# OMFG I want this phone.... but will it work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785 "2004-09-30T02:37:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/1 "2004-09-30T02:37:24Z")
I’ve been looking at the [Motorola v710](http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=260904&prmenbr=126&phone_cgrfnbr=1&zipcode=) for… oh, since I saw the commercial. I’m willing to shell out the outrageous bucks for this phone, because it’s a gadget, and I couldn’t stand not having the neatoest cell phone in existence. But it says it’s for Verizon. Would it work for AT&T? (It says something about CDMA, and my phone’s GSM… any way of getting it to work?) ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/2 "2004-09-30T03:34:42Z")
Nope, that phone will only work on Verizon’s CDMA/TDMA network. Will not work on a GSM network. You don’t want the phone anyway. In an effort to get people to use their pay services Verizon has crippled the Bluetooth functionality to nearly unusable. You can’t transfer files via Bluetooth or synch up your address book. The only thing it’s good for is just using a Bluetooth enabled headset. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/3 "2004-09-30T03:40:37Z")
In fact, the gadget geek community was so outraged over Verizon’s actions that someone is now offering a prize pot, currently up to $1,663.24, to the first person that can hack the phone and make the Bluetooth functionality whole again. [http://www.nuclearelephant.com/papers/v710hackers.html](http://www.nuclearelephant.com/papers/v710hackers.html) ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/4 "2004-09-30T12:50:01Z")
wow. Thanks. I’d be angry about that too… (if I had one.) I don’t want the v600, (don’t really know why), but I’m looking for something a little better than my LG1150. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/5 "2004-09-30T13:36:57Z")
Yeah, I can actually get the v710 for about $150 from Verizon since I’ve been a customer for so long. I’m glad I held back though because of all the stuff going on with it right now. I was thinking of switching to T-Mobile and was looking at the v600 also but after reading all the negative reviews about I decided not to. The v300 got great reviews and was herald as a great little phone but it does not have Bluetooth like the v710 and the v600 do. I guess I’ll just wait until the next crop of phones come out. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/6 "2004-09-30T13:48:34Z")
Well, yeah… I get 50% off of phones and accessories at AT&T… and 20% off my bill each month… part of the reason i went there. Bad reviews on the v600? The only person I know of that has one likes it (but he switches to a Sony Ericsson [model number] when out in the boonies (like his house) because it gets marginally better reception. He also doesn’t use the bluetooth on his v600, except maybe for the headset. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/7 "2004-09-30T15:21:24Z")
The phone will not work on AT&T’s network, however, you can now transfer your existing cell number to a different network, thanks to those crazy doodz on Capitol Hill who like to push corporate America around. If you buy the phone, you can take it to a Verizon store, and announce that you want to “port” your existing number to the new phone. Bring a bill from your current phone company, and if everything goes correctly, your new phone should be up and running in a matter of hours. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omfg-i-want-this-phone-but-will-it-work/266785/8 "2004-09-30T17:48:56Z")
lol, but it isn’t THAT big of a deal… and I’m one month in to a 2 year contract with AT&T. I guess I’ll just have to wait until the next cool motorolas come out.