Is My Phone Company Trying to Crimp my Style?

May 27, 2008 7:50 AM

Is my cell phone company lying about unlocking and SIM-carding while abroad?

I'm going to be in Europe for three months. Since I didn't want to rack up a bloated bill of roaming charges, I thought I'd unlock my phone (a Blackberry Pearl) and pop in a new SIM card with minutes from a European provider.

However, my cell phone provider (AT and T) told me that if I suspend my plan during this period (for which they will charge me $10/month) the minute I put in a new SIM card and try to make a call or send an SMS, AT and T will know that I am using my phone and will immediately switch me back to my usual plan- and charge me for it- even if I am not using their bandwidth and not using my plan's minutes.

If I unlock the phone and put in a new SIM card, how would AT and T know that I am using the phone? Are they lying in order to make me feel obligated to stick to my plan and pay roaming charges?

If I just need to suck it up and rent a phone while in Europe, that's fine. I just want to make sure AT and T isn't trying to pull a fast one.

posted by foxy_hedgehog to technology (16 comments total)

The idea that AT and T could detect when you signed your phone onto an European network with a non-AT and T SIM sounds like bunk to me, but I am not a mobile expert. The folks over at Howardforums are, though, so I'd suggest asking that question over there.
posted by Alterscape at 8:04 AM on May 27, 2008

I got AT&T to unlock my Pearl before going abroad to the UK (if you want the instructions on how to accomplish this, mefi mail me - it's very simple and free), and have been using it here without incident. I did not suspend my plan at home, however (it's a family plan). Hope this helps in some way. And for the record, although I have no direct experience, I can't see how AT&T would detect your usage unless you stay signed up with their Blackberry Internet Service and they detect you through your PIN.
posted by awesomebrad at 8:07 AM on May 27, 2008

Completely guessing here, but I would have to feel they are lying. The phone is yours. They can trace it to you via the phone's IMEI number ---- but what if you sold the phone on ebay? -- which, I assume you are allowed to do. They would seem to not be allowed to charge that new person's call to you, right?

Plus, you are still paying them to suspend services. As for prepaid cell cards or European cards, which you can from a place like telestial.com (free incoming throughout most of Europe!), I can't see how they can trace the new SIM to your phone especially since no private information is associated to the SIM you purchase -- electronically embedded at least -- (I've bought from telestial before and you have to pop the sim out of its casing and they mail it next day if you want so I doubt they have to link you and your info to the SIM.

So, such are my thoughts. Would love to know if I'm wrong, but it seems like it can't happen.

As an alternative -- you could just buy a really cheap unlocked phone on amazon or ebay in place of renting while in Europe -- I feel that could be cheaper. For $86 you can a SLVR from unlocked quad band from amazon -- plus you'll always have a phone for when abroad too.
posted by skepticallypleased at 8:13 AM on May 27, 2008

Seems ludicrous to me. Putting in another SIM means you're going to be using service on another network and account, it's generally that simple.

But given the general corporate personality of most of the mobile network operators (probably best summarized as "venal control freak"), I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see them try to bill for any activity on a handset they sold you.
posted by weston at 8:24 AM on May 27, 2008

AT&T can only see your phone if you have their SIM card in it. The second you take it out, you are disconnected from their network. There is no way for them to know what network you're on now or what provider you're using.
posted by heavenstobetsy at 8:27 AM on May 27, 2008

I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see them try to bill for any activity on a handset they sold you.

No doubt- I'm just trying to figure out if it's an empty threat.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 8:37 AM on May 27, 2008

Sounds fishy, but I'm also no expert. Try calling back and talking to another customer service rep - odds are you'll get a different one, with a different story, perhaps closer to the truth.
posted by jabberjaw at 9:17 AM on May 27, 2008

I think the message is getting garbled here, what they probably meant (and were themselves confused about how to express) is that if you put in your dormant, $10/month AT&T SIM card whilst in Europe and use it to send or receive anything (data, sms or calls), you will trigger a full reengagement of your AT&T services. As long as you don't use the AT&T SIM, you're OK.
posted by squid patrol at 9:24 AM on May 27, 2008

Hmmm...SquidPatrol, that's a good explanation, but I tried to be so clear with them and backed them into a corner with specifications ("so you mean to tell me that you'll charge me for my plan even though I have a different SIM card" etc).

