Does "Unlocked" Truly Mean Unlocked?

[SmoothOperator]

I bought a Bold a month ago and I love it. I bought it on eBay and it was advertised as unlocked. I am reading from various sources that there are varying definitions of what "unlocked" means. I've always understood that "unlocked" means that the phone is not limited to any particular SIM card, that you can put in any SIM card from any cellular provider and you're ready to go. I read somewhere that there is a different meaning to unlocked, that an unlocked phone will work with any SIM card within that network (e.g., a phone that is unlocked for AT&T will work with any SIM card from AT&T; putting in a Virgin Mobile SIM card from Britain will not work). The reason why I am concerned is that I may take my phone overseas and I may put in a local SIM card to save the hassles of roaming and call people locally; because I have a local SIM card, people won't have any worries about long-distance charges when they call me when I'm in their country.

Is there any way I can ascertain my degree of "unlocked" in my Blackberry without testing it with other SIM cards from abroad?

[dankarlinski]

Wirelessly posted (MY 8900)

If it is unlocked, any sim card works in it. End of story. The data networks may or may not work depending on the network and phone, but calling/txt will

[manpreet]

I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I think unlocked simply means you can use a GMS SIM from any carrier worldwide and it should work (LD and roaming charges aside). I don't think there are multiple meanings for the word "unlocked" unless you're talking iPhone and jailbroken vs. unlocked, but in the sense of the lovely BB, I think it's how you were HOPING it meant to be unlocked. And probably your best bet IS to ask a buddy using AT&T to try their SIM in your phone...if truly unocked, you should be able to make and receive calls using the BB Bold. One thing to remember is the 3G networks (again, I'm no expert) work on different frequencies so 3G phones from AT&T will not be 3G capable on T-Mo and vice-versa, but they will/should work in EDGE mode. Guys, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (which is very possible). Good luck.

[fonejunkie]

Unlocked means unlocked. But with GSM phones, there are various items to be unlocked. To check your phone,


Go to settings menu => and then Options
Select Advanced options => and then Sim card
Type MEPD using your Blackberry keyboard (NOTE: You will not see any text appear on the screen while typing MEPD)


You should see a screen like the attachment if your phone is truly unlocked... all items will be marked DISABLED.

[NJBlackBerry]

Unlocked is unlocked.

I read somewhere that there is a different meaning to unlocked, that an unlocked phone will work with any SIM card within that network (e.g., a phone that is unlocked for AT&T will work with any SIM card from AT&T; putting in a Virgin Mobile SIM card from Britain will not work). Where did you read this?

Without a BlackBerry Data Plan on the card, you will not get BlackBerry specific items (push e-mail, BB browser, BB Messenger) but you will have voice and SMS test.

Unlocked is unlocked.

[takeshi]

I read somewhere that there is a different meaning to unlocked, that an unlocked phone will work with any SIM card within that network (e.g., a phone that is unlocked for AT&T will work with any SIM card from AT&T; putting in a Virgin Mobile SIM card from Britain will not work).
That is precisely the opposite of unlocked. A locked GSM device only accepts SIM's from the carrier that locked it.

SIM lock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock)

You don't "unlock for" a carrier. You "unlock from" a carrier.