Buying GSM Phones

[plane.love]

Hi,

I need some Blackberries and found some one Craigslist. I have only bought sprint phones before and know about stolen ESNs etc. How does it work with Sim phones. Two of them are unlocked unbranded and one is T-mobile?
I was under the impression that there was no such thing as stolen/bad ESns how does this work with GSM phones?

[AsherO]

Hi,

I need some Blackberries and found some one Craigslist. I have only bought sprint phones before and know about stolen ESNs etc. How does it work with Sim phones. Two of them are unlocked unbranded and one is T-mobile?
I was under the impression that there was no such thing as stolen/bad ESns how does this work with GSM phones?

I think the IMEI (phone serial number) can be blocked on the carrier the phone was manufactured for (i.e. It may be unbranded but a specific carrier sold it to someone with a contract). But I'm a CDMA guy, lets hear what the GSM crew here has to say.

[Cheap dude]

I am a proud gsm guy and never heard of a blocked esn I'm not sure if they even have one. They have a imei number. Don't think they could be blocked but I am not positive. Hope that was semi helpfull good luck !

[SuperFlyer]

Gsms have imei #.

The provider wouldn't lock by it, but if stolen, they can request other providers not to allow access over several countries, using this phone.

When registering to a provider (turning on your phone), depending what has happened with this phone, they come and pick you up.

Gsm's is something you do not buy second hand, unless you know who it is from.

Likewise, people that like to stay anonymous change simultaneously sim and gsm every 2 weeks or so.

To find out your imei, type on your phone *#06# (even without sim card), and below the battery. They have to match !

 Go on numberingplans.com where giving in an imei, will give you some info over the phone.(Not whether blocked or not)

[Cheap dude]

"Come pick u up"


what does that mean?

[SuperFlyer]

That means that a guy will be putting you on some bracelets, and will let you know in a romantic way, that you have the right to remain silent (as opposed to: keep his silence forever).

[Mordy]

I've heard of IMEI flagging in Europe, but as far as I know none of the US carriers did this... they flag SIM cards for stolen service, but not IMEI for stolen hardware. At least, that was the case when I researched cellular fraud about 5-6 years ago. I suppose times have changed, but I still haven't really heard of it happening on this side of the pond.

[SuperFlyer]

@ Mordy, so if you steal a phone in the usa, you can just open a plan with it, as if nothing happened?

Here the people abusing lost/stolen phones insurances flash them down the toilet, but in the usa, I guess you can just place it on ebay.

[AsherO]

@ Mordy, so if you steal a phone in the usa, you can just open a plan with it, as if nothing happened?

Here the people abusing lost/stolen phones insurances flash them down the toilet, but in the usa, I guess you can just place it on ebay.

Why flush them down the toilet, if it's a quad-bank phone, just sell it to someone in the USA.

[SuperFlyer]

Most phones aren't quad, only some more expensive reg phones, and htc, bb are.

Triband works also in the usa.

[Chaikel]

Most phones aren't quad, only some more expensive reg phones, and htc, bb are.

Triband works also in the usa.

You can often find unlocked quadband phones on newegg and other sites for $30 (right now the cheapest on newegg is $70)

[SuperFlyer]

Brand names?

The others are often worthless, and by some you literally feel the radiation.

[Chaikel]

The one I just saw was samsung, but I've only seen brand names. I just got a bunch of samsung flip quad-bands from newegg for $30 each.

I also got for myself before I went to Israel a Motorola quadband from amazon for $60

[ceejay]

Is ATT still not blacklisting IMEI numbers?

[BAHayman]

Is ATT still not blacklisting IMEI numbers?

AFAIK no one in the US is blacklisting based on IMEI, heck you can even use a zero'ed IMEI in the US. I messed up a flash in Israel once and the phone wouldn't work on Orange anymore, brought it back to the US and AT&T had/has no problems with it.

But if you are buying a second hand GSM phone you can call the carrier and ask them if it has been reported lost/stolen or not...