Can the Optimus V be unlocked ?

[Bunky67]

I have a Optimus V , and the Service in my area is poor, so I would like to switch Carriers, is it possible to unlock the phone to use AT&T or straight talk ??

 

[notown]

You might be able to. However its against the forum rules to discuss it, i believe. Its been talked about before, try doing a little search on the search tool.

 

[kwknott]

Nope, AT&T is a GSM network and Virgin Mobile uses Sprint's network which is CDMA. Straight Talk I think uses both AT&T and Verizon networks. So if you could figure it out Maybe on Straight Talk's Verizon side or Verizon but like other user said can't talk about exact steps cause it would prob involve changing the ESN which is illegal.

 

[btc0526]

Actually, the two use different radio tech so you can't do that. You would only be able to flash it to other cdma carriers. Metro PCS, Cricket, Verizon, Sprint, Virgin Mobile and Boost

 

[slappy18237]

Straight Talk I think uses both AT&T and Verizon networks.

Straight Talk's regular phones may use all available networks like tracfone and net10 .......

however

Straight Talk androids use sprints network, so VM,Boost, and Straight Talk androids will all be on the Sprint Network

 

[kwknott]

Straight Talk's regular phones may use all available networks like tracfone and net10 .......

however

Straight Talk androids use sprints network, so VM,Boost, and Straight Talk androids will all be on the Sprint Network

Didn't know that the Straight Talk Android's used Sprint. I know we looked at a standard Straight Talk phone a while back for my son and they were either AT&T or Verizon. Thanks for the info

 

[crickie]

I suggest downloading a program called Root Metrics Carrier Coverage Map for Windows or Mac to look at
what carriers have the strongest network in your area. No matter what phone you buy they will all suck if they can't get good reception because of poor area support. I found it extremely helpful in making a choice for internet data service. I have Verizon MiFi on the PC and VM on my OV. good service from both in my area. NICE!

 

[new2smartfonz]

You might be able to. However its against the forum rules to discuss it, i believe. Its been talked about before, try doing a little search on the search tool.

...but like other user said can't talk about exact steps cause it would prob involve changing the ESN which is illegal.

THANK you for explaining why against forum rules and illegal. I read forum rules (yesterday after posting questions in more than one thread....sorry...I was trying to pick the nearest topics and the people on the threads who seemed to be talking most closely with my question) but don't really know what is illegal as I'm quite new to smartphones and trying to figure all this out to have good phone, good (and cheap-as-possible) service...so how would anyone know? I read about unlocking and so if it is openly mentioned on eBay, I would have thought it was legal. Don't see what the difference is that unlocking would require sometimes changing ESN and apparently sometimes not? Is THAT a legitimate question, so I can understand the issue?

I was trying to find out how to avoid the loss of money and the throwaway of a phone that I legally bought on eBay but that had a problem different from the problem I understood. Am on here again today for the same reason. I guess the light is dawning if I can only use this phone by "changing the ESN which is illegal" --I suppose like car thieves file off the VIN of a stolen car. So that makes some sense. Then I am left with the question of maybe if this phone (which can't, then, be activated) might be of some use to a person who works on the hardware of phones (for parts or exploration) or some developer in the software field who can do stuff with it WITHOUT it being activated. Otherwise the phone is, I guess, useless. Can anybody think of anything else? (I know, an expensive paperweight.) Or how I get the phone to such a person who could use it? I hate waste. (and of course loss of my money too)

 

[LeslieAnn]

changing the ESN which is illegal.

The federal laws changed on this so now it's not nearly that black and white, but forum operators don't want to deal with it. State-wise, it is completely illegal in some states and in other states they don't have any laws about it at all.

For the most part it now comes down to intent. If you do it for fraud reasons, it's illegal. Period. If you do it to repair a phone or port a phone, it's questionable at worst. No federal court has defined it precisely, but it's suspected they would find it legal to do so. On the other hand, some states will find you guilty, period.


There is still a lot more to this, but it would take a lot to explain. Besides, ESN changes aren't exactly the easiest thing to do and require a second phone. In which case, you are usually better off just getting a new phone when you switch carriers.




By the way, some phones can go between Verizon and Sprint. Some can go between AT&T and T-Mobile. However, just because it is cdma or GSM, that doesn't mean it is compatible with all of them. A perfect example is the GSM AT&T Iphone, it will work on T-mobile just fine, but you will only get 2g.

 

[Conrail16]

I feel I should bring up at this point that the difference between unlocking a GSM phone and changing the ESN of a CDMA phone, since there seems to be confusion about it.

Unlocking a GSM phone is not illegal, because with GSM, your personal information (what carrier you use, if you've paid your bill, etc) is stored on the SIM card. So unlocking a phone so it will take a different SIM card isn't considered fraud since you're not actually changing the phone's identity.

CDMA phones work differently, in that your account information is tied to the identity of the phone itself (the ESN or MEID). Changing that is illegal in most practical cases, since you could very easily abuse it to commit fraud (and it unfortunately does happen, albeit not nearly as much nowadays as back in the 90's).

In China, the CDMA carriers use R-UIM cards that function like SIM cards, and I certainly wish Sprint and Verizon would adopt that standard, since it would make things so much easier for consumers. Alas, it will never happen...

 

[new2smartfonz]

Conrail, that helps me some in that I thought unlocking was more analogous to "rooting" or "flashing the ROM." I don't think I'm entirely clear but you helped and the kind of info carried and where stored makes it make more sense.

LeslieAnn, your comment helps me quite a bit, really. If I knew where to find out my state's policy I wouldn't be "going to the shadow side" in that I have a phone I'd happily retire just to use this nicer phone I bought on eBay and legitimately use the Virgin Mobile system for it (or the original Straight Talk but they told me it couldn't be). But it may not be possible, even then, because I myself wouldn't know how to do it. Anyway, I appreciate understanding more.

Bunky67, I apologize that I jumped in with my own qns without speaking to YOU, but you probably know that StraightTalk has a phone that is even nicer than the OptimusV (IMO) in the Optimus Q, but both V (with Virgin Mobile) and Q (with ST) use the Sprint network, and I don't think that ST has introduced a GREAT phone that works with ATT. I used their Nokia 6790 (which can use ATT), and like its keyboard very well, but it is not a touch screen and is a far cry from the easy-use android Optimuses. New phone idea doesn't address whether you can find a use for your Optimus V. Except saving for a vacation where Sprint coverage may be better. This from me is all talk based on your perhaps wanting a non-contract prepaid phone. You mention "changing carriers" but the Opt V is Virgin Mobile, and you mentioned Straight Talk which is non-contract. Other carriers have their no-contract options. In my research for the plans that most nearly fit MY needs, Virgin Mobile and Straight Talk save money over the ATT Go phones and any other available with decent coverage HERE, but maybe ATT itself in your area would have a good idea. Good luck.