What is the best flat calling rate pan-European GSM SIM card for temporary use? Two people with iPhone 2G (iPhone1,1) quad band unlocked phones will be in Europe for one month. We want voice and SMS only, not GPRS data, and the ability to add credit to either phone by scratch cards... [more inside]
posted by thewalrus on Aug 11, 2009 - 4 answers

What's a good quad-band, GSM, UMTS-compatible, QWERTY-keyboard phone to take to Europe? [more inside]
posted by ninotchka on Aug 10, 2009 - 5 answers

I'm in Toronto, and I need to get a GSM phone unlocked. How much should I expect to pay, and do you know of any reputable place where I can get this done? (I'm fond of my cheap, but well made phone, and am wary of letting just anyone play inside it).
posted by jb on Jul 30, 2009 - 13 answers

Where can I buy a cheap unlocked GSM 900/1800 mobile phone (one that will work in Europe with prepaid SIM cards) in Manhattan? I'm looking to spend less than $50, if such a thing is possible.
posted by enoent on Apr 24, 2009 - 12 answers

I will need a mobile phone in Germany for a two week trip, but need the number NOW; what are my options and how does that translate to SIM / top-up jargon? [more inside]
posted by intermod on Dec 9, 2008 - 7 answers

Should I get the Motofone F3 or the Motorola V190 for my travels to Europe? [more inside]
posted by theiconoclast31 on Dec 1, 2008 - 7 answers

Phone from China, SIM card in the US: what do I need to know to make sure I have a working cell phone when I return to the US for a month or two this summer? [more inside]
posted by msbrauer on Jun 4, 2008 - 6 answers

Palm Centro GSM Unlocked: how to get it in the U.S.? [more inside]
posted by k8t on Feb 24, 2008 - 3 answers

Need cell phone advice for a trip to russia. [more inside]
posted by the ghost of Ken Lay on Jan 24, 2008 - 5 answers

9-11 Technology Filter: I have never been able to even get signal on my Blackberry 8200 (GSM) within 10 seconds of liftoff, so how were cell phone calls completed from hijacked planes on 9-11? Specifically, given the prevailing handset, carrier, and tower technologies present in the Boston, NY, and DC metro and intervening areas at the time, and given the flight paths and altitudes of the hijacked planes, how were passengers able to complete cellphone calls to loved ones? [more inside]
posted by Pastabagel on Nov 30, 2007 - 20 answers

My wife is looking for a 'Cute' cellphone - This is obviously something I'm not having a lot of luck searching for on Google. [more inside]
posted by Orb2069 on Nov 22, 2007 - 28 answers

Is an unlocked smartphone right for me? Or should I wait til my contract lapses? [more inside]
posted by Eideteker on Jul 2, 2007 - 8 answers

I want to buy an unlocked 850/1900 MHz (Americas) Motorola Motofone for use in the US. [more inside]
posted by Utilitaritron on Mar 29, 2007 - 43 answers

Can I buy a used or unlocked phone for my plan with Verizon, or is this a right given only to those blessed with GSM carriers? [more inside]
posted by Bengston on Feb 15, 2007 - 11 answers

Where can I buy a prepaid SIM card in New York City? [more inside]
posted by bshort on Sep 21, 2006 - 2 answers

Cingular has announced it will now charge all customers not using a GSM phone $5/month, beginning in September. How can I tell if my (several years old) phone is GSM? I'd ask the nice people at the Cingular store but suspect they will be too busy plying me with new fancy phones to give me an honest answer.
posted by foxy_hedgehog on Aug 1, 2006 - 21 answers

Is there an easy way to set up a Motorola SLVR or RAZR so that MMS/WAP functions properly in other countries (i.e., using a different SIM card)? [more inside]
posted by JudgeBork on Apr 3, 2006 - 3 answers

I'm looking to upgrade my mobile phone, and I don't want to be limited to my provider's (T-Mobile's) choices. I have specific needs for the phone, in extended. I'd like to know if anyone knows of a phone that fits these requirements, or, better yet (and more useful to others), what are some good ways to track down a particular model that fits my specific needs? [more inside]
posted by blingblong on Jan 23, 2006 - 19 answers

I'm traveling to Brazil in October and I'd like to have a useable cell phone when I'm there. What's my best option? [more inside]
posted by tommasz on Sep 12, 2005 - 5 answers

What are some reputable sources in the United States for an unlocked GSM cell phone? [more inside]
posted by nathan_teske on Jul 8, 2005 - 9 answers

When my I put my U.S. GSM phone near a speaker (computer, car, speakerphone) I sometimes here clunking sounds in the speaker. Why? I assume the speaker is picking up some radio signal my phone is sending, but what specifically is happening?
posted by Nelson on Sep 9, 2004 - 13 answers

British MeFis - A friend's family is going to England from the US for a month, and they want to be able to keep in touch with each other while there. She's looking into cell phone deals over the internet, but everything's really expensive.

Would it be better for her to wait til she's there and buy or rent some cell phones that would hold them for the month? How's that all work over there?
posted by jasper411 on Jul 26, 2004 - 8 answers