[nutpickle]

Hello,

I recently purchased an unlocked BlackBerry Tour from the United States and have a question:

1) I currently have a contract with Bell Canada and would like to change my handset to the BB Tour I purchased. The lady at Bell said she needed my ESN number, and so I am wondering if giving her this number, will my phone be 'locked' to the Bell network? As well, will this prevent me from switching to Rogers when my contract ends?

2) Since the Tour is capable of accepting SIM cards, will I still be able to switch to any GSM network when I travel to the United States from Canada by purchasing a pre-paid SIM card before I go, despite being under contract with Bell?

I would greatly appreciate any responses to my inquiries.

Thank You.

[N2Shift]

Just to clear things up.

If you bought a Tour from any other provider than Bell, then you WILL NOT be able to activate it with Bell.

The "Unlocked" Tour you bought means it's unlocked to be used on any other GSM network in the world. Unfortunately the CDMA radio cannot really be locked / unlocked.

Each carrier has a list of ESN numbers that belong to to them and will not activate foreign handsets (originating from other carriers). for example: you cannot use Telus handsets on Bell and vice-versa.

You can, however, use your Tour on Rogers (GSM) as long as you get a BlackBerry data plan.

[nutpickle]

Since this phone is a Sprint phone, when I travel to the US do I just speak to an authorized Sprint Dealer and have them activate it? All I would want is phone services (i.e., no Data plan), so can I just pre-pay them $10.00 or whatever amount and have them activate my phone?

Then, when coming back to Canada, do I just insert my SIM card from Rogers and I am back on the plan I started with them? Or how does it work?

Lastly, will I be getting 3G service on Rogers/any GSM carrier world-wide?

[N2Shift]

You can activate the Sprint phone on Sprint in the US no problem. If they have prepaid service, the I think you should be able to do thath.

In Canada you will have to use it on Rogers / Fido. The only problem is that it WILL NOT be 3G. The Tour can only run on EDGE with GSM, which is 2G.

For 3G speeds you will need to use it on a CDMA network.

[nutpickle]

Are BlackBerry SIM cards any different from other phones? For example, if I insert a SIM card used in the United Kingdom in a flip-phone and on the Orange network (GSM) into my BlackBerry Tour when I travel to the UK, will the phone still work?

[N2Shift]

The Tour, if unlocked will work on any GSM carrier.

Bell is a CDMA provider and does not use SIM cards.

Since the Tour is designed as a world phone and is intended to use CDMA as its primary network, it has a 3G CDMA radio and a 2G GSM radio for roaming.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[nutpickle]

If the Tour has a 2G GSM radio for roaming, then why does BlackBerry's website state that the Tour is a "fully-functional World Phone that supports global roaming on 3G networks?"

[416MASSIVE]

If the Tour has a 3G GSM radio for roaming, then why does BlackBerry's website state that the Tour is a "fully-functional World Phone that supports global roaming on 3G networks?"

If you look closely on the BlackBerry site, you should see an asterisk that states "provided the carrier isn't an evil money grubbing corporation that is notorious for crippling it's handsets in order to force you to pay for said preloaded apps/features

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[nutpickle]

Also, the person I bought the phone from on eBay stipulated that the phone is "unlocked for international GSM carriers, but will only work with Sprint in the USA." How is this possible? If the phone is truly unlocked, it should work on ANY GSM network, regardless of location. Please advise.

[GG1]

i would say run from Bell . Ive been with them since 1987. I am now looking for a way out.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[nutpickle]

Yes, so then I should be able to use the phone on T-Mobile or AT&T in the US because they are GSM networks.

[nutpickle]

Also, each time you insert a different SIM card from a different provider, you get a new phone number, I assume, right?

[midknight#CB]

since the phone is unlocked... you can use any sim from any provider in the world. the phone is capable of 2g edge in north america and 3g hspa in the european bands. on the cdma side though like has already been discussed it will only be activiated on whatever carrier it was originally branded for. a sim card is a sim card.. so any pay as you go sim would be fine and yes every sime would have its own phone number attached to it.

[N2Shift]

Sprint doesn't have prepaid service. You will not be able to activate it with them unless you sign a contract. OP you really should have asked these questions BEFORE you bought the Tour. You will not be able to activate it with any other CDMA provider except Sprint. Period.

You can use it on any GSM provider. I believe you will be able to get 3G speeds anywhere but in the U.S.

I'm pretty sure the Tour only supports 2G on North American GSM networks. It does, however, support HSPA on European carriers.

