1. cmjeanphilippe's Avatar
    Ok, i'm obviously a noob to this site as a user but yet i've been here millions of times before, but anyways i keep hearing all this stuff about Sprint's version of the 8830 being "already unlocked", but yet i don't think anyone really defined in what sense that blackberry is unlocked...i myself went over to Sprint for a short amount of time last month specifically for the Blackberry 8830 and the sound of the phone itself being unlocked was extreamly appealing if anything but yet i don't think thats the case....i went ahead and tested this theory and took my wife's sim card (AT&T) and put it into the blackberry and to my surprise, it worked, but yet Sprint's Customer Service was so poor that i went ahead and switched over to AT&T and because of the initial test i had done with my wife's sim in my blackberry i automatically assumed that the phone would be fine......well to my surprise the AT&T sim card wouldn't work in the blackberry at all......i called AT&T and the tech reps said that they couldn't even pull up the phone on their network at all, it was as if the phone were invisible....so my question through all of this is........IS SPRINT'S BB TRUELY UNLOCKED? I mean i know i can use the phone in other countries, which im easily able to do with my curve by the way (with no unlocking or anything, it came as is) but is the Sprint BB able to be used on the U.S. GSM Network? If it is then WHERE IN THE World CAN I GET AN UNLOCK FOR THE U.S.?!?!?!? Or is it only capable of picking up foreign GSM/GPRS Networks?
    Last edited by CrackBerry Kevin; 09-06-07 at 07:30 PM. Reason: inappropriate language, member contacted
    09-06-07 06:19 PM
  2. eduardjm@usc.edu's Avatar
    Although its apparent you didn't really read through the unlocking sticky, here's the deal in a nutshell; No, your BB 8830 from Sprint cannot be unlocked for use in the US. Sprint is CMDA, thus their phones are not compatible with AT&T.

    The only other network you can use your BB on in the US is Verizon, however VZW sells their own 8830, so there's really no point, unless you really want Sprint's themes and dont want to edit anything on the phone's settings.
    09-06-07 07:07 PM
  3. rdj's Avatar
    From what I've gathered, the Sprint's 8830 is "unlocked" for GSM only in other countries. (Does anyone know if that includes Mexico or Canada?)

    Despite the GSM radio capability, this phone does not seem able to roam on domestic GSM networks, which is what several Sprint reps (store and CSR) had told me. I do not have a problem with Sprint limiting these phones in that way. I would do everything I could to keep people from using a Sprint phone on AT&T with a mere SIM card swap, too, if I were Sprint.

    It is good to know that I should be able to use a third-party SIM as an alternative to being locked into Sprint's plans for overseas use, however, or being forced -- as a friend of mine is -- to buy hacked/unlocked phones for other carriers off eBay in order to accomplish that with other carriers.

    -^-rdj-^-

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    09-07-07 01:38 PM
  4. gt5l's Avatar
    all right people here we go one more time, the 8830 will NOT work with ANY USA GSM carrier, will not, will not, will not. No matter what you do it will not work with USA GSM carriers, simply because the radio is not designed to receive frequencies from US carriers. On the other hand, the 8830 will work with GSM carriers outside the US, OUTSIDE THE U.S. Check with Sprint and VZW before you hit the road just in case.
    09-08-07 07:02 PM
  5. livspop's Avatar
    Ok, i'm obviously a noob to this site as a user but yet i've been here millions of times before, but anyways i keep hearing all this stuff about Sprint's version of the 8830 being "already unlocked", but yet i don't think anyone really defined in what sense that blackberry is unlocked...i myself went over to Sprint for a short amount of time last month specifically for the Blackberry 8830 and the sound of the phone itself being unlocked was extreamly appealing if anything but yet i don't think thats the case....i went ahead and tested this theory and took my wife's sim card (AT&T) and put it into the blackberry and to my surprise, it worked, but yet Sprint's Customer Service was so poor that i went ahead and switched over to AT&T and because of the initial test i had done with my wife's sim in my blackberry i automatically assumed that the phone would be fine......well to my surprise the AT&T sim card wouldn't work in the blackberry at all......i called AT&T and the tech reps said that they couldn't even pull up the phone on their network at all, it was as if the phone were invisible....so my question through all of this is........IS SPRINT'S BB TRUELY UNLOCKED? I mean i know i can use the phone in other countries, which im easily able to do with my curve by the way (with no unlocking or anything, it came as is) but is the Sprint BB able to be used on the U.S. GSM Network? If it is then WHERE IN THE World CAN I GET AN UNLOCK FOR THE U.S.?!?!?!? Or is it only capable of picking up foreign GSM/GPRS Networks?

