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Cellular Phones/unlocked tmobile blackberry compatible with sprint service?

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Expert: - 1/3/2011


Question
hello i have a tmobile blackberry curve 3g 9300 i contacted tmobile and told them id be traveling out of the country and they emailed me the unlock code after i provided them with IMEI. with the phone now being unlocked would i be able to give it to my girlfriend to use with her sprint service? when i called sprint to activate they asked for a DEC or ESN # and they also said they cannot guarantee that activation will work since sprint does not have sim cards to transfer to the blackberry phone.

Answer
Sprint uses a different technology than T-Mobile, so your phone will be of no use to your girlfriend. Sprint and Verizon only use SIM cards in their WorldPhones (many of the Blackberrys today - not the Curve) for international travel since their international partners have GSM networks like T-Mobile. But in the US, they use the CDMA (and WiMAX for Sprint in some areas) networks. Your BlackBerry can now be used with an AT&T SIM card, but not with Sprint or Verizon. What they should have told you at Sprint when you indicated it was a 9300 was that it was not compatible with Sprint versus asking for an ESN or DEC and talking about not guaranteeing. Evidently, the rep you spoke with may not understand the technology. Hope this helps.

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Expertise

I can answer questions on cellular phones, the physical device, the network, contracts, billing, ordering, porting and 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 and T-Mobile) and CDMA (Verizon, Sprint/Nextel). 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 20 years in the Telecom industry working for the carriers with individuals, small business, medium business and large corporations(Fortune 500). Also worked as a professor in Maryland for 10 years teaching telecommunications.

Organizations
I belong to several organizations

Education/Credentials
Master's in Telecommunications

Awards and Honors
Received several awards for papers that I have published over the years

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