sim cards and cell phones
December 13, 2007 9:04 PM Subscribe
I have a t-mobile cell phone, which I hate. It accepts a sim card. Can I buy a t-mobile branded phone off of ebay and pop my sim card in and have everything work? T-Mobile isn't being very helpful; they'd rather I buy a new cell phone.
you can buy any gsm phone like a nokia or sony ericsson and pop your sim card in and have it work, as long as the phone is unlocked.
posted by lia at 9:11 PM on December 13, 2007
posted by lia at 9:11 PM on December 13, 2007
lia - that's correct, but oft-times unlocked phones will sell for considerably more money than locked ones, so, if you can find a locked one for your provider, you can save some cash.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:14 PM on December 13, 2007
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:14 PM on December 13, 2007
Lia is right. ANY unlocked GSM 800/1800/1900 MHz (specifically 1900 MHz; almost all GSM phones will use this range) phone.
That's how I got my absolutely AMAZING Sony Ericsson K800i. (That's the K790a; nearly identical.)
The freedom to buy any GSM phone is what makes SIM cards so nice. I turned my on, called T-Mobile, and they sent out two configuration MMS messages that set the phone up to work on their data network.
Bonus: T-Mobile's slow GPRS data service is COMPLETELY FREE, UNLIMITED with most plans, SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT ROAM ON IT. If you roam, you will eat it in fees. This is slow and different than their EDGE, higher-speed service, but it works for Google Maps and Opera's new mobile browser, which is really a piece of work. (It renders the page just as it appears on a computer and lets you zoom is as necessary.)
Also, check with T-Mobile to make sure the free GPRS service is applicable to you. They usually don't know anything about it, but it's true; as long as the TMO/T-Mobile banner is displayed.
Cheers.
posted by disillusioned at 9:18 PM on December 13, 2007
That's how I got my absolutely AMAZING Sony Ericsson K800i. (That's the K790a; nearly identical.)
The freedom to buy any GSM phone is what makes SIM cards so nice. I turned my on, called T-Mobile, and they sent out two configuration MMS messages that set the phone up to work on their data network.
Bonus: T-Mobile's slow GPRS data service is COMPLETELY FREE, UNLIMITED with most plans, SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT ROAM ON IT. If you roam, you will eat it in fees. This is slow and different than their EDGE, higher-speed service, but it works for Google Maps and Opera's new mobile browser, which is really a piece of work. (It renders the page just as it appears on a computer and lets you zoom is as necessary.)
Also, check with T-Mobile to make sure the free GPRS service is applicable to you. They usually don't know anything about it, but it's true; as long as the TMO/T-Mobile banner is displayed.
Cheers.
posted by disillusioned at 9:18 PM on December 13, 2007
Best answer: In short, "Probably".
The first issue is what bands your desired phone uses: I'm going to assume you only want to use the phone in the US - in which case you need at least 1900 and 850 MHz, but more are OK. If you're elsewhere, read here for more details.
The next issue is something called a SIM lock - Normally, a phone that is branded 'T-mobile' would either be locked to T-Mobile or 'Unlocked', but if they don't say, it could be anything.
The final problem may come in when you try to use more advanced features, like SMS or the Internet, if you use them - They may not be configured correctly, but this can be fixed with the T-Mobile Wireless Configurator, or by manually entering the settings on that page into your phone's configuration (If the Configurator dosn't list your phone)
(On preview: Same as everybody else - Just posting to give you the links)
posted by Orb2069 at 9:23 PM on December 13, 2007 [1 favorite]
The first issue is what bands your desired phone uses: I'm going to assume you only want to use the phone in the US - in which case you need at least 1900 and 850 MHz, but more are OK. If you're elsewhere, read here for more details.
The next issue is something called a SIM lock - Normally, a phone that is branded 'T-mobile' would either be locked to T-Mobile or 'Unlocked', but if they don't say, it could be anything.
