I converted a Cricket LG Ax5000 from Cricket to Alltel, and it works pretty good (follwoing Alltel's instructions on how to activate the phone). Unfortunately, the firmware needs to be flashed/upgraded (I think) in order for the phone to be fully functional. For example, it only has BREW instead of whatever the Alltel process is for acessing the WAP internet. Also, there's never a "D" in the top. It's just a 1X (nomatter what I set the Data Settings to). In short, I fear that simply activating the phone is going to partly disable it. It may need a true firmware upgrade. Is it possible to get a firmware upgrade? Or, conversely, is the phone actually fine the way it is, with the Cricket firmware, but with me unable to upgrade the software to AllTel. (Can I access WAP, for example) without AllTel's firmware? TIA!! ~john
the 1X that you see actually supercedes the D for digital, think of 1X as the next generation of digital service... 1X is basically a larger network capacity and faster transfer speeds than when you have a D on the screen. As far as firmware.. I think Alltel's flashing stations will give an error when trying to flash that phone with their software, but you can take it to a store and try... Make sure it's an Alltel corporate-owned store, not a reseller or agent.
So, will this be a problem--without having AllTel's firmare/software. The phone seems to work fine..... Could it be that, since Cricket doesn't disable the 1X, that the phone might work *better*?? TIA! John
Straight from factory non-branded LG AX5000 works on Alltel A few updates on the non-branded LG AX5000. 1. It must have come straight from the factory, because the boot up routine and everything else is pure LG. If the Cricket service is using this phone, they don't have their own firmware. 2. If you find a naive/nice Alltel representative, they'll activate a non-branded LG AX5000 . . . but I have yet to find ANYONE from Alltel who'll consider doing a firmware install/upgrade. 3. Without the Alltel software/firmware (whatever it's called), the phone may not have full functions......but I only use this phone for making and receiving calls and text messages. I loosely suspect that the internet capabilities won't work. 4. It reads "1X" instead of "D," but that appears purely cosmetic. I think Alltel decided against having the 1X show up because it might confuse people. I'll update the post if I find anything noteworthy. Best, John
Interesting. So let me get this straight, you can take any CDMA phone and program it manually with the phone number, and enter the ESN and HEX into the system and it'll work. So if someone brings me an alltel phone to my cricKet location, I can program the phone with the cricKet number, change the ESN on my end, and it'll work?
I'll only speculate, but here goes..... The LG 5000 (or the LG AX5000, as Alltel calls it), appears to come from the factory and Cricket doesn't add anything to it. No cosmetic or software alterations. The ones for Alltel are branded, both cosmetically and with a software change--but it's not that much different. Menu changes, minor stuff. I suspect I'll find that some part of the Alltel software package is actually necessary for something (like sending a picture message or internet stuff), but to this point I can't find it. If you took an Alltel branded phone with Alltel software, I would guess that you could activate it on the Cricket service . . . and it would work just fine. But that's just a guess. Additionally, I suspect most phones for Alltel would work on Cricket, with the same potential for some features not working. Verizon, though, is another story. From what I've read, their software/firmware is much more invasive/controlling. I suppose there would be a greater chance that something would go wrong. But I do bet it would work, just activating it. On a related note, if Cricket does firmware upgrades, then you might be able to bring a Verizon phone in, and have them flash it BACK to the LG factory-original state. Then activate it.....and all would be well! Just speculating...... John Wo
I believe that is the case. Any CDMA phone can pretty much work with any CDMA carrier, it is just the extra features like data services, and internet that may not work without the firmware/software being updated. I have an Alltel Moto V710 and I can very easily make it work on Sprint's and Verizon's network just by changing the SID in the NAM.
Re: Converting Cricket to Alltel: Questions (LG AX5000) Welllll... maybe.... most likely you won't be able to flash it. If someone brings me a phone from another carrier and asks me to flash it with our software, I can't do it. Not because it's against policy or I don't know how, our flashing software is simply incapable of doing it. The wireless carriers have agreements with phone manufacturers that limit our capability to flash software into a phone. When I was with US Cellular, Motorola refused to provide us with flashing software, we had to send any phone we wanted flashed to Motorola, and if it wasn't a US Cell phone, they wouldn't flash it with our software. Then, when they finally gave in and we got a Motorola flashing program... it was VERY limited, and it knew what carrier the phone had software for... Basically it boils down to the carriers having limited access to flash phones, and most of the phone companies simply will not allow us to re-image software from one carrier to another. Sure you can get a cable and flash the phone with hacked software, but that's exactly what you're getting (maybe perfectly hacked.. but hacked nonetheless.) Our store will NOT activate phones from other carriers on our network because 1 It just causes too many problems for the customer, and ultimately for the reps in the store. 2 It's against our company's policy to do so. Alltel FAQs/Using My Phone
We at Alltel can flash them but it is against out policy. We do not show the 1x as we do not want to confuse customers who are used to a D. The phones like the Razr will show a D for 1x and EV for EVDO. Cricket uses the 1x now instead of digital. The pic mess will not work without alltel firmware loaded in the phone since cricket does not use ericsson for pic mess. also, without alltel's prl in the phone, you may pay roaming charges even in your home area. see if you can find a nice rep who will go ahead and flash the phone or google the interent for alltel firmware that has leaked out. be careful doing it yourself because if the file is bad, you could fry your phone. good luck
Yep, pic message doesn't work. I do though have the PRL right for my area, and the phone does *228 just fine. So, I guess I'm okay on the roaming issue.......put I'm intrigued by the firmware. I didn't know that the store could even do that. Maybe some can and some can't? It was that way with Verizon: the bigger stores had more cables, etc. Anyway, this is the first new that I've heard saying Alltel can actually do it in the store.... As for firmware on the net, I see the Alltel firmware for the Motorola phones all over. But is that the same firmware that gets zapped into the AX5000? TIA! John
No each phone has their own firmware. As far as stores able to, as long as it is a corp store and not a third party dealer, they have the firmware, its just a matter of seeing if someone will break policy.