    Amazing. Five minutes on this forum or any other would have saved this person a lot of time and trouble.....
    09-09-07 01:44 PM
  6. bubbatex's Avatar
    I agree - I come here about once/twice a week, don't even have a BB yet and I know the answer to this. It is everywhere. If you want a GSM phone - go buy a GSM BB!

    And oh, another one - even though Sprint and VZW are CDMA, you will NEVER get one of them to activate the other's phone.
    09-09-07 08:08 PM
  7. xandroscracker's Avatar
    Im trying to find some help on how to unlock the CDMA, or if i even need to, on a sprint blackberry 8830 for use on verizons CDMA network? if anyone knows please let me know i like the look of the sprint version better than the verizon version so i am lookin at that phone, but i use verizon as my service provider.
    09-18-07 11:25 PM
  8. bubbatex's Avatar
    Im trying to find some help on how to unlock the CDMA, or if i even need to, on a sprint blackberry 8830 for use on verizons CDMA network? if anyone knows please let me know i like the look of the sprint version better than the verizon version so i am lookin at that phone, but i use verizon as my service provider.
    Did you read my post right above yours? Can not and WILL not be done. You have to buy the Verizon 8830 or switch carriers.
    09-19-07 06:54 AM
  9. Sniperet's Avatar
    Im trying to find some help on how to unlock the CDMA, or if i even need to, on a sprint blackberry 8830 for use on verizons CDMA network? if anyone knows please let me know i like the look of the sprint version better than the verizon version so i am lookin at that phone, but i use verizon as my service provider.
    It is not an unlocking issue it is an issue with Verizon not activating any phone on their system that they didn't sell you. If the phone is not in Verizon's database then they will not provide service for it.
    09-19-07 09:16 AM
  10. cangritec's Avatar
    Hi guys i'm a noob in crackberry but it's possible to unlock a centennial wireless blackberry 8830 from Puerto Rico to use it with At&t's gsm network? i have all the instructions to unlock it but i don't have the code to unlock it. i hope you can help me thank you in advance.
    07-17-08 06:43 PM
  11. neal_517's Avatar
    I want to unlock my sprint blackberry 8830
    09-06-08 08:51 PM
  12. neal_517's Avatar
    Please help me to unlocking my Sprint blackberry 8830.

    MFG:blackberry
    Provider:sprint
    IMEI:355771.01.818550.0
    Please send me unlocking code if anyone can as soon as fast...Thanx....
    09-06-08 08:53 PM
  13. jeffh's Avatar
    For what purpose? To recap the posts above, the GSM side of the 8830 won't work in the US. The CDMA side could work with Verizon, but Verizon sells the 8830 as well and has no reason to allow you to buy your phone from Sprint and use it on their network.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    09-06-08 08:59 PM
  14. rudster's Avatar
    i cant wait till tmobile starts useing better service
    09-08-08 01:23 PM
  15. wikes82's Avatar
    BB 8830 only works in 900Mhz and 1800 Mhz frequency...
    it is not a quad band GSM, and it doesn't works in North America

    North America uses GSM-850 and GSM-1900

    more info about GSM bands GSM frequency bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The CDMA radio will work in other CDMA carriers in the US, if you know how to flash the PRL,...
    09-08-08 01:26 PM
  16. bassdude's Avatar
    so is this not the case?

