BlackBerry® Bold™

[chulap]

I'm a little confuse. Is there a difference between factory unlock and provider unlock for Bold? What's the difference?

[JSanders Resident Expert]

There are different uses of the term "unlocked" in regard to your need.

You can UNLOCK the device for use on other carriers. BlackBerrys come locked to the carrier for which they are branded. You can get an unlock from your carrier or purchase one from a vendor.

[chulap]

Ok, so is it the same if I have it unlocked by the carrier, vendor or factory?

[JSanders Resident Expert]

Yes, although I have not heard the "factory" doing unlocks.

[chulap]

ok, there are some ads that say the BB they sell are factory unlocked (i.e unlocked by Blackberry).

The reason I'm asking this, there are rumors that if it's carrier/vendor unlocked, the BB will be locked again after you upgrade the software to new version or do a clean OS re-install on the BB. And this will not happen if it's factory unlocked.

[JSanders Resident Expert · Accepted solution]

Rumors. Rumors?

Once unlocked, always unlocked... that is a fact.

[fetake]

I have heard that even if you get the BOLD unlocked by AT&T, there is still some difference between that and the factory unlocked Bold. e.g. the UMTS cannot be disabled. Is that true?

[rocmon]

your question appears to be one of confusion - perhaps you need to be specific in what you are trying to achieve...

typically, the reason one would want to unlock their phone is a scenario such as(but not limited to);

I purchased my phone through GSM.Carrier A, but now have moved to another country and would like to use my same physical phone with a local carrier in my new country GSM.Carrier B - but it doesn not appear to work...

This is where you would (preferably) contact GSM.Carrier A and let them know you would like to use the phone you purchased through them in your new location... if they are nice (and you ask them nicly) they will give you the code to punch into your device which will allow it to work in the GSM.Carrier B network.

... when you are not able to obtain the code from your old carrier, go online (see some frequent posters on this board's signature) and find someone who may have cracked the hash and can provide the key for YOUR phone (typically by imei/pin)

good luck - and try not to post in resolved threads

[JSanders Resident Expert]

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fetake wrote:
I have heard that even if you get the BOLD unlocked by AT&T, there is still some difference between that and the factory unlocked Bold. e.g. the UMTS cannot be disabled. Is that true?

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That was fixed for ATT devices with an OS upgrade maybe 3-4 months ago. At this point all ATT Bold devices allow the 3G to be disabled-- if updated to the laster OS releases for the Bold.

[gsmwong]

Hi,

if you unlock BB phone using code there is no difference between not locked and unlocked phone. They are same.

You can get unlock codes for all Blackberry for just $14.99 USD at www.FastGSM.com

All BlackBerry models, all networks. Instant delivery.

gsmwong