MetroPCS MetroFlash welcomes Verizon, Sprint customers -- and their devices

MetroPCS may not have the largest wireless footprint in the States, but they did take a jab at the larger two CDMA carriers by announcing their intention to take on any Verizon and Sprint customers ready to jump ship -- as well as any "compatible" devices they may want to bring along with them. Sprint already supposedly does this (although we've still yet to hear of it actually really happening), but the specifics of MetroPCS's MetroFlash seem equally unclear. It doesn't sound like they'll reprogram just any CDMA device that walks through their doors, though, just the ones they've had a chance to test on their network. Definitely kills the buzz (and the number of devices that can be ported), but a little open is still kind of better than totally closed, right?

[Via Seattle P-I and Mobility Site]

[Alex @ Jun 29th 2008 7:17PM]

"Unlimit yourself" is all they could come up with?

[jackie little @ Jun 29th 2008 7:25PM]

love the ipods

[Graham @ Jun 29th 2008 7:55PM]

I love the relevancy to the topic.

[Fernando @ Jun 29th 2008 7:55PM]

I love you

[derX @ Jun 29th 2008 8:22PM]

Certainly not iPods. Something to do with Metro ACS, I believe.

[DarkLight @ Jun 29th 2008 8:53PM]

But I DON'T love you

[DefPo3t @ Jun 30th 2008 4:01PM]

add Helios in there and I'm sold. 35 bucks for unlimited voice can't beat that

[John M @ Jun 29th 2008 7:41PM]

They are a discount flat rate carrier, I think they charge like $35 a month for unlimited service but they charge you for everything on top of that, including voicemail.

They are building their own network so I've heard they have pretty spotty coverage while they finish building it out but it's good to see openness regardless.

[Jenny @ Jun 29th 2008 8:33PM]

Coverage is spotty, but it definitely is dirt cheap. Incoming calls are sort of iffy, I tend to text my Metro PCS friends with 'call me when you get this'.

[grull27 @ Jun 29th 2008 8:53PM]

The same thing happens to me. My friends that have MetroPCS get my text messages 1 hour after I text them.

[Luddy @ Jun 30th 2008 1:09AM]

You've heard wrong. I live in San Jose, California. I can drive from Los Angeles, all the way to Reno and get service, with matching quality to my work phone, or from my girlfriend's AT&T phone. As to text messages, maybe you live out on the fringes because I text my sister and she gets the messages in less than five seconds about 90% of the time. $35 a month is unlimited calling, but for $50 a month its their unlimitted EVERYTHING. On top of that it iss $100 a month for a family plan of 4 lines with unlimited local, long distance, texting and voicemail. Maybe instead of reporting on rumors you should check it out yourself.

[Christopher Price @ Jun 29th 2008 7:53PM]

MetroPCS isn't trying to build a national network. They have roaming agreements with Sprint and Verizon when you go out of the metro area.

However, for $35/month, they would actually prefer you bring your own phone than use another.

We have a full list of the supported phones here: http://www.phonenews.com/metro-pcs-introduces-metroflash-cdma-flashing-service-3657/

[helixtimestwo @ Jun 29th 2008 9:19PM]

>they would actually prefer you bring your own phone than use another

Uh, yah, especially after a quick glance at MPCS's phone lineup. These 'phones' would make the prepaid lineup at walmart blush.

Here's what $35 at MPCS will get you: dropped calls, 10x worse than dialup data speeds, spotty coverage, HORRIBLE customer service, poor voice quality and duplicate text msgs that arrive 2 hrs after they're sent.

I'd rather walk 2 miles to a payphone then have their service. Just like most things in life, in wireless you get what you pay for.

[Craig B. @ Jun 30th 2008 12:32AM]

I didn't know they had customer service except in the stores, and that, from what I hear, is hardly 'service.' I personally have never used them, but I often hear them referred to as MetroPieceOfSh.... I almost did switch to them, but I didn't want to give up my GSM phone. But, still, the price seems good. Then again, so did that $.27 set of 10 pens that I bought last week, and they didn't even write.

[kanzaki @ Jun 29th 2008 7:56PM]

They'll do any phone that Houdini can unlock, They have different plans, progressively charging $5 more... $50 is unlimited everything. $30 is unlimited local and text I believe.

I tried to have them unlock a Helio Ocean, they couldn't... when I unlocked myself with CDMA Workshop demo, they let me put it on their network.

I'm having problems with the web/mms, but only because I can't find the default gateway in the ocean to change.

[grull27 @ Jun 29th 2008 8:49PM]

I didn't know anyone outside of Miami knew about MetroPCS.

[Raymond @ Jun 29th 2008 9:04PM]

Yet another reason shows that why GSM/WCDMA is more popular worldwide.

Swap in your new SIM card and you are good to go!

(CDMA network like China Unicom using RUIM too)

[Eli @ Jun 29th 2008 10:16PM]

Unless the phone is locked.

[cub3 @ Jun 29th 2008 9:08PM]

I want these guys to come to New York city/ New Jersey already!!. Im tired of paying these crazy prices for phone.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jun 29th 2008 9:24PM]

LOL! Lets hope they don't have any roaming agreements with Verizon (which they most likely do). Why? Well, if you leave Verizon in a "bad" way that ESN will probably be blocked on the network faster than you can say "can you hear me now?" Answer, ESN denied!!

[REFsdf @ Jun 29th 2008 10:51PM]

Since you can't use features like picture messaging, web, or even text messaging in some cases... there's not much incentive to bring in an expensive phone from Verizon.

