How do unlocked cell phones work?

Question

so to say if my cell phone provider does not use sim/smart cards and i bought a unlocked cell phone, how would i move the phone number and such over?

Answer 1

You don't.  Unlocked phones will only work with networks that use sim cards(unlocked GSM phones with GSM providers and unlocked iDEN phones with iDEN networks).  You can't use unlocked phones with CDMA networks.