[gabsou]

Hello everyone !!!

So, i'm back with my stupids questions about IMEI and ESN codes (sorry, i'm french, it's the reason) !!!

I will buy a lot of BB in US for repair or parts. But, how can i known if they have a sim slot ?
In fact, for exemple, an AT&T and a Verizon version have always ESN and not IMEI ? And T_Mobile have always IMEI with slot sim ?

This is by the way it's work at USA : one carrier have ESN or IMEI or could have the both ?

And at final, what it's mean "BAD ESN" like i read ?

Thanks a lot !

[MidnightDraven]

You could try actually looking at the blackberry website before buying models, it will tell you if its GSM (sim slot) or CDMA (no sim slot) or a CDMA with sim slot for international use.

AT&T is GSM, and therefore has SIM slots, and uses IMEI.
ESN is typically used by CDMA carriers.

A "bad ESN" means one that is blocked and cannot be registered with a carrier.

[gabsou]

Thanks a lot for your reply, i'm understanding better now.
It's true that i've bought some 8707v models from Suisserland with slot sim and with write on back : "CDMA by Qualcomm"

And so, a BB with bad ESN is completly out of service for CDMA, but can work with sim card ?

[joginder]

I think better explaination could be:
a GSM phone will have IMEI which in trun will only with with a SIM card
a CDMA/iDEN will have ESN and will not have any IMEI on it and will not take SIM card.

8830 Worl phone from Verizon has GSM band but its CDMA phone so it has ESN only.

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by joginder

I think better explaination could be:
a GSM phone will have IMEI which in trun will only with with a SIM card
a CDMA/iDEN will have ESN and will not have any IMEI on it and will not take SIM card.

8830 Worl phone from Verizon has GSM band but its CDMA phone so it has ESN only.

I'd hardly consider this a "better explanation" since most of your post is incorrect.

An iDEN phone does not have an ESN. iDEN uses SIM cards.
The 8830 is a CDMA/GSM hybrid and has both an ESN and IMEI.

[gabsou]

Ok, so in fact, there's 3 types of phones :
- iDEN / GSM with IMEI and sim card
- CDMA with ESN
- hybrid Blackberry with both system (8830 WE, 8707v....)