Want to buy/send a cell phone US to EU
March 5, 2010 4:58 AM Subscribe
A friend lost her phone (ordinary cell, not smart) in Europe (Greece) and is distraught (has no money to speak of). I told her I'd send her one of my old ones, but the chances of getting it to work there (and finding charger) are slim, I suppose. I want to buy a new one and just send over and not worry. However, I don't want her to know it's "new." She'd freak. So.
What's the easiest, not terribly expensive, non U.S.-centric option? Any other insight greatly appreciated. (I'm obviously not cell phone-savvy and yes, I googled, but got flummoxed). many thanks.
If you have an old phone that will take a SIM card (pop off the back plate and either behind the battery or just tucked in there will be a small card), why not send that, plus charger, plus adapter? You might be able to unlock it in the States, but she should also be able to unlock it in Greece (probably through a slightly dodgy mobile phone shop).
posted by brambory at 5:26 AM on March 5, 2010
posted by brambory at 5:26 AM on March 5, 2010
You can get pay-as-you go mobiles in the UK for less than £10. I would investigate similar options in Greece that you can order and have delivered to her*, so that even if she knows you got her a new phone, the cost would be pretty minimal.
*although it depends on whether the retailer will let you send something to a Greek address using a US registered credit card.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:27 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
*although it depends on whether the retailer will let you send something to a Greek address using a US registered credit card.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:27 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Just wire her some money or order one online from a store/seller based in Greece. Much quicker, easier and cheaper.
posted by turkeyphant at 5:30 AM on March 5, 2010
posted by turkeyphant at 5:30 AM on March 5, 2010
You may be able to send your old one. You need to do two things:
1. Make sure it's a GSM (e.g. T-Mobile or AT&T*) tri-band or quad-band phone. If you're not sure, we can research that for you if you tell us the brand and model.
2. Unlock it. You can do this by calling the provider and telling them that you want to unlock it. T-Mobile is good about that, AT&T I'm not sure about, but probably will do it.
Then your friend can just drop in her own SIM and be on her merry way.
* You say non-US-centric, but your profile says NYC, so I'm going off of that for relevant carriers
posted by The Michael The at 6:00 AM on March 5, 2010
1. Make sure it's a GSM (e.g. T-Mobile or AT&T*) tri-band or quad-band phone. If you're not sure, we can research that for you if you tell us the brand and model.
2. Unlock it. You can do this by calling the provider and telling them that you want to unlock it. T-Mobile is good about that, AT&T I'm not sure about, but probably will do it.
Then your friend can just drop in her own SIM and be on her merry way.
* You say non-US-centric, but your profile says NYC, so I'm going off of that for relevant carriers
posted by The Michael The at 6:00 AM on March 5, 2010
Aw, you're a good friend. Let her freak and get it all out, then send her the new phone and tell her she can "pay you back sometime." In money, dinner out, a new phone for you, whatever. Friends sometimes have to fight over the check, so to speak, and someone has to win.
posted by scratch at 6:08 AM on March 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by scratch at 6:08 AM on March 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
You could buy her a phone on an european eBay and have them send it to her (best if you know greek, or you could use google translate)
posted by volpe at 6:09 AM on March 5, 2010
posted by volpe at 6:09 AM on March 5, 2010
As I learned in a recent thread, there's a new scam going around where ne'er-do-wells will pose as a friend of yours stranded in a foreign country with no money. You didn't mention how you learned of this situation, so this may or may not be relevant. Just make sure you know it's really your friend that you're interacting with.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 7:19 AM on March 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 7:19 AM on March 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Note that if you're sending an American phone it shouldn't just be GSM, it needs to support the two "international" GSM frequencies in addition to the two US ones. This is usually referred to as quad-band. This feature may be ubiquitous in the US now, but it wasn't a few years ago.
It's common for cell phone chargers to work across different countries with only a plug adapter (check the voltage/frequency specs written on it). However this is a pain, and you can probably just buy a Greece-compatible charger if it's a common phone model.
posted by serathen at 7:20 AM on March 5, 2010
It's common for cell phone chargers to work across different countries with only a plug adapter (check the voltage/frequency specs written on it). However this is a pain, and you can probably just buy a Greece-compatible charger if it's a common phone model.
posted by serathen at 7:20 AM on March 5, 2010
You might be able to unlock it in the States, but she should also be able to unlock it in Greece (probably through a slightly dodgy mobile phone shop).
