Can I do this with a cell phone?

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

My service provider is Cingular, but I want to use T-mobile's new phone: http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/Detail.aspx?device=a3823c12-6ced-4420-9110-26a9baa0c22c

Can I use a Tmobile phone on my Cingular network straight out of the box if I was to go and buy the phone from a Tmobile dealer? Or do I have to get it unlocked or whatever it's called?

If I do have to get it unlocked, how do I do that?

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[mikeyboc 10+ year member]

nope, has to be unlocked.

 

[bigwheel15 10+ year member]

Yep, has to be unlocked. How its unlocked, im not sure. If you are with that provider a certain number of days you can call t mobile and ask for the unlock code or you can browse howardforums.com, they have business' there that can do it for you. No idea how much it costs though.

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

**** that's exactly what I didn't wanna hear lol. OK so now I have to figure out how to unlock it. Cuz Cingular makes pretty much the same phone, but the camera on Cingulars sucks compared to T mobiles. If anyone can give me an exact way to unlock the phone or someone or something that can that'd be great. Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

they're $250 unlocked

are tmobile and cingular both pcm phones (with the SiM cards?)

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Yeah they both take sims, thats why I was hoping it wouldnt have to be unlocked so I could just switch my sim over. What does unlocking do exactly anyways? Let the phone work on any providers satelite shit or however they work?

 

[Patrick Simmons 10+ year member]

You also have to make sure they are using the same style network. For example Nextel will not work on GSM networks and so forth.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

it's just a code that the phone companies put on so that you can't get a cheap phone, and then cancel your contract and go to another service provider.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

they're all the same if it takes a sim card, only difference in phones is whether or not it's internationally capable or not.

 

[Phrozt 10+ year member]

go to a mobile phone forum.... they post all sorts of tricks and secrets for major phones

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Yeah there's all these sites that want me to give them money for the unlocking code and instructions. **** that. I'm trying to find a forum or something where peple share the codes freely, I'm sure theres people out there that hack cell phones for a hobby lol. Alls I need is the coooooooooode!

 

[SAG3 5,000+ posts]

you will be able to find one unlocked on ebay.

 

[Patrick Simmons 10+ year member]

http://www.howardforums.com/ is a good one

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

try searching a forum related to cell phones instead of one for car audio. that might be your problem. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

yeah but they're well over 200 on ebay and I can get one for around 150 off craigslist in my local area.