by Al Sacco

Attention Verizon BlackBerry 8830 Users: Unlock Int’l GSM for FREE

Opinion
Jul 16, 20082 mins
Careers

This post is short and sweet, but all you Verizon Wireless BlackBerry 8830 World Edition users out there want to listen up: You can reportedly unlock the international GSM portion of your phone’s radio (900/1800 Mhz) through your wireless carrier without dropping a dime. That’s great news for folks who travel internationally, and who are sick of being stuck with exorbitant wireless fees.

image of a Verizon/Vodafone SIM card

After unlocking your BlackBerry 8830’s international GSM—Verizon’s U.S. network uses CDMA 1xEV-DO technology, but the 8830 can operate on both CDMA and GSM networks—you can use any international wireless carrier’s subscriber information module (SIM) card, purchase pay-as-you-go service and avoid those gargantuan Verizon service bills, according to BerryReview.com. I haven’t tried this myself, as I’m not a Verizon customer and don’t use a BlackBerry 8830, but assuming it’s true, this is a valuable tip.

Supposedly all you need to do is call the Verizon international support line at 1-908-559-4899, tell them you plan to be travelling out of the United States and that you’d like to unlock your device for use with a Verizon/Vodafone international SIM—Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodafone. Verizon will then drop such a card in the mail for you, and after receiving the SIM and redialing the support number, you’ll be issued an unlock code that will not only enable your device to be used with the Verizon/Vodafone SIM, but any other international carriers’ SIMs, as well, BerryReview says.

Thanks go to Ronen at BerryReview.com for pointing this out. And if anybody gives this a try, please let me know how it works out for you.

AS

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