Does your cell phone use a SIM card?

[mztykal]

And if so what kind of phone do you have? Also what plan do you have and how many minutes. I'm not able to tell you mine, because I have AT&T and no SIM card. But my plan is 400 weekdays, 600 nights and weekends.


-MzTyKaL

 

[shopbruin]

i thought only pacbell phones had simcards: 5190 and 6190; haven't seen an 8290 up close.

i'm on sprint pcs and i get 250 anytime and 1250 night and weekends.

 

[Crimson]

I think only GSM cell phone providers use sim cards.. I think Pac Bell is one of them.. Sprint/Verizon/AT&T, etc don't.

 

[The Dancing Peacock]

yea, i just got the nokia 8290, it has a SIM Card. It's on PacBell.


late.


TDP

 

[bUnMaNGo]

Pacbell does... all their phones use SIM cards... I had a 6190, 5190, 8290, and a StarTAC 8000, and they all use them... this is in S. California... they're the only one in my area that uses them too... I know that some other provider nationwide uses SIM cards as well, but their name escapes my mind right now. Right now I have an 8290 with the family plan, base plan being $39 for 250 weekdays, free mobile to mobile, and free long distance- I tacked on the incoming free minute for $5 extra, and an extra $10 for 1000 weekend minutes. With the family plan, it was about $12/phone to add an extra line to share the plan, so in total we have 4 phones sharing 250 weekday, 1000 weekend, and free long distance, mobile to mobile, and incoming minute. Now Pacbell has a new plan with free UNLIMITED nights AND weekends, with the option to add on free mobile to mobile for an extra $10, or vice versa. Also, they have free long distance for the plans over $40. This is in the L.A. area.

 

[xtreme2k]

GSM 900/1800 compatible phones all has SIM cards (I am not too sure about the American GSM 1900)
CDMA/TDMA/DAMPS dont have SIM cards I dont think

 

[mztykal]

Whoa, that's some badass plan. Wish I had a SIM card. But I chose AT&T and I'll be with them for the next YEAR! Ahhhhhhhhh!

 

[DABANSHEE]

Yeh its great. I've got a Motorola D160 GSM phone. I can just stick my card in any GSM phone & its all setup for my account, etc.

 

[MrCraphead]

wait, so let me get this straight.....the account you're paying for is basically all based in the SIM card, and nothing is phone based right? So assuming I have an account w/ PacBell, or whatever, and have a SIM card, I could switch my SIM card to another SIM compatible phone that also uses the same protocol, and use it like my normal phone? Am I correct in assuming this? If so, that's awesome! Perhaps I should switch over.....

 

[AznBruin03]

MrCraphead, if you take your sim chip out and put it into someone elses phone it works fine. And all your saved phone numbers as well as your plan information is saved on the chip as well.

I have a 6190 with pacbell and am paying 29.99 for 150 pk and 1000 off. I think some of the newer plans are better, but I don't want to be stuck for over a year with pacbell. Too many students have pacbell at my college, and I constantly get system busy messages when I try to make a call. I have also had this problem at the san jose airport. I think that pacbell is simply getting too many customers for their system to handle. I usually have to try 3-4 times before I can even get through, if I even get through at all.

 

[axelfox]

Thats why you usually get a phone for free when you sign up for a contract and pay activation. They make the money off the contracts. If you buy the phone by itself, its a rip off.

 

[RossMAN]

What AznBruin03 said works in my area also (Portland, Oregon). My Nokia 6190 with service provided by VoiceStream Wireless uses a SIM card. I like the fact that it uses a SIM card. My sister's Nokia 6190 died after taking to much abuse so I let her borrow my phone while I waited for a replacement (free of charge) from VoiceStream. I removed my SIM card, put her SIM in my phone, turned it on and the phone worked just fine. It had all of her settings, phone list, everything worked just as if she was using her own cell phone.

Right now VoiceStream has an INCREDIBLE DEAL they're offering 2,600 minutes per month for $39.95
600 weekday anytime minutes
2,000 weekend nationwide free long distance minutes

Plus the usual perks you get with any PCS:
Free first incoming minute
Free detailed billing
Free Caller ID
Free Call Waiting
Free Conference Calling
Free VoiceMail
Free other things I have yet to discover

The only bad thing about VoiceStream is, it's not for someone who roams a lot and leaves the city metro area. Since I receive and make 99% of my calls within the Portland metro area this plan is ideal for me. But of course I signed up April 1999 with a 600 minutes/month plan and am exempt from being a "new customer". I wonder if I end my service for at least 90 days, when I come back if I am considered a "new customer" again? Of course it really doesn't matter since I only use like 250 minutes a month but damned 2,600 for $39.95 per month !!!