I've got a Sprint Samsung Epic 4G but I plan on doing some international travel next year (2012, and I don't know where yet). I've never had to figure out the phone situation before.
I have a business to run so I'll need voice, text, and data for checking email.
Is it easier just to buy an unlocked GSM Android-based phone and do the SIM swapping thing from country to country? How do I go about unlocking a phone? Will I be able to keep my old number? Or do I just go for an international phone that can do both GSM and CDMA?
Any recommendations?
*sigh*
If the GSM providers in the US weren't so crappy I wouldn't be having such a hard time, heh.
,
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The only way you can keep your same phone number when traveling abroad is to keep using Sprint and then do international roaming. Unfortunately, that can be incredibly expensive, especially for data. For instance in many countries, Verizon charges up to $20.48 per megabyte!
If you buy an unlocked phone and get a prepaid sim in the country you are traveling, the local rates will be far cheaper than roaming with your carrier, but you will get another phone number with that new sim card. You may be able to activate call forwarding so the calls go from your Sprint number to your international sim card. I'm not sure of all the details on that, if there are extra costs, etc.
Sprint has a recent phone, the Motorola Photon that comes with a GSM radio so you could use Sprint's CDMA service here and then use a local sim when you travel abroad. That phone is unlocked for international sims, but locked to domestic sims such as from ATT and T-Mobile.
You can find most phones sold in Europe and elsewhere are unlocked from the start, but keep in mind you'd pay the off-contract price which can be $500+. If you want, maybe you will be eligible to upgrade to the Photon or a newer GSM+CDMA model next year for a contract price.
Also, Europe is strictly GSM. So even if you brought your CDMA-only Epic there, it would not work at all, not even for roaming.
I am not sure if operators allow call forwarding to international numbers .... It can be done only to local numbers no matter GSM or CDMA.
I suggest you purchase a pre paid GSM number and activate your call forwarding onto it and use the GSM number for international roaming. But as we all know DATA will cost you a BOM!
I remember losing some 10+ euros in Paris just by consuming some 300 KB data on a LOCAL SIM !
At the end what best i suggest is set up a voice mail on your sprint number and purchase a Uni Connect or Tricon card (both GSM) which works through Europe. You can then inform every one via your voice message about your new number for the duration of time you are roaming.
Related
Hello,
I have the Samsung Epic 4G (SPH-D700), from Sprint.
How i can use my new phone internationally ?
what will unlocking a the phone will achieve for me?
Once unlocked, can I add CDMA service from international operators/carriers, such as India ?
Also Is an unlocked phone the equivalent/identical to a OMH model ?
thanks
Rudy
Note: OMH (Open Market Handsets) is an industry initiative led by the CDMA Development Group (CDG) to increase device variety and offer new channels and distribution options within the CDMA ecosystem.
I don't think you even need root access to use CDMA Workshop and do things that are illegal, at least in the states - to get the phone working on another network. Given - each phone is different so there are no straight forward write ups for most carriers on how to get MMS,SMS,Phone, and Data working on the specific carriers.
Kcarpenter said:
I don't think you even need root access to use CDMA Workshop ..... to get the phone working on another network. .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am new to all this unlocking process
Are you saying that, CDMA Workshop will allow my handset to be added to other carrier/operator service ?
You want to use it in India right call Tata Indicom and ask them they are a CDMA carrier in India that can reprogram your phone while your their. They should be able to answer all your questions.
http://www.tataindicom.com/Default.aspx
-McMex
i woudl just buy a cheap world phone off ebay and use prepaid sim cards. thats why I kept my blackberry. either that or you could pay sprints rediculous charges for international calls. I don't think you will have an easy time getting another company to reprogram the phone for you.
Hello All,
Just recently came across a T8282 for sale, At a local thrift store of all places (lol).
Aside from some screen scratches (I assume these did not come with a factory protector/layer I can just peel off?) and missing the stylus + SIM card, But It works perfectly.
Anyway,
This is my first "Real" cell phone or "Modern" I guess you would say.
I've always used Prepaid service and Phones provided by the Prepaid Carrier, As has my family.
We all use Virgin Mobile, And I already have an established account with funds on it for them.
Also, They just added a very reasonable monthly Data Package Plan that seems to be the best deal around in prepaid.
Would there be any possible way to use Virgin Mobile Service with my new T8282?
I'm aware Virgin does not ussualy use SIM cards (or at all) in there phones, But, I've seen some Virgin Sim cards up for sale on auctions sites that appear to be available from outside the US.
Would I be able to make one of these "Foreign" SIM Cards work properly inside the US?
And if not~
What is a good Prepaid Service Provider that uses SIM cards I could switch over to?
I'm aware prepaid is not really the way to go with a phone like this, But I'm not really a hardcore user, And Non-Contract has always got me through just fine.
Sorry if this is in the wrong area.
Oh, And does this phone come already unlocked? Or will I need to do that also?
Bad news I'm afraid
The T8282 is a European GSM/UMTS handset and as such won't work on Virgin Mobile in the US (which uses the Sprint CDMA network)
You'll need to switch to a US carrier which uses GSM - AT&T and T-Mobile are the two big networks which do. In addition, you'll only get voice and GPRS data as the phone can't use the 3G frequences used in the US (the T8285 was the version with US bands)
Virgin Mobile is a global brand, but each country runs its network seperatly. You won't be able to pick up a SIM card and expect it to work on the US Virgin network.
As ther T8282 wasn't sold officially in the US, it will already have been unlocked if it has been used with a US network.
There's other people here which have used a T8282 in the US, it's worth searching the forums.
