[LingWind]

Has any tired to flash the unlocked rom on an AT&T variant Priv?
I am planning on get an AT&T Priv since they are a lot cheaper on eBay, get a network unlock code and use it as a GSM unlocked Priv. Can I still get the OTA updates if I am not using an AT&T sim?

Thanks Guys!

[kthanhpn]

I've done this.

1) No, you can't get OTA updates if you are not using an AT&T sim. There are workarounds (re-flash OS using the BB utility). You can find that by googling "Crackberry How to reload the OS on your BlackBerry Priv" (I can't post links here because I'm a new member).

Currently BB posts up the most up-to-date AT&T push (Feb 2016), but you lose most of your theme settings if you reflash the OS. Some apps data are uploaded to the cloud and redownloaded.
Another workaround is to buy a ATT Go sim for $.30/month or to borrow a friend's ATT sim.

2) You cannot flash unlocked ROM onto an ATT Priv. The secure kernel/bootloader prevents it. I tried.

[Priv1]

I don't get it, how will an OS flash get around the problem? Its AT&T's firmware that's the issue and the fact that they have not release MM update.

[ToniCipriani]

I don't get it, how will an OS flash get around the problem? Its AT&T's firmware that's the issue and the fact that they have not release MM update.

I think the idea was to flash the factory unlocked autoloader to try to convert the unit. After all the hardware is identical, it's a software bootloader restriction likely.

[tickerguy]

The autoloader checks and will refuse to load. You can bypass that check by editing the autoexec file, but beware -- while you can force the load (just as you can with "cap" on BB10!) if you do it you'll brick the device.

[jt12321]

I put the phone in flashboot, edited the script, specifically, I removed the following:

if not "%devname%" == "" (
GOTO ERRORMSG
)

The phone secure-erased, then came back into flashboot, the no-carrier firmware loaded into the AT&T phone without issue. The screen went dark for a sec and then it just returned to flashboot (when it should have rebooted, as it did when I loaded up the correct AT&T firmware previously). I tried selecting every option from the flashboot menu (reboot, shutdown, barcode, etc.) No way out of flashboot. So I then loaded the AT&T firmware again, it rebooted, and am now restoring the latest backup. *sigh*

So in conclusion, hacking the script to install the non-AT&T firmware doesn't brick the phone, but it does jam you in flashboot. I suppose I could have tried waiting for the battery to die, at which point it probably would be bricked, which would be worse than having to disable all the AT&T bloatware, again.

I should have spent the extra $$ to get an proper no-carrier phone