USA CDMA compatibiltiy??

[topher91]

Hey guys,

I'm currently on a Telus plan and want to buy a new phone. I found some phones on Ebay but I'm not sure what USA carriers are compatible with Telus??

Is Verizon and Nextel CDMA also? I know you can have them unlocked also cuz my co-worker did but I can't remember what carrier she bought the phone from ebay.

Thanks for the help!!

CHris

[A790]

A CDMA phone should work on the Bell or Telus network. Since CDMA is an old and outdated network, there aren't a lot of imcompatibilities between them (the U.S. and Canada are the only countries in the world still using CDMA).

You can buy the phone, but then you need to tranfer the account over to your new phone. Telus charges $20 or something to do this.

[Ben]

^^^


Umm...as far as I can remember, you cant use Phones on Bell or TELUS that are not FROM Bell or TELUS.

Technically, you can, but good luck finding a rep that will register your ESN or your phone on the TELUS / Bell network that is not that of a TELUS or Bell Network respectivly.


This is not like Rogers/Fido where you can just unlock them and swap SIM cards...

[GorG]

I'll do it for you if you buy the phone, I can't guarantee that I will be able to transfer the phone for you , I’ve had people come up to me with Nortex mike phones and I was not able to change their phones for them (issue with the sim cards). I dont see why it wouldn't work PCS cdma phones have less issues then mike's.

[gpomp]

Originally posted by Ben
^^^


Umm...as far as I can remember, you cant use Phones on Bell or TELUS that are not FROM Bell or TELUS.

correct.

btw, cdma is far from outdated. telus' evdo network is by far the fastest wireless you can get.

[lint]

Originally posted by GorG
I'll do it for you if you buy the phone, I can't guarantee that I will be able to transfer the phone for you , I’ve had people come up to me with Nortex mike phones and I was not able to change their phones for them (issue with the sim cards). I dont see why it wouldn't work PCS cdma phones have less issues then mike's.

You should also let him know that if you load the phone, it will end up as analog only, since digital features are only available for phones with ESNs that match up with the master list.

[lint]

Originally posted by Ben
^^^


Umm...as far as I can remember, you cant use Phones on Bell or TELUS that are not FROM Bell or TELUS.

Technically, you can, but good luck finding a rep that will register your ESN or your phone on the TELUS / Bell network that is not that of a TELUS or Bell Network respectivly.


This is not like Rogers/Fido where you can just unlock them and swap SIM cards...

You would be surprised (or maybe not) by the number of reps (or dealers) who will do this. Causes a problem though. And as I mentioned one post above, it would be analog only.

[GorG]

Originally posted by lint


You should also let him know that if you load the phone, it will end up as analog only, since digital features are only available for phones with ESNs that match up with the master list.

Really that is messed up i've never heard that before, what is a master list

[topher91]

Originally posted by lint


You should also let him know that if you load the phone, it will end up as analog only, since digital features are only available for phones with ESNs that match up with the master list.

Ah for real?? That's shitty..... Can anyone confirm that or second it??

BTW the phone I'm looking at getting is a Motorolla i830, I think that is a Mike..... so will it be harder to trsf or activate then??

Chris

[lint]

Originally posted by GorG


Really that is messed up i've never heard that before, what is a master list

The reason why Telus phones aren't loaded on the bell network and vice versa is that each company has their own list of phones. If a phone is loaded on the system and isn't on the list, then the only way to do it is as an analogue phone. If you want to pm me, we can discuss it in a bit more detail.

[gpomp]

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=183275

[lint]

Originally posted by topher91


Ah for real?? That's shitty..... Can anyone confirm that or second it??

BTW the phone I'm looking at getting is a Motorolla i830, I think that is a Mike..... so will it be harder to trsf or activate then??

Chris

My advice to you is don't do it. It most likely won't work, and if it does, won't have many features.

