Root UNLOCKING PROCLAIM: How? + Is it worth it? (Need New Carrier)

[slow_mo_panda]

I have had it with Straight Talk. I am SO done and over them. I am still awesome happy with my Samsung Proclaim, and can't afford another droid phone. Is it worth it to risk rooting/unlocking the phone?
-Is there a difference between rooting and unlocking?
-What are the top risks to rooting?
-Can I still use my service until it expires after unlocking?
-I wanted to switch to a service from Tmobile my friend rec'd, where I can apparently get Unlimited Talk and Text for about $25. Does anyone know where/how to get this monthly no-contract plan, or any other, similarly affordable cards?
-Just because: I recently changed the battery in my Proclaim, and now the clock is all off, how do I set just the time/date?? I can do the alarm, the stop-watch, timer, but can't find how to set the actual time/date.

Any other advice? I have ONLY UNTIL APRIL 20th TO GET ANOTHER CARD OR SWITCH CARRIERS! Please HELP! Thank you SO much!!!

 

[DarkJedi]

Rooting: getting into operating system to add / change / remove features or programs not normally allowed by the carrier who sells the phone.

Unlocking: Generally applies only to GSM phones (the Proclaim is a CDMA phone). Means to allow you to move your phone service to another carrier.

So in short, that phone is only good on Straight Talk. It could technically be modified to work with Verizon or Sprint (the 2 main CDMA carriers) or any MVNO that uses their towers for underlying service, but I will tell you right now... it just isn't worth it.

 

[PoorBoy52760]

#1 REASON it isn't worth it, You may have to clone an ESN from another phone to do it, and that is VERY ILLEGAL!