[mdwatts]

I currently am a nextel subscriber w/ a 7100i. I like the service and all but the 7100i is getting a little boring for me. I need a cam phone and mp3 ringtones. My question is, is the 7100i sim compatitable with the 8100 pearl? And if so, is the 8100 able to be unlocked for nextel service?

thanks anyone... sorry if this is in the wrong forum....

[CaptainIndignant]

The 8100 won't work on Nextel. The only 8100 now for sale - the T-Mobile one - runs on the GSM network, the network used almost everywhere in the world. Nextel uses (used?) the unique Motorola iDEN network, used almost nowhere other than by Nextel. I'm not even sure the iDEN phones use a SIM card system - to the best of my knowledge, only the GSM networks use those.

I'm sure someone here knows better than I when an 8100 for CDMA - the (non-Nextel) Sprint/Verizon system - will be out. I have to doubt an 8100 for iDEN will ever come out, since Nextel was always targeted at business users and the 8100 is targeted at consumers (and because there seems to be a lower limit on iDEN phone sizes that is much, much larger than for the other networks), and because iDEN is being phased out by Sprint, unless I'm mistaken.

[BES admin]

To confirm:

Even though the iDEN phones from Nextel (Sprint/Nextel) have sim cards, the two wireless technologies (GSM and iDEN) are not compatable.

Sprint is due to release a new BB phone soon, however, even though Sprint & Nextel are now a conglomerate, I do not believe that the two services are interconnected (Yet?)

I have an issue with Nextel at our company, in that some of our "construction" type use Nextel and they want newer BB devices with Push-to-talk on the Nextel network. Everyone but Nextel seems to be getting a new BB device.

Sorry, we are in sort of the same boat.

[NJBlackBerry]

And Nextel has have unusually high customer loyalty over the last few years. Which is great - except I think that iDen has a very limited future (post Sprint acquisition) and I just do know if there will be many (or any) new BBs for iDen networks in North America...

[mdwatts]

damn.... dont want to switch to t-mobile if bb is coming out with a new phone. i basically want the mp3 capabilities for a ringtone, and the cam/video capabilities.

my old i730 had a sim card and my 7100i has a sim also. i saw a user thing on the 8100 pearl and it showed a sim card being used also. just thought i could cut corners and switch sims.....

damn... alright, thanks for the info.....anyone know when/what the new phone from bb for nextel is?