[homer22568]

YES ITS TRUE!

I'm a new user and the only reason I'm posting is because I really thought I should share this information with you all. I called Verizon today asking for an unlock code and basically what they did is email me a form that I can fax in to get my unlock code. In order to be eligible for it you must have either: i) paid full retail for the phone; ii) met the minimum contract requirement for the phone; iii) pay the difference between the price you paid for the phone and the full retail price of the phone.

One interesting clause of the agreement you must sign reads: "3. Customer agrees to use the Global Phone SIM Card when roaming in ‘GSM Mode’ within the then-current GPSA throughout the line term. Failure to abide by this requirement may result in suspension or termination without notice of Global Phone service for the applicable subscriber line" though I'm not sure how they would even find this out. Nevertheless, you should all take advantage of this if you abide by the terms of the contract -- I paid full retail for my phone so I am eligible.

[MSU721]

Does your GPS work now?

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by MSU721

Does your GPS work now?

Unlocking a phone has nothing to do with GPS. It couldn't have enabled it.
It just allows you to use a different SIM card for voice & data services.

[MSU721]

OK, just curious

[ssbands04]

*Calls Verizon to see if it's legit*

*Crosses fingers and prays that it is*

*will return once we get the verdict*

[ssbands04]

Originally Posted by homer22568

YES ITS TRUE!

I'm a new user and the only reason I'm posting is because I really thought I should share this information with you all. I called Verizon today asking for an unlock code and basically what they did is email me a form that I can fax in to get my unlock code. In order to be eligible for it you must have either: i) paid full retail for the phone; ii) met the minimum contract requirement for the phone; iii) pay the difference between the price you paid for the phone and the full retail price of the phone.

One interesting clause of the agreement you must sign reads: "3. Customer agrees to use the Global Phone SIM Card when roaming in ‘GSM Mode’ within the then-current GPSA throughout the line term. Failure to abide by this requirement may result in suspension or termination without notice of Global Phone service for the applicable subscriber line" though I'm not sure how they would even find this out. Nevertheless, you should all take advantage of this if you abide by the terms of the contract -- I paid full retail for my phone so I am eligible.

What EXACTLY did you ask for? I'm on the phone with VZW now and they're telling me that it doesn't exist......Have a form number or something like that?

[kermalou]

Originally Posted by ssbands04

What EXACTLY did you ask for? I'm on the phone with VZW now and they're telling me that it doesn't exist......Have a form number or something like that?

can you say troll?

[MikesTooLz]

Can you scan a copy of the form for us, so we can print it out and fax in.

also let us know what features exactly got unlocked. I wouldnt mind paying the extra money to have it unlocked if it added gps functionality or some other good things.

[ssbands04]

Originally Posted by MikesTooLz

Can you scan a copy of the form for us, so we can print it out and fax in.

agreed :D

[homer22568]

I attached the file as a .doc as it was sent but the watermark I put on because you have to have Verizon check your credentials (if you purchased full retail, etc.) before they send you the form I believe -- any ways, I don't want to get in trouble for mass distributing this form. Verizon originally emailed it to me -- in order for them to know what you're talking about you need to talk to the international service department --- not the Blackberry 8830 department or the technical support...you have to ask for international service. Nevertheless, the form is attached so you know I'm being legit.
{20070530105511}_GLobal Phone SIM Card - Corporate1.doc

[vzw8830]

Thank You for posting!!! I will call tomorrow!

[MikesTooLz]

after looking at the document, this unlock code you will get will only unlock the SIM card slot. so instead of verizon only sim cards you can pick up any old sim card and put it in the phone.

It most likely wont unlock any other features.

homer22568 when you get a chance can you let us know if you can use SIM cards while in the US after unlocking it. You should be able to get a cingular prepaid sim card for around $10, or buy a go phone with a sim card for around $20.

Also let us know if you have the option of using virizon service and you sim card providers service at the same time.(highly unlikely)

[smilingburgers]

Am I missing something? What advantages will this offer both:

1. In the US?
2. Outside the US?

Do we know anything right now?

