AboutDebiN Expertise I can answer questions on cellular phones, the physical device, the network, what to look for when purchasing cell phones. I am located in the United States. I am an expert on BlackBerrys, Treos, HTC devices and iPhones as well as cellphones and aircards. I have over 15 years of experience in both the wireless and wireline world with the carriers. I have a lot of knowledge regarding the wireless providers - their services, prices and policies, both GSM (AT&T (formerly Cingular) and T-Mobile) and CDMA (Verizon, Sprint/Nextel (iDEN)). I am very familiar with the individual devices and their specifications. I can also answer questions regarding BlackBerrys, iPhones and other PDAs, both Palm-based and Windows-based. I can troubleshoot most any problem someone is having with their cellular device or with the provider.
Experience Over 15 years in the telecommunications field in the United States.
Expert: DebiN Date: 7/22/2008 Subject: Motorola v3xx features
Question QUESTION: My V3xx from AT&T has features different than my friends V3xx he acquired from Walmart with an AT&T contract extension. Is it because he may have an "unlocked" phone and mine came directly from AT&T? How can he get his matched with mine, software wise? Thanks, Jon
ANSWER: Hi Jon -
If both your friend's and your phones are branded "AT&T", the reason that these phones have different features is because your friend's phone from Walmart is a prepaid phone and your is post-paid. There is different firmware on a prepaid than a post-paid. His phone is not SIM-unlocked, it too is locked to the carrier. No retailer outside of the hardware manufacturers like Motorola for example sell SIM-unlocked phones. There are a few like Sharper Image, for example, but they get their phones directly from the manufacturers. Your friend will not be able to get the same firmware on his device that is on yours. The firmware is basically "locked" and cannot be changed except by the carrier and they won't change the firmware on a prepaid phone to mirror a postpaid phone. What particular things is your friend wanting that is on your phone that isn't on his? Thanks. DebiN
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QUESTION: Actually, his phone was a upgrade/contract extension, not a contract phone. One example is the choices is different for the "voice" dial menu. Mine (AT&T) has more and different choices under the command menu than his does not. He said his SIM card is identical to mine. Thanks, Jon
Answer Hi -
There's actually no such thing as an upgrade/contract extension phone. Getting a new phone as an upgrade or brand new are actually all the same. He bought his phone at Walmart and you bought yours from AT&T. Walmart is a reseller and this phone is a prepaid phone. Regardless of what the SIM cards look like, the plans behind them can be different and the phones are definitely different as you have seen. There isn't anything that can be done to either phone to make them the same. One is a prepaid phone and the other a post-paid phone and the firmware is different. Since the choices are different on the phones, you can't do anything to make them the same, I'm afraid. If he bought his phone at AT&T, they would be identical and the same thing if you bought yours from Walmart. I hope this helps. Thanks. DebiN
