Comments on: Purchasing Unlocked Cell Phones in Canada

By: chopstks

chopstks — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:41:23 +0000

Just wanted to share my experience. I am a big fan of UNLOCKED GSM phone since 2004. Never wanted to go back to locked phones especially Canada’s carriers are really a big rip-off and there is no freedom of communication and choice as in Asia or Europe. My unlocked phones are always manufacturer-unlocked meaning they have never been locked by carriers and straight from the manufacturer. I always buy them on the internet (local stores do carry them if you know where) and have them shipped to my door. Beware of the custom fees, shipping fees and brokerage fees but it’s worth it. With unlock phones, I can actually save up a lot of money, no contracts and swap SIM cards whenever necessary. Bear in mind that only Rogers and Fido provided SIM card in Toronto, Canada. However, with unlocked GSM phone, I can travel to places in Europe, Asia, Mexico etc and buy a cheap local SIM card. That saves huge money on international and local calls. Plus you have absolute communication freedom. Isn’t what phones are built for? My recent addition was a Windows Mobile manufacturer-unlocked touchscreen GSM smartphone (my preference over iPhone). Just popped in my $10 SIM card and buy prepaid vouchers and I am good to go. For internet connection, I use MS ActiveSync at home or office and Wifi while travelling, no data plan needed at all since I won’t be emailing on the tiny keyboard. I also subscribe to Skype so that I can make cheap international calls whenever I have free Wifi connections at overseas hotels. (Last time I checked, Skype for Windows has been withdrawn but you can still use it if you have the old application). When I need news feed, I subscribe to Tweeters so that they can send text messages to me for free.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 03:09:00 +0000

Hi Revera,

Thank you for your comment.
This is not an area that I am very familiar with. (i.e. the physical unlocking of devices)
However, i have made a call to one of our colleagues and they will let me know either way.
Can anyone else shed any light here?

Kye

By: Revera

Revera — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:16:38 +0000

Kye,

A lot of REALLY EXCELLENT information. Thank you.

I am a very LIGHT cell phone user and am tired of paying the BIG fees with the BIG THREE. I want to move over to Virgin Prepaid, but am being told that my old Krzr K1 is too old and incompatible, yet, I am dubious. Can you offer any information about this?

I am not looking for 3G and when I pull up the info on my phone I get EMEI number but also a CDMA/EVDO note. I am wondering, like cars/autos, do I have a hybrid? Meaning a ‘crossover’, when the models were changing?

I want to switch from Telus Mobility ‘Plan’ to Virgin Mobile Prepaid. I have been told I cannot do it by a company that offers unlocking services. They are telling me the phone is too old. The phone in question is a MotoKrzr K1, and I actually still like it, so feel no reason to change.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:50:48 +0000

Hi Tyler,
Whatever phone you purchase must firstly be compatible with the carriers network and unlocked in order to work. BELL and TELUS have an online form where you can check compatibility by entering your IMEI number there. TELUS, BELL and Rogers lock phones to their network and they will not sell you an unlocked phone outright.
Every phone works on a frequency and GSM is the international standard, so an unlocked GSM phone will work on Roger’s network and may work on TELUS’ and BELL’s new HSPA network. Before you purchase any unlocked device, you can confirm with the carrier you hope to get service with by using the same online compatibility form and entering the IMEI number.
CDMA phones do not have an IMEI number but rather a ESN number and will not work on Roger’s network or Bell and Telus’ new HSPA network.

Kye

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:14:08 +0000

Hi, I would like to know plain and simple if I can purchase a phone (ie HTC legend, iPhone etc) from telus or another similar provider HSPA, CDMA and use it on the bell network as they do not use Sim cards, I’m so confused by this as I’ve been told you can and by some you can’t. What’s the truth, I wish I knew. Thanks.

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:05:57 +0000

Hi ! (First, sorry for my bad english, i’m francophone)
Now that my contract is finish with bell, I want to change my cell phone. They dont have great choice so at first i thought to maybe change with telus and get one of those android phones like htc hero. But, that cell phone is old and telus didnt get from HTC the upgrade for the android 2.1
So, i decided to maybe buy a cell phone on internet like the htc hd2 (or another one) but i don’t really know how it will work after. I check his compatibility and theres a version of HSPA 850MHZ compatible with bell or telus But that cell phone come from another carrier and its unlocked. So do i have to change the ROM or something in the phone?

By: James Carter

James Carter — Fri, 14 May 2010 23:27:18 +0000

Hi i was wondering if i could let say buy a cell phone …let just say the milestone under a three year contract under a promotional price ….could i some how unlock that device and use it in South Asia ( Pakistan to be exact) buy using a local SIM card from Pakistan …will there be any functions of the phone that i would not be able to use …where do i get a phone unlocked? Will telus be able to do that or i can have it done elsewhere and How much $$ to unlock the safest way cost aprox. …Thanks very insight full blog

By: admin

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:26:03 +0000

Hi Larry,
Sorry for the delay in responding here.
If you purchase an unlocked Bold 9700 you are good to go and once you get your new plan they will provide you with a SIM card.
Keep us posted.
Kye

By: Larry

Larry — Sat, 01 May 2010 11:25:43 +0000

Kye,

I’ve completed my prison term with Rogers and am now running month to month with my Blackberry Pearl. If I go out and buy an unlocked Blackberry Bold or Storm as a replacement,can I just swap the Sim card out of the old and into the new, or do I need to go visit my friendly Rogers rep?

Larry

By: admin

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:18:45 +0000

Hi Diane,
Thank you for your comment/question.
You didn’t say what type of BlackBerry you are purchasing so that will be key.
Some BlackBerry’s have Wifi capability where as others don’t.
if you have checked and it does, like let’s say the Bold 9700, then you can get a plan without data and use Wifi where available.
Just so you know, Blackberry devices in general don’t use as much data as other smartphones so a 500MB plan will likely be more than enough for you to check your email and browse the internet.
Let me know if this helps. You can always send an email to us directly through support@mycellmyterms.com
Cheers,

Kye