Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

I am at a point in my contract with Alltel, where I am able to upgrade my phone. I've narrowed it down to two choices, which are the 8830 World, or the 8530 Curve. My question is, since I am with Alltel, and will be for the next two years, what would happen if I were to move within that time-frame to a location where Alltel had no service? I may be taking a job in another state soon, and my only two choices for service providers would be Verizon and T-Mobile. Actually, I only have one choice, since I would give up having a cell phone if Verizon were the only carrier. I don't like how they do business, by disabling so many features on phones so people have to pay for the ones they offer.

At any rate, is there a way to keep the phone, and transfer it all over to a new carrier? Can the BB be hacked to allow this? I know there is something called "unlocking" but I have no idea how it works, or if it is even an option in this scenario.

Can someone please give me a reasonable explanation of how it might work, for me to upgrade to a BB, and then in the next few weeks or months move to another carrier with it?

Thanks!!(y)

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

I thought Alltel was bought by Verizon? So you really only have one choice. Like them or not, from your comments, it seems that Verizon is the ONLY way to go.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

No, Verizon isn't the only way to go. Perhaps I wasn't clear. I wouldn't have Verizon if you held a gun to my head.

What I asked (and you didn't answer, by the way...) was, how do I take a phone from one carrier to another?

I will be going to T-Mobile if I make the move. That is not negotiable. Having put that caveat on the table, if I upgrade my phone now with Alltel, will I in the future be able to use it with T-Mobile, and how will that have to be done? Which is only what I wanted to know. ;-)

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

Neither the 8830 or 8530 will work on T-Mobile.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

And you know this how? Why won't they work? I thought that was the whole point of a smartphone, that they could be made to function on any network. They're offered for sale everywhere from Amazon to eBay, and hundreds of other sites! Why sell them outright, if you can't use them on any given carrier? That doesn't make sense to me.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

Lancer, I think you should either drop the attitude or do some research on your own. NJ knows of what he speaks. You asked for assistance, your question was answered correctly. Sorry to be blunt but that is how it is.

As NJ said, the two phones you asked about are CDMA and will not work on TMO since it is a GSM network. If they are Alltel branded, I doubt they would be allowed on Verizon either since VZW only allows their devices on their network.

You can unlock GSM devices and use them on other networks, but be aware that ATT devices will only use EDGE on TMO and TMO devices will only use EDGE on ATT since they operate on different GSM frequencies. As said above Verizon (and Sprint) only allow their devices on their network so you can't switch as you can with GSM.

By stating emphatically that TMO is the only way to go, I assume that you have checked the carriers to find out which has the best coverage where you will use it - where you live, work, travel and play. TMO has the least coverage areas of the then "big 4" so make sure it is the correct choice if you have one.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

How do I know this?
The 8530 is a CDMA only phone. Thats the radio network it uses. It will work on Alltel or Verizon or Sprint. That's it.

T-Mobile and AT&T run on GSM radio networks. The two (CDMA and GSM) are not interchangeable. You cannot *under any circumstances* take an 8530 and run it on a GSM network.

The 8830 is a VERY old phone. Although it has both CDMA and GSM, it does not have the GSM frequencies used in North America.

Those are facts. THAT'S HOW I KNOW THIS.

You need to do some research on phones. They are not interchangeable. No matter where you may find them.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

@Lancer - Just a helpful hint about forums. Look at the post count of the person or persons who answered your questions. It's generally a good way to judge whether they know thier stuff or not.

Re: Switching carriers, keeping the BB Phone...
 

Wow! Simply wow!