It's the buzz buzz buzz in the drum of the ear, or, making my amplifier a tinfoil hat to stop GSM noises from my phone. [more inside]
posted by Halle on Sep 23, 2009 - 8 answers

How should I go about unlocking a Canadian phone for use in Iceland? I have a compatible GSM phone but I have no idea how to go about unlocking it. [more inside]
posted by csjc on Aug 27, 2009 - 5 answers

Whats the best unlocked android phone available? [more inside]
posted by DJWeezy on Aug 25, 2009 - 5 answers

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

I'm looking for a mobile browser (or similar solutions). But there's a catch. I want it for a laptop, not a phone. [more inside]
posted by Petrot on Jul 14, 2009 - 11 answers

Your wild speculations about the near term future of the Canadian cellphone market, please! Oh so much [more inside]
posted by the dief on Jun 12, 2009 - 6 answers

I'm a cellphone noob, and I'm seeking answers on how to use my GSM phone in Germany. [more inside]
posted by Gordion Knott on May 27, 2009 - 4 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

Which will work better for me for improving my cellphone coverage, a microcell unit or a booster? [more inside]
posted by RikiTikiTavi on Mar 23, 2009 - 3 answers

Why is my iPhone (3g) suddenly making a new and totally different kind of buzzing into my cheap speakers in additional to the good old GSM buzz I'm used to? Here is the sound. (608k .wav) [more inside]
posted by Space Coyote on Jan 8, 2009 - 2 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

Electricity and Magnetism geeks - help me! I would like to stop the GSM interference from my iPhone to my speakers with ferrite chokes. I imagine a bit of information would help me get the best ones... [more inside]
posted by twiggy on Aug 11, 2008 - 12 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

What are my options for one week of cell phone in London? [more inside]
posted by morallybass on May 19, 2008 - 9 answers

Got a lead on some decent-sounding, not-outrageously-pricey speakers that are shielded from GSM buzz? [more inside]
posted by evariste on Apr 10, 2008 - 10 answers

Is there anywhere in Chicago where I can buy a SIM card for France today? [more inside]
posted by j-dawg on Feb 29, 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

I'd really like to be able to make mobile calls during my visit to the US. I'm wondering what my best option is. 1. It would be nice if I'd be able to use my old european GSM. I'd buy a cheap prepaid SIM in the US 2. if that wouldn't work I'd like to buy a very cheap second hand cellphone in San Francisco and use it with a US prepaid SIM. [more inside]
posted by jouke on Feb 6, 2008 - 10 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

How can I make the damn GSM clicking from my iphone stop attacking my baby monitor? [more inside]
posted by brent_h on Jan 5, 2008 - 15 answers

I'm probably moving back to the U.S. in August or September. I'm visiting this week and again in late March/early April. I already have a UK tri-band GSM phone. What should I do to get mobile phone coverage in the U.S.? [more inside]
posted by grouse on Dec 18, 2007 - 8 answers

Where can one buy an unlocked GSM phone in Manhattan? Not smartphones or iphones, but common phones like a RAZR for example.
posted by falameufilho on Dec 12, 2007 - 4 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

Will AT&T Wireless sell me a SIM card without a phone if I walk into their store? [more inside]
posted by cmonkey on Nov 17, 2007 - 10 answers

Is it possible to listen in on a GSM cell phone conversation? Don't worry, I'm not planning anything illegal. I'm just wondering if a certain service provider's denials are on the level. [more inside]
posted by micketymoc on Aug 24, 2007 - 9 answers

SouthAfricaFilter: Do you / have you lived in ZA? I've recently moved here and I have questions. Also, general questions on cell phone usage across the continent... [more inside]
posted by allkindsoftime on Aug 23, 2007 - 5 answers

Practically, what are the chances of my communications being sniffed over GSM? [more inside]
posted by Ookseer on Aug 1, 2007 - 4 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 know that phone numbers can be moved from carrier to carrier, but I'm moving outside the country for a while. Can I "park" my fantastic mobile number and reclaim it when I return? [more inside]
posted by cmiller on Jun 21, 2007 - 10 answers

I'm trying to get the best and cheapest GSM service in Toronto with the shortest contract.... Are there any GSM cell service providers here besides Rogers/Fido? Or, are there any companies that offer their own service on Rogers network the way, say, Virgin uses Bell's network? Thank you.
posted by Manhasset on Apr 21, 2007 - 6 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

I'm in the market for a quadband GSM phone, for extended travelling purposes. Should I buy one independently or go through a cell provider? [more inside]
posted by the luke parker fiasco on Mar 29, 2007 - 11 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

Which quad-band T-Mobile (U.S.) phone should I buy? [more inside]
posted by stleric on Feb 14, 2007 - 8 answers

My sister is in Italy - and is trying to use an italian (Wind) SIM card in her American cingular GSM phone. It's asking her for a PAC and PIN number - which she doesn't know. What does she do? [more inside]
posted by kickingtheground on Jan 12, 2007 - 6 answers

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

I'm about to acquire the object of my gadget lust. I'm new to the GSM world, and am looking for opinions about whether I should take this phone to T-Mobile or Cingular for service. (Other GSM newbie questions inside.) [more inside]
posted by j-dawg on Aug 28, 2006 - 13 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

(where) can I purchase a GSM sim card at JFK or LGA airport? [more inside]
posted by mule on Jun 5, 2006 - 5 answers

Can I buy a mobile phone in the UK that will work in Canada and Burkina Faso? [more inside]
posted by madokachan on Jun 4, 2006 - 6 answers

How practical is a 850/1800/1900 GSM phone for international use? [more inside]
posted by mr_roboto on May 25, 2006 - 3 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

Wanted: Phone for T-Mobile. Must be GSM triband (for international roaming), have Bluetooth, long battery life, unlockable and * Simple Quick operation * [more inside]
posted by lalochezia on Dec 6, 2005 - 16 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