    Sprint, or Sprint / Nextel as they are now officially called, will start offering unlock codes to customers requesting them that want to use their Sprint branded phone on another CDMA network.

    This move comes as part of a settlement of class actions in California and Florida that claimed Sprint locked the devices to make it difficult for customers to switch carriers taking their Sprint phone with them.

    The settlement covers all customers who bought Sprint phones between Aug. 28, 1999, and July 16, 2007. It should allow those phones to be switched to competitors whose networks are compatible with Sprint�s, such as Verizon Wireless and Alltel Corp.
    09-17-08 06:05 PM
  17. wikes82's Avatar
    People have found way around of getting the MSL codes for ages...
    using software such as, bitpim, universal CDMA, QPST EFS Explorer, etc...
    eventhough sprint give away the MSL code to customers, if you are not technically experienced person, you will not be able to use that device with another carriers. CDMA reprogramming takes a lot of efforts..
    it is not simply as changing SIM card
    09-17-08 11:51 PM
  18. gdm320's Avatar
    Exactly, while Sprint will provide the MSL code to customers who fit the criteria that doesn't automagically make it "easy to activate" on Alltell or Verizon's network. You'd still have to convince the other carrier to activate the phone in the first place, which is the real battle.
    09-18-08 07:47 AM
  19. lnichols's Avatar
    What really sucks is CDMA now can support R-UIM (Removable User Identity Cards), which are CDMA's versions of a SIM card and would allow switching phones like GSM, and are actually backwards compatible with a SIM card. Maybe rulings like this will start to force Verizon and Sprint to start implement the technology. Support is built into to all new CDMA chipsets. Qualcomm says this about it:

    R-UIM
    Removable User Interface Module. Also known as a CDMA SIM
    card. Refers to a removable card built into certain CDMA phones,
    �smart cards� and other devices that makes global roaming
    possible across CDMA and GSM networks. The SIM can identify
    the user as well as the services to which the individual
    subscribes. It can also store data, such as telephone numbers
    and addresses.
    09-18-08 08:49 AM
  20. lifegoes00's Avatar
    Research In Motion BlackBerry 8830 Specs & Features (Phone Scoop)

    As for the Canada and Mexico if they have GSM 900 or 1800 it should work, if not than no. I believe because it is considered North America it might have the same CDMA spectrums since Verizon does offer a North America Voice Plan.
    09-28-08 03:42 AM
  21. huskerfan293's Avatar
    my dad wants to buy a Sprint Blackberry 8830 phone and wanted me to unlock it for him since i unlocked my iphone. i was wondering if it is even possible and if it is then if someone could explain how that would be great
    01-15-09 02:42 PM
  22. Heavy Fluid's Avatar
    my dad wants to buy a Sprint Blackberry 8830 phone and wanted me to unlock it for him since i unlocked my iphone. i was wondering if it is even possible and if it is then if someone could explain how that would be great
    Please go back and read through this entire thread. Your answer will be found there.
    01-15-09 03:11 PM
  23. JoeDr's Avatar
    [QUOTE=wikes82;698864]BB 8830 only works in 900Mhz and 1800 Mhz frequency...
    it is not a quad band GSM, and it doesn't works in North America

    North America uses GSM-850 and GSM-1900

    So theoretically would a Sprint Blackberry such as the Tour with quad band GSM be able to work on a North American GSM Network by swapping out the SIM cards?
    07-02-09 11:33 AM
  24. enjjoii's Avatar
    I need an unlock code for my blackberry 8830 my ime is 355771.01491390.0 can anyone help me my email is [email protected]. Thank you
    11-23-09 10:51 PM
  25. CarrierUnlock's Avatar
    Just go to our site and make the purchase and we can help you out.
    11-23-09 11:34 PM
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