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I suspect this questions may have been answered somewhere, but I need to know soon so I can purchase a new phone, if needed. I have the 8350i w/Sprint-Nextel. Can I unlock this model? I've had it with Sprint-Nextel -- won't even bother to go into the long-standing issues with them...
Also, once a Blackberry is unlocked, can I go with a pre-pay plan such as Straight Talk, TracPhone, etc., and will they (or an alternate, reliable company) accept that I have the phone and #, and just need to register and purchase phone time?
Hope these questions make sense. Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks in advance!
03-22-12 05:44 PM - If you want to use your 8350i (which most definitely does have a SIM card) with a prepaid service, use Boost.I suspect this questions may have been answered somewhere, but I need to know soon so I can purchase a new phone, if needed. I have the 8350i w/Sprint-Nextel. Can I unlock this model? I've had it with Sprint-Nextel -- won't even bother to go into the long-standing issues with them...
Also, once a Blackberry is unlocked, can I go with a pre-pay plan such as Straight Talk, TracPhone, etc., and will they (or an alternate, reliable company) accept that I have the phone and #, and just need to register and purchase phone time?
Hope these questions make sense. Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks in advance!
I was with Nextel/Sprint for 12 years. It was costing me over $100 a month to use my 8350i. Then I found out that Boost was an IDEN network. Their plan was unlimited for $50 per month. Same phone, same network... Ironically, Sprint owns Boost also!!
"Nextel" couldn't understand why I wouldn't continue to pay them the $100 a month WITH A CONTRACT, instead of paying "Boost" $50 a month WITHOUT a contract. DUH. And once they ("Boost") started the "Unlimited with Shrinkage" Plan, I am now down to paying $35 a month for unlimited everything, including data. And yes, I have MMS (SMS), internet, GPS, all of it.... :-)
You just need some simple instructions and the correct Service Books. You can get them at that online auction site that starts with an "e" and rhymes with "day"... Don't know if I can type it out here. Prices are from $3 to a ridiculous amount. I wouldn't recommend using anyone with no/low/poor feedback, or one of those people that wants you to send them your phone. You may not get it back. And trust me, you CAN do it yourself. Very easy. Like "BoostBerry for Dummies". LOLLast edited by drsult; 03-31-12 at 06:42 AM.
03-31-12 06:17 AM - Hi and thanks very much for your feedback and insight. I just checked the Boost coverage map, and for the IDEN, it is fair/good in my immediate locale, and excellent in an area not too far away because we know there is a tower. I am actually researching new phones and sim cards with Straight Talk, and just received your reply.
I'm a bit concerned if what SwitchBeach posted earlier - "Actually, there probably is a SIM card slot, but that device is an iDEN device. It will only work on the Nextel iDEN network (which I believe is being shut down by Sprint)."
Is there any more information about the IDEN network being shut down, and if so, when? Guess I could Google this to see what comes up. It might buy me some time as I like my BlackBerry 8350i, but if the network is going to shut down soon, then I'm not sure.
I'll see what I can find on this, and if it's going to be around for awhile, then I can unlock it and work with Boost Mobile. Thanks again for your detailed reply!
03-31-12 01:27 PM
