Change cellphones

[Comp_geek]

My cell phone is really beat up. I must admit that is my fault. The little bugger still works but I am in the market for a new phone. I don't want to change my plan though and I'm sure I can find better priced cell phones somewhere other than Rogers/Bell/Telus/Whatever. (eBay has a few nice ones at good prices)

Any way my question is the following. Since my current phone uses a SIM card, would I be able to just transfer it to a new phone (which would obviously have to be unlocked) and just keep using my current plan?

If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[toolbert]

Comp, you answered your own question. You want to make sure the phone that you do purchase is an unlocked phone. The main reason for doing so is that you get to keep your plan (and what ever scumptous deals you had) and then you don't have to deal with the company directly for tech support on the phone (i.e. going directly through Motorola as apposed to say Cingular). The problem is buying the phone on e-bay. Since the product was technically purchased before it was sold to you, a lot of manafactuers void the warranty on the phone. Also, the phone you may purchase might be a phone that has been "unlocked" by some dude and not the direct company. I would try to get one directly from the phone manafactuer than from some random dude on e-bay.

PS: GSM phones rule!

[Comp_geek]

I was just wondering if the carriers don't do some freaky deaky thing with the phone ID numbers (i.e. have the phone itself identify itself to the network type thing).

eBay was one of my choices but I highly doubt that I will be buying a phone of all things from eBay. I would feel better to just get it in hand somewhere. There are a few places that advertise unlocked phones and if not I can always do what I did with my current one. (I love this internets things lol)

I was actually looking at getting more of an international phone so I can take it wherever I am. In some countries in europe you can buy pay as you go type SIM cards and that's what I would like to be able to do.

[Think Blue]

Yeah watch out for ebay phones, lots of theme come locked or they don't even have sim card slots. I've seen friends buy gsm phones and recieve cdma ones. Also remember to buy a phone that fully fits your needs, make sure not to sacrifice features for looks. Many people do that and then are upset that their phone looks nice, but does nothing else.

[Comp_geek]

Yeah I'm a fuctional man myself. I don't care if it looks good, I need it to work.

Hey while we're on looks what's the difference between a flip phone and a clamshell phone?

[Barefootgirl]

There's no difference between a flip phone and a clamshell these days. Technically, a clamshell is one that folds shut on a short side, and the action of opening or closing the phone answers or ends the call. There used to be some phones around that simply had a piece of plastic covering the keypad, which were "flip phones", but the "flip" (the piece of plastic) was non-dynamic, meaning that once you'd flipped it open, you still had to press a button to answer the call. You might also come across "folder" phones, which are phones that fold in the same way as a clamshell, except that the hinge is down a long side, rather than a short side.

Locked phones are tied to a particular network. Unlocked phones are not tied to any network. As long as the phone works on the right radio frequency, it will work on any network. I personally wouldn't buy a phone from eBay, unless you can find someone who is clearly a reliable private seller, and if you DO buy one, make sure you pay by Paypal. There are just too many fraudsters and conmen selling phones on eBay now, and at least with Paypal you have some measure of protection.

Mobilefly is a good site to buy phones from, and they have a pretty good selection of unlocked, SIM-free phones, at reasonably good (well, to my eyes, anyway) prices. For example, the Motorola PEBL is US$300, and the Nokia 6280 is US$400.

As fo the PAYG SIM cards, if you do much travelling in Europe/Asia, its well worth getting an unlocked phone that will accept these SIMs. Certainly every country in Europe will sell PAYG SIMs that you can just drop into your phone, and it makes calling within the country a much cheaper proposition. I have a couple myself, for business trips into Europe and it saves me a LOT of money.

[Comp_geek]

Just to make sure SIM-free means that they don't use SIM cards right?

Would I be able to get a SIM-free phone and program it to work on my current account (without going to the the provider)? Probably not right?

Oh and also if the phone is only GSM it's not going to work overseas right?

[Barefootgirl]

No. SIM-free means that the phone requires a SIM-card, but is sold without it (and is normally unlocked, i.e it will work on any other GSM network that uses a compatible frequency). The reason SIM-free phones are desirable, is that the majority of phones are sold with a substantial operator subsidy, making them cheaper, but also meaning that you sign a contract with the operator (you account details are tied to your SIM card, and the operator will bundle the SIM card and the phone together). For example, Cingular will sell you the Motorola RAZR for US$100 if you take out a contract with the, because they know they're going to get their handset subsidy back with interest, in the money you'll pay to them over the life of the contract.

All GSM phones require SIM cards. There are no GSM phones that work without SIMs.

Most CDMA phones don't use SIM cards (although some do, just to confuse the issue). Bell Mobility and Telus operate CDMA networks, and you won't be able to use their phones in Europe. Rogers uses GSM, and if you get a quad-band GSM phone (that works on 850/900/1800/1900) you'll be able to use it in both Canada and Europe.

If ypou're currently on a GSM network, and have a GSM SIM card in your phone, as long as you have international roaming enabled on your account, you can slip your SIM into any other unlocked GSM phone, and it will work, whether you're in Canada, the US, Asia or Europe. Only the phone itself is locked / restricted by radio frequencies. The SIM is device-agnostic. I have an unlocked tri-band dual-mode Nokia 6680, which works virtually everywhere, and with any SIM card i care to put in it.

I apologise for being very dull. The mobile phone market and its quirks are what puts a roof over my head and food on my table, so I can go on about it at some length. if you want to ask about any operator specifics, feel free; if I don't know, i can always find out very quickly.

[Comp_geek]

This is not dull at all (check my user name lol). I've long been wondering about the cell phone technologies and been looking to get a more universal phone.

I currently have a Nokia 3210 with Rogers and the plan will end in December (well the contract). After that I'm planning on taking some stuff off it so I don't have to pay as much for it (I really don't need voicemail or at least not enhanced voicemail).

Would you be able to let me know some sites that sell just phones or where I can find those quad band phones. I will be looking at manufacturer's sites but if you know any resellers that would be great.