30% Apple

[Jerry Feldman]

This is why I chuckle at the '4G' commercials. For data AT&T uses HSPA
for it's higher speed data that can fall back to the slower EDGE. This
was actually a benefit for AT&T since it does not represent the need for
another major investment. After adopting the iPhone, AT&Ts network
becamne swamped, primarily in NYC, they invested billions in the
Northeast, including Boston to upgrade. The newest protocol is LTE that
both AT&T and Sprint are rolling out this year.
But the real issue is that there carriers are each using different
network protocols and frequencies which mean hardware.

On 02/18/2011 07:18 PM, Richard Pieri wrote:
>
> Almost all of them.  If it is branded by a carrier then it is locked to=
 that carrier's network in some fashion.  Unlocking ranges from trivial t=
o impossible.  On the trivial side, simply call your carrier and tell the=
m that you'll be traveling abroad and would like to use your phone overse=
as.  They can send an unlock code to the phone.  Bear in mind that differ=
ent GSM carriers use different frequencies.  If the phone is GSM-850/1800=
 and the carrier you want is GSM-900 then it isn't going to work.  On the=
 impossible side, if you buy a Verizon phone then you're stuck with Veriz=
on because that phone is CDMA and Verizon is the last major carrier in th=
e US on CDMA.
>
> If you buy directly from the manufacturer then it's a maybe.  I purchas=
ed a Motorola KRZR K1 directly from Motorola a few years ago.  This one c=
ame unlocked; I could use any carrier's SIM right out of the box.  Of cou=
rse it didn't come with a SIM or service of its own.  On the other hand, =
buying an Incredible directly from HTC is pretty senseless (hah-hah!) sin=
ce it's a CDMA phone thus you can't use it on any network other than Veri=
zon.


--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846



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