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General discussion

Will a T-Mobile Blackberry 7100t work with Cingular?

Nov 9, 2004 5:41AM PST

Yesterday I won a 7100t with T-Mobile Service at a trade show. I currently have a Cingular phone and I really don't want to go over to T-Mobile. This thing is brand new, still in the box. Is there any way to get it to work on the Cingular network? Who do I contact to "unlock" the phone. I called Cingular and they said the phone might work but using it for email and web access would not. Does that sound right?
Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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Re: Will a T-Mobile Blackberry 7100t work with Cingular?
Nov 9, 2004 6:52AM PST

I have just heard of the "LOCKED" phones and the clerk said that in NY it is illegal to "UNLOCK" phones. Where is the consumers protection?? it should be like a computer, you want Linux on a PC and not MS, you can change. You want a different ISP, you don't have to buy a new computer.

They prosecute for monopolies. Why isn't this "LOCKING" not consider a fraud? Where's the nearest soapbox??

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Are you looking to sell it?
Dec 20, 2004 3:29AM PST

Since it seems you cannot unlock it. Are you willing to sell it?

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Unlocking
Jan 7, 2005 4:46AM PST

They are not telling you the truth. It is not illegal to unlock cell phones. As a matter of fact, currently Cingular's high end phones such as Razr V3 and Motorola V551 come unlocked. They are telling you LIES!

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unlockin question
Mar 8, 2005 5:31AM PST

how does one know if the phone (in this case the V551)is unlocked?

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A simple test
Mar 8, 2005 10:47AM PST

Just put in a sim card from a different carrier and see if the phone works. e.g. this phone is sold by Cingular, so find someone that has a T-Mobile activated phone, remove the SIM card and place it in the V551 and see if you can make and receive calls. If it works then the phone is unlocked.

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I think it had to do with number theft
Jun 2, 2005 9:56AM PDT

I think it had to do with number theft I remember a while back people using scanners that could record your phone number and some sort of security data. I'm sure something to do with this was probably the illigal aspect of all this. The clerk would be part right maybe or perhaps using the same words for different things. Of course it could be the NY legislature got it wrong. Tech stuff really isn't their thing is it?

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No fraud
Jun 2, 2005 11:53AM PDT

If you want unlocked phones, you can pay full retail price. Cell phone companies can sell phones at a discount because they know you can't go to another provider without buying a new phone. The companies would lose money if you didn't fullfill the length of your contract.

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Might be Useful?
Jun 4, 2005 4:24AM PDT

Come on Birdman, drop the company propaganda and give some useful (straight) answers.

First of all, it's your phone, and it's not against the law.

If you want unlocked phones, try this. Go to Google and search for ''unlock phone''. There are hundreds of places on the web that will either unlock your phone, or sell you the code to do it yourself. The cost is a fraction of what an unlocked phone costs retail. There are a few phones that can't be unlocked, but most can. Also remember that not all phones work with all networks. Example. PCS phones don't work on GSM networks, locked or not.
10 minutes on Google and you'll see how easy it is. Now go to Cingular, and buy the phone you want at a great discount.

Birdman, pay attention here. They sell the phones at a discount if you sign a contract. They sell at retail if you don't sign a contract. Having a locked phone doesn't secure their revenue at this point, the contract does. Just look at all the AT&T customers who are stuck until their contract runs out. An unlocked phone won't help them escape the Cingular bondage they are in.

At the end of your contract, the fact that you have an unlocked phone becomes very useful, because NOW there is nothing keeping you tied to Cingular. It is at this point that a companys poor support and service become an issue, and it is at this point that you realize why they lock the phones.
Be free and fiy like a bird, man.

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Just a thought
Jun 4, 2005 8:40AM PDT

No arguements with your point. I mean absolutely no disrespect to you or anyone else.

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The main problem is frequency
Jan 7, 2005 1:15AM PST

Unless Cingular operates at 900MHz and not 850MHz, unlocking the device is irrelevant.

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T-Mobile/Cingular
Jan 7, 2005 4:48AM PST

If it is a tri band or quad band, it will work on either carrier. You may not get certain services though. As far as unlocking it, for about $10-$15 most cellular phone retail stores will do it for you.

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T-Mobile and 7100t
Jan 12, 2005 4:35AM PST

I definitely want to know the answer to that. The Blackberry website says 7100t is only available thru T-Mobile. I just ended a 14 day trial with TMobile and the 7100t. I absolutely loved the 7100t, but the TMobile service was so poor that although the phone worked, I could not transmit touch tone sounds to navigate thru third party voicemails . Hence, I had to return it because of terrible TMobile service. But I loved the Blackberry. I also have Cingular, so if you can find out a way to make it work, I'd love to know.

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I too am having problems with service using 7100t
Feb 15, 2005 1:53AM PST

I have looked at the blackberry site and it appears that cingular has a 7100g with is a little different version of the 7100 series phones. I am giving T-mobile 1 more day as they say they are working on some tower issues in the area (yeah right) then the phone goes back and I will try cingular. Cingular does not have phone online yet so will have to call their Phone sales group.

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Problems
Feb 28, 2005 12:09AM PST

I'll purchase the blackberry if you don't get it worked out!

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You can all buy mine!!!!!!
Mar 30, 2005 2:11AM PST

I've used one for 6 months since its release and I hate the device. The lack of a camera, voice activated dialing, and other services annoys the heck out of me. I work at tmobile but i'm quitting and going to Cingular. what's that say about tmobile now? Anyways, reply and I'll sell it for a good price, unless of course you can unlock it and i'll sell it for more.

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T-mobile sux
Apr 15, 2005 5:36AM PDT

I'm on my 3rd 7100T and have only had t-mobile service for 7 months. Get a Palm if you want a PDA phone, it works a lot better. If I could get rid of this POS without paying a lot in penalties I would. It doesn't work most of the time especially when traveling and it loses the signal a lot.

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Your 7100t
May 2, 2005 5:21AM PDT

What are the postives about this blackberry? Any negatives?

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Re
Apr 15, 2005 6:53AM PDT

Both phones will work off the same network, however thier data platforms vary. Cingular uses the more advanced edge GPRS system, while tmobile uses a standard GPRS. They both function on 1900mhz unless outside of the united states.

What you have to do is see if T mobile or RIM will give you the subsidy unlock code. The Subsidy code is what makes a phone inherent to one cellular system verses another. Voice features should remain intact as Cingular often utilizes T-Mobile towers and vice versa in several large markets like NY and California.

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any one has unlock code for blackberry 7100t locked t-mobile
Apr 24, 2005 7:09PM PDT

any one has unlock code for blackberry 7100t locked t-mobile . Pls contact me at aroravinay@hotmail.com or vinuarora@yahoo.com

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Try Mobile Phone Tools
May 2, 2005 8:57AM PDT
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Ai biet nokia 6630 flast o va muon mo mang cho no thi dung c
Jul 21, 2005 3:45AM PDT

Research In Motion (RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market.

RIM's portfolio of award-winning products are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry