1. Morjesta's Avatar
    The question is simple,

    If i get a 9930 from Sprint and i unlock it, would it work on GSM networks, like T-Mobile or ATT?

    Thanks!
    09-25-11 11:32 PM
  2. OSx86's Avatar
    Yep. I used a T-Mobile SIM card in my Sprint 9930 and it worked fine. Only issue is you will need to enter the correct APN settings for internet and it will be Edge only not 3G. But voice and text was ok

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    09-25-11 11:39 PM
  3. Davidso's Avatar
    Would the sim card out of a 9930 work on an unlock GSM device?
    09-25-11 11:59 PM
  4. yvpan1's Avatar
    Would the sim card out of a 9930 work on an unlock GSM device?
    the 9930 is basically a world phone based, it supports both CDMA & GSM networks, however you can only access 1 network at a time. if you have the CDMA RUIM card, then the CDMA radio network will be online and vice versa with the GSM. therefore, there is no issue on putting the GSM simcard from a 9930 back to an unlocked GSM phone at all.

    the only difference of the 9930 is the UMTS frequency, where this phone only operates at UMTS 2100MHz only, but it supports the ol' school quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE in 2G mode, while the 990 supports most of the UMTS/HSPA+ frequencies all over the world + the GSM/GPRS/EDGE. however, the 9930 supports the CDMA EVDO up to Rev. B which is almost similar to the HSPA+ speed, on CDMA.
    09-26-11 01:51 AM
  5. tda_tda's Avatar
    Yep. I used a T-Mobile SIM card in my Sprint 9930 and it worked fine. Only issue is you will need to enter the correct APN settings for internet and it will be Edge only not 3G. But voice and text was ok

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    I use GSM SIM and it shows 3G.. I'm quite happy if the available most stable signal is 3G but unfortunately it is 2G in my area... I can't expect H+ tho because 9930 might not support H+ or doest it?
    09-26-11 01:52 AM
  6. Davidso's Avatar
    I just took the SIM card out of my 9930 (Verizon) and installed it on an unlocked 9700... it did not pickup and signal or network

    Any suggestions...
    09-26-11 12:04 PM
  7. Davidso's Avatar
    I forgot to mention that prior to the transfer I had called Verizon and made sure my SIM card was active...
    09-26-11 12:09 PM
  8. SwitchBeach's Avatar
    I just took the SIM card out of my 9930 (Verizon) and installed it on an unlocked 9700... it did not pickup and signal or network

    Any suggestions...
    Where are you and the device physically located?

    That SIM card is a Vodaphone SIM that works in Europe not in the US.
    09-26-11 05:37 PM
  9. Davidso's Avatar
    Where are you and the device physically located?

    That SIM card is a Vodaphone SIM that works in Europe not in the US.
    I'm in Southern California..

    I wanted to have a backup just incase my 9930 becomes in operate able in the US I want to put my SIM card in a GSM phone and be up and running.. I was told to switch a Verizon CDMA phone I have to call them to switch the device
    09-27-11 12:37 AM
  10. Acelx's Avatar
    Any 9930 will work on any GSM network once it is "unlocked".. you can pop just about any sim card in it..

    But you can't do vice versa and use the Sim card that came with ur blackberry from vzw or sprint into another GSM phone
    09-27-11 12:57 AM
  11. SwitchBeach's Avatar
    I'm in Southern California..

    I wanted to have a backup just incase my 9930 becomes in operate able in the US I want to put my SIM card in a GSM phone and be up and running.. I was told to switch a Verizon CDMA phone I have to call them to switch the device
    If you want to use a SIM card on a GSM network in the US, then you need to purchase a SIM card from a GSM service provider in the US such as TMobile or AT&T.

    The Vodaphone SIM card included with the device is not for use in the US.

    And you can't use a 9700 on the Verizon network in the US.
    09-27-11 06:09 AM
  12. Bromo33333's Avatar
    I just got in the UK and after unlocking the 9930, I put in a O2 SIM set up for BB service (sim was from another BB). It seemed to work ok, except the email stopped working about an hour later and wouldn't let me register on the network (or even WiFi) after throwing an error after losing my emails.

    Anyone know what to do? I don't want to be forced to use my Android phone ...
    Last edited by Bromo33333; 09-27-11 at 09:06 AM.
    09-27-11 06:52 AM
  13. ahkeen's Avatar
    I use GSM SIM and it shows 3G.. I'm quite happy if the available most stable signal is 3G but unfortunately it is 2G in my area... I can't expect H+ tho because 9930 might not support H+ or doest it?
    what service provider are you using? TMOUSA with BB 9930? how are the speeds?
    09-28-11 03:45 PM
  14. jerseys_fyn3st's Avatar
    Yep. I used a T-Mobile SIM card in my Sprint 9930 and it worked fine. Only issue is you will need to enter the correct APN settings for internet and it will be Edge only not 3G. But voice and text was ok

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
    and what was the correct APN settings you need. because everything works but the internet on mine, really sucks
    09-28-11 04:04 PM
  15. Fnord's Avatar
    I use GSM SIM and it shows 3G.. I'm quite happy if the available most stable signal is 3G but unfortunately it is 2G in my area... I can't expect H+ tho because 9930 might not support H+ or doest it?
    The 9930 will pick up 3G throughout the world - just NOT in North America. Your location says you are in Indonesia, that is why you get 3G on an 9930.


    Only the 9900 have the necessary bands for 3G/4G in North America.
    09-28-11 04:13 PM
  16. ssc13's Avatar
    So my 9930 will not work with BIS in Europe?

    I have a 9930, unlocked. voice, txts, fb twitter all thos apps work buuut only on wifi. I got a 3 month BIS contract here, and I am not able to register to their network. I go to the HRT and click register now, and it doesnt do absolutely anything. its sad

    Any help?
    10-16-11 10:06 AM
  17. aackberry's Avatar
    I have to share my unfortunate story with the "unlocked" Verizon 9930.

