The Milestone in the US?

[shadowdude777]

So it just dawned on me. The Milestone is a GSM phone, right? Do you guys think it'd be possible for people to import a Milestone and use it on any US GSM network? I don't have extensive knowledge on how the cell networks work but I'm hoping someone here does. I'm considering getting a Milestone and using it on Boost Mobile if it's possible to. Thanks in advance!

 

[koticphreak]

So it just dawned on me. The Milestone is a GSM phone, right? Do you guys think it'd be possible for people to import a Milestone and use it on any US GSM network? I don't have extensive knowledge on how the cell networks work but I'm hoping someone here does. I'm considering getting a Milestone and using it on Boost Mobile if it's possible to. Thanks in advance!

Totally possible, but you'd need to have it rooted, and even then might have problems with internet on say, at&t's network.

 

[Bozzy]

Totally possible, but you'd need to have it rooted, and even then might have problems with internet on say, at&t's network.

Why would you need to have it rooted? Most overseas phones come unlocked if your importing, the only thing you need to know is the 3g bands your provider uses vs 3g bands Milestone offers (900,2100) so if you match your set to go for internet.

 

[blazingwolf]

Why would you need to have it rooted? Most overseas phones come unlocked if your importing, the only thing you need to know is the 3g bands your provider uses vs 3g bands Milestone offers (900,2100) so if you match your set to go for internet.

It needs to be unlocked first. That usually means rooting.

 

[CRPercodani]

I don't know where you guys are getting the comparison of rooting and unlocking but they are not related and have absolutely nothing to do with each other. I owned a G1 which I used on AT&T (no T-Mobile in my area) and I had it rooted the day I got it but that didn't unlock it, I had to purchase a unlock code or I could of stayed with T-Mobile for 90 days and they would've given me one. If you want to use a carrier locked (SIM locked) GSM phone on another carrier you need to get a unlock code. Rooting a Android phone WILL NOT unlock it or effect it's SIM status in any way. Also Boost uses the iDEN network which isn't GSM so you won't be able to use the Milestone with it, you would need to use either AT&T, T-Mobile, or a smaller GSM carrier. Check the 3G frequencies if you would like to have the added speed though, as T-Mobile and AT&T use different bands.

 

[photoeditor]

As long as you don't mind not having 3G support, if you can get it unlocked or get the Euro carrier to unlock it, you should be fine. It's quad-band GSM/EDGE (800 900 1800 1900) and single band 3G (2100). Unfortunately, none of the US 3G frequencies like 1700 and 1900 are supported.

 

[Bozzy]

Once again.... if your getting it from Europe assuming your buying online, almost all phones are unlocked (excluding ebay). If your buying from online suppliers they are always unlocked...(i have yet to receive locked or even branded phone) GSMarena usually has info on which sites are already selling the phones

TIP: if you do order from such online suppliers keep in mind that they tend to drop their price drastically within a month or two....

 

[koticphreak]

Why would you need to have it rooted? Most overseas phones come unlocked if your importing, the only thing you need to know is the 3g bands your provider uses vs 3g bands Milestone offers (900,2100) so if you match your set to go for internet.

I'm not sure where you've been buying your phones, but I have a few phones I've picked up on my travels, and of the 3, only 1 takes US sims (they're all tri/quad band phones)

Either way, you'd need to have it unlocked - but depending on how the carrier over there customized it, you may also need it rooted to use internet here.

 

[Brendanmurphy]

Wait for Q1 2010. The milestone is coming to telus in canada and will be running 850/1900 3g bands so if you have At&t you will get 3g

 

[clos1084]

Everyoneone is giving good info, but I will sum it up. The milestone is a GSM that will be quadband. Meaning you can use itworldwide. More than likely there will be 2 versions to accommodate the different 3G bands, euro and NAM.

If you want to use it in the States, it will need to be unlocked, not roo.

Fyi Boost is not GSM, it is iDen. It still uses SIM cards, but they are two totally different networks.

 

[johnkzin]

Before I actually touched the Droid/Tao, I hoped that the Milestone might come to the US for either AT&T or T-Mobile.

But then I tried the Droid/Tao's keyboard. Sucks badly.

I wouldn't buy one if it came to the US. I'm hoping more for the Samsung Moment to get a US GSM version, or for the HTC Android keyboard phone (HTC Excalibur?) that was supposed to come to AT&T, but got cancelled, gets uncanceled.