How much is a European SIM card, exactly?

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Aug 9, 2006, 6:05 pm

#91

dtsm

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Tmo

Quote:

Originally Posted by photog72

T-Mobile was also Powertel and Aerial as separate companies before they were gobbled up by Voicestream... T-Mo... Deutsche Telekom AG.

You're absolutely right

Didn't see need to go further back in time...I was only making the point that TMO has been doing international services longer than Cingular...not arguing who is better....although IMHO, never had a problem with TMO.

Aug 10, 2006, 1:08 am

#92

jean235

Join Date: Aug 2006

Posts: 3

Sim Card in Eastern Europe

I am traveling to Serbia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria all in 2 weeks and probably will not need over 1 hour of air time my complete trip. I have a European model Nokia Model 3410. Can i use a sims card that will work in all those countries? How much and where do I purchase it (Airport, News stand etc.)? Thanks.

Aug 10, 2006, 1:13 am

#93

jean235

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Finding a Cheap Sim Card In Eastern Europe..

Last edited by jean235; Aug 10, 2006 at 1:29 am

Aug 10, 2006, 1:14 am

#94

jean235

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Finding a Cheap Sim Card In Eastern Europe..

Aug 10, 2006, 2:55 am

#95

Earthman

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jean235

I heard a long radio article on an Irish based company that will unlock your phone and give you a sim for international roaming that will work on any countries networks without roaming charges.

I've not used them yet but I saved their contact details

Roam4free

Suite 1

Fonehome building

16 Bridge St

Cork

Ireland.

+353.87.2049121

pat at roam4free.ie

Worth a try

Aug 13, 2006, 9:41 pm

#96

lili

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jean235

Welcome to FT, Jean!

What I've finally learned is that the SIM is cheap, and your unlocked phone will work, but you still need a carrier/service/ like T-mobile, Vodaphone, Cingular, or something local. So for the kind of use you and I will have, sticking with you current provider and just paying the higher cost per minute is probably the cheapest way to go.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong....

Aug 16, 2006, 2:42 pm

#97

EasternTraveler

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Cingular is the Second oldest cellular company in the world!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtsm

Least anyone forget, T-Mobile was previously Voicestream, previous to that Omnipoint - and Omnipoint was at that time the ONLY gsm provider in the states. Everyone else was either tdma or cdma. So as far as international service, omnipoint was the first to address it....

I don't even recall Cingular being around back then. And don't forget, ATT Wireless (now part of Cingular) only made the decision to switch from tmda to gsm in the last couple of years.

NOW - for some fun and games, I'm starting a separate thread that will ask the following:

1. When did you first start using a cell phone?
2. Do you remember who was your first carrier and your first clinker phone?

The first cellular system was started in Chicago in 1980 and the second system was the BMI / Gencell system in Atlanta shortly thereafter. BMI used the same name until 1999 when they announced that they would be changing their name to Cingular. This process took many months. Bellsouth Mobility became Cingular long before the purchase of AT&T was discussed. The point being that Cingular was not a result of the merger, but a name change long before the merger. None of the companies in the US were originally GSM, they were AMPS, then either CDMA or TDMA and finally GSM. T-Mobile is a relatively new company in the US and does not predate Cingular.

Aug 16, 2006, 6:46 pm

#98

photog72

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Quote:

Originally Posted by EasternTraveler

T-Mobile is a relatively new company in the US and does not predate Cingular.

Nobody is saying that. T-Mobile and the companies that predate it were never AMPS (from what I recall). I believe they (Aerial, Omnipoint, Powertel, et al) were all GSM when they started up in the early to mid 90s. Plus, older doesn't necessarily mean better.

Aug 17, 2006, 7:40 am

#99

drbond

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Quote:

Originally Posted by photog72

They did not begin as GSM but were one of the earlier ones to adopt the technology. It was easier for them since they were small companies with a relatively small network.

Aug 17, 2006, 7:54 am

#100

nmenaker

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just for the record, I do not think that t-mobile, either in the US, or in Germany was ever anything but GSM. The largest t-mo movement in the US, I believe came from the voicestream acquisitions, which were always GSM.

can anyone point to information that is differant?

Aug 17, 2006, 7:56 am

#101

photog72

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Quote:

Originally Posted by drbond

They did not begin as GSM but were one of the earlier ones to adopt the technology. It was easier for them since they were small companies with a relatively small network.

What did they begin as? CDMA? TDMA? I know they began on the PCS frequencies (1850-1990Mhz). What were they before GSM? They were never analog that I know of.

Aug 17, 2006, 8:00 am

#102

photog72

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Quote:

Originally Posted by nmenaker

T-Mobile in Germany owned the first analog system there, C-Tel, if I recall correctly. I remember being there in 1990 and seeing advertising for C-Tel.

Aug 17, 2006, 8:00 am

#103

nmenaker

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is there some reason GSM freqs cannot be in the giga range? I would say, 1.8 or 1.9. certainly 1.8 abroad. I think voicestream was 1.9 and 900, but possibly just 1.9
they were never amps. And, GSM is just a variety and "pcs" type solution utilizing TDMA

Aug 17, 2006, 8:02 am

#104

nmenaker

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personally,

Quote:

Originally Posted by photog72

T-Mobile in Germany owned the first analog system there, C-Tel, if I recall correctly. I remember being there in 1990 and seeing advertising for C-Tel.

personally, I had a DT GSM SIM in 1991 in germany. Not sure what c-tel is.

it was, however, Deutsche Telekom at that time.

how did we get so off topic?
There is no question, that once there WAS a t-mo, actually, it was GSM. But I don't think there was even a t-mo till the mid to late 90's.

Last edited by nmenaker; Aug 17, 2006 at 8:15 am

Aug 17, 2006, 9:14 pm

#105

LiveFromNY

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Quote:

Originally Posted by photog72

T-Mobile in Germany owned the first analog system there, C-Tel, if I recall correctly. I remember being there in 1990 and seeing advertising for C-Tel.

I remember that as well.