buying an unlocked GSM phone dangerous?

I want one of the 3-5 megapixel camera phones but am a little worried about
just putting my old sim card in and hoping for the best. Seems like the
carrier (T-Mobile) could either just shut me off or maybe screw up my phone
by updating something proprietary into it. None of the carriers seem to have
any of these phones available even though some have been on the market for
quite a while. Have any of you bought one?

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› See More: buying an unlocked GSM phone dangerous?

At 21 Jun 2007 15:20:03 -0500 Jack Carter wrote:
> I want one of the 3-5 megapixel camera phones but am a little worried
about
> just putting my old sim card in and hoping for the best. Seems like the
> carrier (T-Mobile) could either just shut me off or maybe screw up my
phone
> by updating something proprietary into it.

Actually neither will happen. T-Mo doesn't care what phone you use, and
they don't update phones over-the-air. (They occasionally update the SIM
OTA, but not the phones.)

>None of the carriers seem to have
> any of these phones available even though some have been on the market
for
> quite a while. Have any of you bought one?

I've used non-T-Mobile phones on T-Mobile many times, but never a 3+ MP
camera phone.

THANX for the reply. One more question: COULD they "upgrade" my phone over
the air? Isn't the technology available?


"Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> At 21 Jun 2007 15:20:03 -0500 Jack Carter wrote:
>> I want one of the 3-5 megapixel camera phones but am a little worried
> about
>> just putting my old sim card in and hoping for the best. Seems like the
>> carrier (T-Mobile) could either just shut me off or maybe screw up my
> phone
>> by updating something proprietary into it.
>
> Actually neither will happen. T-Mo doesn't care what phone you use, and
> they don't update phones over-the-air. (They occasionally update the SIM
> OTA, but not the phones.)
>
>>None of the carriers seem to have
>> any of these phones available even though some have been on the market
> for
>> quite a while. Have any of you bought one?
>
> I've used non-T-Mobile phones on T-Mobile many times, but never a 3+ MP
> camera phone.
>

At 22 Jun 2007 09:01:18 -0500 Jack Carter wrote:
> THANX for the reply. One more question: COULD they "upgrade" my phone
over
> the air? Isn't the technology available?

Not surrepitiously- the model would have to support that feature (very
few do), and the carrier would have to support that model. I have
serious doubts any such updates would be done without user
confirmation/consent.

THANX again. I called T-Mobile and asked them about buying an unlocked
phone. In so many words, they said no problem and that they would even try
to help me if I had any problems. They just couldn't replce they phone if I
got a bad one. (Certainly understandable.) Can YOU recommend a good place
to buy one?


"Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> At 22 Jun 2007 09:01:18 -0500 Jack Carter wrote:
>> THANX for the reply. One more question: COULD they "upgrade" my phone
> over
>> the air? Isn't the technology available?
>
> Not surrepitiously- the model would have to support that feature (very
> few do), and the carrier would have to support that model. I have
> serious doubts any such updates would be done without user
> confirmation/consent.
>
>
>

At 24 Jun 2007 09:40:59 -0500 Jack Carter wrote:

> Can YOU recommend a good place
> to buy one?

Not really- I generally use eBay, sticking to experienced sellers with
good feedback.