iPhone 3gs in Haiti, can service provider block IMEI Number

[MiamiHeat305]

I finally got a chance to send my wife her 3GS, who's currently in Haiti visiting family. Prior to the 3GS' departure I got it unlocked; she already has a prepaid sim with a company in Haiti, so all she has to do is replace sims... I've tried reading about IMEI numbers but couldn't really grasp the concept, I know it's a great way to prevent folks from using stolen phones, but also read some where that it allows service providers to know what type of phone is being used by their networks, and if the phone isn't an approved phone, the IMEI number is marked invalid, thus blocking that phone from accessing... so here's my question - what are the chances that this phone company, in Haiti, would block my wife's iPhone IMEI number? Since the phone is web based, and probably data greedy, I gotta strange feeling they're gonna know that there's a "different" phone trying to access their network.... Help

or maybe i'm just over thinking....

 

[aristobrat]

Surely she's not the only iPhone 3GS in Haiti?

Does the pre-paid plan she's on allow for the use of smartphones? If so, I wouldn't see why they'd care.

The IMEI for a phone is like the VIN for a car. It's unique per device, and contains enough information to figure out the make/model/etc.

Theoretically, they could block the IMEI of her iPhone, but I don't understand why they'd want to do that.

www.howardforums.com is the MacRumors of the wireless carriers. You can probably find a Haiti-specific forum over there if you want more info on how the carriers down there work.

Hope it works out well for her.

 

[Applejuiced]

I doubt they will block it.

 

[MiamiHeat305]

Surely she's not the only iPhone 3GS in Haiti?

Does the pre-paid plan she's on allow for the use of smartphones? If so, I wouldn't see why they'd care.

The IMEI for a phone is like the VIN for a car. It's unique per device, and contains enough information to figure out the make/model/etc.

Theoretically, they could block the IMEI of her iPhone, but I don't understand why they'd want to do that.

www.howardforums.com is the MacRumors of the wireless carriers. You can probably find a Haiti-specific forum over there if you want more info on how the carriers down there work.

Hope it works out well for her.

You're absolutely right, I'm sure hers isn't the only iPhone there, in fact, on my way back home there was a lady on the plane with an iPhone, so there has got to be more... We speak daily and exchange messages, so i guess everything is ok. i'll call the company tomorrow and get more info

I doubt they will block it.

I doubt it too... Thanks for the input!