Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How Do I order your online Repair Services?
Answer: Browse our website and find your make and model phone and locate the specific service you need, then add the service to your shopping-cart and use the checkout form to process your order. After completing the checkout process, mail your phone to our repair center, be sure to print out your order confirmation when you receive it in your email inbox and place a copy in the box with your cell phone, or you can write your order number on a piece of paper and include it with your package.
Ship packages to our Repair Center at:
Fast Repair LLC
130 W 25th Ave
San Mateo, CA 94403
Question: Is unlocking my phone legal?
Answer: It's your phone, right? Surely to unlock your phone is as legal as it is to give it away, lose it, break it, leave it turned off, or do just about anything else with it!
Unless your phone service contract says 'this phone remains the property of us (the service provider) and you agree not to modify or alter it in any way' then there would seem to be no reason why you can't legally do anything you like with your phone, just so long as you're not attempting to defraud anyone.
It is illegal, in some countries, to change the phone's IMEI (serial number) - this is a type of what is called 'cloning' and, particularly with non-GSM phones, could enable you to then pretend to be someone else and have your airtime charged to someone else's account.
We don't provide cloning type service and don't approve of people that do. But we do help you simply unlock a phone that belongs to you so you have freedom of choice as to which service provider you use it with.
Question: How do I know what model phone I have?
Answer: Your cell phone model is located in the battery compartment of your phone. Power off your phone and remove the battery to find your model number. Note: you will not lose data when you remove the battery.
Question: How long does it take to download my phone book?
Answer: We can process your data service request very fast! Let us know what you need done, and we'll tell you how long it will take.
Question: Can you print pictures from my cell phone?
Answer: Sure. Any data files you have in your phone we can help you get them out of the phone and onto a CD, into your laptop, or printed out on paper!
Question: How long will it take to repair my phone?
Answer: It depends on how badly damaged the phone is, and whether we have to order special parts or not. We can't really give you a time estimate until we see the phone.
Question: Can you provide a loaner phone while mine is being repaired?
Answer: Yes. We are happy to do this.
Question: What's a SIM?
Answer: A subscriber identity module (SIM) is a smartcard securely storing the key identifying a mobile subscriber. SIMs are most widely used in GSM systems, but a compatible module is also used for UMTS UEs (USIM) and IDEN phones. The card also contains storage space for text messages and a phone book.
From the technical point of view the SIM is a microcomputer, which performs all necessary operations based on informations stored inside it. It consists of a CPU, ROM, RAM, EEPROM and I/O circuits.
Since the SIM card slot is standardized (by the GSM11.11 standard), a subscriber can easily move their wireless account and phone number from one handset to another. This will also transfer their phone book and text messages. Similarly, in theory, a subscriber can change carriers by inserting a new carrier's SIM card into their existing handset. However, this is not always possible, because most carriers SIM-lock the phones that they sell, preventing rival carrier's cards being used.
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM
Question: What does GSM stand for?
Answer: GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. GSM phones are used by over a billion people across more than 200 countries. The ubiquity of the GSM standard makes international roaming very common with "roaming agreements" between mobile phone operators. GSM differs significantly from its predecessors in that both signalling and speech channels are digital, which means that it is seen as a second generation (2G) mobile phone system. This fact has also meant that data communication was built into the system from very early on. GSM is an open standard which is currently developed by the 3GPP.
From the point of view of the consumer, the key advantage of GSM systems has been higher digital voice quality and low cost alternatives to making calls such as text messaging. The advantage for network operators has been the ability to deploy equipment from different vendors because the open standard allows easy inter-operability. Also, the standards have allowed network operators offer roaming services which mean subscribers can use their phone all over the world.
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_System_for_Mobile_Communications
Question: Can you help me set up my phone's internet service?
Answer: Yes! In addition to our unlocking, data services and repair services, we are happy to help you customize your phone and get the most out of it. Call us for information about customizing your phone.
Question: How late are you open?
Answer: We are open until 7:00pm 7 days a week.
