Unlocked phones?

George Fornby Grill

I've heard/read a lot about Unlocked Cell phones, can someone explain to me how they work?
So if I got, say, an Android G1 and had it unlocked, would I be able to use it on a different network than T-Mobile?

EskimoDave

yeah. thats how it works.

matt has a problem

You might not be able to use all the features on the G1 though, as T-Mobile's network won't necessarily support them.

Einhander

How does that work with specific T-Mobile features like Favorite Five?

I'm with T-Mobile now, and I'm thinking of getting a new phone to replace my Samsung Beat, and craigslist seems to have a lot of folks offloading unlocked phones. Which is shady as all hell but the prices are considerably lower than retail so I don't know.

EskimoDave

Isn't favourite five a plan?

Einhander

Yeah, but you set the numbers you want on the five using the phone. I suppose I could do it at a store or something though.

Willeth

Yeah, those specific features would just stay on the phone with no use. I have it on mine, it was T-Mobile and is now O2, and while I've got rid of a lot of it there's still some T-Mobile crap that just sits there being useless.

matt has a problem

:edited because I can't read, thanks Willeth.:

Mojo_Jojo

If you get your phone unlocked, you may as well get the firmware changed to the generic standard so you don't have the O2/vodaphone/t-mobile crap hanging around.

Willeth

I think you're misinterpreting it - the G1 comes on T-Mobile, and he wants to unlock it to work with other networks.

Mojo_Jojo

Yes, and if he does that then he should change the firmware to the developer model firmware as it won't have all the T-mobile exclusive stuff embedded into it.

Willeth

Yeah that was directed at Matt, not you Mojo :P

Mojo_Jojo

Ah, I see. Very good.