Behind The Unlocked GSM Cell Phone Conspiracy
Why Aren't All GSM Cell Phones Easily Interchangeable?
What does 'unlocked cell phone' mean to you? For many, there are assumptions attached to what unlocked cell phones are and how they can benefit consumers. This article is a tell all revelation on the truth behind unlocked cell phones in North America. Many consumers are unaware that their GSM cell phones aren't interchangeable. You will find out what 'unlocked' really means, who's to blame, and ways to beat the issue. Be sure to visit our unlocked cell phone page to learn more about how you can save money on your next unlocked phone purchase.
If you do a quick search online for 'unlocked cell phones' you'll garner some basic information. Unlike CDMA phones where the phone remains 'locked' to the network you bought it for, GSM phones have an 'unlocking' ability. [CDMA phones can be unlocked, but it's even more complex thans GSM.] This means you can take your GSM phone to any compatible GSM network with ease. It also means switching cell phones or networks is a quick and painless process. All you need is a SIM card to freely roam between GSM phones and GSM networks. But hang on, it's not that simple.
The SIM Card
Each GSM network includes small Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards that fit into their cell phones. These chips contain information ranging from stored phone numbers and messages, to network information like your default phone number. Theoretically SIM cards are interchangeable to any GSM cell phone. However, buyers beware, although the SIM card functions in any GSM cell phone, each phone does not accept new SIM cards freely.
There Are Two Kinds of 'Unlocked'
SIM cards also contain network information. Why is this important? Well in North America cell phone manufacturers will lock GSM cell phones to specific networks. For example, if you have a GSM phone operating with Cingular, it won't be directly interchangeable with the T-Mobile network. Even if your contract ran out and you want to bring the phone over to a new network you won't be able to.
You see there are two kinds of unlocked. You CAN take any SIM card from any phone but only within a network. That means any Cingular phone will accept any Cingular SIM card and work flawlessly. The thing is, this doesn't help when you switch networks or buy a cell phone that was previously activated on different network.
There ARE, however, real unlocked cell phones. By real I mean cell phones that were made by the manufacturer without any 'locking' mechanisms in the hardware. You can purchase unlocked GSM cell phones from a number of dealers, however, ensure these are not network dealers but independent companies offering GSM phones. Only when the hardware of a GSM phone has not been locked by the manufacturer is it truly unlocked. Anything else is specific to the network.
So does this mean you're out of luck if you acquire a nice new phone but it has been 'locked' to a network that is not yours? It turns out there ARE methods to 'unlock' locked GSM cell phones, but don't tell your service provider :P
Service providers will play dumb and say there is no way to unlock your cell phone from its network. If you've tried it, putting a SIM card from network A into a phone from network B will render a locked phone. Message like 'insert subsidy code' may pop up. But fear not, there is a solution. To help us understand what needs to be done to beat locked GSM cell phones we asked David from UnlockingCanada for some tips and tricks.
- "Well first thing you need to understand is when GSM phones are manufactured, a unique set of codes are programmed into the phone at the factory and provided to the carriers at time of sale. Getting these codes is the key to truly unlocking a cell phone from a carrier.In some cases, the unlocking codes can be derived from a combination of the network and IMEI of a GSM phone. In this case 'code calculators' can be used to derive the correct unlocking codes, however, manufacturers often change their algorithm's and security. This means newer GSM cell phones often are more difficult to calculate codes for and some handsets have a "maximum" number of tries before unlocking can only be done via service cables.
Getting Rid of "Enter Subsidy Code" or "Contact Service Provider" Messages
Generally we unlock phones by entering in codes derived from our 'code calculators', or (most often) manually through service cables and software. For phones where the carrier unlocking codes (sometimes called 'subsidy codes') are unique, they must come through a carrier directly or from the manufacturer. For instance, due to recent regulatory changes in the US, many US carriers now offer unlocking codes for all of their handsets, or make codes available through third parties.