[GorG]

yea i know mike's have a lot of issues being transfered over. do you still hve your sim card? also is there any specific reason why you want the i830 there are way better mikes out there then that model i dont think i've ever sold that phone

[topher91]

Originally posted by GorG
yea i know mike's have a lot of issues being transfered over. do you still hve your sim card? also is there any specific reason why you want the i830 there are way better mikes out there then that model i dont think i've ever sold that phone

Well I'm pretty sure there is no SIM card for CDMA phones. And I liked the i830 for the price, size and features. I'd love to get the Verizon V3 Razr but it still pretty pricey.

If I'm only gonna run on analogue mode then I'm not gonna buy it. Telus has great coverage with its digital service and that was one of the main reasons I moved to them so long ago!!

Is anyone selling their Telus phone then?? Or does someone want to take over my 1yr remaining contract with my Samsung A600??

Thanks for all the input guys!!

Chris

[topher91]

Oh BTW, Telus did sell this phone here also so its available in canada or was at least. They no longer sell it anywhere.

I was reading that link to HowardForums about the phones. So they are compatible but due to policy they won't activate it? But it seems like lots of those who were unable to do so reside in Eastern Canada and then a dude from BC says he's bought phones from US providers multiple times and they didnt have a problem activating it and having all the Digital functions working!

I'm on the fence here..... I want a new phone.....but I don't want to be screwed and left in analogue mode....... :banghead: :dunno: :dunno:

What to do, what to do!! :confused:

Chris

[GorG]

see then you won't be able to get the i830 it runs on a different coverage then the telus coverage. i runs off of mike coverage . the coverage is the same in Alberta but when you get in other provinces it is considerably smaller, also on mike coverage there is no such think as analog it works completely different then pcs phones. also i'm pretty sure there is no way to register a mike as a pcs phone. if this helps we are getting the razor in less then a months time. or so the rumors say

[GorG]

if the phone is a telus phone you can bring it program it and then just reprogram the phone (recreates the list of towers in your phone) i really dont see why it would not work. my friend bought ihis phone off of ebay andthen had it switched onto bell*(the phone was unlocked) still had all the tri-mode features

[lint]

Originally posted by GorG
if the phone is a telus phone you can bring it program it and then just reprogram the phone (recreates the list of towers in your phone) i really dont see why it would not work. my friend bought ihis phone off of ebay andthen had it switched onto bell*(the phone was unlocked) still had all the tri-mode features

Bell has a different policy than Telus.

[topher91]

Originally posted by GorG
if this helps we are getting the razor in less then a months time. or so the rumors say


Well that's what I've been waiting for......same rumour for the last year!!! :drama:

Well if Mike and PCS are different, then again I'm SOL.... :cry:

I'll just wait till the Razr ships and pay like what, 600 bux w/o contr?? haha

Chris

[GorG]

m/m you looking around 350 plus 50 just a guess though i wont know the prices until it comes in

[ronaldo]

so how come bell and telus havent switched over to gsm yet if it is supposedly so much better??

[FiveFreshFish]

You should be able to buy an Ontario Telus cell phone and use it on your Alberta Telus number, right? :dunno:

[Mar]

I work for Telus Mobility, I'm the guy that would switch your phone over, though I wouldn't do it for you.
Basically our network runs analog, CDMA and IDEN (Mike). Since we only activate Telus phones on the Telus network, the serial number on your phone has to be in our database or else it won't work. Or you could just set it up as analog, but again good luck finding someone to do it, and a lot (if not all) of the Mike phones don't have analog receivers in them. We did release the Samsung a600 but again, if it's not a Telus specific version, we won't have the serial number and therefore won't register it. Just figured I'd clarify a few things, I don't care either way.

Also, GSM technology works off TDMA, same as IDEN. This is very unsecure and only allows a moderate number of people on each tower. CDMA on the other hand is very secure since it divides the transmission into bytes instead of time, and allows 4 times as many people on the network as GSM. I'm currently wondering why GSM is so popular, I can only figure it's the portability of SIM cards. :dunno:

[Mar]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
You should be able to buy an Ontario Telus cell phone and use it on your Alberta Telus number, right? :dunno:

correct