Other thoughts on on SP's idea?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 9:42 AM on May 27, 2008

There are two separate issues here: the unlocking and the roaming. Let's deal with these in turn:

Unlocking: The phone is currently locked to AT&T, and won't work with other networks. To get aorund this, call then up and ask them to unlock the phone. If you've been a regular customer, they should do it. If they ask why, tell them that you are thinking of upgrading and want to give the phone to a friend who uses another network. Once the phone is unlocked, you should be able to use any SIM from any GSM network. If the phone is unlocked, AT&T won't know if you are using it on another network with another SIM. But if it's not unlocked, it won't work with a non-AT&T SIM. And, if you use another network's SIM, you'll get a new phone number. You also won't be able to do the Blackberry stuff liek email, etc unless you set up a blackberry plan with the new network.

Roaming: if you take the phone with the AT&T SIM to Europe, it should work, but you'll get hit with sizeable charges: AT&T lists their charges here. It also won't work if you don't call them in advance and get it enabled; because it costs a lot, they don't activate international roaming unless you specifically ask them to. Also remember that data roaming is really, really expensive; if people email you cute cat pictures a lot, they will be expensive cute cat pictures ;-)

So the question is if you care about having a new phone number or not. If you don't, try the unlocking thing, or just buy a pre-paid phone when you get to your destination. If you want people to be able to call you on your usual number, get the international roaming enabled, but bear in mind how much it costs. AT&T also offers a blackberry roaming plan, which you might want to consider; $69.99 a month for unlimited email. Details are here.
posted by baggers at 10:05 AM on May 27, 2008

heavenstobetsy and squid patrol have it. If you use your AT&T sim in Europe they'll slam you with charges (oh, I know) . . . if you've unlocked the device and put in, for example, a pre-paid sim from an EU carrier AT&T will no nothing about it.
posted by donovan at 10:39 AM on May 27, 2008

Thanks for breaking it down, baggers. And thanks to everyone who chimed in. Any other thoughts and speculations are welcome.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 11:13 AM on May 27, 2008

I sold my AT&T BlackBerry Pearl on eBay a few months ago, and had to get it unlocked in order to do so, so I told them the reason I wanted it unlocked was that I was traveling in Europe, so they should definitely be able to do this for you. I've been an AT&T customer for years, so I guess they weren't particularly suspicious, but I did have to call twice in order to speak to a customer representative that understood what I was trying to do and was also willing to do it, so you might just have to keep calling...if I recall correctly, they'll ask you for the phone's IMEI number and then give you an unlock code (they emailed it to me).
posted by cosmic osmo at 11:38 AM on May 27, 2008

I wouldn't say that the AT&T rep is lying. S/he just has no knowledge of how things work other than through AT&T. S/he just knows what was in the training s/he received and they don't cover how to use a phone on another network.
posted by winston at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2008

Thanks to all- I got the unlock code from AT and T and followed the widely available instructions for unlocking the Blackberry Pearl (see below for one example, but they are the same everywhere on the web). But after I follow step 4, I don't get a display of "SIM unlocking levels," and when I press on and follow step 5 I don't get any dialog box to input the SIM unlock code.

Any thoughts?

To Unlock:

1 - While on the home screen, click the “blackberry key” on keyboard, then select “options”.

2 - Choose “Advanced Options”.

3 - Select “Sim Card”

4 - There is no area to type these letters, you just type them as instructed. No need to hit keys twice to get a letter either. Type m e p p d to display the first five levels of SIM locking. Most companies use network locking so the Network should display Active. All other states should display Disabled ( you will not see text appear on screen
while typing )

5 - Type m e p p 2 to display the dialog box asking for the unlock code
(Press the Alt + 2 key to get the number 2) ( you will not see text
appear on screen while typing )

6 - Input the SIM Unlock code

7 - Press in the trackball in once

Your phone is unlocked
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 12:13 PM on May 27, 2008

Ok, figured it out- thanks all. To set the record straight for future searchers of AskMe: I finally called a professional phone unlocking service, who assured me that there was no way my cell company could monitor my activities sans SIM card.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 4:35 AM on May 28, 2008