unlock?

[caseyatbt]

What is the advantage to an unlocked phone?

Jeff

[stareja]

An unlocked phone can be taken from one provider to another. Providers will lock phones to prevent that from happening because they lower the prices of many phones to entice people into contracts.

[GolferX]

is there a way to unlock the treo 600 to be able to use it with Verizon?

[stareja]

Originally posted by GolferX
is there a way to unlock the treo 600 to be able to use it with Verizon?

It's possible to unlock the Sprint version of the T600 to work on Verizon's network, but I don't know how to do it and Verizon doesn't support it, obviously.

[caseyatbt]

Look here:
http://discussion.treocentral.com/tcforum/-t39179/s7e5225eecb6e7b6a3a82f45ecd54e8f0.html

[GolferX]

wow...thats amazing..not to mention a lot of work...thanks

[FredPC]

An unlocked phone can be taken from one provider to another. Providers will lock phones to prevent that from happening because they lower the prices of many phones to entice people into contracts.

I'm a long time Palm user, currently running a TX and I have been offered a Rogers (Canadian AT&T) Treo 680.

Obviously I would not be able to move to a different carrier without getting the T680 unlocked. Is there any other downsides to the Rogers locked version? For example, are there any software features or options that are locked out?

Thank you all in advance for your help with this.

[Aces]

When I got my 680, it was unlocked BUT it was an AT&T(Cingular) phone that had been unlocked. What that meant is there is software on it that's in ROM like "Get MobiTV" & "Get Good". that are always on the phone. These are not programs I'd ever want to use, but cannot remove. I assume Rogers would do something similar.

[FredPC]

When I got my 680, it was unlocked BUT it was an AT&T(Cingular) phone that had been unlocked. What that meant is there is software on it that's in ROM like "Get MobiTV" & "Get Good". that are always on the phone. These are not programs I'd ever want to use, but cannot remove. I assume Rogers would do something similar.
Hmmm... I assume that if I unlock it (Treo 680 from Rogers) I could then use the "unlocked updates" direct from Palm - and that the first time I did so, all the "Rogers" software would be removed by the flash update, and the 680 would only contain the "normal" Treo software.

Another Hmmm... would using a "Rogers update" return my unlocked 680 to locked status?

Do you know what was locked by Cingular? What features did you gain by getting the unlocked version? Other than being able to use a different carrier.

What I am really interested in is: Am I "missing" anything because my 680 is locked through Rogers? I thought at first that they had disabled the IR, but that turned out to be a different problem. I know many smartphones have things like the BlueTooth Modem feature disabled - they want you to pay extra to use that feature of the phone you already own. I've been checking this one over and so far I haven't found anything that's locked out. Of course, I certainly have not performed an exhaustive set of tests yet.

Does anyone know what specifically is locked on the Rogers Treo 680? Besides the carrier (Rogers) itself.

[dmitrygr]

no
if you unlock, you must still use carrier updates

[FredPC]

no
if you unlock, you must still use carrier updates
Thanks Dmitry

Do you have time to explain?

It's all the same hardware, isn't it? So at least a 'major' update should reload the phone with a full updated version?

Ahhh... but maybe the updates only include patches to the existing software. So then how do you patch something that sits in the middle of the storage area (which is where Murphy's Law would ensure anything that needed to be patched would live) without damaging (over-writing) the 'next' program and/or fragmenting the Treo's memory more and more with each patch? Which would slow the Treo down? and/or make it less reliable?

And if you have to use the 'brand' specific patches will they 're-lock' the phone?

Sorry, thinking while (before) I type does not make for short (or even coherent) messages.

[FredPC]

Thanks Dmitry

Do you have time to explain?
I know Dmitry is always busy...

Does anyone else have time (and the knowledge) to be able to help explain my questions above?

[Josser]

The hardware (radio etc.) could be different enough that the new software makes software calls the hardware does not know about.

[FredPC]

The hardware (radio etc.) could be different enough that the new software makes software calls the hardware does not know about.
Thanks...

I knew that Palm did custom software loads for different carriers, but I had no idea they did custom hardware too (other than the general radio types: GSM, CDMA etc.)

So my Rogers GSM 680 might not work properly if patched with a Palm (unlocked) GSM 680 update?

If you use the 'brand' specific patches will they 're-lock' the phone?

[Josser]

If it does, just unlock it again, no big deal.