[adamh10#AC]

So there has been a lot of questions on this forum about unlocking the BlackBerry 8830WE phone and using a local (either US or Canadian) SIM card in the device, so I decided to post this in hope that it will help clear up the confusion surrounding the unlocking process.

The BlackBerry 8830 is sold from Bell Mobility (Canada), TELUS Mobility (Canada), Verizon Wireless (US), and Sprint (US). Bell, TELUS, and Sprint sell their 8830's with the SIM slot UNLOCKED, right out of the box. Verizon's must be unlocked by the user by obtaining codes from Verizon (pertaining to a fee, and if they tell you it can't be done - it CAN).

Once a BlackBerry 8830's SIM slot is unlocked, THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN STICK JUST ANY OLD SIM CARD IN AND EXPECT TO GET SERVICE. If you put a North American SIM card in (ex: T-Mobile USA, AT&T, Rogers, Fido, etc.) you will not get network coverage from those networks. The GSM (using SIM cards) feature in the 8830 is only possible to be used while outside of North America.

An example of optimizing an unlocked BlackBerry 8830 would be somebody who frequently travels to Europe, so they obtain a local European SIM card and while they are there they use that SIM card in their device to avoid the outrageous roaming charges - paying local service charges to the European service provider. Another example would be somebody in Europe purchasing a BlackBerry 8830, unlocking it, and using it at home in Europe with a local GSM SIM provider.

So, the answer to the most commonly asked two questions regarding the BlackBerry 8830: 1. Can the SIM slot be unlocked? YES! 2. Can I use a North American SIM in it for local use? NO!

[JRSCCivic98]

Don't get mad, but there's nothing really that you posted here that the sticky thread (How to unlock) didn't already cover or was known by a lot of users on this forum about the 8830.

[TRMN8R]

? since I just picked up my 8830WE today, and picking up my SIM card Saturday. I'm traveling to Mexico a week from now, and I'm on a plan that covers North America including MX, so WITH the SIM card inserted, and when in either Canada or MX, I'll have no probs with making/receiving calls? When I'm back in the USA, do I remove the SIM card, or leave it in? Sorry if these ? seem obvious to you, but they aren't for me, thanks!

[BlackBerry.est08]

? since I just picked up my 8830WE today, and picking up my SIM card Saturday. I'm traveling to Mexico a week from now, and I'm on a plan that covers North America including MX, so WITH the SIM card inserted, and when in either Canada or MX, I'll have no probs with making/receiving calls? When I'm back in the USA, do I remove the SIM card, or leave it in? Sorry if these ? seem obvious to you, but they aren't for me, thanks!

You can leave the SIM card in your phone. Once you get back on US soil, the SIM card/GSM module won't work because the phone doesn't utilize the frequency/bands that american GSM carriers use. Again, you can go check out the sticky that as all information regarding the use of GSM/SIM card where it can and can't be used.

[TRMN8R]

Thx, I did a search and read through several threads/posts.........just this one kind of confused me. Thx for helping!

[adamh10#AC]

? since I just picked up my 8830WE today, and picking up my SIM card Saturday. I'm traveling to Mexico a week from now, and I'm on a plan that covers North America including MX, so WITH the SIM card inserted, and when in either Canada or MX, I'll have no probs with making/receiving calls? When I'm back in the USA, do I remove the SIM card, or leave it in? Sorry if these ? seem obvious to you, but they aren't for me, thanks!

Just so you know, you do not even need the SIM card inserted when travelling in Mexico or Canada - they both have CDMA coverage just like Verizon/Sprint in the USA, so it uses CDMA, not GSM. You will only need the sim card while travelling OUTSIDE North America, as the 8830 can not even use GSM frequencies (the SIM card) inside North America.

[TRMN8R]

Well that's good to know; why do I need to spend $40 for something I won't need? Thanks for that valuable bit of information, adamh10!

[FF22]

The simple Black and White in the original post is clear while the Sticky goes on and on with answers mixed in with a series of questions and diatribes.

But I do have a question: when you place a "foreign" sim in an unlocked phone, do you wind up with a NEW PHONE NUMBER?

And I gather that when using the sim card (any card), you have a different phone contact list (book) and don't have access to your normal phone contacts?

[adamh10#AC]

The simple Black and White in the original post is clear while the Sticky goes on and on with answers mixed in with a series of questions and diatribes.

But I do have a question: when you place a "foreign" sim in an unlocked phone, do you wind up with a NEW PHONE NUMBER?

And I gather that when using the sim card (any card), you have a different phone contact list (book) and don't have access to your normal phone contacts?

To answer your question, yes you will have a different phone number attached to each sim card, but this is predetermined. You get the sim card from any foreign service provider and they attach a phone number to it - that will be your phone number when using the sim. It does not just 'generate' a number when you insert the sim, it is already programmed into the sim card. However, as long as you are in a CDMA coverage area, your phone number will be your 'regular' phone number that you use at home - but once you are using GSM coverage, your phone number will be whichever number is programmed to the sim. If your sim is from Verizon (or whichever carrier you use) your number will be the same (if you activate it through them to be the same number). If it's a foreign sim, it will be different, whichever number the carrier provides you with.

And about the contact list - as long as you store your phone book contacts on the phone, you have access to them no matter what sim card is inserted. You can additionally store contacts directly on the sim card, in which case you will not have access to them if you change the sim card. But in most cases contacts are stored directly on the phone itself (with the options to put first/last name, multiple numbers, email, etc.) and these contacts will remain there no matter what sim is in the phone.