For the first time since joining Sprint back in the early 80's we will be moving to a location that is not covered by Sprint. As a result we have had to leave the network and go to a new provider. So I have a Sanyo RL-4920 and I want to erase all personal data from and donate the phone to a good cause, but I can't seem to do it. I suspect that there is a SIM chip which is not accessible ( the screws have triangular head). Other than smashing the phone to pieces does anyone know how to erase the data? Thanks to Sprint for many years of dependable service. You will be missed. Thomas Valley tcvalley@adelphia.net
Sprint phones do not have a SIM chip. It is stored in the phone's internal memory. You want to go to your settings directory and do a "master reset" and a "master clear" I am not familiar with Sanyo phones so I can't tell you exactly where you will find this in your menus, but that will erase all settings you have changed on your phone since you got it, and erase the phone book too.
Considering Sprint did not even begin wireless service until 1995 (1997 in most markets) I don't see how you could have joined them in the early 80's.
Sprint started in Wireless in 1993 after buying Centel Cellular. That network in 1996 because of PCS license purchases had to be spun off. The network was bought by Alltel in 1999. In 2000 Some of the major metros like Las Vegas went to Verizon Wireless as a swap deal. In 1995 Sprint started the first PCS GSM digital network in the US under the name Sprint Spectrum. The network was sold to Omnipoint, now T-Mobile. In 1996 Sprint started to build a CDMA network being to second PCS provider to launch CDMA on PCS. Sprint has been doing CDMA ever since.
First CDMA network markets to launch were San Diego and a few others in November 1996. Most other major markets started between December 1996 and Februrary 1999. I doubt the OP was a customer of the old Cellular system (which wasn't widespread) or the 1995 GSM system that was exclusive to only The DC/Baltimore area.
Perhaps he means an AMPS network since that was the only wireless standard in use until the 1990s. ohdoc, which area are you in? That would give us a clue as to who that provider could be.
Thanks for all the responses. Jay I found this great website for erasing data for almost all phones it is http://www.wirelessrecycling.com/home/data_eraser/default.asp. It worked for all my phones except the Samsung SCH- 3500 I can erase all the data, but I can't change the lock code and it still shows the old phone number of our account. As for the rest of you guys. Yes it is true that Sprint has only offered wireless service since the 1990's it had regular telephone service at least in 1983 because that is what we had when we lived in Las Vegas. Sorry for the confusion I forgot this was a wireless forum, but all the rest of the thread is accurate. Merry Christmas everybody and have a prosperous New Year. Tom Valley
wow these guys seem to know there sprint huh. well all i know is that you need the msl to do a factory reset, so if you have any trouble with the site try customer care for the msl and codes.
