit soon enough. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
| said by BuzzDar  :I think all other carriers will follow suit soon enough. I wonder if Verizon & AT&T will settle before their lawsuits come to court?
Sounds like a fair deal for those looking to go elsewhere.
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Internet News
My BLOG
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stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13 | Now if we can impose a corollary duty to activate a CDMA phone from another provider. |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
·Optimum Online
| T-Mobile
While I find T-Mobile to be an overall good provider, they definitely have an outrageous ETF and I for one refuse to enter in to another contract with them (M2M is fine by me) until they prorate it or otherwise adjust it. Not that I would cancel BUT it is always unsettling having such a dagger hanging over your head. The thought that I would incur the full ETF plus be required to return my equipment (as my contract back in 2005 was written) if I had to cancel on day 364 of a 365 day contract is quite a bit unsettling.
As for unlocking, that IMHO is a non-issue. Any T-Mobile customer can get the unlock code for their phone from CS after three months of service and an account in good standing. I got the unlock code for my Motorola V330 three-and-a-half months into my one year contract without any problem.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. |
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CurGeorge8
join:2005-05-02
Pittsburgh, PA
| Yea but .... where will you take it.
Ok, so you get your CDMA handset from sprint unlocked ..... Just what do you plan to do with it.
The only other CDMA carrier that I'm aware of that will let you use any handset is Cricket. I know with VZW and I'm pretty sure that with Alltel, you can only use devices on an approved list.
So yes, while its nice you can get your CDMA phone unlocked, I really don't see a lot of benefit to the consumer. CDMA carriers have complete control over what devices they allow on their network. |
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not quite right
I'm not cool enough to be a Mac person
join:2001-06-23
Puyallup, WA
| said by CurGeorge8 :Ok, so you get your CDMA handset from sprint unlocked ..... Just what do you plan to do with it. Same thing I was thinking. 
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"Not many people know this, but I happen to be quite famous." |
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SteveLV702
Premium
join:2004-04-22
Henderson, NV | Move Sprint onto Verizon
ya I can see it now the person that brought this Lawsuit goes to Verizon to activate the phone and Verizon refuses and this person files a Lawsuit now against Verizon. |
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jimk
Premium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC
 ·AT&T Southeast
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Others Will Follow.
Verizon doesn't lock phones. You can access the programming menu, and switch the phone to another carrier. Then, you can load their PRL (preferred roaming list) and the phone is now activated. This only works if the new carrier will let you use the phone in the first place. Alltel works the same way.
Verizon does install proprietary firmware that has ties to services such as Get It Now which will obviously stop working on a different carrier, but basic phone functionality will work.
If you can reprogram the phone (CDMA) or just insert a SIM card and go (GSM), the phone is not locked to the carrier. If the phone is locked, you would need a special password to get into the programming menu or to allow it to take a SIM from a different carrier.
I'm not sure about the handful of world phones (with GSM) that Verizon has. I do believe those might be locked on the GSM side, but I have also heard that they can be unlocked after your account is in good standing for a certain amount of time. |
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ZipZilla
join:2005-07-09
Ladson, SC
| "not widely used?"
last time I checked, CDMA had more subscribers in the US than GSM...check those stats again, news story writer...
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mo···d_States |
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joako
Premium
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| Already possible
It's already possible to get the unlock code for your phone. Each time you call to activate a phone they will give you the code (they just say press xyz on your phone) with very little social engineering its possible to get the code. Call sprint and tell them each time you try to check your voicemail the phone dials 200-000-0000 they will say press ##123456# the number in # is the unlock code. You can use it to change various settings on the phone. I change the vocoder from EVRC to 13k to greatly improve call quality.
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Am Heimcomputer sitz' ich hier, und programmier' die Zukunft mir |
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mlerner
Premium
join:2000-11-25
Nepean, ON | reply to not quite right
Re: Yea but .... where will you take it.
Seriously, couldn't agree with you guys more. Who started this pointless lawsuit anyway? |
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RandomSCGVBV
Not authorized.
Premium
join:2006-04-07
Virginia Beach, VA
|  So we get the MSL. Then what?
This seems like it's just short of being completely useless. Sprint phones have other impediments to interoperability, like ridiculously proprietary firmware and an inherent resistance to loading a PRL from the normal OTA system that other CDMA carriers use.
And if you're tech-savvy enough to overcome these obstacles, you probably don't need Sprint to voluntarily give up the MSL.
The only thing this accomplishes is skipping the step where you wheedle the code out of tech support or hook the phone up to a USB cable to find the MSL yourself. So a class action saved some wannabe-hackers 5 minutes each. Big whoop.
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The preferred international spelling is "moustache". |
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Da Geek Kid
join:2003-10-11
Mclean, VA | reply to not quite right
Re: Yea but .... where will you take it.
take it the other crappy provider called Verizon and have them lock the phone again...  |
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stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13 | reply to RandomSCGVBV
Re: So we get the MSL. Then what?
You're forgetting the attorney fees the suit netted for the firm. |
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jlsdev
@cox.net
| reply to CurGeorge8
Re: Yea but .... where will you take it.
said by CurGeorge8 :Ok, so you get your CDMA handset from sprint unlocked ..... Just what do you plan to do with it. The only other CDMA carrier that I'm aware of that will let you use any handset is Cricket. I know with VZW and I'm pretty sure that with Alltel, you can only use devices on an approved list. So yes, while its nice you can get your CDMA phone unlocked, I really don't see a lot of benefit to the consumer. CDMA carriers have complete control over what devices they allow on their network. And changing that (complete control) will be the next step in ending this ridiculous idiocy and giving control to the owners of the phones, where it belongs - Only in Amerika... |
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batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ
clubs: | T-Mobile
T-Mobile will give one an unlock code for a phone every three months. I have done it twice and I only use ToGo pre paid. |
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quetwo
That VoIP Guy
Premium
join:2004-09-04
East Lansing, MI | reply to n2jtx
T-Mobile is the only one in the USA that will give you the unlock code without a fight. AT&T CSR's will tell you "it is technically impossible to move your GSM phone to any other provider." |
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dbatten
join:2001-01-09
Riverview, FL | reply to CurGeorge8
Re: Yea but .... where will you take it.
Alltel does not have an approved device list.
They just will not provide support for activating non Alltel branded phones. I have activated other carrier's phones many times. |
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JE
Can I Taste It? Mmmm
Premium
join:2000-12-15
Brooklyn, NY | reply to CurGeorge8
Exactly. Guess who wins here? SPRINT!!!! |
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raderator
join:2003-07-22
Conklin, NY
 ·PHONE POWER
| reply to CurGeorge8
said by CurGeorge8 :Ok, so you get your CDMA handset from sprint unlocked ..... Just what do you plan to do with it. The only other CDMA carrier that I'm aware of that will let you use any handset is Cricket. I know with VZW and I'm pretty sure that with Alltel, you can only use devices on an approved list. So yes, while its nice you can get your CDMA phone unlocked, I really don't see a lot of benefit to the consumer. CDMA carriers have complete control over what devices they allow on their network. Page Plus Cellular, the best prepaid service out there. Airvoice is also good if you buy a $50 PIN which lasts a yr. |
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