Total Noob Asking for help.

[Art Mustel]

Hello. I am a total newbie on smartphones.
Today, I purchased a Blackberry 8830 world edition (Alltel) at a local rummage sale. I paid $20.00 for it, with the car charger and carrying pouch. After downloading the user's manual from the web I realized that this phone has not an smartcard. My question is (and please forgive my ignorance)...is there anything I can do with this phone? I purchased it on an impulse. OK, more questions...if I were to subscribe to one plan, it has to be an ALLTEL plan? Do I need to purchase a Sim card? Was it a good purchase, or I just wasted $20.00 in something that I won't be able to use?

Thanks for your patience and advice!!

[JeffH]

Assuming you are in North America, you can use your 8830 on CDMA carriers. Alltell is CDMA, so they will likely activate your 8830, assuming there is not a negative balance associated with the number and the phone hasn't been reported stolen. You won't need a SIM; CDMA doesn't use it. You cannot use an 8830, with or without a SIM, on any North American GSM carrier.

[Art Mustel]

Hi, JeffH. Yes, I'm in US.
Thanks a lot for your response.
Then, is Alltel the only company that would provide service to this phone?
I don't need a Sim card even if I want to subscribe to the Data or Internet service?

Thanks!

[sedalia066]

Verizon is CDMA I believe. ATT is GSM and cannot be used.

Once you activate the phone with a data plan you are good to go with internet service and all the other goodies the phone allows..

Edited.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[JeffH]

CDMA phones aren't unlockable in the same way GSM phones are, and CDMA carrier's won't necessarily activate a phone they didn't sell on their network. Since the phone you bought was an Alltel phone, they'll almost certainly activate it, assuming the conditions I gave above. Verizon might, since they now own most of Alltel. Sprint almost certainly won't. Depending on where you live, one of the smaller regional CDMA carriers might also activate it for you. You don't need a SIM card for any purpose. CDMA phones don't use them. The 8830 has the slot for a SIM card because it is a world phone and can be used on GSM frequencies outside North America.

Re the post above mine: T-Mobile is GSM and cannot be used.