Cell phone/GSM/Sim/help please
 

Hi,
We're going to Switzerland for 3 weeks this fall. We just traded our digital phones for 2 Nokia 3100b GSM phones (ATT) so we could use them in Europe (mostly for emergencies). I saw several threads on here about unlocking the phones and using SIM cards to use the phones in another country.Can anyone explain exactly how this works and what I need to do? Where do I get a SIM card that will work in Switzerland? We're flying in and out of Zurich but we speak no German or French. We'll be a week in the rural areas of NW Switzerland and the remainder of the time based in Brienz. How much less expensive is doing this versus ATT International Roaming? ATT customer service says 99 cents a minute with Intl. Roam. If the SIM card is considerably less/minute we could use the cell to check home daily. This is all new to me so any help would be appreciated.

First, if you bought an AT&T phone, even if it is a world phone (tri-band), AT&T won't unlock it, so unless you can get someone else to unlock it for you, it won't do you any good to buy a SIM card in Switzerland (you could use the phone for AT&T international roaming).

If the phone is or can by chance be unlocked, you can just take out your AT&T SIM card and buy a new SIM card when you arrive in Switzerland - I don't know the cost there, but an Italian SIM bought in Italy costs 40 euros including 20 euros of talk time, and it can be recharged.

The unlocking of the phone is your big issue though.

I replied to the same post in another thread.

The unlocking of a Nokia phone is a piece of cake. Yes AT&T will not unlock it...they are very arrogant on this. It is quasi illegal when mobile companies lock phones but this is another story.

Go to yahoo and do a search for a DT-4 calculator. There are several web site that provide this for free. Download the DT-4 calculator to your computer and start it. It will ask for the IMEI # of the phone. This is sort of a registration number of the phone. Punch in *#06# and your phone will display the number. Then it will ask which company the phone is locked to. There will be a drop down list usually or a reference table. Go to USA and look for AT&T Wireless. Several unlock codes will then be displayed. It is usually unlock code #1. You will get instructions how to enter the unlock code (it is a long code usually involving as I remember the letter p which is entered by pressing the * key several times etc.

Done..I've unlocked about 15 Nokia phones this way and I am not a techie. It is simple, painless and more importantly free.

Then the other issue is that AT&T in the US operates on 850 & 1900 so its tri band phones have to have these 2 frequencies leaving only room for the 1800 baud frequency. European carriers (and the rest of the civilized world as the US always does things differently) operate on 900/1800. The AT&T phone will not have 900 which is probably not a problem (I don't know Swiss carriers) but something you and the person you buy the SIM pack from should be aware of.

All a piece of cake.

BTW the carrier code for unlocking AT&T phones is 31038

Hi,
Thanks for the great advice. I did a Google and Yahoo search for a DT-4 Calculator and didn't get anything (or maybe I just don't know it if I see it) so do you have any websites you can send me to for the DT-4 calculator?
(I am so green at this I smell like grass:-)

I have spent all week researching this exact question (except I want to use a phone in Italy). First of all, a great article on unlocking cell phones is at: http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roa...aunlocking.htm
There's more info on the whole "using cell phones in Europe" question at: www.thetravelinsider.info/2002/0308.htm

I've also researched the Nokia 3100 and it's tri-band 900/1800/1900 so it should work well in Europe. At least I think so. Every time I think I have the answer to something I find new informtation which proves it to be wrong. Maybe xzy knows something about this phone that I have been able to find. MY informtation about that phone is from: www.nokia.com/nokia/0,8764,33274,00.html

xyz - I also did a google and yahoo search for that calculator and can't find it. Can you help us? Also, if I do get this phone it will be through cingular. Do you know the carrier code for cingular? Is this DT-4 calculator essentially the same thing we'd get for $5 from the guy at the travel insider site? Also, is there any way to tell if the unlock code worked before getting to Europe and putting in a local SIM? Thanks

xyz - I just clicked on your name and read all your answers re the cell phone issues (many to my own questions, thanks so much) and I must say you have the clearest answers I've found - and I'm not talking about only at Fodors, I've been to so many cell phone guys this week my head is spinning. But at last it does all make sense - well except for the fact that the damn companies shouldn't be locking their phones in the first place since they don't give them to you until to agree to stay with them for a year anyway.

But now my next question. After I couldn't find the calculator you mentioned I did find several other sites that offer to send you the unlock code for $5. They all seem pretty much the same. Do you recommend one over the others? That's assuming I can't get the DT-4 calculator itself, obviously doing it for free would be preferable over paying for it. But it is only five bucks so if that's simpler I'll just do that. Thanks

Go to www.unlockme.co.uk. Lots of good unlocking software there.

