[mike0183]

I was in a VZW corp store this evening in Cambridge, MA and decided to mess around with the Bold 9650. I've had a bad habit of turning all the global BB's to GSM/UMTS and leaving them there, but tonight, I was messing with the phone and I got an available GSM network, Verizon Wireless... Is there something that we're not aware of? I took a photo to show, and maybe I'm doing something wrong, or just missed something, but I've been scouring the web looking for why this might be. I just put a Vodafone / Verizon SIM in my 9700 and the only networks were AT&T and T-Mobile. Any info is greatly appreciated.

[omeletduefromage]

its most likely the verizon global plan, the one that replaces the 30 dollar data plan for the 65 dollar plan that allows you to use the phone out of the country

[mike0183]

I thought of that, but the way the BlackBerry works is that it will only pick up the frequencies that it can handle,ie all the GSM bands and only the UMTS 2100 bands in the case of the 9650, or the 850/1900/2100 in the case of all the other GSM/UMTS BlackBerry devices.
Outside the country it will pick up Vodafone, and I've picked up Bell and Rogers in Montreal before, and I know that Orange (France) has offices in Cambridge, and I've seen their signal one time before.
I guess my curiosity is that with the rumors of Verizon getting an iPhone, maybe they have a network running that will handle the current phones and they just don't broadcast these things.

[sfobrien]

Their secure corporate network maybe?

[mike0183]

That's a possibility. Maybe a femtocell device or something. Whatever it was, it overrode the other GSM networks, including AT&T.
I'll go back to the Verizon store and play with it this next week.

[SA13]

My S2 always says that. I think its a default in the OS.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Super_Mario]

Wait a minute....why do you go and change them and leave them? What's the matter with you? It's not a big deal but to say that you do this just because?....some peoples kids.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Nozzles Brewin]

Wait a minute....why do you go and change them and leave them? What's the matter with you? It's not a big deal but to say that you do this just because?....some peoples kids.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I'd have to agree

[Gawain]

I believe that VZW has maintained a few GSM spots here-and-there, mostly for roaming agreements and from property/license swaps. It's probably left-over A-Side or B-Side from SNET/AT&T overlaps...who knows...

One example I read, with the Rural Cellular acquisition, I believe they were going to maintain some of that legacy GSM network in some markets while the rest was converted to CDMA/EV-DO.

[mike0183]

I do want to correct myself and state that I didn't leave the store with the BB's turned to GSM/UMTS. I tend to randomly check out a device and see what other networks are available. First, AT&T blocks this setting in every device unless the SIM is replaced / removed, and second, I have to keep myself amused while my girlfriend is spending my money.

I knew that VZW acquired some GSM carriers, but was unsure of which ones were in the metro Boston area. For the record, the store I was in was at the CambridgeSide Galleria.

I'll go back out there and put a Vodafone/Verizon SIM in my Bold 9700 and see what comes up next time I'm out there.

[mike0183]

I believe that VZW has maintained a few GSM spots here-and-there, mostly for roaming agreements and from property/license swaps. It's probably left-over A-Side or B-Side from SNET/AT&T overlaps...who knows...

One example I read, with the Rural Cellular acquisition, I believe they were going to maintain some of that legacy GSM network in some markets while the rest was converted to CDMA/EV-DO.

I just found this on the VZW website.

Rural Cellular utilizes both CDMA and GSM technology separately across its five regional markets. Verizon Wireless plans to deploy CDMA service in Rural Cellular�s existing GSM markets and convert the GSM customers to CDMA service. Verizon Wireless, however, anticipates maintaining Rural Cellular�s existing GSM networks to continue serving the roaming needs of other GSM carriers� customers.

Verizon Wireless To Acquire Rural Cellular Corporation, Expand The Nation�s Most Reliable Wireless Network

[Super_Mario]

I've had a bad habit of turning all the global BB's to GSM/UMTS and leaving them there, but tonight,...

I do want to correct myself and state that I didn't leave the store with the BB's turned to GSM/UMTS. I tend to randomly check out a device and see what other networks are available.

Umm ok......

[Gawain]

I just found this on the VZW website.

Rural Cellular utilizes both CDMA and GSM technology separately across its five regional markets. Verizon Wireless plans to deploy CDMA service in Rural Cellular�s existing GSM markets and convert the GSM customers to CDMA service. Verizon Wireless, however, anticipates maintaining Rural Cellular�s existing GSM networks to continue serving the roaming needs of other GSM carriers� customers.

Verizon Wireless To Acquire Rural Cellular Corporation, Expand The Nation�s Most Reliable Wireless Network

That explains the rural areas, but not what you thought you were seeing outside Boston.

So I tried the same thing with my 9550 in my living room, I live along the I-5 corridor in Northern California. I got the same result as you. I don't think that listing you saw was what you though it was...

[adkted2me]

I stumbled across this thread by accident- tried the same thing in metro NYC area.. here's what I got:


And I just did it again for giggles and it came up with AT&T instead of Vodafone.. weird

[mike0183]

Yeah, I don't know what the deal with VZW coming up GSM. I still haven't been able to take my 9700 down to the mall and see if it picks it up, but it didn't pick up anything other than AT&T and T-Mobile at my house. At this point, I haven't really given it any more thought, but if anyone finds anything new, please post.

[Gawain]

Yeah, I don't know what the deal with VZW coming up GSM. I still haven't been able to take my 9700 down to the mall and see if it picks it up, but it didn't pick up anything other than AT&T and T-Mobile at my house. At this point, I haven't really given it any more thought, but if anyone finds anything new, please post.

Well, what I'm saying, based on what I saw on my device is that it's not reading VZW as a GSM network. In my case, my Storm saw AT&T (and T-Mobile too), but the VZ 2H reference means something else. I don't think it means VZW has a GSM signal.

[MrObvious]

It would be nice to use GSM 3G to use data and voice at the same time. I hate it when I'm downloading a file and it dies because I get a text message.

[adkted2me]

It would be nice to use GSM 3G to use data and voice at the same time. I hate it when I'm downloading a file and it dies because I get a text message.

Exactly! When is Verizon going to get its act together and use the billions of dollars it gets in subscription revenue to update their technology. What I hate is when I'm on a realllllyy long and boring phone call and I'd like to pre-occupy myself with something online so I can "uh-huh" the caller to death.

[Gawain]

Exactly! When is Verizon going to get its act together and use the billions of dollars it gets in subscription revenue to update their technology. What I hate is when I'm on a realllllyy long and boring phone call and I'd like to pre-occupy myself with something online so I can "uh-huh" the caller to death.

Um, you can send SMS while on the call at the same time. If you have a device with wifi, you can do BBM or browse at the same time.

At this point, if VZW were to convert from CDMA/EVDO to GSM, it would be a step backwards.

[adkted2me]

<p>

Um, you can send SMS while on the call at the same time. If you have a device with wifi, you can do BBM or browse at the same time.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>At this point, if VZW were to convert from CDMA/EVDO to GSM, it would be a step backwards.

</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You're only partially right- yes you can SMS while on a call- cannot use Wi-Fi since it is disabled (i.e.- not even an option in Manage Connections) for Verizon. There is a whole sordid thread about Wi-Fi on Verizon in the forums. Hence my original comment about being able to use both voice/data on one network at the same time.</p>

At least it is disabled on mine, and several others have mentioned the same thing in the forums.