[AJXX]

Hi, I purchased a Blackberry 8220 Flip from eBay a few days ago, it arrived today but I have a problem... The listing did not say anything about Engineering Use Only just that the phone was 'Factory Unlocked'

The full message displayed when turning the phone off and on is...

Property of Research in Motion
All Rights Reserved
Engineering Use Only
Not for sale or lease

Am I using an illegal phone?

[aiharkness]

Get your money back. And see the article at blackberryfaq.com wrt buying blackberrys through ebay, which applies to all cases when buying a second hand blackberry.

[AJXX]

Originally Posted by aiharkness

Get your money back. And see the article at blackberryfaq.com wrt buying blackberrys through ebay, which applies to all cases when buying a second hand blackberry.

Where exactly do I stand here? is the phone illegal? Can I sell it on? I hope I have not just wasted £120/$210

[aiharkness]

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...t-sale-bb.html is one of the many, many threads you will find here if you search.

My opinion is it is stolen property from everything I understand. Practically speaking, you very likely (it's probably a certainty) will not be able to register it on a BIS or BES and thus not be able to use blackberry data services.

[Dubdub]

I agree with the above. You will be able to use it as a phone and PIM, and maybe for texting. In all probability, the PIN has been disabled so no Internet and/or any RIM related services and WiFi.

[aiharkness]

Sorry for the bad news AJXX. Good luck.

[MidnightDraven]

It is "not as described" and you should contact the seller to ask about a return.
If they refuse, file a compliant with ebay.

[rambo47]

This was a pre-release unit loaned to developers and was never intended to be sold. It's a test unit and is supposed to be returned to RIM at some point. Either get your $$ back or write it off. And report the clown who sold it to you!

[a.petrov]

but mine still works, it is also a engineering unit.
BIS works well...

[aiharkness]

Originally Posted by a.petrov

but mine still works, it is also a engineering unit.
BIS works well...

So?

You are one that got away. From all accounts, most aren't so lucku.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[rambo47]

At some point RIM will probably get around to turning off the pin of ALL engineering units.

[homermalaluan]

Originally Posted by aiharkness

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...t-sale-bb.html is one of the many, many threads you will find here if you search.

My opinion is it is stolen property from everything I understand. Practically speaking, you very likely (it's probably a certainty) will not be able to register it on a BIS or BES and thus not be able to use blackberry data services.

Mine works fine.. I can use App World, Browser, the BIS, I can push email, I can download apps from AppWorld and the normal activity of a BlackBerry device. The only problem is that my BBM Icon is missing.

My question is, can I upgrade the OS of my device?? By the way, I'm using BB Storm 2 9520.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by homermalaluan

Mine works fine.. I can use App World, Browser, the BIS, I can push email, I can download apps from AppWorld and the normal activity of a BlackBerry device. The only problem is that my BBM Icon is missing.

My question is, can I upgrade the OS of my device?? By the way, I'm using BB Storm 2 9520.

There's no need to post twice in unrelated threads.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/1690979-post15.html

[hrbuckley]

Just because your engineering sample unit works now is no reason to expect it to continue to work. It may continue to work forever, but I've also seen the units stop working after a period of time from their original distribution. As mentioned several times, these units are provided as advanced samples by RIM so developers can port and test their applications to the devices prior to consumer release, so it is reasonable to expect them to operate normally. They remain the property of RIM, so RIM can choose to disable them, or not.