[bustap949]

I have the 8830 and I was a previous Nextel customer. I took out my iDEN SIM and put it in the 8830 in the GSM slot and it worked! So I have two PTNs going to one device.

My friends tried the same thing and it wont work. It reads the SIM but it wont accept calls. I am thinking I just got an unlocked phone sent to me.

Anyone know how to unlock the GSM part of the phone?

[BlondeBoyL]

I have the 8830 and I was a previous Nextel customer. I took out my iDEN SIM and put it in the 8830 in the GSM slot and it worked! So I have two PTNs going to one device.

My friends tried the same thing and it wont work. It reads the SIM but it wont accept calls. I am thinking I just got an unlocked phone sent to me.

Anyone know how to unlock the GSM part of the phone?

It wont work. Nextel uses Iden which is not compatible with CDMA. With the Iden sim in there your phone is looking for an 850mhz IDEN network but wont find it because 1.) Iden is not compatible with CDMA (as I stated before), 2, The GSM portion of the phone ONLY works on international Frequencies (800/1800mhz) - **This is been discussed numerous times** and 3.) CDMA in the states does NOT use any form of sim cards. Of you want an 8830 you have to get it activated on the sprint side.

[bustap949]

Maybe you didnt read my posting correctly...I already have an 8830 and it works with the SIM. I know IDEN doesnt work with CDMA but the 8830 is a WE dual band phone. Also, A SIM is a SIM. What matters is the Network its functioning on not the caerd itself. When I use the phone its operating on CDMA, but since it is dual-band (CDMA/GSM) the GSM side can be unlocked. So...an IDEN SIM will work regardless because all its doing is reading the info off of it. The phone is what uses the network not the SIM.

SO back to my original question, how do I unlock the GSM band of my phone?

Please answer me only if you know what you are talking about.

[droptop66]

dual band does mean it will work on both cdma and gsm. dual band means it will operate on both the 800mhz and 1900mhz frequencies. cdma and gsm are two very different technologies. also the sim card works with the gsm network only. it will not operate on the cdma. there is no phone that can operate on both services at the same time. so to answer your question if you are currently with a provider that uses cdma technology you can not "unlock" it to use the gsm service because you have no network for the SIM card to connect to. you would essentially have to have service from two carriers. one cdma and one gsm. which of course is impossible

[BlondeBoyL]

Maybe you didnt read my posting correctly...I already have an 8830 and it works with the SIM. I know IDEN doesnt work with CDMA but the 8830 is a WE dual band phone. Also, A SIM is a SIM. What matters is the Network its functioning on not the caerd itself. When I use the phone its operating on CDMA, but since it is dual-band (CDMA/GSM) the GSM side can be unlocked. So...an IDEN SIM will work regardless because all its doing is reading the info off of it. The phone is what uses the network not the SIM.

SO back to my original question, how do I unlock the GSM band of my phone?

Please answer me only if you know what you are talking about.

I could go into great detail on how WRONG you are and flame you for days bro, But being the person I am I will take the high road today so I will just say this... Go wikipedia the topic. What your saying is the equivalent of saying a nextel sim will work on ATT or Tmo or vice versa if the phones are unlocked.

Oh yeah one important note... The print 8830's come from the factory unlocked....

[bustap949]

ahhhh so thats why mine worked. Here is what I dont understand though...if you guys are telling me that it wont work with my iDEN SIM, and I am saying it IS working, I mean literally right now I am receiving calls from my iDEN PTN via SIM on the same handset, then...??? what gives?! My phone is the anomole?

[droptop66]

no most likely what is happening is the phone is reading your sim and taking the information on it. (your contacts and what not) it is not actually operating on the sim card. that would require it to connect with a GSM network. your calls and other data features are operating off of the sprint CDMA network. kinda nice tho that all your contacts can be switched from your old phone to the new one tho via the SIM card.

[sniffs]

Isn't there 2 GSM frequencies, 800mhz-1800mhz and 850mhz-1900mhz?

I think the 8830 will only work on the 800-1800mhz, whereas most American GSM companies use 850-1900.

I tried putting my ATT sim chip which works on my 8800, into the my 8830 and it doesn't work.. reads contacts, but that's it.

[BlondeBoyL]

Isn't there 2 GSM frequencies, 800mhz-1800mhz and 850mhz-1900mhz?

I think the 8830 will only work on the 800-1800mhz, whereas most American GSM companies use 850-1900.

I tried putting my ATT sim chip which works on my 8800, into the my 8830 and it doesn't work.. reads contacts, but that's it.

Yeppers! You are 100% correct Sniffs. The 8830's only come with international GSM frequencies so you cant take the phone to a US GSM carrier. It would be nice to have a universal phone that does US GSM Frequencies and US CDMA frequencies but alas the telecom industry will never make it that simple for us.

[droptop66]

to get the full scoop on how all the different networks and systems operate check this site out.

Howstuffworks "How Cell Phones Work"