How to Flash a Phone in the US

If you want to use your old mobile phone with a new carrier, you'll need to know how to reprogram the phone (also known as 'flash'). If you live in the US, you can learn how to flash or take your phone to a retailer to have a technician reprogram it.

Check device compatibility

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The phone you want to reprogram must be on a CDMA network. CDMA in full is Code Division Multiple Access, meaning code division multiple access. If you're not sure whether the phone you're reprogramming uses a CDMA network, look for the SIM card tray on the side of the phone, or underneath the battery. If there is no SIM card then this is a CDMA phone and can be flashed.

GSM phones (full name is Global System for Mobile Communications: global system for mobile communications) cannot be reprogrammed (such as AT&T and T-Mobile). Metro, Sprint, Cricket, Boost, Verizon and many other carriers use CDMA network mode so they don't depend on SIM cards, so you can flash phones from these carriers. (Since Metro merged with T-Mobile, they started offering phones that use SIM cards, so reprogramming depends on the phone model.)

In addition, the ESN code or electronic serial number of the phone must be 'clean'. That means this phone has never been reported lost or stolen.

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Prepare the USB cable. This is the cable you use to connect your phone to your computer and download music or other content.

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Find compatible flash software. There are many easy-to-use programs that make reprogramming your phone simple and even free. Please check to make sure this program works with the phone you need to flash before proceeding.

Easyflasher.com and CDMA-ware.com are examples of phone flashing software that can be used. You should do your research carefully so you don't risk an incompatible or incompetent program, because doing so could completely damage your phone.

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You need to know the purpose of reprogramming your phone. Do you want to change suppliers? You can only change to another provider that also uses the CDMA network. Cricket, Page Plus and Metro PCS are three popular choices.

You can check the signal of different networks in your area at Cellreception.com. Because this is an important decision, it's better to be careful. There are also some programs that are affiliated with major networks, such as Page Plus and Verizon.

You can try the Page Plus website for free for 1 hour.

Proceed to flash the phone

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Download the flash program of your choice to your computer and extract the file. Read the instructions carefully and proceed with caution. Flashing the phone will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Since each phone is set up differently, it's difficult to provide step-by-step instructions. However, keep reading to get a few things to keep in mind.

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Check the driver. If you're not sure whether your phone is up to date, download the latest drivers online. You just need to know the name and model number of your phone to proceed. If not, you can still find it online.

To successfully reprogram your phone, you'll need to check that all the necessary drivers are in place before proceeding. Please visit the manufacturer's website (eg Samsung) to check.

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Grasp the basic information. The software will ask for the original carrier name, the carrier name you intend to change, the manufacturer and model number. You will be asked to choose between "half flash" (partial reprogramming) and "full flash" (complete reprogramming). With the "half flash" option, the phone can only listen, call and text.

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Have your phone's MEID and ESN numbers ready. On the flash program interface, you can "read" all the phone's parameters to know the information needed for the process. Or you can find out in advance. The MEID and ESN codes are usually located below the battery.

The MEID Dec code has 18 characters (starting with the number 2), while the MEID Hex code includes 15 alphanumeric characters.

The ESN code consists of 8 numbers and can be marked as PESN.

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Detect phone. The software will have the option to detect the phone to read parameters. If you choose this option, you don't need to worry about having to manually define the COM port because the program will do it.

The program may ask you to enter an unlock code. For Verizon phones it is usually six 0's, other less common but still used codes are six 1's or six 3's.

Some phones may require you to intervene in the PRL priority roaming list. In the US, the code is *228 (for Verizon/MetroPCS/US Cellular phones) and ##873283# (for Sprint). In Canada, use code *22803 for Telus Mobility phones.

If for some reason the COM port is not identified, you can find it yourself through the device manager (Device Manager).

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Select "write" (programming). Most software will ask you to select "write" and confirm. After you click "yes", the phone will start flashing and reboot automatically when successful. It is done.

Understand risks

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The phone may be completely damaged and cannot be used for any purpose. This is irreversible.

This risk still exists even if the flashing process is performed by a professional technician. The risk will be even higher if you or someone else does it yourself.

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You need to understand that after reprogramming, the phone will be outside of any warranty. This is understandable because you are 'circumventing the law' to abandon your current supplier. However, if you reprogram through the retailer (not required), it is possible that the phone will still be under warranty (depending on the situation, of course).

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Check to make sure the new provider will accept the unfamiliar ESN code. If you're reprogramming your phone to Boost or Cricket, it's not a problem. But with large providers like Verizon, you need to reconsider because they rarely accept self-correction measures such as flashing the phone.

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You need to know that phones still use the same technology. When using a CDMA phone, whether flashed or not, it is still basically CDMA technology. If you live in the US and travel abroad often, most phones in other countries use GSM technology with a SIM card. The main benefit of reprogramming your phone is being able to switch carriers without spending money on buying a new phone.

All mobile operators in the US (except AT&T and T-Mobile) use CDMA technology. Unlike GSM technology, the ESN number of a CDMA phone is fixed and cannot be changed.

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Reprogramming your phone to Straight Talk is illegal. You need to fake the ESN number to do this, and this code must be unique. Having two phones with the same electronic serial number is clearly unreasonable and can lead to heavy fines. If you are interested in Straight Talk, visit their website and talk to an expert first to see if there is any other solution.