Chicagoland Sportbike Forums banner

help understanding "unlocked phones"

603 views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  toys4pops 
#1 ·
Thinking about getting a replacement high-end phone...there's plenty out there (unlocked) which leave me with some Q's. Now correct me where I'm wrong:
1) bricked= a phone rendered useless due to modification of it's software...usually happens once a phone auto updates itself?? A) Is there any way to prevent this? B) If I buy an unlocked phone and it becomes a brick, who can unlock it for me? C) will an unlocked phone eventually become bricked (Once the carrier/manufacturer updates it's firmware...only a matter of time)?
2) Unlocked= a phone that can by used by more than one carrier, has extra options/features unlocked?
My Treo 750 was awesome for Texting (Qwerty) and other tasks were made easy. Right now, I'm looking at:
1) Nokia N95
2) wait til June for the new Iphone
3)current 16G Iphone

Should I stay away from Unlocked phones?
TIA!
 
#2 ·
1 brick is garbage.
if it can be fixed why is it called a brick. lol.

"Useless as a brick"
1c. No. Bricking happens when mucking with the phone.
1b. manufacturer only.


unlocked phones are used in 95% of the world. etc.
 
#3 ·
meaning for so called "unlocked phones" is so that they can be used on just abut ANY NETWORK...not just like AT&T or nextel or whatnot...
 
#4 ·
I think it only works for GSM networks where you can swap the SIM cards. When you buy a phone from AT&T, they have the software locked so it can only work on AT&Ts network. There is a way to modify the software of the phone to allow the phone to work on ANY network. This is called unlocking. So when you unlock a phone, it can work on anyones netwokrk. If you go to anywhere else in the world, everyone has an unlocked phone. There is a way to unlock the iPhone so you can use it on any network as well. AT&T does not like this, so they are making Apple "brick" the phone. The iPhone has software updates and when Apple releases a software update, the update will lock any phone that has been hacked to run on any network. The phone will no longer work. I think there is a way to undue the bricking, but I am not sure.
 
#5 ·
I have a n iphone and I bricked it a couple of times, (just updating it the wrong way) I think the only phone that really can be "bricked" is an iphone. I've had 3 other unlocked phones and they all worked great. There really are no more bricked phones anymore, there is always a way out of it. I would wait for the new iphone to come out. Its supossed to have video confrenceing and live tv channels. Check out http://modmyifone.com great site.
 
#10 ·
Yup, At&T. Been with them for almost 15 years (Cingular/At&T), same number in very good standing. It pisses me off the way they bill and never throw anything IN for free (even though I don't have a contract) whereas the other GSM provider is practically giving away unlimited plans. I used-to worry about service in rural areas (dropped calls) but now I begin to wonder (Treo 750 dropped more calls tham my Motorola V3, always in the same area and at work).
I'd like to get a WiFi and an unlocked Nokia N95 can be bought Amazon. Hmmmm
 
#8 ·
Unlocked phones apply only to GSM phones (use SIM cards).

By law, cellular service providers have to allow you to unlock their phones, but can impose certain restrictions i.e. how long you've had the phone with them, how long you've had service with them, and put the price on the unlocking service. T-mobile is excellent with it, if you had an account in good standing with them for 90 days, they will provide you with an unlocking code for any of their phones.

Unlocking can be done in one of 2 ways:
1) Using the manufacture code for the lock used per cellular provider
2) Messing with the firmware of the phone

The latter one is where the bricking might happen. However, it's never permanent, if you know what you're doing.
 
#9 ·
I bought my brother an Iphone shortly after they hit the market, I watched him "unlock" it in a matter of 30 minutes, and use it with his provider in Canada, Rogers. He was sending me messages from the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday, so it's still working as far as I know. Personally I'll never get another phone from any provider, exception being T-mobile, they unlocked my phone just like Jay said, called them up, and they unlocked it. I know will buy my own unlocked phones from places like Tiger-Direct.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top