Disadvantages to Unlocking an 8900?

[NickSing3]

Hi all-

I just had a few quick questions about unlocking my new BlackBerry 8900. First off, someone on the forums suggested that for when I travel abroad, to avoid AT&T's expensive roaming charges, I should buy a local SIM card and use it. Is this the right way to go?

Second, I was wondering if there were any disadvantages to unlocking my BlackBerry. Will I lose technical support help from AT&T? Will my data plan/phone/email still work after the phone is unlocked? Is there any reason why I shoudn't unlock it, as in will anything stop working?

Lastly, I was wondering if anybody knew about AT&T's policies regarding giving out unlock codes to customers. I'd rather not pay a website to send me a code when I can get it for free from my carrier.


Thanks a lot in advance for all your help!

[NJBlackBerry]

There are no disadvantages to unlocking your BB. You will not lose support, or data. In fact, AT&T may help you unlock it. If you contact them and tell them you are leaving the country and want to use another SIM card while there, they may give you the code. They should.

The only downside in using a local SIM card is that it will work for voice and SMS, but not for BlackBerry Data and E-Mail. That's a real problem. There may be a few carriers that offer pay as you go BlackBerry service, but they are few and far between.

If you think you are going to be uing a lot of voice minutes while outside of the US, do what I do - buy a cheap unlocked phone, nd put a local SIM card into that. I leave my BlackBerry alone. But I always unlock them.

[trax95008]

ATT has NEVER denied me an unlock code. they have given me the unlock code for every blackberry i have owned. (6-8 phones) just call and ask!!

[fonejunkie]

The rule with AT&T used to be:


Customer for more than 90 days
Customer in good standing (no past due bills, no delinquincies)
Valid reason for requesting unlock code (they DO consider 'traveling overseas' as a valid reason)


Not sure if anything has changed since last summer...

[takeshi]

I've never given them a reason for my requests. With at&t everything really depends on the particular rep you end up talking to (i.e. they're very inconsistent in my experiences).

[luvcmyberry]

There are no disadvantages to unlocking.

Unlocking.com did mine.
Here is a coupon for 30% off (CRo3PIH).
It was sooooo fast and easy.

[NJBlackBerry]

Three posts; all the same. Nothing like posting to a 5 month old thread.

[endure161]

I found a big disadvantage to unlocking my 8900. I purchased a new in box T-Mobile branded 8900 this past summer. This was before AT&T was selling 8900s. I unlocked it and used it for about 3 months on my AT&T account. When the display failed I called AT&T and they told me to contact T-Mobile because they could not honor the warranty. T-Mobile refused to repair it because I do not have an account with them. They suggested that I call RIM. RIM said that I had to go to the carrier to get warranty service. They do not do any device customer service.
I called T-Mobile again and insisted on talking with a supervisor. He told me that the warranty was invalidated when I unlocked the unit.

So, I bought a new lcd display and fixed it myself. Both ATT and T-Mobile, as well as RIM, washed their hands of any responsibility at all for my 8900 because it had been unlocked in order to use it on a carrier other than what it was branded. :-(

[Dubdub]

I found a big disadvantage to unlocking my 8900. I purchased a new in box T-Mobile branded 8900 this past summer. This was before AT&T was selling 8900s. I unlocked it and used it for about 3 months on my AT&T account. When the display failed I called AT&T and they told me to contact T-Mobile because they could not honor the warranty. T-Mobile refused to repair it because I do not have an account with them. They suggested that I call RIM. RIM said that I had to go to the carrier to get warranty service. They do not do any device customer service.
I called T-Mobile again and insisted on talking with a supervisor. He told me that the warranty was invalidated when I unlocked the unit.

So, I bought a new lcd display and fixed it myself. Both ATT and T-Mobile, as well as RIM, washed their hands of any responsibility at all for my 8900 because it had been unlocked in order to use it on a carrier other than what it was branded. :-(


Your problem had nothing to do with the unlock. AFAIK, unlock doesn't invalidate the warranty. The real problem was that you didn't buy it from ATT, were using a TMO phone on ATT and you weren't a TMO customer..