Expert: DebiN - 11/24/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Debi
It seems to me that the slot in the left upper corner beneeth the battery could be use as SIM card for abroad use and for memory card in the U.S. Is that right?
Second, want to chenge from Sprint to AT&T, what should I do? unluck the phone? how?
Thank you, greetings

ANSWER: The slot for a memory card is not the same for a SIM card. An 8330 does not work abroad at all, it has a CDMA radio and only works on CDMA in the US. The slots are not interchangeable. You can only use this device with CDMA, so don't waste your time or money getting it unlocked, because there isn't actually anything to unlock, it won't work with AT&T no matter what you do. The better choice would be to get a new Curve from AT&T. They are super low cost with new service these days and well worth getting a new device that works on the AT&T network. If you want to do something with the old Sprint BlackBerry, sell it to someone who has Sprint service. I hope this helps. Thanks. DebiN

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Debi,
With all due respect, I red your previouse resposes, attached two of them bellow. Beside, the phone must have internal memory chip, where the sprint program was loaded and locked. Having said that, couln't this be unlocked and the "program" chenged, altered??? ecpecially when conected to pc for BB updates?
Thank you.

Expert: DebiN - 11/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: I bought a used 8330an it will not turn on.I removed the battery and it looks like a chip is missing in the upper left corner.is this the sim chip location? It is us cellular phone.it will not turn on or charge. I need help please!

ANSWER: Hi Craig -

This Blackberry does not use a SIM card in the US. It is a dual radio device and uses CDMA in the US and GSM outside the US. It works without a SIM card even though there is a slot for one. IN order to make this phone work, you have have it activated with US Cellular. There is likely nothing missing. Put the battery in and then put it on the charger. The phone will not turn on if the battery is fully discharged. Let it charge for an hour or so and you will see a light flash on the phone. Then, after it has charged for awhile, turn it on (press and hold the the red "end call" button - looks like a phone). This will turn on the phone. You still won't be able to use it until it is activated with US Cellular. Do you currently have service with US Cellular? You will need to make sure that you have them add a Blackberry data plan to your account if you want to use the device for MMS messaging, email, accessing the internet, etc. You cannot use a Blackberry for any of this without a Blackberry data plan. I hope this helps, and please let me know. Thanks. DebiN

The chip area is for a SIM card, but it is only used abroad. This device does not require a SIM card to operate or charge. I would suggest going into a US Cellular store and asking them if you can try another battery. If it's just the battery that is a problem, then putting in a new battery will solve the problem. If the device still doesn't charge with a new battery, the it is definitely broken. In all honesty, either way, I would suggest returning the phone to the seller, if at all possible. You shouldn't pay good money for a device that doesn't work. Batteries for this device cost around $50.00, so if it were me, I would not pay for a device that doesn't have a working battery. Please don't worry about the SIM area, I can 100% assure you it's not what is causing your problem. I hope this helps. Thanks. DebiN
QUESTION: How do I use a tmobile sim card on my 8330 world edition?when I put a tmobile sim card in it it works on the global network but it says his number and name not mine.and then I tried the GSM network and I didn't find service help me Please!!

ANSWER: Hi Tyler -

The Blackberry 8330 from Sprint is a dual chipset device. It works on Sprint's CDMA network in the US (bands 850 and 1900 CDMA) without a SIM card since Sprint's CDMA network does not use a SIM card and works with a SIM card only for international roaming on Sprint's partner's networks (GSM) abroad (bands 900 and 1800). This Blackberry does not have the ability to work on the GSM network in the US because these bands are configured for CDMA only. In otherwords, you can't use this device with AT&T or T-Mobile.

If you have a T-Mobile SIM card that is local to a country outside of the US and the Blackberry is SIM unlocked, it will work internationally, but even unlocked, this device will not work on the GSM network in the US.

If you bought this phone under the impression that you could use it with T-Mobile, you can't. The reason that it shows the former owner's information when you turn it on is because he never had Sprint disassociate the device from him even though it won't work with his number. If he sold you this device telling you that it has a SIM card slot so it should work with T-Mobile, he was mistaken and I would suggest that you try to return it and get your money back. The words "Global Network" basically means that it works on GSM OUTSIDE the US, not inside, I'm afraid.

I hope this helps and please let me know if you need any additional information. Thanks. DebiN


Answer
I have just verified for you and the particular model of BlackBerry that you have, the Sprint 8330 does not have a dual radio. It is CDMA only and works only on the CDMA network. It does not have a GSM radio and does not work with a SIM outside of the US. Here are it's specs:

Technology CDMA2000 1X Band CDMA2000 1X 1900/800

The WorldPhones that Sprint sells are the 8830 and the new Storms and Tours. The Curves are only usable on the CDMA network in the US. I was in error when I responded to those two people above and misread the model that they stated and read it as 8830. That was definitely my mistake and I apologize and stand corrected.

You cannot unlock or reprogram a BlackBerry that does not have a GSM radio inside of it. The radio antenna is hardware and this particular device does not have the hardware to work with the GSM network and that is why you can't use it with a SIM card on the GSM network. It can be reflashed to work with Verizon or other CDMA carrier, but it will not be able to be used with a GSM SIM card or carrier. I have a feeling that perhaps both the person who wrote me and I thought he was talking about the 8830 world edition, since there is not an 8330 world edition of the Curve for Sprint. If you have an 8830 or other World Phone, it will work with a SIM card internationally, but only a BlackBerry that has a dual chipset and dual radio that works on the GSM bands of 850 and 1900 in the US will work on a GSM network in the US. I hope this helps. Thanks. DebiN