ive been working with rim sometime now, i was just thinking how everybody wants there blackberries to work with diffrent providers. now this is got to eb a software lock, and i see tech all the time at rim completely wipe the bb, and install the software for certain provider, or does it not work that way.

i was thinking if you had a bb lets say with nextel and wanted it to work with cingular couldnt you simply change the software on the system. or is bb locked with the IMEI to a certain provider.

1) You can install software from a different carrier on the same model. T-Mobile 7290 code will work on Cingular 7290.

2) You can not install different code on different models - 7290 code will not work on a 7520.

3) Nextel uses iDen radios. Cingular/T-Mobile use GSM/GPRS. Verizon/Sprint use CDMA. The software doesn't change that. And rule 2) above still applies.

I hope you didn't spend too much time on that thought

well im in canada i have a blackberry that is with cingular, now rogers here has the exact same model 7290, but i havent been able to convert the software to rogers, is it possible?

What does "convert" mean - change the branding? You can not do that. But you can load Rogers software onto the Cingular BB. Just delete Vendor.XML on your C: drive and restart Desktop Manager. But it won't do much of anything.

If you mean by 'convert' sign up for a rogers plan and use it with your cingular blackberry, thus avoiding roaming and longidstance charges, then no, you can't.

Rogers and Cingular are both GSM networks, and each lock their phones to their own network. To be able to use a phone from a different network on Rogers, it must first be Unlocked. You then have to buy a rogers Sim card and put it in the blackberry.

This works quite well on normal GSM phones, but from what I understand is difficult/impossible with Blackberrys. Someone feel free to correct me, but I believe it has to do with the fact that IMEI's are also locked to specific networks. A non-rogers IMEI blackberry will not work with a rogers account.

i really do not think that the IMEI can be locked to the provider, i have a friend that has an unlocked bb from t-mobile and is using it here with rogers. all he did was pop in his rogers sim into the bb, so rogers doenst even kno he is using a bb. but he is only using it as a phone.

Yes, as a phone it will work fine. However, you cannot access any of the "blackberry" features. If he ever wants to use his blackberry for email, it won't work. If he signs up for a blackberry data plan with rogers, they will need to know his IMEI and will not activate it without one registered to them. If they don't ask, and he then tries to create a BWC account, the IMEI he uses will be invalid because the system doesn't recognize it. If he's using the redirector, it won't work for the same reason, same with a BES.

That, at least, is my understanding of it.