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MetroPCS intros MetroFlash service to port Verizon and Sprint handsets

By: , IntoMobile
Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 3:41 PM

There’s nothing like a little friendly carrier-rivalry to give entrenched incumbents a good jolt. Competition ends up benefiting the consumer, after all. So, what better way to eat in to CDMA competitors’ giant wireless subscriber-base than to offer their customers a way to bring their CDMA Sprint or Verizon handsets to MetroPCS’s network?

MetroPCS has introduced their MetroFlash service, aimed at bringing Sprint and Verizon customers in to MetroPCS’s flat-rate calling network. MetroFlash aims toMetroPCS reprogram, or “flash,” compatible CDMA handsets to disable any annoying carrier locks and branding and allow handsets previously locked to Sprint and Verizon to work on MetroPCS’s airwaves.

While GSM customers (at least those with unlocked handsets) have been able to take their GSM handset from carrier to carrier with little regard for compatibility issues, MetroPCSs MetroFlash service is among the few CDMA-based offerings to attempt to replicate that same level of convenience.

CDMA handsets deemed compatible with MetroPCS’s network (read: tested by MetroPCS) can be “flashed” by MetroPCS to work on their CDMA network. Of course, the service is limited to CDMA handsets, as GSM handsets, like the iPhone, work on a completely different communications standard.

The MetroFlash service offers eligible customers unlimited flat-rate wireless service for $40 a month – a particularly attractive proposition to Sprint and Verizon customers that don’t leave their home-area often.

The new service will only be offered in markets covered by MetroPCS’s network, so make sure you can jump on the MetroPCS bandwagon before you tell Sprint or Verizon to bugger off.

[Via: InformationWeek]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • derek

    if you get your lg choclate metro flashed can you still send and get picture mail and get on the Internet

  • Kona

    can I flash a blackberry pearl 8130 from verizon on metro pcs???

  • nim6

    i have the same exact question… a pearl on metro… i’ve seen it, but would love to know how it’s done..

  • jasmine

    can i flash a motorola Q CDMA 850/ CDMA 1900

  • nicole

    Uhm.. i got the blackberry storm for my birthday, and i wanted to know if it would work with metro too…
    cause most of my friends say i should switch servers.. and i don’t know if it would work.. =/

  • adrianna

    can a verizon blitz be switched to metro pcs?

  • Marty

    I have a Verizon Wireless LG 3G touch screen can I get this flashed to Metro PCS and still have internet picture video and the Navigation

  • kimberly

    can a verizon envy be switched to metro pcs

  • Biggdiffs

    is there a network extender available for metro pcs or femtocell microcell ???

  • Biggdiffs

    oh yeah i have a sonim s8 quadband phone will that go peacfully through metroflash>>???