I wouldn't bet on this being possible: Most (all?) phones in Greece are sold unlocked, I don't know if there even is a place that could handle a US phone.
It's common for cell phone chargers to work across different countries with only a plug adapter (check the voltage/frequency specs written on it).
Voltage in Greece is 220V, a US charger may or may not be able to handle it.
Just wire her some money or order one online from a store/seller based in Greece. Much quicker, easier and cheaper.
Buying a basic phone in Greece would probably cost less than the courier fees for sending one from the US.
This is one of the major chains, in Athens they also do next day delivery. Phones here, pay-as-you go cards here. This is the contact form, although the site is Greek-only, they will definitely be able to answer any inquiries in English.
Here is an aggregator for Greek e-shops, unfortunately also Greek only.
Let me know if you need any help with translations.
posted by Dr Dracator at 7:42 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't bet on this being possible: Most (all?) phones in Greece are sold unlocked, I don't know if there even is a place that could handle a US phone.
It's common for cell phone chargers to work across different countries with only a plug adapter (check the voltage/frequency specs written on it).
Voltage in Greece is 220V, a US charger may or may not be able to handle it.
Just wire her some money or order one online from a store/seller based in Greece. Much quicker, easier and cheaper.
Buying a basic phone in Greece would probably cost less than the courier fees for sending one from the US.
This is one of the major chains, in Athens they also do next day delivery. Phones here, pay-as-you go cards here. This is the contact form, although the site is Greek-only, they will definitely be able to answer any inquiries in English.
Here is an aggregator for Greek e-shops, unfortunately also Greek only.
Let me know if you need any help with translations.
posted by Dr Dracator at 7:42 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
AT&T sells pay-as-you-go GSM phones, and they unlocked mine, cheerfully and with no cost. It cost @ 20 and got me out of a jam.
posted by theora55 at 9:14 AM on March 5, 2010
posted by theora55 at 9:14 AM on March 5, 2010
Send her a phone and tell her that you got it as a free upgrade for renewing your contract but that you want to keep using your old phone.
posted by mmmbacon at 9:31 AM on March 5, 2010
posted by mmmbacon at 9:31 AM on March 5, 2010
What everyone else said.
Cell phones in America are "locked" to a specific carrier. Sprint & Verizon are the worst culprits here - proprietary networks.
AT&T and T-Mobile are based on the global stardard of GSM, but their phones will still be locked to them. I've never had one unlocked, but the posters here claim that it's easy enough to do by asking to have it done.
The other alternative is to buy a phone that's never been locked to begin with. Mobile City Online is an actual store in NYC (I've been there) that sells unlocked phones of all types. Check out their GSM Unlocked selection.
Once your friend gets back to the states, she should be able to continue to use it on AT&T or T-Mobile.
And as the other poster said - be aware of that scam. "I lost my phone" may be an excuse to communicate with you via email/chat exclusively so you can't verify their identity - offer to call them on a different phone line - the internet cafe's, the hotel's, the hostel's, a friend's, anything, before you send any money (assuming you haven't already).
posted by MesoFilter at 2:04 PM on March 5, 2010
Cell phones in America are "locked" to a specific carrier. Sprint & Verizon are the worst culprits here - proprietary networks.
AT&T and T-Mobile are based on the global stardard of GSM, but their phones will still be locked to them. I've never had one unlocked, but the posters here claim that it's easy enough to do by asking to have it done.
The other alternative is to buy a phone that's never been locked to begin with. Mobile City Online is an actual store in NYC (I've been there) that sells unlocked phones of all types. Check out their GSM Unlocked selection.
Once your friend gets back to the states, she should be able to continue to use it on AT&T or T-Mobile.
And as the other poster said - be aware of that scam. "I lost my phone" may be an excuse to communicate with you via email/chat exclusively so you can't verify their identity - offer to call them on a different phone line - the internet cafe's, the hotel's, the hostel's, a friend's, anything, before you send any money (assuming you haven't already).
posted by MesoFilter at 2:04 PM on March 5, 2010
Don't bother sending a US phone. Dr. Dracator's got it.
posted by mdonley at 2:53 PM on March 5, 2010
posted by mdonley at 2:53 PM on March 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Get one that's unlocked and uses a SIM card (ie GSM not CDMA) and it should work ok. A simple Nokia S40 is probably your best bet and not terribly expensive either.
posted by like_neon at 5:07 AM on March 5, 2010