The final problem may come in when you try to use more advanced features, like SMS or the Internet, if you use them - They may not be configured correctly, but this can be fixed with the T-Mobile Wireless Configurator, or by manually entering the settings on that page into your phone's configuration (If the Configurator dosn't list your phone)
(On preview: Same as everybody else - Just posting to give you the links)
posted by Orb2069 at 9:23 PM on December 13, 2007 [1 favorite]
If you are a US customer and make sure any eBay cellphone you buy says unlocked for US carriers which includes T-Mobile, then yes you can. I had a 3 year old phone that I get with my cheap T-Mobile plan, and last year bought a cool Samsung cell (made for the Asian market) which worked fine with my SIM card.
posted by lychee at 10:38 PM on December 13, 2007
posted by lychee at 10:38 PM on December 13, 2007
I have had to resort to this a few times. I've asked friends who I knew were on t-mobile if they had an old phone I could borrow. Most people upgrade and toss the old phone in a drawer. Usually the biggest hassle is finding an appropriate charger. I've never bought off of ebay, or used an unlocked phone, But if it's specifically a t-mobile phone, and the sim card fits, it'll work.
Another cheap phone replacement method is buying a prepaid phone and popping your sim card in there.
posted by billyfleetwood at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2007
Another cheap phone replacement method is buying a prepaid phone and popping your sim card in there.
posted by billyfleetwood at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2007
Done it.
No problems.
T-Mobile just wants your $$$.
posted by itheearl at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2007
No problems.
T-Mobile just wants your $$$.
posted by itheearl at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2007
I've done it, I'd recommend (really heavily recommend) seeking out one that's "unlocked" rather than T-Mobile branded. You get a wider selection of phones and any premium that you pay will be easily made up for in resale if you ever want to turn it around on eBay later.
If you're concerned about configuration, make sure it appears in the "TMobile Wireless Configurator" before you buy; that will automagically program the phone with all the settings for SMS and wireless data/internet. (However, I've done this manually and it's not hard, it's mostly a matter of Googling for the correct APN and proxy addresses.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:59 PM on December 13, 2007
If you're concerned about configuration, make sure it appears in the "TMobile Wireless Configurator" before you buy; that will automagically program the phone with all the settings for SMS and wireless data/internet. (However, I've done this manually and it's not hard, it's mostly a matter of Googling for the correct APN and proxy addresses.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:59 PM on December 13, 2007
Make sure to download the contact list in your phone's internal memory into the SIM card before you move it to a new phone. It's not automatic (unless you've set it up so) that saved numbers are stored in the SIM.
posted by three blind mice at 3:54 AM on December 14, 2007
posted by three blind mice at 3:54 AM on December 14, 2007
I've been a T-mobile customer for years and never used one of their phones. I like the Sony Ericsson phones and the more recent models can be configured for data automagically during the setup process even if they are not marketed to N. America.
I always buy unlocked phones so I can use a prepaid SIM when I travel outside the US. Buying a T-mobile only phone means you can't use it anywhere else unless you unlock it. Some phones are easier to unlock than others.
I bought a few of my phones from ebay when I don't get them from mobileplanet.com. Standard eBay cautions apply. Buy from a vendor with good feedback. If the price is too good to be true it probably is.
The only downside -- if you can call it that -- is if T-mobile doesn't sell the model, it won't show up on the list of phones online for you to pay for overpriced ringtones or wallpaper.
posted by birdherder at 5:11 AM on December 14, 2007
I always buy unlocked phones so I can use a prepaid SIM when I travel outside the US. Buying a T-mobile only phone means you can't use it anywhere else unless you unlock it. Some phones are easier to unlock than others.
I bought a few of my phones from ebay when I don't get them from mobileplanet.com. Standard eBay cautions apply. Buy from a vendor with good feedback. If the price is too good to be true it probably is.
