New to Droid: can I switch carriers?

[contento#WP]

G'day all. I'm new to Android in general, and I've been given a Motorola Droid 1 that was on Verizon. Is it possible to "unlock" it so that it can be used on another network (Sprint, TMobile, etc)?

Thanks all!

 

[PJnc284]

Impossible to get it on AT&T or Tmobile since their gsm and unlikely that you'll get it on sprint

 

[takeshi]

Unlocking isn't relevant to CDMA devices (except hybrid CDMA/GSM). There's no subsidy lock, which you find on GSM devices. As stated above, you can't use a CDMA device on a GSM network. The device has to be compatible with the network you intend to use it with.

Switching CDMA carriers requires reflashing the device for the new carrier. Most carrier's won't allow/support or flash devices that aren't theirs.

 

[corydunbar]

their are accounts of, if you know somebody in the cell phone business, you could get it on sprint or metro pcs.

 

[Menno]

their are accounts of, if you know somebody in the cell phone business, you could get it on sprint or metro pcs.

Places like metro do this. but if sprint does it, that guy is putting his job on the line to flash

So the answer is NO. Unless you are going to a small regional CDMA that advertises flashing devices, you won't be able to take the phone to another carrier. And Flash rom phones never work correctly.

 

[Ameeelia.]

+1 to all above comments..
You cannot take a CDMA phone to a GSM carrier, UNLESS the phone is a World Phone (meaning, it has a dual radio) and SIM card slot. I believe you would have to flash the phone's software to make it compatible, but it's been so long I can't remember.
If you were given a Droid, lucky you, but it's useless to you if you are unable to swap carriers (under contract with TMO, phone's ESN is not clean, etc.). My advice? Ensure the ESN is clean, and sell it on Craigslist along with whatever accessories you have for it for a couple hundred, take that, and buy an Android phone on TMO.

 

[Alfred Batet]

Agree with the above. "Unlock" also has different levels. However, no matter how strong the "unlock" is, you cannot change the interal chip to switch from CDMA to GSM.

 

[takeshi]

There are different types of locks but generally "unlocking" refers to the network/subsidy lock which, again, doesn't apply to CDMA devices.