Unlock/flash sprint to virgin mobile?

[boyo1991]

I dont plan on doing this anytime soon.. but i am on virgin mobile.. and i love it.. but is it possible to buy a sprint phone brand new.. and transfer it to my virgin mobile account? I say sprint because it seems the most logical and easiest seeing how virgin mobile really is sprint..

All the tuts ive found deal with people who have their old sprint phone but want to switch to virgin mobile...

I know of the straight talk bring your own phone program, but im not sure of straight talk.. they are straight out omvn or ovmn.. cant remember the actual acronym.

Any ideas?

 

[Digital Controller]

I have moved this thread to the Virgin Mobile forums to get some better assistance.

But as far as i know VM runs of Sprint's Nationwide network, so you might just need to unlock the device first then port it over

 

[mogelijk]

I dont plan on doing this anytime soon.. but i am on virgin mobile.. and i love it.. but is it possible to buy a sprint phone brand new.. and transfer it to my virgin mobile account? I say sprint because it seems the most logical and easiest seeing how virgin mobile really is sprint..

All the tuts ive found deal with people who have their old sprint phone but want to switch to virgin mobile...

I know of the straight talk bring your own phone program, but im not sure of straight talk.. they are straight out omvn or ovmn.. cant remember the actual acronym.

Any ideas?

Virgin Mobile does not allow you to bring non-Virgin phones onto their network; Sprint phones are non-Virgin phones. Virgin will not allow a phone onto their network that does not match the ESN of a phone that they sold.

Straight Talk only allows you to bring your own GSM phone; GSM phones are far easier to move between carriers -- typically just swapping the SIM card. To switch a CDMA phone to a new carrier requires reprogramming the phone.

There are a few CDMA MVNOs that will take Sprint phones; from what I can see, Ting, Prepayd, Ecomobile and Kajeet; there may be a couple of others.

 

[boyo1991]

Virgin Mobile does not allow you to bring non-Virgin phones onto their network; Sprint phones are non-Virgin phones. Virgin will not allow a phone onto their network that does not match the ESN of a phone that they sold.

Straight Talk only allows you to bring your own GSM phone; GSM phones are far easier to move between carriers -- typically just swapping the SIM card. To switch a CDMA phone to a new carrier requires reprogramming the phone.

There are a few CDMA MVNOs that will take Sprint phones; from what I can see, Ting, Prepayd, Ecomobile and Kajeet; there may be a couple of others.

But either way even cdma phones can be unlocked so its possible somehow.. thanks for the advice everyone so far!

 

[agentc13]

But either way even cdma phones can be unlocked so its possible somehow.. thanks for the advice everyone so far!

Actually, no, they can't. mogelijk is correct. There are people who will flash them to another carrier (which is much different than unlocking a gsm phone), but that isn't always legal.

 

[Prinny]

I think the ONLY exception to flashing a phone to another character is with Samsung devices. I COULD be wrong, but the TOS with Samsung states it can be done with any "PDA Device."

That's all I know on the topic, really...sorry I can't help more with this. Like Mr. Dalek above me has stated, 99.9% of the time, it is illegal.

 

[agentc13]

I think the ONLY exception to flashing a phone to another character is with Samsung devices. I COULD be wrong, but the TOS with Samsung states it can be done with any "PDA Device."

That's all I know on the topic, really...sorry I can't help more with this. Like Mr. Dalek above me has stated, 99.9% of the time, it is illegal.

There are a few different loopholes. Depending on how it is done it may be legal (or it may not it can be a very grey area).

It's just a completely different process from unlocking a gsm phone. Like it has been stated VM doesn't allow non-VM phones on their network. Is it possible, yes, but not legally (and thus discussing the specifics on how to do it shouldn't be discussed here).

 

[joshp23]

Just wanted to add in that I spoke with sprint about doing just the opposite yesterday. I bought a cheap Virgin Mobile Chaser out of the clearance bin at Target to play with and want to put it on my sprint plan. So I called Sprint and had one guy say that his supervisor told him that it is not possible due to the fact that Sprint and Verizon uses unique networks that won't allow phones...blah blah blah.... I called back and was told that while it is totally possible to do this, it involves altering the phone in such a way that is ILLEGAL FOR THE CARRIER to do, but she was very clear that it is NOT ILLEGAL FOR THE USER or a third party to do this, and then bring the phone back to them to activate. Because it is illegal for the carrier due to FCC restrictions, she could not give me any information on how to do this, or where to go, but assured me that it is possible, legal, and that they will activate the phone after the mysterious operation. So... how?

 

[SuperJMan2]

Pageplus allows you to bring any CDMA phone. http://www.pagepluscellular.com

 

[mogelijk]

Pageplus allows you to bring any CDMA phone. http://www.pagepluscellular.com

Actually, I don't believe Virgin Mobile phones work on any carrier, other than Virgin Mobile. From what I understand, Virgin Mobile has extra lockdowns on their phones, that prevent them from working on any other network.

As for Page Plus, Wikipedia states, "Page Plus Cellular has an unusual unofficial open device policy, this means most Verizon postpaid and Alltel phones can be activated (with limitations). Other CDMA phones can also be flashed or re-programmed to use Page Plus' network including devices from Sprint, MetroPCS, Cricket, U.S. Cellular, among others (excluding Virgin Mobile USA phones which are heavily locked down to the network); however, Page Plus cannot activate "Verizon Wireless Prepaid" or "Alltel U Prepaid" phones." So it appears they will not accept any CDMA phone -- though I couldn't find an official policy on their website.

 

[SuperAfnan]

Sigh. Silly CDMA. Trapping vm phones in VMobile's network.