Unlocked Storm on ATT?

[kennybroh]

OK, here's my situation. I have had AT&T Blackberries since the first one. One reason I've stuck with AT&T is I got a charter plan of unlimited voice for $99. I use over 5,000 minutes per month so that means a lot to me.

For years AT&T refused to let me upgrade to new devices without giving up that plan, so I have purchased unlocked phones for many years to preserve my plan. My latest is a Curve, which no longer charges the battery through its USB port, so I need to get a new phone.

Now AT&T offers a $99 unlimited voice plan for new phones, so when the Bold comes out it seems like a no-brainer to upgrade. Here's the question:

I briefly flirted with an iPhone and loved it... except I took it back because the keyboard sucked and wouldn't rotate to a landscape orientation, didn't support Bluetooth stereo headsets, and you couldn't cut, copy & paste. Those problems still exist.

But otherwise, it was so cool that I wanted to love it. Well, the Storm seems to have it all, at least based on what I know now.

So am wrestling with two options:

1. Upgrade my AT&T service to a Bold and renew my contract with a $99 unlimimted plan and if I really prefer the Storm, wait a little while and buy an unlocked device and use it with my AT&T plan; or

2. Continue to limp along swapping batteries on my Curve until the Storm comes out, and then switch to Verizon assuming they have a comparable plan.

So, my questions are these: will I be able to use an unlocked Storm on AT&T? Does Verizon have a $99 unlimited plan? Is Verizon's service stronger than AT&T and is their high speed network as good/better?

I'm sure many of these issues have been discussed before, but I haven't seen any posts raising the issue quite this way.

Thanks for your input.

[Garz]

Its not gonna happen. The Storm is a CDMA device and At&t is a GSM network.

[jimmers]

Also, as far as your idea of possibly switching to Verizon--check with others in your area where you'll be using your phone that already have Verizon. If the coverage isn't as good as you have now I wouldn't switch. Each carriers signal strength varies in different parts of the country.

[kennybroh]

OK, so that answers the question about whether I can use the Storm on AT&T. What about the other questions, do I want to wait and switch?

[kennybroh]

In answer to Jimmers, I travel a fair amount, so am more interested in the overall quality and speed of the network. For example, I travel the DC-NY Amtrak route very often, and AT&T drops very often. Does Verizon as well?

[solxsurfer]

Originally Posted by kennybroh

OK, so that answers the question about whether I can use the Storm on AT&T. What about the other questions, do I want to wait and switch?

Well, Verizon has as plan at $79.99 for 450 minutes. They don't have a unlimited $99.00 if that helps you answer your other question.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Originally Posted by kennybroh

OK, so that answers the question about whether I can use the Storm on AT&T. What about the other questions, do I want to wait and switch?

Ok, first off, don't pay attention to any of the previous posts. They are incorrect. The 95xx is a hybrid device, and very few people know what kind of radio is inside. I'm not going to tell you though. What I will tell you is the Thunder which is the 9500 is a GSM device, and if you buy one and unlock it, you can use it on AT&T. SO theres no need for you to switch. I'm not going to get into the "exclusive" with Verizon. But, the Thunder is going to Rogers, therefore you can use it on AT&T.

[blackberry9999]

That's what I wanted to hear!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kennybroh]

Its what I wanted to hear too. Thanks for the accurate info...

[dknyberry]

Why don't you just buy a battery charging pod for your Curve, so that you can just rest it in the docking pod, and therefore not have to charge it thru the USB port, and not have to worry about changing phones for a while?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[oakie]

Originally Posted by kennybroh

will I be able to use an unlocked Storm on AT&T? Does Verizon have a $99 unlimited plan? Is Verizon's service stronger than AT&T and is their high speed network as good/better?

Originally Posted by Garz

Its not gonna happen. The Storm is a CDMA device and At&t is a GSM network.

mostly incorrect.

the Storm is a CDMA device, but it is a dual mode world phone. it will have a 4 band GSM radio included with SIM.

your questions in order: yes, yes, depends on your area, theoretically yes.

[kyriefurro]

Originally Posted by oakie

the Storm is a CDMA device, but it is a dual mode world phone. it will have a 4 band GSM radio included with SIM.

Maybe.

But if they make this like they did the 8830 WE, then the only GSM frequencies that it supports are the ones used in Europe and Asia. It won't work on US/Canadian GSM networks.

[kazmi]

^^ read the marketing leaflet - "quad band support"

I remember reading somewhere that it will roam on GSM 3G networks here in the US where VZW might not get a signal (like that is a possibility!)....now the probability is that VZW will not let you unlock it for use on GSM networks OR if they disable band selection functionality?

[oakie]

Originally Posted by kyriefurro

Maybe.

But if they make this like they did the 8830 WE, then the only GSM frequencies that it supports are the ones used in Europe and Asia. It won't work on US/Canadian GSM networks.

read the box. photos of the box have already been released.

[kyriefurro]

Originally Posted by oakie

read the box. photos of the box have already been released.

I'm looking at the box right now. I'm not seeing anywhere on it that specifies what frequency the GSM reciever will pick up. I'm not denying that it can connect to a GSM network, but the networks in Europe and Asia use a different frequency than the one used in the US and Canada.