FREE PHONE CALLS ON CRICKET How is this possible?

3trick · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2011, 11:55 PM

I recently bought hundreds of the Metro PCS Model SCH R350 Freedom phones that were bulk packaged as they would come from a manufacture. Just phones no batteries nor chargers.When powered up they all say initial programming needed and show a phone number of: 000 000 6798 or similar.

Long story short everyone of these phones can make free phone calls. I thought at first this was just a prepaid phone with limited minutes. After hundreds of minutes and over the course of months now, they still can make free calls.

It is on the cricket network that they work.

I was wondering if anyone has any idea why these work when they have NEVER been activated?

EyeB · #2 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 12:31 AM

hm... how much you selling them?

if you got hundreds of them, I'll buy 1 off of you, if you include battery/charger (I'll pay for those too lol), pm me if you are

3trick · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 12:42 AM

I really dont think I should sell any mostly because I have no way of knowing if they work in any other markets except mine.

If a few senior members of the forum would like to look at a few to figure out why they work or if they work in other markets... I would be willing to send a few out for free. You would have to get your own batteries and charger to test one though..

PS: I only bought 4 batteries on ebay for 9.00 and just have one charger. Maybe if I can scrounge up a sync cord I can dump one and maybe see what is different about these??

3trick · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 12:47 AM

Couple of things I should mention. When a call is placed it says blocked call. There is no way for them to receive a call because as far as I can tell they do not have a phone number that is usable. (000 000 xxxx)

EyeB · #5 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 02:01 AM

I sent you a pm with a couple questions but you seemed to have answered them in the posts above

should have checked here first lol.

I don't mind checking out cricket here in the midwest US, travel between Missouri/Kansas since I live on the border and I drive around the states with friends too.

edit: from what I can tell online, it looks like it is a mini usb cord for charging? I got a few of those from old phones

edit: ugh... I just noticed.. but you said metro pcs phone on cricket? Those aren't the same companies...

3trick · #6 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 11:16 AM

These are Metro PCS phones. But I am making the calls from crickets network. I did nothing to the phones. I did not change the prl. I just powered them up and they worked.

I am assuming Metro PCS and cricket use the same network and the installed prl might just be what is confusing the cricket network?

3trick · #7 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 11:19 AM

I am really surprised more people do not find this discovery interesting??

So far to date, unlimited outgoing calls for free to anywherwe in the usa and maybe canada is pretty interesting to me ..?

EyeB · #8 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 11:21 AM

hm, just checked metro webpage, and found out the area my house is in (by zip code) doesn't have coverage but cricket does lol.

But how can you tell if it is on cricket or not?

3trick · #9 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 11:33 AM

Cause it says welcome to cricket on the message when I start an otc *228. It wont otc update either. There is no Metro PCS here in my area just cricket.

whitey10tc · #10 (**permalink**) 07-19-2011, 11:43 AM

It could be a cricket thing. I have a phone with an all 0's MEID/ESN and it connects. But also could be a Metro mistake, I'm assuming that it's a Metro PRL, and your in a cricket market. So my guess is that crickets system has no idea if the Metro #/MEID is active or not there allowing it to use the network.