[SkankBerry]

I already have a Pearl 8130, want to upgrade to the Tour for obvious reasons, but my provider (Bluegrass Cellular) does not carry this phone.

Am I crazy in thinking that I should just be able to purchase this phone from a 3rd party (Amazon, eBay, etc.) and use it under my current plan? I know there will be charges for this (return charge for my Pearl), but I sure don't want to break my current contract (have over 14 months left on it) which would be REALLY expensive.

Maybe I'm asking too much?

[SkankBerry]

FWIW, here are the BB phones they offer:

Phones • Bluegrass Cellular • Where Wireless Works

[Tyrrell117]

You're stuck waiting if you don't want to break your contract.

Even if you can find a Tour for cheap somewhere else, if you wanted to get it in your Local Carrier, it would be hard. Some people have apaprently successfully got CDMA blackberries (XX30) to work on another carrier, but generally it's pretty hard.

You can get voice and text, but getting the data half is a little harder, something about CDMA phones that just locks in their data.

[SkankBerry]

But I want to remain on the same CDMA carrier, and both phones (Pearl / Tour) use both CDMA and EV-DO. I don't see what the problem would be other than just "setting up" the new phone?

Maybe I'm missing something?

[SkankBerry]

Let's say my Pearl just stopped working?

Couldn't I opt to upgrade to the Tour if I could provide one? I know it would be asking Bluegrass Cellular to set up a phone which they aren't really familiar with, but they don't support the physical phone itself now, do they?

[Dr.Sadistic]

You'd have to buy an unlocked Tour, and set connections to global, then insert a SIM card from your current provider. The Tour is a world phone, and thus made for use on other networks across the world... With the proper SIM card.

[sevinnyne6126]

I've never heard of 'Bluegrass' hmm.

[omarjiwa]

can u buy one off craigslist or something and then use it on bluegrass? unless you break your contract.. i dont know

[SkankBerry]

I've never heard of 'Bluegrass' hmm.

Bluegrass Cellular • Where Wireless Works

By far the best coverage in my area. 3G network also.

[SkankBerry]

I know I need to go into the store and just ask, but I want to know if there is any real reason why it wouldn't be physically possible to do this.

That way I can at least go in and try to state a case that "It's just like setting up a xxxx blackberry" which I assume it should be.

[Tyrrell117]

You are using a CDMA network, it's not easy to get another phone, from another carrier to work on your network. As i said you could get a tour from Verizon, or Sprint and get talk and text through Bluegrass, but that's about all you're going to get.

Trying to unlock the data half is hard, and can sometimes ruin the phone.

You will have to wait until your carrier gets the tour, or pick up another blackberry they carry if you need the spare.

Or you can find a Tour and try to fully unlock the CDMA half, I've seen some people do it with Storms I just haven't been able to get my hands on a blackberry from another carrier to try it for myself.

[Motorcycle Mama]

Most CDMA carriers will NOT allow devices from other carriers to be activated on their network. Period.

[Tyrrell117]

Most CDMA carriers will NOT allow devices from other carriers to be activated on their network. Period.

There is that too, I guess I'm just used to my carrier which will allow it so long as I get the unlock code, lol.

Small local carriers are usually good about allowing other carrier's phones on their networks, simply because they want the business more.

[Xopher]

It is not a matter of unlocking the phone to get it to work. Unlocking a phone frees up the SIM slot of use on another GSM carrier.

CDMA carriers have a database with the ESN/MEID registered to that specific carrier. If a phone is registered to one carrier, it is very hard to get that cerrier to release it from their datase and have it added to another's. You can't just pop out the SIM and put another one in.

Now, some carriers will do it. You'll need to ask if your carrier will. But, for the most part, most CDMA carriers won't go through the entire hassle of derigistering/registering a phone that isn't in their database already.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. USCC doesn't carry the Tour yet, but they are going to get it. I just have to be patient.

[danaedot]

I had the same problem with bluegrass and they did nothing but try to convince me to renew my contract and pay too much for a phone. Honestly I don't think they will let u do anything but wait. I got fed up with them (for several other reasons) and switched. Good luck though seriously. I hope u can work something out.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[SkankBerry]

Well crap. Guess I'm outta luck then. Thanks for all the info about this though - at least I'll be able to tell people why I can't have an upgraded BB.

[SkankBerry]

Well... here's a good news bump!

After sending a few messages back/forth to Bluegrass Cellular... I ended up with this nice email!



======================================
Mr ******,

Good afternoon.Thank you for your correspondence. I have heard back form our development team and I understand that we are hoping to have the Tour added to our lineup sometime towards the end of the next quarter. Unfortunately the Storm is exclusive to Verizon Wireless. If I can help with anything else please let me know.



Thank you.
======================================

[ibegary]

I got a friend that works for Bluegrass and I asked him about the tour. Like you, Bluegrass has the best coverage in Kentucky but with being a smaller carrier they dont get the 'first pick' at new hardware.

He told me that they are bugging the fire out of RIM to get Tour test devices so they can approve but RIM is holding back. He think its probably RIM dedicating their factory lines to VzW/Sprint first.

He added that RIM was supposed to get them test devices back in July but keeps pushing back the date on them.

I asked him about the Storm and he told me that will happen in 20 years when the government dissolves Verizon for being a monopoly. lol

Boooooooooooooooooooooo

[SkankBerry]

I got a friend that works for Bluegrass and I asked him about the tour. Like you, Bluegrass has the best coverage in Kentucky but with being a smaller carrier they dont get the 'first pick' at new hardware.

He told me that they are bugging the fire out of RIM to get Tour test devices so they can approve but RIM is holding back. He think its probably RIM dedicating their factory lines to VzW/Sprint first.

He added that RIM was supposed to get them test devices back in July but keeps pushing back the date on them.

I asked him about the Storm and he told me that will happen in 20 years when the government dissolves Verizon for being a monopoly. lol

Boooooooooooooooooooooo

Well, that just sucks donkey balls.