[vzw8830]

the 8830 doesnt work on the GSM frequencies in the US only overseas.
I dont recall what the frequencies were, someone else may pitch in

[bobbymo]

Originally Posted by smilingburgers

Am I missing something? What advantages will this offer both:

1. In the US?
2. Outside the US?

Do we know anything right now?

Unlocking a GSM phone simply means that you can install your own SIM card, and not be constrained to using the wireless carrier's SIM. I bought an unlocked GSM phone (available on the Internet) years ago which I have used in many countries.
You can buy SIM cards local to a country for $70-80 (on the Internet) which gives you some minutes and a local number in that country. You can receive calls for free, make calls in that foreign country relatively cheaply, and phone back to the U.S. for usually $.50-.60/minute. Additional minutes are widely available in drugstores and sundry shops in that country... that's the way the rest of the world works.
While you pay outrageous per/minute prices to use the 8830 abroad (if you sign on to the international plan), you have the tremendous convenience of using your U.S. cellphone number, receiving and sending calls as if you never left the country. Perfect for an investment banker commuting between New York and Europe. Pricey for the rest of us.

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by MikesTooLz

after looking at the document, this unlock code you will get will only unlock the SIM card slot. so instead of verizon only sim cards you can pick up any old sim card and put it in the phone.

It most likely wont unlock any other features.

That's what unlocking does. I mentioned this earlier in the thread. It just allows you to use a foreign SIM. It doesn't do anything else. It doesn't add any additional functionality to the phone, nor does it magically unlock the crippled GPS.

Originally Posted by MikesTooLz

homer22568 when you get a chance can you let us know if you can use SIM cards while in the US after unlocking it. You should be able to get a cingular prepaid sim card for around $10, or buy a go phone with a sim card for around $20.

No, this won't work. The 8830 doesn't support the GSM frequencies (850/1900) used in the United States by US wireless carriers. The GSM portion of the 8830 will only work overseas on foreign GSM networks that use 900/1800 frequencies.

Originally Posted by MikesTooLz

Also let us know if you have the option of using virizon service and you sim card providers service at the same time.(highly unlikely)

That would be impossible.

[IanHummel]

Umm, if you want to use the form just click on the "watermark" and press the delete button on your keyboard.

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by MikesTooLz

after looking at the document, this unlock code you will get will only unlock the SIM card slot. so instead of verizon only sim cards you can pick up any old sim card and put it in the phone.

It most likely wont unlock any other features.

Yup. That's the definition of unlocking a GSM device. Removing the subsidy lock doesn't do anything else. Even though the 8830 is a hybrid device, removing the subsidy lock is the same as any other GSM device. It just allows you to use SIM's from other carriers.


As has been already pointed out, the 8800 doesn't support US GSM frequencies.

The only point in unlocking the 8830 would be to use a prepaid SIM for voice only (you can't get BB data on prepaid with any carrier) while overseas. Even if you did get BB data, you'd have to delete your Verizon BIS account and set up the overseas BIS account and reverse the process when you get back. For BES user's it's not such a big deal since you'd just need to swap the SIM as BES isn't tied to your carrier like BIS.

If you want to see where you can roam internationally on GSM check out GSMworld.com and take note of the frequencies in the countries that you're looking at. GSM is in many countries around the world but there are exceptions as others have already stated.

[tifosiv122]

Thanks. They said they will let me know my code, not sure if it will be via email or phone call. They were nice enough about it.

Thanks so much!

Erik

[staybeautiful]

i always get my phone unlocked before i go overseas...before i got my 8800 last week i had an mda. and yeah it only really allowed for another sim. last month i did the same...just called t-mobile, told them i was leaving the country & needed the unlock, and a day later they emailed the code to me. when i landed i hit the vodafone store and got a prepaid card. 2 minutes later i was up, at least on the voice & sms end of things.

when i got my 8800 i wondered about bb service. still trying to decide which is more important...unlocking & using prepaid on my 8800 overseas with no other services available, or just leaving my t-mobile service on and paying $1+ per minute.

since basic phones are virtually free these days, another option would be just taking your bb with you and getting a prepaid card for a cheapo worldband phone for local calls. i don't want to make my european friends pay out the ass to call my u.s. # (and vice versa)...so this is a possible and fairly easy solution if you're willing to carry 2 devices.