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Will an iPhone locked to Bell work for Virgin?

 
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:03 PM   #1
katrinabell
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Will an iPhone locked to Bell work for Virgin?
I can't get a straight answer out of virgin, they said call and text will definitely work but they can't guarantee that data or voicemail will work. I thought that it was fine since they operated on the same network. Can someone enlighten me?
I'd love to buy a used iphone 4 for cheap off someone rather than pay $650 through virgin tab stuff for a new one...
Old 06-28-2012
Reda
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Old 06-28-2012 at 07:30 PM   #2
lifesciman1
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If the phone is paid off, why dont you get it unlocked for like 15 bucks anywhere? then you can use a virgin sim with full functionality.
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:48 PM   #3
anonanon987
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Katrina, what you could do is go to a Virgin store and ask them to pop a sim into your phone and you can see for yourself. Alternatively, if you know a friend who is with Virgin ask them to pop their sim into your phone.
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:50 PM   #4
katrinabell
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Will that show me if the data is going to work with the phone?
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:52 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by katrinabell View Post
Will that show me if the data is going to work with the phone?
If your phone cannot work with Virgin Mobile without being unlocked it will not say Virgin Mobile where it currently displays Bell Mobile wherever it would. If it does show Virgin Mobile, I believe the phone is compatible with Virgin Mobile without the need of unlocking the phone and calls/texts/data should work fine. If I am wrong, can someone please correct me as soon as possible and/or add more detail to clarify a bit more in detail for Katrina. Also Katrina, what phone do you have?
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:54 PM   #6
katrinabell
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I'm trying to buy an iPhone 4 if that's what you're asking
Old 06-28-2012 at 07:56 PM   #7
anonanon987
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Virgin Mobile has the iPhone 4 in their handsets. Are you trying to buy it new/used off of someone who is currently with Bell?
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:02 PM   #8
jon.john23
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from my expreince No.

If an iPhone is locked on Bell, shouldn't work on Virgin, unless of course u decide to unlock your self. (It not hard at all)

I had an iPhone locked to Rogers, I tried my moms Wind sim and it didn't work.

lifesciman1 likes this.
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:04 PM   #9
anonanon987
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jon.john23 View Post
from my expreince No.

If an iPhone is locked on Bell, shouldn't work on Virgin, unless of course u decide to unlock your self. (It not hard at all)

I had an iPhone locked to Rogers, I tried my moms Wind sim and it didn't work.
The current iPhones will not support WIND's network, so if you pop a WIND sim into an iPhone you will only get Emergency Calls Only/WIND Away depending on how you have configured your phone to roam.
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:06 PM   #10
katrinabell
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Quote:
Originally Posted by herBs View Post
Virgin Mobile has the iPhone 4 in their handsets. Are you trying to buy it new/used off of someone who is currently with Bell?
I'm trying to buy it used off of someone to avoid paying the $550 retail through virgin.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jon.john23 View Post
from my expreince No.

If an iPhone is locked on Bell, shouldn't work on Virgin, unless of course u decide to unlock your self. (It not hard at all)

I had an iPhone locked to Rogers, I tried my moms Wind sim and it didn't work.

Is it possible that even unlocked phones won't work with the network? I don't want to waste money buying one/unlocking it etc to have to try to sell it again if it doesn't work.
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:14 PM   #11
jon.john23
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if ur planning on unlocking a phone or buy an unlocked one, check that the "frequencies" if that the right term, or basically the old and new network run on same sorta system.

I bought an unlocked phone from the middle east last month, it works fine here, although i had to check the freq. on the internet.


From what i found, Bell runs on a "UMTS/HSPA 850MHz and/or 1900MHz" freq
and if what I read on Wiki is right, Virgin runs on a +HSPA netwrok as well.


**i think it should work**

good luck

Last edited by jon.john23 : 06-28-2012 at 08:38 PM.
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:17 PM   #12
katrinabell
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From what I know, Virgin is owned by Bell and runs on the exact same network, that's why I was hoping it wouldn't be a problem.
Old 06-28-2012 at 08:46 PM   #13
jon.john23
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i guess that works too

call and check with them any way u got nothing to lose
Old 06-28-2012 at 09:02 PM   #14
anonanon987
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jon.john23 View Post
i guess that works too

call and check with them any way u got nothing to lose
Check the first post. I think Katrina already contacted Virgin Mobile.



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