vB Easy Archive - Unlocking Verizon (CDMA) Treo 650?

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Unlocking Verizon (CDMA) Treo 650?
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Posted by: MSIGuy

So, I'm going to be getting a new Treo soon (probally the 755p) and I want to give my dad my 650 to use. Now he works for the phone company, but its a small rural company that doesn't offer the 650 as a phone. They have however given a few people that work there 700w's.

Now I have a Verizon branded 650, and I was wondering is it possible to unlock it so they could program it to work with their network? All I've seen for unlocking services were GSM phones, so is it possible to unlock a CDMA phone?

Posted by: PhotoJim

It's possible but it's not as easy. CDMA phones are quite different. While GSM phones have their list of roaming partners on the little plastic SIM card that you insert into the phone, CDMA phones have this list built right into the phone, so if you manage to unlock a Verizon phone it will still have the Verizon PRL (roaming list) on it. If this list is different from what your dad's provider uses, and it will be, it may give him some coverage problems. (The list can be changed but it's not a simple procedure.)

Posted by: JasonBer

Are you trying to unlock the Verizon phone to go onto a GSM network? Good luck with that, unless you have the money to spend on a complete hardware overhaul (at which point it is cheaper to buy a new Treo). CDMA and GSM run off a different hardware radio.

Jason

Posted by: johncase3

CDMA phones are not locked in the traditional sense. It's more about the policy of the carrier as to what phones they allow on their networks, since the carrier has to activate the phone with the ESN you provide.

For example Sprint will never activate a Verizon phone, while Page Plus will activate pretty much all Verizon, Amp'd & Alltel phones. (See UGLY ERIC on eBay).

Yes, the PRL can be an issue, but the activation process often loads a new one and you can request an update from the network by entering a PRL update code. Your Dads carrier should be able to tell you if this is an issue.

Your phone must be deactivated (off the Verizon system) first.

Posted by: brnjh

Help! I have been looking all over the internet for a way to unlock my sprint 700p so i can move it to Verizon. I have discontinued my sprint account, so i think it is deactivated, but I can't find anyone with the code. Does it not exist? I can find services to unlock seemingly all other Palm Treos....

Really want my Treo back, the blackberry is not as good!

Thanks in advance!

Posted by: johncase3

Quote:

Originally Posted by brnjh

Help! I have been looking all over the internet for a way to unlock my sprint 700p so i can move it to Verizon. I have discontinued my sprint account, so i think it is deactivated, but I can't find anyone with the code. Does it not exist? I can find services to unlock seemingly all other Palm Treos....

Really want my Treo back, the blackberry is not as good!

Thanks in advance!

Unlike Verizon, Sprint phones have a "subsidy lock". The services you see are for GSM phone unlocking. Verizon will not let a Sprint phone on their system anyway. (If they did, there would surely be Sprint 755P's on Verizon). Best bet is to sell your Sprint phone and buy a Verizon one.

Posted by: brnjh

Quote:

Originally Posted by johncase3

Thanks for the information! I have talked with Verizon and have been told that if I can open the phone they will allow me to reprogram with them, maybe because I already purchased one of their phones or maybe they are blowing smoke, I don't know.....

Posted by: johncase3

Quote:

Originally Posted by brnjh

Interesting. I have never heard of Verizon accepting a Sprint phone. They won't even take an Amp'd Q that was formerly on their network, and flashed to Verizon because they claim they can't add the ESN. (It has been done by a store tech though.)

I know one dealer had cracked the unlock code on a particular type of Sprint phone and was putting them on Alltel, so I guess in theory they can be cracked.

Posted by: JasonBer

Quote:

Originally Posted by brnjh

They won't do it. You may want to push the point that it is Sprint-branded to confirm before you waste any more time/money.

Jason