I need to replace my mobile phone as I broke it whilst I was on holiday last week and I'm wondering if anyone can help me out with something. I want to buy a UK mobile phone handset off of Ebay or something and using my existing UK SIM card with it until I leave for the US permanently next month, but I also want to use the new handset in the US with a SIM card over there. I know I will probably have to set up a new contract and buy a cheap phone when I get over to the US, but I'm wondering whether I can use just the new US SIM card in my UK handset once I have the new SIM card? Has anyone on here tried this?

We were assured by our Phone Rep (Nokia) in the UK that when we came to the US we just needed to purchase a new sim card and Bob's your uncle! We had deliberately purchased quad-band phones in the UK so we wouldn't have to buy new phones on arriving in the US.

However, that was not the case when we arrived. After enquiring of just about all the cell phone companies here, none of them was able (or maybe willing) to obtain a sim card to put in our UK phones.

So check your information very carefully before you decide what to do.

Perhaps the original provider could remove the "SIM LOCK" feature of the phone.

I have a tri-band Nokia 6600 that I got in the Philippines that has the sim lock disabled. I can use my T-Mobile sim card in it with no problem.

Have a look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock

You need to pick a cell phone company that has a GSM network such as Cingular or T-Mobile. Sign up for their service and then put the SIM they give you card in your phone. They will probably also give you a cheap phone when sign up but it sounds like you would rather use your Nokia quad band phone. The SIM card will work in either phone.

Also from the previous link


In the United Kingdom, government regulator OFCOM dictates that networks must release the unlocking information to customers for non-contract handsets (e.g. Pay as you go) on request. Consumers who purchase handsets under “Pay as you go” or a similar scheme are purchasing the handset outright at the point of sale, this has in effect made phone unlocking in the UK a consumer right.

UK Network providers are permitted to charge a fee for releasing the unlock code, this has prompted smaller businesses to offer cut price unlocking on the UK’s High Streets.c

Thanks everyone for all your guidance! I know about SIM unlocking, so if I can do that with a UK phone, then it looks like it'll work.

I think it works with Tmob only....

Hi there,

In the UK I had an O2 contract and I used a Sony Ericsson Z600 tri-band phone, with roaming enabled, of course.

Every time I've visited the States I've brought that phone and used Kyle's US Cingular sim card in it without any problems. I didn't get anything done to the phone prior to using it, I just swopped sims and it just worked. Kyle also tried my UK sim card in an old Nokia he had lying around and it worked.

So, it looks as though - as long as the phone has tri or quad band capability of course - you should be OK. In theory at least!

Im on Virgin mobile 'no contract' and I go over to Cingular when Im there (US) - and sometimes one called sun-something...forgot it, lol
Works fine and I was told I could switch sim cards as well if needed.

I got my phone unlocked in the UK and it works fine here with a new sim.

I used Uniquephones.com to unlck my Nokia 6100 from an Orange handset in the UK. It now works with my Cingular SIM but is unlocked on all networks so would work with any SIM from any provider.

I was VERY pleased with the instructions on their website and had no problems at all unlocking it using the codes provided.

Mark

Well so far I have not some across anyone here who even has ever seen their sim card, it comes in the phone when they get it and is not like a UK one at all. The cell phone market is ludicrous IMHO!

SO far as Ive seen (not actually used so this is hearsay), the prices on US cells as far as USE goes (cost per call etc) are prohibitive - very unlike the prices we pay in the UK and not as good service either.
Maybe we are more consumer led?
No idea but I think I probably will have to give up the cell once I move

I despise cell phones... I really do. I know they are a really big deal in Europe... I was in Germany and just about every european had them. I might be a dinosaur or something... but I don't see the need to have a phone with me when I go out some where. Yeah, they are convient on occassions... a break down, your at the store and can't remember what the wife needed to make that special meal... but for the most part.. I don't see the purpose in them. I leave the house to get away. If I want to talk to someone, I'll call them before I go. Otherwise, they can leave me a message. I hate talking on the phone when I'm driving (which unfortunately is still legal here... ) because it is distracting. I can't have it with me at work.. so the two times that I'm away from the house the most, I wouldn't be using it. I'd turn it off in the movie theater.... so why bother? lol

Yes, I have owned one a couple of times.. once in germany, and twice here in the states. The one time was because I was away from my kids.. my parents had them until I found a place for us to live after the army brought me back from Germany and sent me to Ft Bragg. I was living in the barracks, with no way to have a "home" phone. The other time, my ex (then she was estranged) wife got a plane and gave me one of the phones... one of the many times she was trying to lure me back... didn't work obviously. I remember I sat in a movie theater with the kids (and her, who the kids wanted to go with us) and got and sent (I think) a couple text messages with my soon to be wife :-D

One thing people have a tendency to forget.. here in the US local calls don't cost us anything. In Europe, I know they do... and people usually use text msg's alot because of it. So I find it strange to pay for yet another phone service, and some how get charged to make more local calls. Just my opinion though.