The only downside -- if you can call it that -- is if T-mobile doesn't sell the model, it won't show up on the list of phones online for you to pay for overpriced ringtones or wallpaper.
posted by birdherder at 5:11 AM on December 14, 2007
I'm a T-Mobile customer of several years, and just a few months ago bought an unlocked Motorola V197 to use with it when my first phone crapped out. Know this: Any unlocked phone may work with T-Mobile right off the bat, but if T-Mobile doesn't recognize it as one of its "approved" phones, you may need to do a little hacking and troubleshooting to get your phone to work with all of its services.
In my case, Motorola V195 is the T-Mobile–branded version of my phone, so when I went to download ringtones and games from T-Mobile via t-zones, it wouldn't allow me to connect, for two reasons: (1) my phone was initially set to connect to another provider's website and (2) once I was able to connect to t-zones, the site would query my phone to see what model I was using, so they could display content that would work on my phone—and my phone of course told the server it was a V197, at which point t-zones would say no content was available for my phone.
So to correct my phone's Internet settings, I first had to go through T-Mobile's help pages and get the site to send my phone a message with correct connection settings for t-zones, then had to slightly mod my phone using Moto4Lin (a Mac program) to get the phone to identify itself as a V195 so I could actually download things from t-zones.
The thing is, when I bought my unlocked phone, the seller on eBay advertised it as a phone that would work with T-Mobile—and indeed, the phone has T-Mobile branding on its shell, and did work with T-Mobile, at least nominally. But because the seller had flashed the phone's firmware, which originally had T-Mobile's V195 branding, with V197 firmware, a lot of the V195's features were actually disabled, and obviously that took away its T-Mobile branding as well.
I was willing to mess around with the firmware and mod things to get it to work—but you may not be. So just make sure you double-check all those details before you buy an unlocked phone to use with T-Mobile. I'd go through their list of supported phones here before choosing a phone to buy, to make sure the one you want is on their list.
posted by limeonaire at 5:53 AM on December 14, 2007
In my case, Motorola V195 is the T-Mobile–branded version of my phone, so when I went to download ringtones and games from T-Mobile via t-zones, it wouldn't allow me to connect, for two reasons: (1) my phone was initially set to connect to another provider's website and (2) once I was able to connect to t-zones, the site would query my phone to see what model I was using, so they could display content that would work on my phone—and my phone of course told the server it was a V197, at which point t-zones would say no content was available for my phone.
So to correct my phone's Internet settings, I first had to go through T-Mobile's help pages and get the site to send my phone a message with correct connection settings for t-zones, then had to slightly mod my phone using Moto4Lin (a Mac program) to get the phone to identify itself as a V195 so I could actually download things from t-zones.
The thing is, when I bought my unlocked phone, the seller on eBay advertised it as a phone that would work with T-Mobile—and indeed, the phone has T-Mobile branding on its shell, and did work with T-Mobile, at least nominally. But because the seller had flashed the phone's firmware, which originally had T-Mobile's V195 branding, with V197 firmware, a lot of the V195's features were actually disabled, and obviously that took away its T-Mobile branding as well.
I was willing to mess around with the firmware and mod things to get it to work—but you may not be. So just make sure you double-check all those details before you buy an unlocked phone to use with T-Mobile. I'd go through their list of supported phones here before choosing a phone to buy, to make sure the one you want is on their list.
posted by limeonaire at 5:53 AM on December 14, 2007
(Actually, shoulda previewed. birdherder kinda covered a lot of that, in a lot fewer words. Ah well...)
posted by limeonaire at 6:03 AM on December 14, 2007
posted by limeonaire at 6:03 AM on December 14, 2007
One thing to beware of is to make sure your contacts etc are saved to the sim card rather than phone memory. Some phones make this distinction - usually it's a detail in the individual contact settings.
posted by Sparx at 8:23 AM on December 14, 2007
posted by Sparx at 8:23 AM on December 14, 2007
Tell T-Mobile you need to unlock your phone because you are going to Europe and you want to use sim cards from providers over there. Their customer service even gave me instructions on how to unlock it.
posted by wfc123 at 12:45 PM on December 14, 2007
posted by wfc123 at 12:45 PM on December 14, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:11 PM on December 13, 2007