In some cases 'global' codes are available for handsets of particular manufacturers. Third-party users arrange access to the Motorola database for such global codes that work on their handsets from any network worldwide - but this is not usually the norm.
Carriers are allowed access to their own subsidy codes to unlock their own handsets (this would be their access-arrangement with Motorola), however, some carriers or companies pay extra for higher-level access to obtain a greater coverage of handsets for unlocking."
How to Get a Real Unlocked GSM Phone
Here are the results. Not ALL GSM cell phones are really 'unlocked'. Those bought with carriers are currently locked for that carrier. There is legislation in the US to prevent carriers from doing this, however, as it stands, North American GSM operators lock their phones. Consumers CAN unlock the 'locked GSM phones', (older phones are easier to do), via software and cable hook ups, or the quicker way, entering cell phone subsidy codes.
Here are a couple of firms that offer these unlocking services.
- UnlockingCanada.com - Prompt service and good rates.
- UnlocktoTalk - generally quick service; accept Paypal payments.
So pay attention next time you enlist for a GSM cell phone, especially when purchased on a carrier plan. You may be stuck with a phone that requires some maneuvering, however, now you know the best ways to get around the 'unlocked' dilemma.
Technorati Tags: unlocked cell phones, unlocked phones, unlocked gsm phones, unlocked gsm cell phones, subsidy codes, cell phone subsidy codes
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February 21st, 2007 at 10:41 pm
David actually informed us he accepts Paypal as well. Thanks!
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:19 am
Note that in Europe, at least in Finland where I have family, pretty much all phones are 'unlocked' and can be freely used with any provider, whether monthly or prepaid, simply by changing the SIM. It's only in the completely corporate controlled and compliant USA where people put up with phones being locked as the "normal" way of doing business.
Also, the USA model of single-provider, fixed-length (usually at least one year minimum) contracts with fixed minute amounts, use-it-or-lose-it minutes, and stiff penalites and/or per-minute charges for overtime etc. only exists because people put up with it in the USA. In Finland and elsewhere in Europe, cell phones pay a fixed or variable per-minute rate (usually quite cheap compared to per-minute cell rates in the USA) and get a monthly bill with no lengthy contract requirements. You don't like the service or the rate, you switch at will.
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Yes that is correct, in Europe all GSM phones arrive unlocked. North America, as I said in the article, is behind the game. IN a couple of years things will change I'm sure.
June 30th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I have access to a Cingular Blackberry 8700c provided by my company. This Blackberry restricts all calls except for emergencoes. I just recently purchased a 7290 from ebay for personal use. The phone worked fine when a inserted a SIM card from another cell phone.
I wanted to download my address book from the 8700 to the 7290 so I used the Blackberry Desktop Manager to do the down load. The download went jsut fine, but when I fisnished, I noticed that the IT policy from my 8700 had been downloaded to my 7290. The IT policy restricts calls, imposes password restrictions and aging, and several other things that I don't want on my 7290. I tried doing a "wipe clean", which is suppose to take the phone back to a default mode, but the IT policy was still there. Cingular/AT&T says there is nothing they can do. Do you know of anyway to remove the IT policy from my phone?
June 30th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Maybe some sort of light flash of the harddrive... I do'nt know how to do that nor am I certain it won't harm the device, but you have to wipe that hardddrive clean..... at least for all the software add ons.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:32 am
[...] Motorola Razr Gold (unlocked). Rumored Gucci cell phone. … DiscussWireless is offering a series of cell phone reviews that take the form of a personal … Read more [...]
August 21st, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I recently purchased an unlocked phone and it works fine except for getting on MediaNet and sending text messages. Can anyone tell me or direct me to somewhere on how to program the phone?
August 24th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Any warning messages about passwords or such?
