Using an unlocked phone
November 25, 2005

Submitted by: Eric, via e-mail
I want to get the Sony Ericsson W800i and use it with T-Mobile, but I've never used an unlocked phone before. Are there any disadvantages to using an unlocked phone?

Kent German, senior editor
I wouldn't call them disadvantages per se, but there are a few points you'll need to keep in mind when using an unlocked cell phone, which is a handset that is not tied to one particular carrier. First off, any phone you want to use in the United States should support either the 850 or 1900 GSM bands--ideally, both. If a phone supports only the 900 and 1800 bands, you're out of luck, as those frequencies are limited to Europe. Second, carriers don't particularly like their customers using an unlocked phone because they don't make any money off the purchase, so customer support can be dodgy; the carrier may decline to help you if the handset breaks, for instance. And even if you get technical assistance, carriers won't replace a faulty unlocked phone free of charge.

The handset's settings may also cause some problems. Every phone requires a number of settings to access the Web, send and receive text, and process multimedia messages and e-mails. If you buy a phone from a carrier, these settings come preinstalled, but if you buy an unlocked phone, you'll need to enter them yourself. Your carrier can help you, but you can also try other sources as well: The Nokia and the Sony Ericsson Web sites have tools that will send these settings to your phone in a text message. But if you still can't get your settings after trying the above methods (they vary by make of the phone and the carrier), try searching CNET's cell phone forums.

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