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StraightTalk phone work on ATT?

R

radioderek

Lurker
Will a StraightTalk branded Samsung Galaxy S3 work on AT&T? A family member last year bought a StraightTalk phone...although the coverage map appeared to include the secondary area she would use it the most...it didn't.

She's willing to give me the phone...but I have an AT&T plan. Is there any way for this StraightTalk phone to work on ATT?

Thanks!
 
A straight talk or net 10 handset package should have tiny print on the lower right corner of the package indicating the networks it uses:

GSM-A is AT&T

GSM-T is T-Mobile

CDMA-S is Sprint

CDMA-V is Verizon

If the phone has a SIM card it would likely work fine. But if it's a CDMA phone nope.
 
Straight Talk handsets aren't carrier locked nor do they have any proprietary pre-paid software (such as the minute counter on Tracfones) so provided they're an AT&T service device (Straight Talk provides service on all the large names, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and which type is dependent on the handset) they should work. you should be able to pop a SIM card into an AT&T capable Straight Talk handset and use it as normal.

Heck, i used to do the reverse long ago, say i wanted to use an old Verizon CDMA Digital dual-band StarTAC but Verizon says no because it's not e911 compliant? all you have to do is activate service on Page Plus Cellular (they contract service on Verizon towers) and then give Page Plus the ESN/MDN of the StarTAC, then hit *228 send and voila. use a StarTAC in today's world.
 
Nick, I know that the Galaxy S2 was locked to ST, I remember all the posts about it a year or two ago on HowardForums. They had a strict no-unlocking policy as well. I never did follow up to see if you could unlock it yourself.

Here is an updated post from HoFo
Updating thread.
Straight talk, net 10 and tracfone now have official unlocking policies.looks pretty restrictive !!! But it's a policy now

TracFone Wireless, Inc. Unlocking Policy
If you bought a new wireless phone from TracFone Wireless, Inc. (“TracFone”), including any new TracFone, NET10, Straight Talk or Telcel America branded wireless phone (“device”), it may have been programmed with a lock that prevents it from operating with other compatible wireless services. TracFone will facilitate unlocking your device upon request provided that you have met the requirements set forth below:
General Eligibility Requirements for Unlocking TracFone Mobile Devices
TracFone will facilitate the unlocking of a TracFone device under the following circumstances:

The person requesting the unlock must be one of the following:
a current TracFone customer who provides the IMEI/MEID serial number of the device
a former TracFone customer who provides the IMEI/MEID serial number of the device
The TracFone device was first introduced for sale on or after January 1, 2014.
The TracFone device has been in service for at least 12 months with paid, verifiable airtime.
The TracFone device has not been reported lost or stolen.
The TracFone device is deemed by TracFone to be capable of being unlocked.
Click to expand...

So the question becomes, how do you go about unlocking it yourself if you don't meet these requirements.
 
bjacks12 said:
Nick, I know that the Galaxy S2 was locked to ST, I remember all the posts about it a year or two ago on HowardForums. They had a strict no-unlocking policy as well. I never did follow up to see if you could unlock it yourself.

Here is an updated post from HoFo


So the question becomes, how do you go about unlocking it yourself if you don't meet these requirements.
Click to expand...
I guess you find an independent dealer who can unlock it for you? I know they're very common in the UK, places that unlock contract and pre-paid phones. Independent unlocking is lawful in the US isn't it now, DMCA exemption? Don't think of eBay unlocking services, because they're nearly always scams.
 
eBay is all I know of, but I've never had to have my phone unlocked. My Captivate came unlocked, and of course my Nexus 4.
 
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