We have been informed at work of a new policy concerning “unlocked” phones.  These are devices that are not manufactured for a specific carrier and can be used for any cell phone company.  You can buy these phones directly from manufacturers, e-Bay, etc.

In the past we were able to walk a customer through the settings in the phone to allow it to access our data services.  However, due to liability issues, we can no longer do this.  So, if you get an unlocked device and you want to access your carrier’s data network, you are on your own as far as the settings in the device.

Most carriers are an “Open Network” and allow non-branded phones to use their network, but it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the phone is compatible.

Most carriers have support information on the phones that they carry which will assist you in the settings.  One such site is AT&T Device Tutorial.