Flashing a cell phone removes the carrier lock, allowing you to use the phone with any compatible cellular service provider. Flashing also gives you administrative control over the phone's operating system. Telcel and Pocket are cellular service providers that operate different types of networks. Pocket uses CDMA technology, and Telcel operates a GSM network. This makes flashing a Telcel cell phone to Pocket's cellular service impossible.
Pocket Communications
Pocket Communications was a prepaid cellular service provider that offered cellular service that did not require a contract or a credit check. Pocket also offered free service for a month to new customers. Cricket Communications purchased Pocket in 2010 and integrated Pocket's network into the Cricket Communications brand. Cricket operates a code division multiple access cellular network.
Telcel
Telcel, on the other hand, operates a Global Systems for Mobile Communications cellular network. Telcel is the largest wireless carrier in Mexico and has more than 65 million customers. Telcel offers its customers a variety of cellular phone choices including the Nokia N9, Samsung Galaxy and iPhone. The company still uses several phased-out technologies, such as TDMA and AMPS, but Telcel's devices do not have compatibility with CDMA networks such as Cricket.
Flashing A Phone
Even prepaid cellular service providers such as Cricket may sell devices that have a carrier lock. This lock helps to subsidize the cost of the phone and prevents you from changing providers. Flashing involves modifying the read only memory on a phone, a process that removes the carrier lock. Before attempting to flash a phone, make sure you back up all of the phone's data because the flash process will erase your device's memory. Flashing a phone will also void the terms of most cell phone warranties.
Limitations
Even if you do not want to switch cellular service providers, flashing your phone may have benefits. Many carriers limit some of the capabilities of the cellular phones they sell. This allows carriers charge you a fee for services such as GPS tracking or downloading ringtones. By erasing the ROM memory, the flashing process will modify a phone's operating system and remove all of these limitations. Flashing also allows you to install, on many phones, additional third-party applications not available from the manufacturer or cellular service provider.
Tags: cellular service, carrier lock, cellular service provider, cellular service providers, service provider