    I purchased it in Thailand (LOTS of US phones are sold off in Asian countries, very common practice) and while it worked (BBM, Internet, BIS) on Thailand's DTAC GSM / Blackberry provider, it would not connect to the GSM service offered by AIS (another leading GSM / Blackberry service provider). Both were GSM...what the **** was wrong, right? I'm a noob, I seriously didn't know.

    When the salesperson popped her BB activated DTAC sim card in, everything works as it should. However when I popped my AIS sim card in, there was NO BBM, NO 3G, small "edge" and not EDGE, and no BIS - nothing. Only calling in and out works. Yes, this AIS sim had bb service activated on it, I was using this sim with my 9700.

    In short, both these service providers were GSM, and not CDMA. But only 1 was able to connect to 2G (I didn't subscribe to 3G, anyway) whereas the other could not connect to any type of internet service at all.

    Therefore, I returned the 9930 and purchased an "official unlocked and more expensive" 9900, which has worked with my China Mobile sim card and SHOULD work with my ATT sim card when I'm back in the States (all my "official" unlocked Blackberries have). My rule of thumb is no more experimenting with CDMA phones. You just never know if it's going to work properly.

    My deal with it is, I can DEAL with only using 2G, but the problem was as I travel a lot, I don't want to risk not being able to even connect at all.
    Last edited by aackberry; 10-16-11 at 10:33 AM.
    10-16-11 10:28 AM
  18. SwitchBeach's Avatar
    So my 9930 will not work with BIS in Europe?

    I have a 9930, unlocked. voice, txts, fb twitter all thos apps work buuut only on wifi. I got a 3 month BIS contract here, and I am not able to register to their network. I go to the HRT and click register now, and it doesnt do absolutely anything. its sad

    Any help?
    Yes, that device will work in Europe as long as it is unlocked.

    Also sounds like your device is not properly set up on the data plan. Make sure it is unlocked. Contact the carrier.
    10-16-11 10:30 AM
  19. ssc13's Avatar
    Yes, that device will work in Europe as long as it is unlocked.

    Also sounds like your device is not properly set up on the data plan. Make sure it is unlocked. Contact the carrier.

    But it is, thats the huge problem...cause I can pop the sim card on my crappy lg phone and the internet works there fine. But when I pop it back on my bold, nooothing. Not even browsing...sighs

    and the carrier is too stupid to fix it, Ive spent hours on the phone with them and they have no idea whats going on. They kept blaming it on the outage
    10-16-11 10:35 AM
  20. Morjesta's Avatar
    i get the 9930 to work on my GSM carrier, too bad it would only work on EDGE network...
    10-20-11 11:30 PM
  21. tarmpung's Avatar
    I have to share my unfortunate story with the "unlocked" Verizon 9930.

    I purchased it in Thailand (LOTS of US phones are sold off in Asian countries, very common practice) and while it worked (BBM, Internet, BIS) on Thailand's DTAC GSM / Blackberry provider, it would not connect to the GSM service offered by AIS (another leading GSM / Blackberry service provider). Both were GSM...what the **** was wrong, right? I'm a noob, I seriously didn't know.

    When the salesperson popped her BB activated DTAC sim card in, everything works as it should. However when I popped my AIS sim card in, there was NO BBM, NO 3G, small "edge" and not EDGE, and no BIS - nothing. Only calling in and out works. Yes, this AIS sim had bb service activated on it, I was using this sim with my 9700.

    In short, both these service providers were GSM, and not CDMA. But only 1 was able to connect to 2G (I didn't subscribe to 3G, anyway) whereas the other could not connect to any type of internet service at all.

    Therefore, I returned the 9930 and purchased an "official unlocked and more expensive" 9900, which has worked with my China Mobile sim card and SHOULD work with my ATT sim card when I'm back in the States (all my "official" unlocked Blackberries have). My rule of thumb is no more experimenting with CDMA phones. You just never know if it's going to work properly.

    My deal with it is, I can DEAL with only using 2G, but the problem was as I travel a lot, I don't want to risk not being able to even connect at all.
    You have to know which 3G frequency that the carrier you choose is supporting. The Blackberry Bold 9930 's bands are 1,8, it means that the device can use 3G on the networks that support UMTS : 900, 2100 (1 = 2100 Mhz, 8 = 900 Mhz) and AIS does support (900 Mhz), but DTAC doesn't (850 Mhz). So 9930 and 9900 T-Mobile can use 3G and activate BIS in Thailand with AIS network, 9900 Roger or sim free can use on DTAC. However, it is little difficult to activate BIS with Bold 9930 (have to do battery pull 2-3 times)
    Last edited by tarmpung; 10-21-11 at 12:31 AM.
    10-21-11 12:27 AM
  22. ssc13's Avatar
    any help guys? It turns out my sim has BIS, cause I went to the store and this guy popped my sim on his 9700 and it worked perfectly.

    But why doesnt it work on my 9930? Ive done multiple baterry pulls, changed apn settings HRT, called service and tech support and nothing...
    I dont know what to do
    10-21-11 03:52 AM
  23. oraneivey's Avatar
    How did you get 9930 to work n gsm. I have one and bis won't work on tmobile
    10-25-11 09:31 PM
  24. freethisberrydotcom's Avatar
    Was the PIN registered on Verizon BIS before?
    10-26-11 08:25 AM
  25. ssc13's Avatar
    Was the PIN registered on Verizon BIS before?
    its actually with sprint

    and nooope. Not registered to ANY carrier...which is crazy, and hence why Im so puzzled on why its not working
    10-26-11 09:21 AM
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