colombian cell phone in the u.s.?

From Planet Earth says on Jul 24, 2009, 10:12:

sell it...you can find a used phone in the us for alot less then that if you are looking to save $$$.

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mranderson says on Jul 24, 2009, 10:17:

Well it was a birthday gift for her. I´d like her to keep using it in the states but I have a feeling that´s just not possible. Her other idea was to give it to her 10 year old nephew. But I have a feeling he will damage it, lose it, or it will get stolen from him. I´d rather give him my cheap indestructable nokia.

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durito2 says on Jul 24, 2009, 10:23:

assuming it's locked, all you need to do is unlock it, then you can use an sim card in the usa you like

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mranderson says on Jul 24, 2009, 10:25:

I didn´t know they use sim cards in the usa. So that means I can walk into any sprint or whatever store and get a sim card with a plan?

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durito2 says on Jul 24, 2009, 10:28:

yes

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Aji1 says on Jul 24, 2009, 12:02:

No, sorry that is not quite right. ATT and T-mobile are the only carriers in the USA that run the same type of network that Colombia has, a GSM network (SIM card). Everyone else in the states still uses CDMA technology (no SIM card). I am sure their may be some smaller carriers somewhere in the USA, but to my knowledge those are the only big ones. The reason I know this is that I use my same cell phone in the USA that I use when overseas. I am a SIM card swapping fool when hoping around the globe, but I use the same phone with all my info stored in it. I have ATT here in the USA. Both the wife and myself are using unlocked, unbranded phones and I have no long term contract in case we decide to haul ass. Month by month, pay as you go.

Hope that helps some.

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

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njc (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 24, 2009, 18:05:

ranaquajo (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 24, 2009, 19:06:

Aji1 says on Jul 25, 2009, 07:45:

Sorry, should have put a "your results may vary" disclosure in there. I spilled my guts of what I knew on the subject. The thing with Sprint?? iDEN?? Got me on that stuff. I had done endless comparisons for what was available and the network types in my local area here in the USA with the intention of using a GSM network company as that is what I also use when traveling overseas, and to put a stop to the endless contract renewals. I don't like hooks very well. Sprint is just trashed by so many people in my area that have it, I stayed away from it. I had been Alltel prior, but wanted to go GSM. I knew that in my situation in my location ATT was the choice. Not happy with that fact as I hate them and am getting ready to cut the cord on my home line with them, but it is what it is I guess...

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

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winsurfer says on Jul 25, 2009, 11:58:

SIM cards are just a way to store nonvolatile data on a cell phone...think of SIM cards as the world's cheesiest flash drive. I love SIM cards because all carriers that use them store the phone settings on them so there is always a way to back up your phone book and settings. Nextel IDEN phones were not GSM but used SIM cards.

There are four GSM frequency bands, and whether your phone will work in the US (and how well it will work) depends on which bands the phone supports. Your best bet is s so-called "world phone" which supports all four bands. If you have a world phone and it is unlocked, you can go to any country, pop in a local SIM, and you're good.

See the wikipedia article on GSM frequencies for more info on GSM bands in different countries

You can look up what bands your current GSM phone uses and which bands the different cellphone carriers use on howardforums.com.

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