vB Easy Archive - Unlocked phones from Motorola

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Unlocked phones from Motorola
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Posted by: rjpierson

Just curious, moto offers unlocked phones, whats the story on using one, I would like the full functionality of bluetooth not the crippled version verizon allows, I would actually like to use the features that the head units in my jeeps have [aftermarket JVC, JENSEN and Pioneer]. Do the moto unlocked phones have this ?

Posted by: Di@blo

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjpierson

Just curious, moto offers unlocked phones, whats the story on using one, I would like the full functionality of bluetooth not the crippled version verizon allows, I would actually like to use the features that the head units in my jeeps have [aftermarket JVC, JENSEN and Pioneer]. Do the moto unlocked phones have this ?

An unlocked phone pertains to GSM networks. For example, if you were living in the US, and you had an unlocked phone, you could use it on ANY carrier that uses SIM cards (AT&T or T-Mobile). If the phone is locked, you're probably going to get a lower price, but you can't use it on the competitor's network [until the contract expires]. ie A RAZR locked to AT&T will ask you for a subsidy password when you put in a T-Mobile SIM (or any other). Your carrier has the code to unlock your phone. Some phones, namely the Nokias, can be easily unlocked for free with software that calculates the subsidy password using the IMEI number (the number that identifies your phone physically). Newer Motos cannot be unlocked by you with hacks [easily]. You can negotiate with your carrier or you can pay to have it unlocked on the spot. By law in the US, your carrier cannot perminantely lock you to their network, and have to give you the unlock code for your phone after a certain period of time. I think T-Mobile requires you to have been with them for 90 days, and then if you wish to have your phone unlocked, just call them up, give them the last 4 digits of your SSN and your IMEI, and you get an email in 24-48 hours.

Now in regards to your comment about features being crippled; That's the carrier's "shell" running over the original Moto firmware. You CAN put the Altell firmware on a Verizon RAZR to "uncripple" OBEX and other features, but you'll lose things like V-Cast. CDMA phones are out of the picture, but I've heard of people using Verizon RAZRs on Sprint's network. I think they need to flash the phones though.

Just out of curiosity, what phone do you have?

Posted by: rjpierson

I have a V3M, Moto sells about 8 phones with no contract for verizon, I am curious if those phones in fact have moto software. As for features, nope, I actually use it as a phone, occasional pics to the memory card, I don't play music, I don't surf with it. What I want is full bluetooth function with my head units and PC's and the ability to move things like ringtones around. I also keep some cisco router configs and even a few cisco IOS images on it and would like to see if I could plug the phone into the cisco device thru the USB ports to backup and transfer configs w/o pulling out the laptop. But mostly I'd like to be able to page thru the phone book with the head unit.
I just don't know the capabilities of the moto software that the phone was born with, only with the income generating software that verizon puts on it.

Posted by: catchmyjetta

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjpierson

I have a V3M, Moto sells about 8 phones with no contract for verizon, I am curious if those phones in fact have moto software. As for features, nope, I actually use it as a phone, occasional pics to the memory card, I don't play music, I don't surf with it. What I want is full bluetooth function with my head units and PC's and the ability to move things like ringtones around. I also keep some cisco router configs and even a few cisco IOS images on it and would like to see if I could plug the phone into the cisco device thru the USB ports to backup and transfer configs w/o pulling out the laptop. But mostly I'd like to be able to page thru the phone book with the head unit.
I just don't know the capabilities of the moto software that the phone was born with, only with the income generating software that verizon puts on it.

The ones that Moto sells on their website for specific carriers are those carriers branded phones. They will have the Verizon UI