August 28th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Given UNLOCKED has a few definitions, it omits the New AT&T Mobility plan to obsolete one vintage ("Blue") Old-ATT, e.g. My Nokia 6800 2band GSM (2.0 or 2.5G) phone, to Cingular Wireless to New-ATT phones. YUP, we got my ATT Mobility tech buddy to try his NEW-3G SIM in my Nokia (unlocked, does T-Mo and CWPanama just fine) 6800 which demanded a code which ATT-800 says means my phone is not GSM-enough (m/b 3G..). SO choices, lose ATT-Mobility soon as they kill my phone/SIM, BUY a NEW 2 Year Contract, spend many hours loading up a NEW $300 to $750 camera free phone. US EPA must love the multi-million phone dumping campaign. [Yeah, try to find a 3G / 3GPP / UMTS / UMA Camera Free phone, unlocked, ATT-Mobility proof].
September 1st, 2007 at 8:09 pm
So I have a motorola razor with cingular and just bought and unlocked sony ericsson s500i. My SIM card wont fit in the sony though...the corner that is cut at an angle is on the wrong side...my SIM card is a 64k smart chip...any advice?
September 2nd, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Well so long as the chip parts are in contact you could just trim the plastic. Of course, I'd search and ensure the S500i was design for your SIM in the first place.
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
I am so confused and am REALLY hoping you can clarify things for me. I have the old AT&T wireless plan with a blue SIM card. My husband does not want to 'upgrade' to a new phone with a new plan which costs more for less service.
So will my blue SIM work in ANY GSM unlocked phone...or are there exceptions? I know there is some problem with the old kind of GSM and AT&T's new kind of GSM...but it's all greek to me.
I hoped when i saw your note I would finally understand...but my brain still doesn't get it. thanks, sally
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
You'd have to get one and try it out. What you suggest is theoretically what you do. If you can get one that's been unlocked then you just have to port over the SIM card. Some GSM phones, as the article says, are 'locked' to the specific network. This can usually be easily remedied but it's just another step to 'unlock'.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
In our neighborhood (Bklyn NY) an additional fee is charged to "unlock the phone"...these phones are bought to use in the Caribbean Islands i.e. Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti etc. how great is this ?
October 15th, 2007 at 7:14 am
i have recently purchased a samsung p310 model phone,unlocked. i have a contract with cngular and it worked fine until the week that cingular merged with at&T...now i have a $ 500 phone that don't work...the phone is not finding the network..i bought a cheap pay as you go phone..inserted the sim card,and it worked fine why?...any ideas.
October 28th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I have a motorola razr (farely new) that I hope to unlock. I've been with AT&T for a few years and moved to an area that has NO AT&T service. I went to a Verizon store where I they sell the same phone I currently have (Verizon is the only cell service that works here), and the saleswoman told me I couldn't buy a sim from Verizon for my Razr since Verizon doesn't use sim cards...is this true? and if so, then what does Verizon use and would whatever they use work in my phone if I can unlock it? thanks!
October 29th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
ATT works on the GSM network; Verizon works on the CDMA network. To completely different kinds of hardware. So they are not compatible. You'd have to find another GSM network like Tmobile.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Real unlock phones i purchased my nokia n95 from www.selectgsm.com
There phones are unlocked and never been locked to any specific network, I would strongly recommend them to anyone looking for unlocked phone.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I use the wireless company called US Cellular. I need a new phone, but my contract isn't up for another year. The price of a replacement phone thru my carrier is regular prices, around $500. I checked on the unlocked phones, which I can purchase over the net @ a cheaper price, but my carrier states that I can't use any other phones but theirs. Is this true?
December 16th, 2007 at 9:50 am
ive found an lg ke600 unlocked cellphone @ bargainoffers.com. i just want to know if i buy it, would i be able to put my cingular card in the new lg ke600 and if it fits would everything be the same as i have it in my old phone.
December 26th, 2007 at 11:55 am
what about using the new razor phone with cingular? I'm not if cingular supports the new razor phones?
January 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Yes, i purchased my N82 from that site, selectgsm.com i received my phone in 3days and there customer service was outstanding, some websites wouldn't even answer there live chat, the people behind selectgsm are always there to help i would recommand.