[Mobileye @ Jun 29th 2008 11:03PM]

When you flash a phone, it does not matter if you owe money... even if the phone is locked, after flashing it will work. You will loose pretty much all functionality and be left with only voice and sms, unless you are able to reprogram to new settings.
There is a local company in South Texas that is making a killing out of doing only that.. flashing. Cricket and MPCS have always had the ability to flash phones, however they don't always promote it because of the loss of functionality on the phones.

[Jamar @ Jun 30th 2008 5:47AM]

I wish they did more. I want to bring over some nice stuff from Korea that would finally match what I have now.

[Aedile @ Jun 30th 2008 9:41AM]

This is old news. They've been a Houdini customer since last year. Pocket Communications (the South Texas provider mentioned above), Revol and Alltel also use this in various capacities. Will flash most CDMA phones released in the US in the last few years. There is some basic RF testing that the phones should pass using a K-132 calibration handset and the guys on the Houdini team add a stack of phones every week.

[Michael @ Jun 30th 2008 9:59AM]

So do they support the Palm Centro. Both my girlfriend and myself would love to switch our Sprint Centros to MetroPCS.

[Aedile @ Jun 30th 2008 10:04AM]

Smartphone support is shakey at best. Talk to some of the local third-party dealers. Most of them that offer flashing can do a bit of something with one of the PST tools like Crowdy.

[diane @ Jul 1st 2008 10:10AM]

Will they take an LG Dare cell phone and put it on their network. I know LG Dare's are CDMA phones. I can get one from china for 120.00.

[entropyman @ Jul 2nd 2008 1:16AM]

hmm was just checking the coverage- I am surprised, I have been on it for something like 6 years now (credit problems had normal carriers wanting a $1500 deposit to get a line) and when i started, it was only here in nothern CA and in atlanta georgia- they really have expanded coverage- I am glad they put up LA and vegas- now they just need to put up reno and all of my usual travel destinations will be covered

[gatrell @ Jul 13th 2008 7:29PM]

Metro's able to convert most/almost any cdma phone. Of course no IPHONE because of the fact that its gsm. But basically every desired phone that isnt a smartphone, (blackberry,trio,palm etc.)

[Jay @ Jul 25th 2008 8:01PM]

You my friend, are dead wrong. I have been flashing Metro PCS phones for months, even before this MetroFlash service was launched.

You can go to http://www.unlocktotalk.com/ to find stores in your area that FLASH cell phones.

In Miami we have been flashing the TREO 700P, 700W, 700WX and 755 with full metro functionality (talk, text and INTERNET) along with other smart phones such as the HTC Touch, Mogul, Pocket PCs and LG Voyagers.

Official metro stores wont touch smartphones but independent metro retailers everywhere are hiring technicians that are constantly developing new software to flash every CDMA phone possible.

Do a google search before making hasty claims- there are hundreds of mobile tech forums that have users with every type of flashed CDMA phone on Metro detailing the software and technique they used to do it.

My $50 plan comes with free talk, text, long distance, international text, and internet with a data plan that isn't on par with 3G but is NO WAY comparable to DIAL UP.

If you haven't experienced it, you shouldn't be speaking. I lost my phone and had a brand new one shipped to me within one business day (Metro Guard Insurance) and have NEVER in 3 years had a problem with customer service.

I have never had a recipient tell me they didn't get my call or text, and have reception everywhere I go including the 1 1/2 HOUR LONG DRIVE ON ALLIGATOR ALLEY I-75 heading WEST (through the everglades and national preserve) that is infamous for horrible cellphone reception on every network.

Educate yourselves before making statements and don't be bitter that, with taxes, my monthly bill is $60

[JW @ Sep 26th 2008 12:34AM]

Jay I had my Treo 700wx flashed by unlocktotalk now how to I get it on metro pcs

[mary @ Jul 24th 2008 8:58PM]

do you think they can turn my pantech c300 from ATT into a metroflash phone???

[GUS @ Jul 24th 2008 8:29PM]

So not trying to ask a stupid question but will ANY CDMA phone work on MetroPCS' service?? I found lots of those CDMA phones that are SmartPhones at the same time....so according to the last comment, BlackBerry's , Treo's, Moto Q's, etc, won't work??

Does it have to be a "plain Jane" CDMA phone?? And will a MetroPCS store really unlock it for you??

Also I have an iPhone -- the very first model that came out still under firmware 1.0.2 (unlocked for a Brazilian carrier in 2007) -- and I was thinking if using the Turbo SIM Card or tricking a SIM card is possible to have the iPhone working under MetroPCS network?? Or is that a far-fetched, impossible idea??

Thanks for any replies,

GUS

[paarlberg @ Jul 25th 2008 9:35PM]

I have been with MPCS for about 5 years. I have seen more issues with AT&T dropping calls than MPCS.

I was on the multi metro service until today, I took one of my old phones in and added it to my account and switched to the family plan. I went from 3 phones at $135 per month to 4 phones at $122 a month.

I use mine for international texting, phone calls, etc.. I can call South African land lines for $.06 per minute.

If you look at their rollout schedule, NY is coming up soon. They will add a ton of new customers there.

I laugh when I see the Sprint commercial bragging about $99 + tax unlimited plans.. I can get 4 phones for $100 + tax.

MPCS did have issues in Atlanta about 3-4 years ago, but now I get coverage when people with AT&T and other providers can't.

The only real complaint is the phone choices have always been limited. I always buy the cheapest (or close to the cheapest) phone and have never had any issues. Their customer service number will get you someone that is clueless. I went to a corporate owned store today and was very happy with their service.