Chas and I read the online manual to my new phone as to where the sim card would be - there isn't one in it.

I'm on Verizon. I'm starting to think they don't even use sim cards.

You are correct. Verizon is not a GSM service and you will not have a SIM card. For those people with GSM service, Cingular and T-Mobile, your SIM card is probably under the battery. It contains the information about your phone number and your contact list or stored phone numbers. It makes it easy to switch between phones by just moving your card into another phone.

Thanks Neonred! Now my fiance won't think I'm crazy (or crazier)!

Yup, I have a Sony K750i on O2 here in the UK. When I'm over there visiting tracy, my phone will detect Cingular and T Mobile networks, depending on where I am that day. In downtown Nashville I was connected to Cingular, back at Lebanon it would automatically change over to T Mobile.

My phone isn't SIM locked so I just need to sign up to, say, Cingular when I get there, take the SIM card out of whatever basic phone they provide and put it in my Sony. Job done.

I moved over from UK to US and I brought my locked Orange Nokia. I unlocked the phone via an unlock website.

I then purchased a T-Mobile PAYG phone, which is GSM, and comes with a SIM card, and planted the little baby in my Nokia. It's not quite that simple as you do need to setup the GPRS and MMS settings too if you want to use the web/WAP or send MMS messages. You might also find that some phones NEED to have those settings as this is how updates via the network are sent to you.

I personally think that the US are about 5 years behind the UK in terms of technology and phones. For such a super power to be this backward is beyond me. I guess as someone said before, the UK is a consumer led society. Most people here don't even know how to text!! The only half decent phone here is the Motorola Razr and that's been out in the UK for years!!

The Razr has been out for years in the US, too.....I have one.

For those coming TO the US - I don't know about other providers, but with Cingular I can add Sian to my cell phone service for $10/month, which also gets her a phone. She has a pre-paid Motorola though, so I will probably try putting a SIM in it when she gets here (I have an extra).

With Cingular, calls to other Cingular phones are free. So you can likely get one of the smaller plans and share it, yet talk to each other all you want (when you're here in the US, of course).

I'll mention again too (posted it about it a month or two ago) that Cingular has a new add-on called World Connect. You can call the UK from the US on your cell phone for 6 cents/minute. That's 1 cent cheaper than my home international plan.

As for the necessity of cell phones (which was mentioned earlier).... I'm an IT Contractor, and I honestly couldn't do my job or even get a job without my cell phone. But no, I don't like being "constantly available"..... that's why cell phones have "OFF" buttons. The benefits of having a cell far outweigh any negatives though.

Anyhoo, for those with an USC SO who has Cingular, ask them to check into getting you added to their plan. A lot cheaper in the long run.

(No, I don't work for Cingular.... I've used their service for 7 years, though, after ditching several other companies)

If you have your own phone you want to use, just get whatever free phone cingular wants to give you, take the SIM out and stick it in your own phone (trusting your phone is unlocked).

If your phone isn't quad-band, likely it doesn't have the 850 band for cingular, and you'll be hating life. Depending where you are at, you may not have any 1900 coverage at all (or you'll be lucky and you do have coverage, but i wouldn't bet on it lasting forever). T-mobile is 1900, and cingular used to use their network (but that agreement is nuked from the AT&T buy).

Verizon only has 2 models with Sim Card, The best thing is to buy a tri-band phone and if you know some folks have it UNLOCK, IF you are buying it online some are already unlocked but if it's through one of the us phone companies you have to go to one of those phone place to get it done. Good luck

The system here just seems strange to me - I was looking into getting a PAYG because I don't really have that many people to call here, but as well as the charges for calls/texts, you have to pay $1 every day that you use your phone! What??! That's not PAYG, that's expensive!

And another thing that annoyed me, me and SO are on Cingular, I'm on his plan. One month we ran out of texts between us, and so everytime I texted Ed, i got charged 10c (fair enough), but then he got charged 10c to receive it (ridiculous). So even though we're on the same plan, we got charged 20c per text - how stupid!

I think you have 2 options for PAYG, $1 per day for every day you use the phone with 10c/min charge or 25c/min charge without the daily charge.

I asked if I could just get the SIM when I got a package. Alltel do not use them. I needed a national plan with pretty much full coverage. (I work just about anywhere in the US) Living in Upper Michigan I only have the choice of Alltel and Nextel. Otherwise I get prohibitive 'roaming' charges.