Treo 650 GSM Unlocked Available Now!

Woo! Looks like it's available now in Australia too:

http://www.palmone.com/au/products/smartphones/treo650/

Hopefully the plans with the mobile networks will be available soon, as AU$1200 seems a little steep for a phone, to me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48672558@N00/

pics of my treo 650! charging now, don't know if it's locked or not - how do i tell? I don't have anything other than a cingular sim...

What is the procedure for activating an unlocked phone for use with an existing service plan?

Is Cingular going to hassle me and try to tell me I have to use their version of the Treo?

Must I take my phone to a Cingular store or can I do this over the web or by phone? I'd love to hear from some folks who have gone through this before.

So does this mean that you can resume talking about your experience with your new toy and bring back the pictures that were taken down? Now that it's 'official'. BTW...ordered mine first thing this morning..P1 unlocked GSM...can't wait to get it!

Can someone go into more detail about unlocked vs. locked, please? Does it really mean that if I get a Cingular Treo, I cannot use it with any other carrier? That seems nasty! Is there no hack around this?

Jonathan,

Indeed, you will not be able to use a Cingular Treo 650 with another carrier's SIM card as the phone will be 'locked' and there is (currently) no hack for this.

An unlocked Treo 650 GSM on the other hand will provide you with complete freedom where you can insert pretty much any SIM card from any carrier worldwide and you'll be ready to go anywhere you want - $200 to $250 extra for the unlocked version is in my opinion a small price to pay for this additional freedom.

Additionally, the unlocked version has full dial-up-networking out of the box whereas (currently) both Cingular's and Sprint's are disabled...

Cheers, A.

Andrew

Well ... i am not as happy as i could be today. Walked into a Cingular store located in midtown Manhattan and they have no Treo 650s. Nor a clue as to the status on when they'll be available. Nothing on their site either.
So I am back in the waiting mode . . .

It appears that the link to the Cingular / Treo 650 page just came down off the Cingular site ? They're so screwed up, they have no clue what's happening. "We don't know" is the new company motto.

Ordered my Unlocked Treo 650 last night at 10:04 Pacific time ! They are saying about 10 days delivery time. It will work with ANY gsm SIM card from Anywhere !!!

If you are using a unlocked GSM Treo phone, it will work with Cingular service --- but will it work with the "rollover" minutes plan? I was told by a store sales rep that ATT Wireless phones will not work with Cingular rollover plans.

So how come there is such a disparity between prices in the US and here in Aus? AU$1200 = US$933, compared to US$599 on the US PalmOne site.

Locked vs. unlocked:
An unlocked phone is available directly from the manufacturer (or its agents) for use with any carrier, with any plan--even prepaid plans. All GSM phones have a slot containing a small, removable "SIM card"--a microchip about 15x25mm and often hidden under the battery. Once you get an unlocked phone, take the SIM card out of your old phone and put it into the new one. It will transfer your phone number and phone account (and whatever kind of plan you already have) to the new phone, plus (perhaps, depends on the phone) the phone book and SMS messages. Your phone number and rate plan live on the SIM card, not inside the phone.

Locked phones are sold through carriers at a steep loss--the carrier bribes you to join by subdizing the phone by $100-$200. Since they've paid for some of the phone, they use software to "lock" the phone so that you can't just walk away and use the phone with another carrier. Most carriers will allow you to call in and get a code that will unlock the phone, but only after you've paid back the subsidy through months or years of service charges.

Overseas pricing:
Who knows? You'd think it'd be cheaper, given the steep decline of the dollar in recent months, but export fees, taxes, and whatnot raise the cost considerably. I used to buy CDs directly from overseas merchants because the cost (even after steep shipping charges) were lower than buying "imports" at shops here in the States.
- pc

I just picked mine up from cingular in Cerritos, CA. 562-402-8700. I called Business Ordering again today after they told me yesterday that they would have them for continiuing cingular users on the 3rd. (preexisting att Business customers could order as of a few days ago. The att contract would be shifted to Cinguar with the upgrade) She told me on the phone that they don't have them available yet for my situation (cingular user) but some stores have them. So, I called the Cerritos store (a corporate store) and, BLAM! "yeah, we got them today." I replied with, "Be right over!" I didn't need to ask about the media works cause she offered it to me for 19.99. If it will convince any nonbelievers, they confirmed that it is unlimited EDGE. OK, I gotta go get the DUN fixed now. Good luck everyone.

The palm site is stating that it is not compatible with Rogers Wireless

How can that be? They are a gsm provider, they curently ofer the Treo 600 and they have EDGE...

Is it still going to work

What about FIDO

Thank you for the info

Does anybody know when the 650 will be available in Germany, with German OS and QWERTZ keyboard?

Regards,
Juergen

ordered mine today (gsm unlocked) from the palm store. now i just have to wait for it to ship.

the waiting really is the hardest part.

+ chris

Nevermind the keyboard, I just want to get it to Europe. Anyone know someone who can ship one here?

am also interested in a QWERTZ-treo. i hope palmone see the need for localized keyboards.

So wait, I have ATTW plan right now, if i buy the Unlocked Treo, i should be able to just take the SIM card from my current phone and put it into the Treo650 and everything should be good?

What about Data plan options? just get Mmode?

march: yes, you could do that!

and it seems that palmOne has jacked the price of unlocked treo 650 to 699!!!!

Is nextel a GSM network? Can I use my sim from my Nextel on the TREO 650?

please tell where to pick up an unlocked Treo 650 GSM Unlocked in Florida please!!!
thanks,
cesar

Does any of nextels sim cards(old or new) work with the unlocked treo 650

Does any of nextels sim cards(old or new) work with the unlocked treo 650

i would like to find a service center in malaysia for my treo 600.can u provide me the address to find the battery charger.what is the estimation cost for that.