[Chosen_Undead]

Hey all. I like the look of this forum - I admit to being ignorant of the goings-on here and how the site works, but from what I see I don't mind this place one bit. I'm a bit of a newfig however, and in my attempts to join in on the blackberry community, I may have wasted $50.

I bought a $15 Blackberry off eBay - specifically the 8100 - which is locked to T-Mobile, and bought an Unreal prepaid SIM card. I don't like being tracked and I like independent service providers, so I wanted to set that up. However, after a bit of digging I found out that the only way to unlock a phone with T-Mobile was to get their express permission and potentially buy the code. I drove over there, and they told me that I had to be an account holder as well, and they don't make new codes. Seems like that's a dead end since the original seller's not answering my DMs and probably has no reason to bother anyway.

So, after all my waffling about, I have a question and potential idea: is it possible to unlock these older phones by simply changing their OS or otherwise playing with them? I could download an .apk file or somesuch off the interwebs to set this device up with an android or linux OS, right? Or is this phone useless unless I want to go and beg my T-Mobile overlords for a data contract?

Is there even an android/linux OS that doesn't require a touch screen? ****e, man. This is one confusing pickle I'm in.

[Bla1ze]

I have a question and potential idea: is it possible to unlock these older phones by simply changing their OS or otherwise playing with them?

Not by changing the OS. But if you use some Google-Fu and don't mind installing some apps on your PC you might be able to do it yourself.

I could download an .apk file or somesuch off the interwebs to set this device up with an android or linux OS, right?

No. BlackBerry OS doesn't support APK files or loading other OS. You can still get the device unlocked by some 3rd party unlocker, there's plenty on eBay, etc. BBOS unlocks are dirt cheap these days, if you're not in a rush, you might even be able to find someone to do it for free.

[Hope123]

You don't need tmobiles permission however you do need a BIS plan
just an unlock code from a unlocker like blaize said which you need to check whichever carrier you go with you need to confirm that you can get one from them a lot of them don't offer it anymore

[Rootbrian]

If you do unlock it, you'll ONLY be able to do text messaging, MMS (mutimedia messaging), if it supports voice recording, has a camera for photos or videos. That does NOT require BIS.

Browser will be entirely crippled (regardless of BIS), and setting up e-mail will be an as$ of a job, likely won't work.

Haven't used BIS since my carrier phased it out years ago.

Typed on my blackberry classic with 10.3.3-latest on freedom mobile HSPA+

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Unlocking should be easy... as has been stated there are still people offering unlock codes.

BBOS 4.5 is the newest OS that the Phone will run, and that's been out of development for over a decade now...

The App Store for BlackBerries is being shutdown... paid apps are no longer available, and the whole store will be gone at the end of the year. If you need apps, there are some posted on different sites that can be loaded.

Old BlackBerries also required a separate service call BIS to function fully, I doubt Unreal offers this service. If you are going to use a prepaid service like Unreal, need to focus on phones that they support. If you want to get this phone going, T-Mobile might offer BIS still.... but even that isn't going to be available for too much longer.

[RoseBud68]

You bought a paper weigh.....Good luck.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Buying a 10+ year old mobile phone (that's been EOL for 5 years already) is like buying a 60's British sports car in the US that's been sitting in a field for the last 20 years - it's really only for people who are already very experienced and knowledgeable, or people who are willing to put in 10s or 100s of hours to learn. And given that phones, unlike cars, are directly dependent on carrier networks and other services to operate, and that BBOS (and most phones of that era) are rapidly losing carrier network support as network technologies move forward and support for older technologies goes away, you really need to consider whether it's worth making the investment of time and effort into this project.

[Hope123]

Keep in mind thr 8100 only uses 2g
While unreal does offer 2g you need a 2g SIM card not an LTE one
Fyi you have to have a sprint enabled one or use at&t and to use the at&t it won't work on your said plan
One they don't offer BIS
Its using VOIP Which is only supported in-app which only android and iOS are supported for at&t
You cant use unlocked phones on their sprint network
Why would you dm the seller
If he didn't sell you an unlocked phone you can't ask him for a code you have to purchase it yourself and because third party providers are available you dont need his account to unlock it
You will be hardpressed to find a bis provider nowadays
And hate to break it to you but anytime you connect your phone even a blackberry your phone provider tracks you

Famous example even for.older blackberries el capo
Or the Montreal hells angels charter