Unlocked Phone Question
Quick questions...
I'm new to GSM so please forgive my ignorance. I was thinking about getting an unlocked phone and pop my sim card in it but if it doesnt have the 850mhz band then it could have a problem with roaming issues. Is this correct? Would I have to call Cingular and tell them? Will I be able to text message and use AOL IM (if loaded)?
Also, If I do get an unlocked unbranded phone, how does the Cingular software get on it. In other words like the MEdia Net software and all that and AOL IM. Do I have to take in to a store or is it an OTA type thing? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I'm new to GSM so please forgive my ignorance. I was thinking about getting an unlocked phone and pop my sim card in it but if it doesnt have the 850mhz band then it could have a problem with roaming issues. Is this correct? Would I have to call Cingular and tell them? Will I be able to text message and use AOL IM (if loaded)?
Also, If I do get an unlocked unbranded phone, how does the Cingular software get on it. In other words like the MEdia Net software and all that and AOL IM. Do I have to take in to a store or is it an OTA type thing? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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Well, roaming is pretty much non existent on the 1900, because cingular mainly uses 850... And you still need signal to send and recieve text so if there is no signal there is no way to use it for the most part.
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As to the settings, if it's a Nokia phone, you can do an OTA update, otherwise, you'd be slightly SOL...
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OK, lemme rephrase my question so I can get better answers...
If I bought an unlocked phone and it was not branded, how would I go about branding it so I could have all the Cingular software on it such as MEdiaNet and AOL IM?
If I bought an unlocked phone and it was not branded, how would I go about branding it so I could have all the Cingular software on it such as MEdiaNet and AOL IM?
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AOL, no clue, I don't know if the client's available, best bet's AOL's website.
MediaNET settings, only if the cell is one carried by Cingular normally; that way we can walk you thru setting up the settings. If it's not one we support, you'd be out of luck. If it's a Nokia, you MIGHT be able to get an update download off their site.
MediaNET settings, only if the cell is one carried by Cingular normally; that way we can walk you thru setting up the settings. If it's not one we support, you'd be out of luck. If it's a Nokia, you MIGHT be able to get an update download off their site.
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Go through the manufacturer. They will be able to set this up. Cingular will not touch the phone.
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i hate to be the one to give you the conflicting message.
we can typically walk a customer through setting up an unlocked phone as long as the phone allows it. most reps may be hard pressed to navigate through the menu settings to get to the correct place on an alien phone, but typically the GPRS bearer settings and mms bearer settings is wha your looking for.
if you call customer care the documentation is found in data support settings by doing a search with their resource (CSP) ill leave it at that. there are two documents there one of em has the menu trees and the settings. of course the menu trees wont or may not be the same but the settings themselves are and pretty easy to follow once you have coordinating information.
don...
(continues)
we can typically walk a customer through setting up an unlocked phone as long as the phone allows it. most reps may be hard pressed to navigate through the menu settings to get to the correct place on an alien phone, but typically the GPRS bearer settings and mms bearer settings is wha your looking for.
if you call customer care the documentation is found in data support settings by doing a search with their resource (CSP) ill leave it at that. there are two documents there one of em has the menu trees and the settings. of course the menu trees wont or may not be the same but the settings themselves are and pretty easy to follow once you have coordinating information.
don...
(continues)
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The only place where there would be 1900 only towers instead of 850 is where we would have a roaming agreement with a 1900mhz carrier. There was an 850 overlay on all the blue towers a year or more ago and i believe cingular was 850 from the get go.
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i hate to be the one to give you the conflicting message.
we can typically walk a customer through setting up an unlocked phone as long as the phone allows it. most reps may be hard pressed to navigate through the menu settings to get to the correct place on an alien phone, but typically the GPRS bearer settings and mms bearer settings is wha your looking for.
if you call customer care the documentation is found in data support settings by doing a search with their resource (CSP) ill leave it at that. there are two documents there one of em has the menu trees and the settings. of course the menu trees wont or may not be the same but the settings themselves are and pretty easy to follow once you have coordinating information.
dont ...
(continues)
we can typically walk a customer through setting up an unlocked phone as long as the phone allows it. most reps may be hard pressed to navigate through the menu settings to get to the correct place on an alien phone, but typically the GPRS bearer settings and mms bearer settings is wha your looking for.
if you call customer care the documentation is found in data support settings by doing a search with their resource (CSP) ill leave it at that. there are two documents there one of em has the menu trees and the settings. of course the menu trees wont or may not be the same but the settings themselves are and pretty easy to follow once you have coordinating information.
dont ...
(continues)
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Dude, if the phone is NOT listed in CSP, I personally will NOT try to setup the settings. I personally value my job and sanity.
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coldsteel said:
Dude, if the phone is NOT listed in CSP, I personally will NOT try to setup the settings. I personally value my job and sanity.
Amen to that!
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If you have an unlocked phone, you have to set the MMS setting as well as WAP setting. WAP through the settings) and MMS through messages. AOL or anything else, can not do.
Now, I don't know if this is true or not, cuz Cingular tells me something different every time I ask, but the 1900 band is use on the West Coast and 850 on the East. Any truth to this? Sometimes they tell me that both are used all over the country.
Now, I don't know if this is true or not, cuz Cingular tells me something different every time I ask, but the 1900 band is use on the West Coast and 850 on the East. Any truth to this? Sometimes they tell me that both are used all over the country.
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