How Can I Find Out if an Unlocked WP is Compatible with a Small Carrier (US Cellular)?

[coip]

My father is on US Cellular and wants a Windows Phone, but he's had big problems with the Samsung Ativ Odyssey--the only official phone that that carrier has. I asked them if there are any unlocked Windows Phones he can use. They said no but I'm wondering if they're lying. How can I find out if any--and I do mean, literally any--other Windows Phone 8 phones, unlocked, can work on their network?

 

[boothes18]

US cellular is CDMA based. CDMA phones will only activate on their native CDMA network (and they may on a GSM network). In other words... only us cell phones will work on us cells network.

 

[boothes18]

and unlocking is only in regard to GSM phones (sim cards)

 

[horseybob]

Cannot say about US cellular , but my 928 is completely unlocked and has had no issues in US, UK, Ireland, China, Thailand or Japan. Including when I buy a local SIM to save money vs. Verizon's international plan. Ireland SIM still works in US, it just connects to T-Mobile. So I put my Verizon SIM back in, so I get better coverage and my US number back

 

[foxbat121]

Cannot say about US cellular , but my 928 is completely unlocked and has had no issues in US, UK, Ireland, China, Thailand or Japan. Including when I buy a local SIM to save money vs. Verizon's international plan. Ireland SIM still works in US, it just connects to T-Mobile. So I put my Verizon SIM back in, so I get better coverage and my US number back

that's because you are using GSM part of the phone outside your Verizon network. Op's issue is other way around. Try using any phone that does not has Verizon name on it on your Verizon account. It wont work. Nor is your 928 ever be able to be used on Sprint. I avoid CDMA carriers like plague for this reason alone.

 

[coip]

So, even though there are other CDMA carriers (e.g. Verizon), I can't give him a Verizon phone and tell U.S. Cellular to activate it? That sucks. If they'd just get more Windows Phones. Microsoft really needs to do a much better job of getting their phones on all carriers.