How to Flash a Phone

If you want to use your old cell phone with a new carrier, you will need to know how to flash a phone. Flashing is also referred to as reprogramming. You can also take your phone to various authorized cell phone dealers to get it flashed for you, but you can learn how to flash your phone yourself.

Part 1 of 3: Working with the Right Equipment

1. Make sure you are trying to flash a CDMA phone. CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access. If you are uncertain whether your phone is CDMA or not, remove the battery and look for a removable subscriber identity module (SIM) card under the battery. If there isn't a SIM card, you indeed have a CDMA phone that can be flashed.

• GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) phones can't be flashed (like AT&T and T-Mobile). Metro, Sprint, Cricket, Boost, Verizon and many others are CDMA and thus can be flashed because they're not controlled by the SIM card.
• Your phone must also have a clean ESN (electronic serial number) -- that is, it must never have been reported lost or stolen.

2. Get out your USB cord. The same one you use to connect to your computer to download music and whatnot will be used with this process.

 

 

3 Search for compatible flashing software.. There are several easy-to-use flashing programs that make flashing easy, and some are even free to download. Make sure the one you choose will work with your particular phone before attempting to flash.

• Examples include Easyflasher.com^[2], CDMA-ware.com^[3], Flashyourphone.com^[4] and Your cellular^[5]. Search around before you risk damaging your phone with an inadequate or incompatible program.
  
  4. Know what you want to flash your phone to. You are changing your phone from your current carrier to something else. The only stipulation is that it also must be a CDMA network. Cricket, Page Plus, and Metro PCS are three popular options.^[6]
• You can check the reception in your area for various carriers at Cellreception.com.^[7] Might as well before you make the leap! Certain programs are affiliated with larger networks, like Page Plus is with Verizon.^[8]
  • You can get an hour's trial of Page Plus from their website.