[nutpickle]

I fail to understand why the Tour, which has been unlocked to work on GSM networks, cannot work on any GSM network inside the USA. What is the purpose of calling it an 'unlocked' phone if it works only on international GSM carriers, but not on ones within the US? Is this done on purpose by Sprint? I frequently travel to the US and cannot afford to sign a contract with Sprint. What are my options? Please advise.

[cklasse]

Let me clear this up. Bell won't activate the phone on your account IF YOU LET THEM KNOW IT IS A SPRINT PHONE. You can get it on your account if you get the MSL code, and NOT TELL THEM. I have done it numerous times, putting Sprint and Verizon phones onto mine and other peoples Bell accounts. It is possible if you go about it the right way.

Your other alternative is to Unlock the GSM and sell the phone locally to a Rogers or Fido user, or GSM in the US, or to sell it on eBay to a Sprint user.

If you are interested, I picked up two Bell Tours today myself. One of which is already sold and the other will not last long (I already have one myself). If you are interested or would like some more info on the Bell network, send me an email. I would be glad to help a fellow Bell individual. andybrydon @ gmail.com

Cheers,

[nutpickle]

Say I do what you are saying, then does Bell put their own lock on the phone on the CDMA side, thereby preventing me from using it on Sprint back in the USA? (hypothetical situation)

I have read in other posts that I would go about obtaining this code by calling Sprint and giving them my ESN number, but I have also read that they won't do this, and if they do, it will cost. So, I am unsure if this is really a wise option as I believe I run the risk of damaging the phone's software.

[cklasse]

You can try to get it from Sprint. I have done it in the past, it all depends on the rep you speak to. One rep wouldn't give me it one time, so I quoted the class action lawesuit that was going on at the time regarding holding the MSL codes for their phones and they gave it to me.

On the other hand, you can search the forums for 'Storm gps fix' and it will show you how to go about getting the MSL code for your Tour on your own.

All the best!

[cklasse]

In regards to going back to the USA, Bell does not lock the phone. All the carriers do to 'lock' the devices is that they have the MSL codes and will not give them out (most of the time). it is quite hard to get the MSL code from them, but can be done.

If you are looking to go back and forth across the North America often, you would be best to go with the Sprint North America plan. Otherwise, if spend most of your time in either country, sign up with that carrier (i.e. Bell) and when you go to the U.S.A. unlock the GSM and pop in a local SIM card. It all depends on your personal usage to determine what is best for you.

[nutpickle]

Before I continue with talking about Bell, I must first ask you something.

As I've stated previously, the party I bought the Tour from on eBay stipulated that the phone will only work on Sprint in the US, which does not make sense to me because seeing as how as I bought the phone unlocked, it should work on ANY GSM network, i.e. T-Mobile and AT&T. That is what I want to do--use the phone primarily in Canada, but when I do travel to the USA (only about 3 times/yr), I want to be able to insert AT&T or T-Mobile's SIM Card and have the phone work, seeing as how I bought it unlocked in the first place. Unless Sprint issues the phone "unlocked," but only available to INTERNATIONAL GSM carriers so that they don't have to compete with their GSM counterparts in the US.

And once I obtain the MSL code, how would I go about activating my Tour on my current contract with Bell? I only have a year left, but want to switch my current non-smartphone handset for the Tour I just bought.

I realize there are several threads pertaining to my same problem, and while I have spent many hours searching for the appropriate thread, I realize that many people have their own specific issues with responses pertaining to their problems. Since my phone is new, I do not want to do anything that will wreck it. The "Storm gps fix" thread appears to have steps for the Storm only.

All of your help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[N2Shift]

Dude. Your Tour will only work on the Sprint CDMA network (that's what the seller is saying).

Since it is UNLOCKED (if it has been, in fact, unlocked) on GSM then it will work on any other GSM network in the world (AT&T, Vodafone, Rogers, etc).

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[nutpickle]

I understand, but from what I have been told, you can unlock the CDMA side by obtaining the MSL code, which is why I am wondering how I go about doing this.

[LawP]

I understand, but from what I have been told, you can unlock the CDMA side by obtaining the MSL code, which is why I am wondering how I go about doing this.

You basically have to lie cheat and steal your way to a MSL code, they do not give them out 99% of the time. And you again can't unlock CDMA. If by some skill of your "silver" tongue you get a MSL code you can activate it on a CDMA service. I would google MSL code and search, find and study, then get your story straight and make a attempt at a tech support personnel.