*Facedesk*
Thanks for all the info handsomedog.
I kinda figured Virgin wouldnt work out, But had to ask.
I dont mind switching Carriers as long as its a prepaid service, But did not count on the phone not being able to "Fully" function... That really sucks.
Hey folks,
I'm currently on vacation in Spain and thought that my DVP would automatically start roaming when I got over here. Not the case. So I just signed up for T-Mobile's "Worldclass International Service". Still not getting any signal. Am I too late? Was I suppose to do this before I left the U.S.? Currently using GoVoice on any Wi-Fi I find here, but it would be nice to be able to actually call/text in case of an emergency. If anyone has any ideas/suggestions I'd really appreciate the help. Thanks!
Perhaps your number has not been unlocked for international roaming. Call TMobile's international customer care # (i think it is 505-998-3793) to unlock your line.
I'm guessing it's just a time lag before your international service turns on. Beware the roaming rates for data. I've racked up $500 a week in some countries. scandinavia has been the worst for me.
I work in europe regularly and just sold my TMo locked DVP and bought the unlocked model. I'm going to use locally sold sim cards in europe. it's the cheapest for data, in my experience. I rarely download video so I only use about 20mb a week.
This was most likely caused by a certain delay, it may have been a shock to your phone, just wait it out, if not it had already been fixed.
Ok guys, story time. I have an HTC Desire Z. I unlocked it to work on AT&T, but it was originally a Bell Canada phone. The reason being that Bell uses the same 4G frequencies in Canada as AT&T in the US. Given as AT&T and other carriers have begun cracking down on forcing you to "upgrade" your plan when you get a smartphone or what have you, it's helpful to have phones that they can't identify. For instance, there is no way I know of to put an iPhone on the AT&T network in the US, and NOT have them automatically upgrade your data plan. However, if you have a phone they can't identify by IMEI or some other method I can't figure yet, they won't change your plan. I know this, because when I signed a plan with them ages ago, I had a Razr 3G, and so far as they know, that hasn't changed, so I have a $10 a month UNLIMITED data plan. The down side here being that I have to outright buy any handset I get, but I don't much mind that, and I don't think I'm the only one.
It's now time to upgrade, and I'm looking to get a new phone and keep the data plan the way it is, so I've gotta find a phone I like on a compatible vendor. The purpose of this thread is to start a list of international, compatible cell networks, to help out people like me, as well as cut down on the "will this phone work on this carrier if I unlock it" threads.
To start, I know Bell Canada will work with AT&T, and I'm PRETTY sure Rogers with work with T-mobile.
So:
Foreign Carrier -> U.S. Carrier
Bell Canada -> AT&T
Rogers (Canada) -> T-Mobile (needs to be confirmed)
So I need a phone for a while on a pre-paid cash only plan. I was going to pick up a straight talk card from Walmart. I have 2 old Samsung S4 phones from Verizon and T-Mobile. Will the sim card activation chip I get work on either one of them, or does it have to be specific to the previous carrier. Is there an advantage to going with one or the other. I would prefer to put my own rom on there if possible since it is such an old phone. Is one going to be better suited than the other. As far as I know, both phones are out of contract. I know for sure the Verizon phone is already unlocked via verification from Verizon.
Thank you.
If you're buying an activation package from WalMart ($45 airtime card plus SIM), it should come with multiple SIM cards for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Thus you can use the service on any phone. If it doesn't, you'll likely have a GSM SIM, meaning you would need to use the T-Mobile S4 to get service.
The advantage to using Verizon is access to Verizon's network, which is the largest in the country. The disadvantage is that your LTE speeds are throttled to 5MBps. With T-Mobile, your network is much smaller, but your LTE I don't believe is throttled. I personally would take the time to carrier unlock your T-Mobile device (see the thread we have on unlocking phones in the General section), and then use the AT&T SIM. With AT&T, you get a network nearly as large as Verizon, plus LTE is not throttled.
As to ROMs, you're simply going to have to try them. Regardless of the ROM you use, so long as you know how to set up an APN in settings, you're good. Straight Talk changes their APNs from time to time, and the ROMs don't always use the latest APN.
Very good information and exactly what I was looking for. One more question on that if you don't mind. If I start out on Straight talk with the AT&T, can I switch over to Verizon a week or two later effortlessly, or would I need to do something to switch sims?
I do not know how to change APN's, but I am sure I can find the answer to that using search.
Thank you.
If you wanted to switch over to Verizon from AT&T, you would need to transfer your service from the AT&T SIM to the Verizon SIM. To do this, you have to go online to Straight Talk's website. Now, while they do offer an automated procedure to do this, the best thing to do is open up a chat window to one of their support reps, and have the support rep process the service swap.
Keep in mind two things.
Once you switch SIM cards, the old SIM is no longer usable. Should you change your mind and want to go back to AT&T, you would need to purchase an AT&T SIM off Straight Talk's website. They normally charge $15 plus shipping for the privilege, but if you hit it right you can often get the SIM cards for a dollar plus shipping, which is somewhat more palatable. I will say that when you get your next phone, you'll likely have to get a Nano SIM. However, you can then go onto Amazon and purchase a SIM adapter, just in case.
I am a person who believes in getting everything that you pay for, and with Verizon, a throttled LTE service doesn't qualify as getting everything that you pay for. Thus, I do not recommend switching to Verizon, ever. Stay with AT&T.
Ok. Good advice. Thank you.
The only reason I wanted to try both was because I am in a high rise where service can be sketchy. Not sure which one will work best up here. I currently have Sprint which does not work at all.