Nextel phones...

[DJR1988]

-This may be a dumb question, but can Nextel cell phones ONLY be activated with Nextel plans and no others? thanks

[eko]

correct, nextel currently uses the iden technology, where as all other carriers use gsm or cdma so the technology is different.

[Etorres777]

Yep Nextel is the only national carrier that uses the iDen technology, but not for long when they merge with Sprint they'll be going CDMA.

[BCemt]

Originally Posted by Etorres777

Yep Nextel is the only national carrier that uses the iDen technology, but not for long when they merge with Sprint they'll be going CDMA.

That's not entirely true. It will take NexTel years to switch technologies from iDen to gsm, if theyever do it at all. What they will do is start making dual band phones that will operate on both networks. Think about it.... they can't just tell over 11 million people that they have to buy new phones. Read the news directly off the nextel website ( www.nextel.com). Right at the top of the site there is a link to the merger news.

[daleplace37]

Originally Posted by Etorres777

Yep Nextel is the only national carrier that uses the iDen technology, but not for long when they merge with Sprint they'll be going CDMA.

I have recently gone with Nextel and have a Blackberry 7520 that I need to unlock to go to Cingular or another carrier. I am very unhappy with Nextel and will pay the $200 fee to opt out of the contract.

[azcellphonejunkie]

Originally Posted by daleplace37

I have recently gone with Nextel and have a Blackberry 7520 that I need to unlock to go to Cingular or another carrier. I am very unhappy with Nextel and will pay the $200 fee to opt out of the contract.

The 7520 is an iDEN phone only and will not work on any other major carrier in the US. It does have a SIM card like the GSM phones, but this is only for holding contact information. You will only be able to use the 7520 on Nextel.