[TheBigNewt]

I read in another forum that someone bought a program ($38 USD) to unlock their smartphone (tmobile Dash). What does that allow one to do that you cannot do with the standard setup. I assume it's something that's not kosher to do, but I was curious.

[xyrcncp]

Let's say you have a T-mobile phone and you unlock it, you can use it on Cingular's network too. Search for more details.

[TheBigNewt]

That's what I figured, and I know many providers will unlock phones for loyal customers to use. But you still have to be paying for their plan after you unlock it. What I mean is if you illegally unlock a tmob phone you can't get onto Cingular's network if you're paying tmob, right?

[mrpg]

Well after you unlock, you gotta susbcribe to whatever carrier you want.

Right now, you buy the Pearl from TMO, it'll ONLY WORK on TMO's network (hence locked).

Cool thing about GSM phones is the use of the SIM Card, a lil card that sits in your phone and basically identifies you on your carriers network.

If you have a Cingular phone & SIM and you bought a TMO locked Pearl- you could unlock it and put your Cing SIM in it. Walla, now you have a Pearl phone with Cingular service.

[NJBlackBerry]

Illegally unlock?
It is not illegal at all to unlock a phone.

If you are paying T-Mobile and intend on always using T-Mobile, there is no need to unlock. If you buy a phone and want to use it on another carrier (going overseas, perhaps) you must get it unlocked to use another carriers SIM card.

[TheBigNewt]

What about gsmphonesource? Is that "legal"? I know a lot or people use Adam to unlock if they can't get tmob to do it free. The way I understand it the Pearl will only work on tmob and cingular in the US, right?

[NJBlackBerry]

There is nothing illegal about unlocking! T-Mobile unlocks their own phone for free, it you are a long standing customer and in good standing. If they do it, why would it be "illegal".

The 8100, as a GSM based device, will work on any GSM carrier. The two dominant ones are T-Mobile and Cingular. It will not work on Verizon, Sprint or Nextel.

[SanFrancisco]

A locked phone simply means that the code on the phone's chip is programmed to work with a specific carrier's service.

When unlocking the phone, one is simply changing the code so that the phone can be used with any carrier.

Unlocking a phone sounds illegal because of what the word implies. It sounds illegal to unlock something that someone else has locked.

But a phone legally purchased is your property and you should be able to use it any way you want [with the carrier of your choice]. That is why unlocking YOUR phone is NOT illegal.

In fact, there was some controversy in Washington, D.C. about all this. They were considering a law that would preclude a carrier from implying to customers that a phone could only be used with that carrier. The subject came up when they were discussing the portability of cell numbers [being able to keep your phone number when switching carriers].

People who are selling unlocking programs are legally providing the code to get rid of a particular carrier's "lock code" that tells the phone to only work with that carrier's service.

[TheBigNewt]

Thanks, that makes sense. I wonder if tmobile will unlock a Pearl and then you hotfoot it over to Cingular and sign a contract with them? No, on second thought I guess it would be Cingular that would do the unlocking in that situation.

[NJBlackBerry]

No, Cingular can not, or will not, unlock a T-Mobile phone.

When you buy the Pearl, or any other phone, from a carrier and sign a contract, they subsidize the price of the phone. That's why phones without contracts cost much more. If you break the contract, you normally pay an Early Termination Fee and that can cover the cost of the subsidy.

T-Mobile WILL unlock a Pearl, if you have been a customer of theirs for 90 days (it may be 6 months; I have forgotten) and are in good standing. I get unlock codes from them all the time. They will also give you the code if you are going overseas and want to use a foreign SIM card. T-Mobile will not unlock Cingular phones, and the opposite is true.

That's why commercial unlockers (I use GSMPhoneSource) exist.

[TheBigNewt]

Gotcha NJ, thanks. Now I understand the deal.

[phungy]

So I just call T-Mobile up and ask for an unlock code?

[mrpg]

Pretty much.

[phungy]

Just called them and sent a request. Easy. No questions asked. Two thumbs up!

[pandyamilan]

Originally Posted by SanFrancisco

A locked phone simply means that the code on the phone's chip is programmed to work with a specific carrier's service.

When unlocking the phone, one is simply changing the code so that the phone can be used with any carrier.

Unlocking a phone sounds illegal because of the term implies one is not supposed to be unlocking something that a carrier has locked.

But a phone legally purchased is your property and you should be able to use it any way you want [with the carrier of your choice]. That is why unlocking YOUR phone is NOT illegal.

In fact, there was some controversy in Washington, D.C. about all this. They were considering a law that would preclude a carrier from implying to customers that a phone could only be used with that carrier. The subject came up when they were discussing the portability of cell numbers [being able to keep your phone number when switching carriers].

People who are selling unlocking programs are legally providing the code to get rid of a particular carrier's "lock code" that tells the phone to only work with that carrier's service.

that was a nice source of information.

[phungy]

Mine's unlocked! Yay!

[TheBigNewt]

When you have TMB unlock your phone to use overseas where you you get the SIMS card to use it there? Or can you use the same card, just change the code to enable its use on carriers there? I assume that you then buy prepaid minutes from that carrier to avoid getting hosed on rates.

[scotsman4236]

I just called vodafone in the UK and they gave me the code - real simple, means I can use other sim cards but why would I when I'm paying for a contract??

Not illegal but if you do it by hacking in you inevitably invalidate the warranty - as I know many people use computers to unlock phones!

[SanFrancisco]

Originally Posted by TheBigNewt

Thanks, that makes sense. I wonder if TMobile will unlock a Pearl and then you hotfoot it over to Cingular and sign a contract with them? No, on second thought I guess it would be Cingular that would do the unlocking in that situation.

Most carriers don't unlock phones because the profits are not in phone sales, it's in providing cell service. So they take steps to keep you around. Unlocking phones is not a way to keep customers. But if it's to keep you as a customer, they may unlock a phone you got elsewhere.

For example, many online deals give a free Pearl when one signs a two year contract with a carrier. The vendor who sold the phone makes a commission on selling a two year contract. The carrier makes money on two year's cell service.

The two year contract assures the carrier that it will make money on having given away a Pearl to the new customer.

The early cancellation fee assures that the carrier will get the price of the phone returned to them should one terminate the two year deal early.

The concept is similar to the printer toner and ink jet wars. HP and others have been attempting to stop the selling of refilled ink and toner cartridges. HP has tried everything from lawsuits, patent claims, refills will void warranty threats, putting chips in the cartridges that prevents refilling, etc.

The reason HP and others have been so aggressive is because they don't make money on the printers, they make it on ink and toner refills. Then comes along refill sellers taking away their profits.

Sounds just like cell phone sales and cell service, eh?