[palmdoc#AC]

Is the contract free unit unlocked? Someone wants to know as a friend is going to France

[sledge007]

The frequencies they use in Europe differ from what they use in North America.
Here is the wiki on it and the short version follows below:
Today, most telephones support multiple bands as used in different countries to facilitate roaming. These are typically referred to as multi-band phones. Dual-band phones can cover GSM networks in pairs such as 900 and 1800 MHz frequencies (Europe, Asia, Australia and Brazil) or 850 and 1900 (North America and Brazil). European tri-band phones typically cover the 900, 1800 and 1900 bands giving good coverage in Europe and allowing limited use in North America, while North American tri-band phones utilize 850, 1800 and 1900 for widespread North American service but limited worldwide use. A new addition has been the quad-band phone, also known as a world phone, supporting all four major GSM bands, allowing for global use (excluding non-GSM countries such as Japan).

[palmdoc#AC]

I am using 900/1800 which is presumably the same as SFR

[johncc]

The frequencies they use in Europe differ from what they use in North America.

I am using 900/1800 which is presumably the same as SFR

You mean there are people on here from outside North America?

[sledge007]

<--- guilty of assuming he was from NA, mybad

[palmdoc#AC]

So does anyone know if it is locked?

[squ33d]

probably yes, but since its only sold online, a friend going to france is not enough, try finding a friend living in france

[fernandez21]

Also it has azerty keyboard, so depending on what your used to it could be a problem.

[rwhitby]

So does anyone know if it is locked?

There's a contract-free version available for sale online from SFR to French addresses only for over 400 Euro.

That one (with a keyboard swap) is what you want.

Alternatively, hope that comms board swaps work and get an unlocked dev unit from the US and then swap in your current comms board.

That's the path I'm going to be attempting to take.

-- Rod

[rwhitby]

Rod in all fairness, I don't think a lot of users will buy a contract-free AZERTY device for over 400 euro and endeavour a keyboard swap (are Pre kb compatible?).

Most unofficial users may choose to either wait for the German unlocked QWERTZ, or for JIC Tech to work on the unlock and get the QWERTY.

Free QWERTZ and unlockable QWERTY considered, the price of a locked AZERTY may drop quickly in due time.

Sure - it's a matter of time vs money. Someone may want one *know*, and I've given them a path to that. Others will wait for paths to open up that are less expensive. Some will choose to ship it to the US for activation to get the paid app catalog, and some will not pay that expense and will therefore miss out on paid apps forever.

-- Rod

[rwhitby]

A thing to consider with the US activation though (which at this point of course is the best option); once specific European apps (for instance navigation) are rolled out in Europe, European users in non-launch countries with access to the US catalog may actually miss out on these.

Yep, that might be another reason why someone in Europe might want to buy an unlocked SFR Pre 2 and do a keyboard swap on it after activating it in France ...

-- Rod

[urig]

How can one attempt a keyboard swap? any online guides? (pictures?)
Is the Pre keyboard compatible with the Pre2 keyboard ?

[rwhitby]

How can one attempt a keyboard swap? any online guides? (pictures?)
Is the Pre keyboard compatible with the Pre2 keyboard ?

Look at the comms board swap guides. The keyboard is the same level of difficulty.

Since no-one has taken apart a Pre2 yet, we're only guessing that it's possible.

-- Rod

[azumak]

Well... What if there was a way to force the Pre 2 to use the english standard keyset? I wouldn't mind some keys being backwards. Even if they weren't the QWERTY layout, lol. VKB might be nicer on a glass screen, once it's available... Ooh. :]

Anyways, I was thinking you could install your native keyboard layout, and use a sharpie and some way to label the keys.

[rwhitby]

Well... What if there was a way to force the Pre 2 to use the english standard keyset? I wouldn't mind some keys being backwards. Even if they weren't the QWERTY layout, lol. VKB might be nicer on a glass screen, once it's available... Ooh. :]

Anyways, I was thinking you could install your native keyboard layout, and use a sharpie and some way to label the keys.

The WebOS Internals MetaDoctor already has this functionality. I'm assuming it will work for the same for the Pre 2 as it does for the Pre, Pre+, Pixi and Pixi+ ...

-- Rod

[azumak]

Excellent news! That's great to hear... Well, if one is willing to do a Pre/+ comm board switch, a keyboard switch would make sense to do at the same time. I'm curious to see how the Pre 2 KB feels though. It's too early for me to make a choice on how to procure this currently elusive device... :]