[4bserbob]

I just bought an 8320 curve unlocked off of ebay. the seller told me it would work on any GSM network that uses SIM cards. TRACFONE included , all I had to do was insert my SIM card.I cant get the phone to work.Any ideas?
It is a t-mobile unlocked BB with wi-fi , quad band the whole works. any info appreciated.

I already tried wiping the BB. Didn't help

techno geek in local phone store says TRACFONE SIM will not work in my phone, is he right?

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ALL HELP.

[4bserbob]

anyone help?

[Username5300]

Have you checked to see if it actually unlocked? What does it say when you put the SIM card in it?

[wnm]

If it's unlocked, you should see a screen that looks like this:
Attachment 27227

[4bserbob]

how do i check to see if it is really unlocked? 35

wnm where would i find that screen?

[4bserbob]

I found the sim card screen. It says security disabled.
2 lines

ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
phone number: it displays my number but the phone will not dial or recive calls

[wnm]

It will say security disabled even if it's locked.

This is a locked phone screen:

Attachment 27241

[4bserbob]

As I said my screen has only 2 lines
SIM card : Security Disabled

ID:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone number 1(234)567-8910

does this mean it is unlocked?

Thanks

[krokus]

This phone is probably blacklisted due to having been lost or similar and has been blocked by an insurance company who have now had the IMEI totally disabled.

If true, this phone will never be able to make or receive calls in its registered country.

Blacklisted phones are hardly ever put back into circulation.

[4bserbob]

The phone is supposed to be brand new. It has all the plastic covers on it and looks brand new.

[nah.uhh]

As I said my screen has only 2 lines
SIM card : Security Disabled

ID:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone number 1(234)567-8910

does this mean it is unlocked?

Thanks

Type mepd while you are on that screen

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[4bserbob]

Type mepd while you are on that screen

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

OK
screen now says

id: xxxxxxxx
personalization:
SIM disabled
Network disabled
network subset disabled
service provider disabled
corporate disabled
phone number
12345678910

what does this tell me? unlocked or not

thanks

[wnm]

Unlocked. The network line is the key.

[4bserbob]

So the phone is unlocked, I have a Sim card in it , but cant get service.The question is why not.

[wnm]

Well, I don't know about Tracphone, so do you know someone with another SIM card you can plug in to try?

[4bserbob]

Off the top of my head no, but that is a very good idea and something I had not thought of. I need to find someone with a SIM card other than TRACFONE to try and see if it works.My father uses TRACFONE and my wife has a blackberry flashed to Cricket so no SIM cards there.But I will find one. Any other ideas and suggestions welcome from all.

Thanks

Bob

[wnm]

It's worth trying your dad's SIM just for **** and giggles.

[Chrisy]

Well, I don't know about Tracphone, so do you know someone with another SIM card you can plug in to try?

Tracfone is a prepaid carrier. You buy cards to refill minutes. i don't think a BlackBerry will work with Tracfone.

[4bserbob]

chrisy520
that was one of the original questions. The person I purchased the phone from told me it would work on any GSM network-including TRACFONE. I am beginning to think he was not honest with me.

[wnm]

Perhaps less not being honest, and more just not knowing.

[4bserbob]

Dont get me wrong, the seller is willing to try to make amends. He offered to switch phones but he still insists that he has sold these phones to TRACFONE users and they work. He also says a friend of his has been using a BB (or this model) for 2 years on a prepay network. He just cant tell me how its done.

[nah.uhh]

Is this your first bb?
If you go to "manage connections" can you enable your radios?
If so, in the top right corner, does it change from "off" to "gsm/grps/edge or GSM/GPRS/EDGE or sos.. Or something else?

After this you'll know whether it is a hardware issue (phone or simcard)


Edit: btw, the phone is genuinely unlocked (network disabled) so it will work on any gsm nerwork* (not sure about any, but some dude in niger uses one and he only gets 1kbps(guesstimate) download speed on "high speed internet" computers there, I'm pretty sure if its gsm it will work. but that doesn't mean he didn't break the phone.
And if it is brand new/ he is a wholesaler, then the chances are he probably didn't mess up anything and it is just a hardware failure, in the later case, swap
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[4bserbob]

Yes its my first BB. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and put it on a monthly plan.I can change the radios but that doesn't help.Think I'm going to go with T-Mobile so I can see what this thing can really do.

[CDG]

Dont get me wrong, the seller is willing to try to make amends. He offered to switch phones but he still insists that he has sold these phones to TRACFONE users and they work. He also says a friend of his has been using a BB (or this model) for 2 years on a prepay network. He just cant tell me how its done.

Hi there, as others have already mentioned a Tracfone SIM will not work in a non tracfone phone. There is special firmware on the phone that keep tabs on your account. The SIMS tracfone uses need this firmware to work properly.

I think the seller is mistaken about using a Tracfone SIM being used in the 8320 or any other unlocked device for that matter.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[4bserbob]

I think you are right.I dug a little deeper and found my TRACFONE is definetly GSM.IT IS GSM 950 band according to phonescoop.com.If it were going to work then I would think that it would.There must be something TRACFONE has on their SIM cards that block its use in other phones.I did wonder about how my account info was displayed on the screen of my TRACFONE.It gives you end of service date and minutes remaining.I will find out for sure when I either switch SIM cards or go With T-Mobile.Thanks again.