Programs: CO Silver, Peon on DL, AA, UA, US, and WN
Posts: 3,189
Quote:
Originally Posted by HobokenFlyer
Is it cool reselling these things?
I sold mine on ebay right before soccer's World Cup (and made a decent profit). I haven't had any problems related to the SIM card I sold. I haven't worried about it either. I can't see the problem with selling it after you are through with it.
__________________
It was mealtime on LY. "Would you like lunch?" the FA asked Sid. "What are my choices?" Sid asked. "Yes or no," she replied.
Is it cool reselling these things? I was in Germany in October and bought 3 prepaid sims from T-Mobile for 3 different phones. (10 euros each). My sales manager was with me and I didn't have my passport with me so he used his passport (he is actually a german national and used a german passport).
Anywho, it turned out I only used one of the sims because the 2 other phone weren't completely unlocked. One was a cheap Motorola C121 I bought at MediaMarkt in Nuremberg that was attached to Debitel/Vodaphone. When I tried to put in the TMobile sim it asked for the a subsidy password which I stupidly entered incorrectly too many times and locked it. So, I assumed it was locked. (Though the original debitel/vodaphone sim works fine, just has no more time on it).
My sales manager has a Nextel phone he uses in the states and bought a "international phone" from Nextel where he can swap his US sim into and Intl Roam, at Nextel prices. I figured this extra phone was unlocked well that wasn't true also.
We were so busy with our trade show that we could never get back before the tmobile store we bought the cards closed, so I still own them. I WAS going to sell them on eBay, but I was afraid that this SIM would be linked to my sales manager's passport and not be a "cool" thing having someone else running around with a phone number attached to his name and passport.
So, two questions:
1) Is it cool to sell these sims, or is it a "identity" issue that could cause problems later. It's only 20 euros so I can eat it.
2a) Is there a service that can unlock these phones? The Motorola C121 I think is subsidy locked, but if I throw it out, it's no big whoop, it was 10 euros. I tried to have Nextel "unlock" the extra "intl" phone that my sales manager has and the geniuses at the Nextel store first said, "it was not their phone" and then after persistence and we said it was there phone they said, "What does unlock mean?". We gave up after that. Is there a service that can unlock these phones and/or what is the trick to get Nextel to unlock a phone?
- HF
I would absolutely never sell a phone or SIM card that was entered into a phone company's database as belonging to a specific individual unless the company was willing to change the name.
You have no idea who is buying the phone or what sorts of calls they intend to make. Use your imagination.
Lots of phones can be unlocked although some require the phone to be physically present in the business that is doing the service because they need to be connected by cable to a computer.
Regarding unlocking any GSM phone, if you want to use it in the United States, first make sure it has the bands used here which are different from those used in Europe.
I would suggest you browse the sections of www.howardforums.com where the unlocking question has been discussed for years.
I would absolutely never sell a phone or SIM card that was entered into a phone company's database as belonging to a specific individual unless the company was willing to change the name.
You have no idea who is buying the phone or what sorts of calls they intend to make. Use your imagination.
Lots of phones can be unlocked although some require the phone to be physically present in the business that is doing the service because they need to be connected by cable to a computer.
Regarding unlocking any GSM phone, if you want to use it in the United States, first make sure it has the bands used here which are different from those used in Europe.
I would suggest you browse the sections of www.howardforums.com where the unlocking question has been discussed for years.
Thanks for the link. These phone would be used purely for foreign travel, not for regular USA use.
I'm heading to Paris for Xmas for one week. Anybody know what the data plan rate would be for a Treo? I guess I have a choice between Orange and SFR? APN to use? Rate per kb?
FYI. The cheapest Irish sim card now available is from Tesco mobile at €7.99.
Includes €2.50 call credit with an extra €5 if you register the phone online.
Inter network calls are free if you top up by €4.99 for 10 days or €13 for 30 days. This may be very useful to visitors who are on vacation and need to contact each other while in Ireland.
I'm heading to Paris for Xmas for one week. Anybody know what the data plan rate would be for a Treo? I guess I have a choice between Orange and SFR? APN to use? Rate per kb?
I am traveling to UK in March. Have heard of Mobal , It is a one time price to purchase phone for 49.00 us dollars and no other fees but the minute cost. On the web site ex: from UK to US is 1.50 a minute. Is this a best deal? What other alternatives? I do have a cingular phone here in US. Thanks for your help. April
I am traveling to UK in March. Have heard of Mobal , It is a one time price to purchase phone for 49.00 us dollars and no other fees but the minute cost. On the web site ex: from UK to US is 1.50 a minute. Is this a best deal? What other alternatives? I do have a cingular phone here in US. Thanks for your help. April
Welcome to Flyertalk.
This question has been discussed numerous times within this thread.
I'm off to the Netherlands with some friends for 4 days. I was wondering if anyone knows of a prepaid plan that offers free calls within its network so we can use the phones more liberally. Also, can they be prepurchased in the States. At the very least, any good plan recomendations?
Programs: AA 1 MM, AA Exec Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Priority Club Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 85
Probably already been covered, but I had the same issues as the original poster, I got tired of paying over a pound a minute to use my Cingular (AT&T) phone when in the UK...so I bought a Virgin Mobile sim card with some preloaded time for 10 pounds about 3 years ago, and installed it in an old 3 band Motorola (from ebay) It's worked great for staying in touch while in country trying to meet up with people, etc. A side benefit, when my main phone stopped working, I just switched SIM's and I'm back in business when I get back home.
Programs: UA gold, Hyatt Plat Marriott silver,Hilton Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 190
Look here and pull up NL. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html
I see that vodaphone is in English. T-Mobil is not. Look at the rates and see for yourself what you want to spend.
__________________
Happiness is a good scotch, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman.
Just wanted to post my findings. It took a lot of back and forth with Babelfish (translation) but I think I found the best offer. Vodafone offers a "Z11" sim only program that has decent rates and the big benefit (for me at least) of free weekend Vodafone to Vodafone calls (probably NL Vodafone numbers only). The only caveat is that their site says I can only pay from a dutch bank account. Any ideas?
Update from Australia & New Zealand (yes I know that's outside Europe, but this thread seems the best place to post this info for future reference).
Overall I would say Vodafone was mediocre for rates and service, including long hold times trying to reach CS to sign up for the right plan (yes, this is necessary even when using a prepaid SIM). In fact, if you don't think you will use 30 min, I would highly recommend you simply roam internationally with your local carrier if you have a GSM phone. Not worth the hassle of dealing with Vodafone unless you anticipate a lot of incoming calls (all free).
Vodafone, New Zealand:
Paid $35 for a SIM card that included a measly $5 call time (plus a $10 bonus if you register online). WARNING: If you don't call to activate a cheaper plan, you get charged $1+ per minute outgoing. The best plan for one-time or casual users was 49 cents per min (to cell) and $2 for 1 hour of calling time to any landline. Had to wait a long time to reach CS on the phone, but at least they were competent. Was never able to register online, the only way to activate online was via text message, which didn't work for me. Refills expire with 60 days. After $20 topoff card, total investment: $55.
Vodafone Australia:
Paid $10 for a SIM card (cheap! but no airtime) then you buy a topoff card or call to sign up for a plan. The best plan was $29 which gets you $129 of call time at $1.09 per minute (including international). Of course, incoming is still free. Could not register online either. So total investment was $39.
Addendum: Could not retrieve voicemail from my Sprint US phone - I guess the tones didn't translate correctly. Yet another reason just to sign up for int'l roaming.
Last edited by Boraxo; Feb 5, 08 at 5:45 pm.
Reason: addendum
Any ideas?
