Could someone explain unlocked phones...?
I have always been told to say "no" when asked if unlocked phones are compatible with the VZW network. But I have never been given a legitimate reason as to why they are not compatible with our network. 😕 Why is this? Or what are the unlocked phones that are compatible with the VZW network (for my personal knowledge)?
Thank you!
Thank you!
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The term "unlocked" applies to GSM phones that use SIM cards i.e. T-mobile and at&t service in the USA. With and unlocked GSM phone you can use the handset with any SIM card in the world...assuming the phone has the correct frequencies. Verizon, as I hope you are well aware of, uses CDMA technology that uses an ESN instead of a SIM card. The technology is different that is why they aren't compatible.
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Yea but my old storm was unlocked and have tried it out with a Tmobile card and even let my sister take it to sprint so she is rocking the storm over there now!
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True, but an unlocked GSM phone can't be used with Verizon... Read the post again. Generally speaking 99.9% of GSM phones aren't gateway phones that also have CDMA radios.
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Thank you! I knew about the networks, I just wasn't clearly informed on the phones itself.
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Verizon has a number of phones that are GSM capable in addition to being CDMA capable. All of those phones are capable of being unlocked on the GSM side. It is my understanding that Verizon will supply the unlock codes for this purpose.
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Yes, but the question was why you can't use an unlocked GSM phone on verizon, not if you can use a verizon phone that accepts SIM cards on a GSM provider..
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Actually the OP didn't mention anything about GSM. They only mentioned unlocked. The OP may not have realized that CDMA phones can't be unlocked. I think that's the real answer. I'm sure they realize that any GSM phone locked or unlocked won't work on a CDMA network.
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