Cellular Phone Programming Guides?

cainpitt asks: "I work for a small telecommunications company that activates the three major types of cellphones, CDMA, TDMA and GSM as a reseller for the major carriers. We activate old phones and we sometimes need to check them for compatibility and programming instructions. We've been using an application named Cellurom from Bishop and Associates for a few years now. This application had information from almost every manufacturer and every phone sold in the U.S. However, we just found out they will no longer be updating Cellurom with new phones. Does the Slashdot community know of subscription-based software that can provide programming and operating instructions for cell phones?"

Comments

Re:Activation?

[slakdrgn]

In the USA things are a bit different. Some carriers (i.e. ones that use GSM) utilize SIM Cards that will work with just about any phone. However, the phone may be locked to that network (say, BIGCELLPROVIDER1 and you have a SIM from BIGCELLPROVIDER2). I forgot what thats called. CDMA carriers typically do not use a SIM Card, instead you register the phone with the carrier, similiar to TDMA. The phone is usually locked to a specific carrier also. They do this to limit people buying a cool phone from PROVIDER1 and moving to PROVIDER2 since they typically sell the phones at a loss and make money off the subscriptions.

Re:Activation?

[rec9140]

In the US you can not just purchase any old phone and use it on any network with out a lot of hoops.

This is done to lock you into the carrier. Also in the US many carriers have Early Termination Fees (ETF) so if you sign up and cancel, normally before 2 years, its normally a $175 charge. This is especially true if your on promotional plans and getting 50 phones for $0.01. They want you to pay air time charges for all those free phones.

GSM Based Networks:

Cingular/ATT, Tmobile

Since they use GSM they have SIM cards thus you can *normally* can get a phone from say EBay that has previously been used on the same network and swap SIM cards no problem. This can be locked by the carrier if they choose, but most allow SIM swaps on phones which have been used on their network.

Phones from other networks will REQUIRE an unlock code or software. Most of the times a quick call to the carrier and they will provide the code over the phone or email.

CDMA:

CDMA does not use SIMS, there is a similar R-UIDM card available, but the one phone in the US market that has it the carrier specifically locked its use out.

Alltel:

Phones not locked, but BEWARE: Alltel is absolutely anal about this! NO ANALOG AMPS or NON GPS phones will be activated on their network, period. So if you want to keep your ancient phone around as a back up and use while you get a replacement think again. You must call to do an ESN change, no web changes. NO GPS, NO SWAP/ACTIVATE, AMPS only, NO!

Verizon:

Phones are not locked, except old PrimeCO units that may be floating around, probably all gone now unless your like me and don't change phones every other day.

Online ESN swap for FREE, $15 charge via phone. If its not a phone they have used on their network you may have to call and tell them its a similar phone to get it to do the PRL update.

NOTE: If your a Bluetooth fanatic, DO NOT USE VERIZON! They will disable most of the usable functions of Bluetooth as they did on the V710. They also will disable any thing that would allow you to put ring tones on the phone or take pictures off the phone via PC or avoid the charge to do so. You need to get a NON VERIZON version of any BT phone to use any thing other than headset mode.

SprintPCS:

Phones LOCKED REQUIRE the Master Subsidy Lock (MSL) code to reprogram to another network. Hit or miss on getting this code from them. Also ESN can be locked to SprintPCS. Many carriers especially Verizon will NOT activate former SprintPCS phones and they can tell by the ESN.

MetroPCS

Phones locked will require an unlock code to mirgrate to another carrier.

iDEN-TDMA

Nextel/Boost:

Nextel/Boost does use SIM's but Nextel likes to tie the SIM to the phone so you have to get a new SIM on every new phone.

You can swap a Boost SIM into a Nextel phone with out issue, you need to UNLOCK Boost phones to use a Nextel SIM in them.

ALL NEW Boost phones are "double locked" with a code that has not been cracked, yet. This is NOT the Subsidy Lock that can be defeated via certain software on Nextel/Boost.