Techs & Trends
Help. Why "unlock".
I'm looking for a used cell phone on ebay. Many are advertised as "unlocked" yet my local service provider, US Cellular, tells me not to buy an unlocked phone. US Cellular says that they won't transfer my phone number to an unlocked phone???
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There are two terms that may be synonymous - unlocked and international telephones. An international telephone operates in the GSM 900/1800/1900 mhz bands and it is supposed to be good throughout most of the world. The term unlocked also refers to a telephone that can be used overseas.
Whether they are the same thing or not, I do not know. But, does US Cellular have GSM service? If they do not, then an unlocked GSM telephone will not work in their network. If they do provide GSM service, then look for someone with more knowledge than the person to whom you spoke. It is my understanding that all 900/1800/1900 GSM telephones work in the USA.
Whether they are the same thing or not, I do not know. But, does US Cellular have GSM service? If they do not, then an unlocked GSM telephone will not work in their network. If they do provide GSM service, then look for someone with more knowledge than the person to whom you spoke. It is my understanding that all 900/1800/1900 GSM telephones work in the USA.
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What locked can also mean is that the former carrier that sold the phone had a sublock code programmed. Without that code, the NAM cannot be programmed. Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular all use these codes.
A carrier cannot deny giving you the sublock (or SPC code) if your are porting in/out.
A carrier cannot deny giving you the sublock (or SPC code) if your are porting in/out.
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US Cellular had employed TDMA as their digital technology up until a recent change of heart to CDMA... Here in Vermont they are still transmitting TDMA along with their CDMA until they can sunset the older technology... Anyhow, TDMA phones and network service providers have a SOC code that they utilize (its one of the parameters we have to set in the handset programming) carriers such as ATT have their phones SOC locked so that the handsets can only be utilized on their network. If you are looking at TDMA phones on Ebay you NEED one that is unlocked so that it can be programmed to US Cellulars program parameters... We have can not program ATT SOC locked phones to operate properly on our TDMA carrier's network (RCC New England).
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I am curantly trying to get my sublock code from cingular wireless and they refuse to give it to me and have told me that even though I ported out and have paid my last bill that since the phone was sold to me on promotion that it is technically not my and they don't have to give it to me. Please help me find a way to get it. thanks, Lena
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if your phone is not yours then they would be inclined to reposses it, for lack of a better word. Provided you've either completed your original contract, or at least been with them for more than six months, chances are you've fulfilled the loss they took with the phone's subsidy. The fact that they're letting you keep your phone says to me that you've bought it.
When I moved and USCC chose to invalidate my contract with them my phone's subsidy hadn't been paid and they took my phone. I'd imagine it's a refurbished unit by now, or recycled. Thankfully since they repo-ed my phone and THEY invalidated my contract, not me, I didn't have to pay the ETF.
When I moved and USCC chose to invalidate my contract with them my phone's subsidy hadn't been paid and they took my phone. I'd imagine it's a refurbished unit by now, or recycled. Thankfully since they repo-ed my phone and THEY invalidated my contract, not me, I didn't have to pay the ETF.
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Is on your terms and conditions, is part of tehr agreement. One of those fine print situation. What type of fon are you trying to unlock?
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There are some problem with this unlocking is mostly meant for GSM phone. What happen when they lock phone thy also install a hierarchy in the firmware of what tower to look for in sequential order in this case you may roam o n verizon or sprint network for more time then you should because there are no towers that it is specifically looking for. This is more of an expense for the carrier and also could cause billing issues (roaming overages)
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the heirarchy, is the IRDB and it isnt part of the phone its part of the sim card.
yes it is to cover expenses due to roaming but it isnt why it is locked.
subsidy unlock codes are meant to keep phones on the network they were meant to be sold on, since carriers subsidize the phones they sell with discounts and give the customers a lesser charge they include a subsidy lock code.
however if you are canceled and you dont have a balance on the account you should be able to get cingular tier 2 to get the code for you its part of the policy
yes it is to cover expenses due to roaming but it isnt why it is locked.
subsidy unlock codes are meant to keep phones on the network they were meant to be sold on, since carriers subsidize the phones they sell with discounts and give the customers a lesser charge they include a subsidy lock code.
however if you are canceled and you dont have a balance on the account you should be able to get cingular tier 2 to get the code for you its part of the policy
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Most of the unlocked phones you see on Ebay are GSM. GSM phones are 100% incompatible with U.S. Cellular's CDMA network.
There are such things as unlocked CDMA phones, but they are rare, and not all features may work on U.S. Cellular's network. Plus, it is ultimately up to U.S. Cellular whether they will re-program the phone for you and allow it on their network - if they say they won't, you're usually out of luck.
If you must buy used, your best bet is a used U.S. Cellular phone. Make sure it is CDMA and not TDMA. As long as the phone is not stolen and the previous owner does not owe money, they should have no problem activating it for you.
There are such things as unlocked CDMA phones, but they are rare, and not all features may work on U.S. Cellular's network. Plus, it is ultimately up to U.S. Cellular whether they will re-program the phone for you and allow it on their network - if they say they won't, you're usually out of luck.
If you must buy used, your best bet is a used U.S. Cellular phone. Make sure it is CDMA and not TDMA. As long as the phone is not stolen and the previous owner does not owe money, they should have no problem activating it for you.
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