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I´ll be spending half a year in Charlotte starting September 2010. I already have a place to stay and means of transportation - now I just need to be able to use my cell phone.
I have a triband Nokia XpressMusic 5220 and would like to get a prepaid SIM card when I´m in Charlotte.
What card can you recommend and where can I get it?
The USA does not operate like Europe as in you can't buy a SIM card then use it in your own phone. (at least not easily) First SIM cards are limited to GSM phones and several of the large carriers here use CDMA. The biggest carrier that uses GSM is AT&T and they will require you to purchase one of their phones to contract for service. They may offer a SIM option, so you would have to check directly with them. Optionally you could buy a pre-paid phone where no contract is required. Walmart has these where you simply pay either $30/month for 1000 minutes, or $45/month for unlimited.
The USA does not operate like Europe as in you can't buy a SIM card then use it in your own phone. (at least not easily) First SIM cards are limited to GSM phones and several of the large carriers here use CDMA. The biggest carrier that uses GSM is AT&T and they will require you to purchase one of their phones to contract for service. They may offer a SIM option, so you would have to check directly with them. Optionally you could buy a pre-paid phone where no contract is required. Walmart has these where you simply pay either $30/month for 1000 minutes, or $45/month for unlimited.
Not true. Any AT&T prepaid phone comes with a SIM card that can be swapped into any phone capable of operating on US frequencies. Basically, pick up the cheapest AT&T GoPhone you can, activate the SIM card, and then just stick it in your current phone.
Sending you a DM with link to T-Mobile too.
Last edited by lanigan911; 08-03-2010 at 03:22 PM..
Reason: added note
Not true. Any AT&T prepaid phone comes with a SIM card that can be swapped into any phone capable of operating on US frequencies. ....
You did not read what I posted nor answered his question. The question was not if AT&T or T-mobile have sim cards, they do. The question is where can one buy a SIM card to use in any GSM phone that isn't tied to a carrier. In Europe they buy the SIM cards to pick a carrier.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GermanIntern
Hi!
I´ll be spending half a year in Charlotte starting September 2010. I already have a place to stay and means of transportation - now I just need to be able to use my cell phone.
I have a triband Nokia XpressMusic 5220 and would like to get a prepaid SIM card when I´m in Charlotte.
What card can you recommend and where can I get it?
YOu can buy a Tmobile Simcard off of there website and use in any GSM phone, I think, but not sure if you can do this with AT&T, I think you have to go to a actual store location to get a simcard.
Tmobile is cheaper than ATT, ATT has better service than Tmobile
I have Tmobile and love the service here in Charlotte.
You did not read what I posted nor answered his question. The question was not if AT&T or T-mobile have sim cards, they do. The question is where can one buy a SIM card to use in any GSM phone that isn't tied to a carrier. In Europe they buy the SIM cards to pick a carrier.
I did read what you posted, and I did answer his question. ALL SIM cards are tied to some carrier. In the US, it's AT&T or T-Mobile (for the most part). Both sell prepaid SIM cards, which can be used in any GSM phone that supports the frequencies they use. I sent him a link to the T-Mobile SIM card, and told him about how to get an AT&T SIM card that he could use in his phone. I actually answered his question better than you did
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In Europe they buy the SIM cards to pick a carrier.
