Galaxy Note on Verizon?

[ShaggyKids]

So far VZW does not offer the Galaxy Note. You can buy them elsewhere of course, but I'm wondering about an unlocked phone. I think the only available version is GSM but VZW is CDMA. Does an unlocked phone work on both and dpes buying an unlocked phone mean you're buying something illegal? If VZW doesn't offer it yet, will an unlocked phone even work on their system? I'm sorry but I don't know anything about unlocked/unlocking a phone.

I would love to take advantage of Samsung's deal and purchase a Note on eBay -- that's where I'm going with this but it has to be legal and it has to work on VZW. What exactly would I be getting myself into?

 

[DAS]

Purchasing an unlocked phone is perfectly legal with absolutely no issues whatsoever.

"Many years ago, the wireless carriers such as AT&T and others started a marketing strategy of paying for some of or all of the cost of a new cell phone if the customer would commit to a one or two year contract to use their wireless service. The wireless carriers did not want to pay for the phone and later have it used with another carrier, so they got the cell phone manufactures to design the phone to be locked to just their service. For example, if AT&T paid for the phone, AT&T would lock it so that it could only be used on AT&T and not T Mobile (source: Ebay Guides)." So an unlocked phone just means it's not tied to a specific carrier.

However, to my knowledge, (someone can correct me if i'm wrong) I do not believe the unlocked versions of the Note will work on Verizon or Sprint's CDMA network? They can be made to work on these networks but must be hooked to a computer and a special software used to program it.

 

[ShaggyKids]

I called Verizon and the only phones they will activate on their service are Verizon phones which includes unlocked phones. I also asked them and contacted Samsung to find out when the galaxy note be available on Verizon. Nobody seemed to know.

I can't afford a galaxy note anyway so I guess I should be happy but I'm not.

 

[glassygurl]

I don't think you can use an unlocked Note on Verizon. But fret now, the Note 2 is coming to Verizon soon!

 

[ryanr509]

I don't think you can use an unlocked Note on Verizon. But fret now, the Note 2 is coming to Verizon soon!

An unlocked international note is still GSM and will only work on AT&T and T-Mobile 2g not 3g. AT&T and T-Mobile are both GSM but different radio frequencies so u have to check to make sure it supports them. An unlocked GSM phone will not work with CDMA its a different technology. And anything u here about the note 2 is just speculation no hard facts have been released about carriers/specs at all

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[ShaggyKids]

I don't think you can use an unlocked Note on Verizon. But fret now, the Note 2 is coming to Verizon soon!

Wonderful! Except *their* definition of "soon" and ours are usually two completely different animals. I waited 7 months for the Thunderbolt a couple'a years ago. I also found out the Note is $800 if you don't have an upgrade available. That's to steep for me and I would imagine Note 2 will be about the same if not more. Thank you though!

 

[awiz]

I read a couple recent articles about Note competitors (one is LG, one is HTC) that are being developed for Verizon, and lost hope that the Note will ever come to Verizon. Does anyone have any newer information that contradicts this?

I'm thinking that Verizon will refer its customers who want Note to the HTC and LG versions instead of actually carrying Note.

Thanks, Deb, for doing the research to determine an unlocked Note cannot be used on Verizon.

I may yet need to change providers.