Question about sim card

[steveh552]

More than likely a stupid question but here it is. With the photon accepting sim cards could one in theory buy a att sim or walmart mobile one and use the photon on those services?
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[Jude526]

No the sim card is for the 4G service only. Sprint is a CDMA carrier not GSM like AT&T

 

[steveh552]

No the sim card is for the 4G service only. Sprint is a CDMA carrier not GSM like AT&T

I understand the technology behind the carriers but its my understanding that the photon is a world phone capable of gsm. Sprints 4g wimax does not require a simcard

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[cboekhoven]

There is an article somewhere around here that explains the answer to your question. Simply put the answer is no. in theory somebody MIGHT be able to hack the crap out of the phone to make it work... But I suggest doing the proper thing and getting sprint service

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[steveh552]

I have sprint service , over all it was me being curious

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[twbrooklyn]

Actually, my understanding is that the SIM card will not work with any North America Carriers but Sprint.

 

[fortemusic]

Has nothing to do with 4g as sprint does not operate on LTE... Yet! Just for use overseas only.

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[dullgeek]

The photon has the radio hardware to support both voice and 3G data in N. America. TopTongueBarry in the precentral forum has a really good overview of how the frequencies are mapped out.

The post is specific for the GSM palm Pre phones. But when you look at the specs of the photon, you discover that it has quad band GSM and tri band UMTS/HSPA+ radios. So the photon appears to have the hardware to support voice and 3G data in most parts of the world. The only radio that the photon does not appear to have is a 900MHz UMTS radio.

So if the photon doesn't work on N. American SIM cards, it's not because it doesn't have the hardware to support it.

 

[mhmmdy123]

I have an question! I do have the Motorola Photon 4G, Anyone can tell me if I root my phone or if I unlocke it does the 4G work after word? Thank you.

 

[coolqf]

The SIM slot uses the GSM technology, and has nothing to do with WiMax, or 4G. Although the Photon will not work in US GSM networks such as ATT or TMOBILE. The GSM chip's software does not permit for GSM to work in the US. That I know of, no one has hacked this in previous chips. The BB Tour is the same, but to date, no one has been able to hack it and allow it to wrong on ATT or TMOBILE.

 

[seanoj]

This is not a stupid question. The "world phone" capability of this phone is pretty damn good. Lots of radios. You can put a SIM card in the phone and it will work on any GSM network that Sprint will allow it to work on (and uses the same frequencies as the phone's radios).

Sprint locks the phone to prevent its use on domestic (USA) GSM networks. They talked about removing that restriction a while back, but it never happened. I would not buy a Photon to run it on ATT, TMobile, etc.

I have used various Sprint world phones in other countries. The results have been mixed.

The most frequent way I do it is to buy a sim at an airport or train station news stand. You get phone service for a low price, but I have never been able to get data to work. It has been a combination of user error and carrier policy, depending on location.

For instance, I was in Greece and got phone working, paid for data, and did not get the data. They (VodafoneGR) requires a contract to get data. Other carriers have different policies.

In Germany I got the phone working but bought the wrong SIM type for data. I understand that it should have been obvious to me, but I had a few too many Warsteiners on the train.

World phones rock. Hoping this one gets some good world testing...

 

[Groomergirl1990]

So to bore everyone with my life story.

I have a Motorola Photon on the Sprint network. As far as I know the phone has a clean ESN. I was on my stepdads family plan but he lost his job and is losing his home and couldn't pay his part of the bill anymore. It is now disconnected. I am trying to find a way to unlock, flash, or jailbreak the phone so that I can activate it on Metro PCS, Straight Talk, Boost Mobile, Net 10, or Tracfone. Is this at all possible in any way? I don't really care if it's "frowned upon" or anything else. After being a loyal Sprint customer and paying on time for 8 years they decided to trump up false charges and stick my stepdad with an extra $400 on his bill. They can kiss my butt. I just want to keep my phone.

 

[tirith]

I sold my photon after hacking it to a co worker to run on tmo... he loves it...

Technically, they are passing a law preventing flashing them to other carriers but it is possible

~ swyped from my g-note2 on the now network

 

[kmcochran]

You can activate it on Ting.com. They use the Sprint Network and will accept your phone. Their prices are great, pay as you go for what you use (minutes, data, texts). My husband uses it and loves it.