Questions regarding new phone

[topher chee]

  Okay so last night I went to Projekt Revolution, which is a concert consisting of like 10 bands-Art of Chaos, Madina Lake,  The Bled, Saosin, Styles of Beyond, Mindless Self Indulgence, and then there was the big bands-Julien-K, Placebo, HIM, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, and LINKIN PARK!!!
  Anyways...I won some kind of raffle for the new Verizon Wireless MotoRazr Maxx Ve.  I already have a phone, which happens to be a Razr V3, but its really crapping out right now and I have T-Mobile.  Originally my Razr was from Cingular, but it is an unlocked phone, or at least thats what the guy said.  The owner of the place I have my service plan with has like a multi-network store, one with T-Mobile, and more that I think are Sprint, Alltell, MAYBE Verizon, and Cingular.
  The phone i won uses a different kind of SIM card so i cannot simply transfer the SIM card I have now to the new phone.  My question is can I use a Verizon phone with T-Mobile, like I did with the Cingular phone?

[Reese Tora]

technically, you should be able to.

however, it may be locked to verizon (boo! hiss!) in which case, you'll need to get it unlocked.  you can try going through customer support to get it unlocked, but you may have difficulties in that area, as most providers won't unlock a phone unless you fullful some sort of requirement. (pay a fee, ahve service with them x days, or whatever)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock

[topher chee]

interesting.  maybe i can get the guy i have my service with to do it for free.  but thanks for the tip, i'll be sure to look into it

[Catffeinated]

interesting.  maybe i can get the guy i have my service with to do it for free.

Now a days, nothing is free... NO! NOT EVEN BREATHING! ... SHUT UP! ...

[DarkAudit]

No. T-Mobile is GSM (and so is AT&T/Cingular). Verizon is CDMA (like Sprint). The technologies are not compatible.

If the phone is branded for a particular provider, most other companies will not touch it.

[topher chee]

SHIZA!  Well now all my hopes are pretty much crushed. thanks dark haha

[Reese Tora]

No. T-Mobile is GSM (and so is AT&T/Cingular). Verizon is CDMA (like Sprint). The technologies are not compatible.

gods, I should have caught that before I answered. I feel pretty stupid, since I'm supposedly a competent professional in this particular field.

Yeah, Verizon uses CDMA, and that means that there is no SIM card (the kind of info that is on a SIM is built in to a CDMA phone)

If your provider does deal in a CDMA carrier(Sprint, Verizon, Alltel, to name a few big ones), he might be willing to swap for an equivalent GSM handset, especially if yours is still in the box

[topher chee]

well im certain that he has either sprint or verizon.  would i have to change my plan from t-mobile?

[superluser]

(Obligatory mention that the new FCC rules are mandating some interoperability between carriers)

[topher chee]

(Obligatory mention that the new FCC rules are mandating some interoperability between carriers)

is that a good thing or bad thing?

in my case? hahaha

[superluser]

is that a good thing or bad thing?

in my case? hahaha

Sorry, not for you.  This applies to the new 700MHz spectrum, while CDMA is in the 2.4GHz spectrum (I think).

I debated whether to bring this up, since it doesn't help you, but I figured that other people might find it interesting.

[Reese Tora]

is that a good thing or bad thing?

in my case? hahaha

Sorry, not for you.  This applies to the new 700MHz spectrum, while CDMA is in the 2.4GHz spectrum (I think).

I debated whether to bring this up, since it doesn't help you, but I figured that other people might find it interesting.

GSM opeprates in four bands: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, and CDMA in 800 and 1900
(all depending on country, of course, and most carriers only operate in one or two frequencies) your standard cordless phone opeprates in 2.4GHz, as does your 802.11b&g (but not a)

[topher chee]

is that a good thing or bad thing?

in my case? hahaha

Sorry, not for you.  This applies to the new 700MHz spectrum, while CDMA is in the 2.4GHz spectrum (I think).

I debated whether to bring this up, since it doesn't help you, but I figured that other people might find it interesting.

GSM opeprates in four bands: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, and CDMA in 800 and 1900
(all depending on country, of course, and most carriers only operate in one or two frequencies) your standard cordless phone opeprates in 2.4GHz, as does your 802.11b&g (but not a)

bummer.  its such a cool phone though.....lol