As far as the Nokia 3100, Nokia makes 2 versions both of which are tri-bands (three bands). One is for the world wide market and its 3 bands are 900/1800/1900. As noted, in 99% of the civilized and uncivilized world, years ago agreements were reached to standardize the GSM system and the bands selected were 900 and 1800. So almost all carriers throughout most of the world use one of these frequencies or both of them. Notable exceptions are Japan, which doesn't use GSM and for which all our phone advise doesn't apply and the CanadaUS nation. At the time it was standardized, the US claimed that other things were operating on these frequencies and refused to move them to standardize with the rest of the world (nothing new as the US is the only country in the world still using its outdated Farenheit and English measures but that's another story). So 1900 was alloted for GSM and the major GSM carrier in the US was and is T mobile (originally Voice Stream and before that Omni something or other). Thus people coming to the US if they wanted to use their phones for roaming need to have 1900 frequency so Nokia and others met their needs by providing tri band phones with 900/1800/1900.

Well it gets dicier. Cingular and AT&T began using GSM in addition to their out dated modes. The advantage of GSM as noted in other threads is that the phone operates on a little chip called a SIM card. Change the SIM card and you change everything about the phone. Great when you live in 2 different countries for example and have to keep changing carriers.

Anyway when AT&T and Cingular began their GSM systems, the 1900 frequency was already pretty crowded. Rather than to try to go along with the rest of the world (or unable to do so as the case may be) they began using the 850 frequency. So AT&T and Cingular GSM systems operate on 2 frequencies i.e. 850 and 1900. In some areas of the US they use 850 exclusively, in others 1900 and in some both. So those using the GSM systems of Cingular and AT&T need dual band phones using 850 and 1900. If they wish to go abroad and use their phones, people need tri band phones. Therefore the tri band phone provided by carriers for use by Cingular and AT&T GSM have 850/1800/1900. Often times, the manufacturer's designate the US model (the one with 850) with a different model number. Hence Sony Ericsson has the T310 world phone but the same model in the US is called the T316. Both tri bands, the former being 900/1800/1900 the later being 850/1800/1900. In the case of the Nokia 3100, two modes are made the one with 900/1800/1900 and the one with 850/1800/1900.

T mobile customers can use regular world phones as T mobile only operates on 1900 in the US. It is AT&T and Cingular GSM customers who get the shaft because of the 850 thing.

Now the rub is that there are some carriers in Europe, I don't know how many, who operate only on 900. Your AT&T GSM phone, even if unlocked, even if you are using their over priced international roaming, will not work on such carriers. Modern tri bands automatically search out a carrier if your carrier allows roaming and your carrier is not available. Fot example, if you have signed up for international roaming on AT&T and turn on your Nokia 3100 when your plane lands in London, your phone will first search for AT&T which of course is not there and then keep trying till it hits on a company which AT&T has a roaming agreement with. There are several and in London, there are companies which operate on 900 exclusively and so your phone would be unable to register with any of these companies but it is not a problem as there are plenty of companies that use 1800. T mobile phones have no problems whatsoever as they have both 900 and 1800.

Bottom line is in most areas of Europe carriers operate on both 900 and 1800; but there are isolated instances where only 900 is available. In these areas, AT&T and Cingular so called world phones are useless.

BTW quad band phones are on the way which will operate on guess what 850/900/1800/1900 but of course they are more expensive.

And none of them will operate in Japan which does not use GSM (but most other Asian countries do such as China, Thailand, the Philipines).

I hope that answers everybody's questions as well as the unlocking web site.

You might alsjo wish to try Mobilemods.net where a gentleman for free will provide unlocking codes for Nokia phones if you post your IMEI number and your carrier information.

If the unlock code works, you will get a message something to the effect phone restriction lifted. Or you can try a SIM card of another carrier and see if the phone tries to boot up..you can even use a foreign SIM card even if the carrier has no roaming arrangement in the US. If the phone is locked, it will not even reach the searching stage. It will simply say something to the effect wrong SIM card.

One other quick point. I have read that many of the Cingular GSM world phones they sell are unlocked. I believe therefore the Sony Ericsson T616 Cingular sells (850/1800/1900) is unlocked. I believe but somebody else would have to verify that as I have no first hand knowledge of dealing with Cingular.

AT&T WS GSM phones are locked and as noted the creeps at AT&T will under no circumstances, no matter how long you have had the misfortune to do business with them, provide unlock codes. After 3 months on T mobile, they will provide unlock codes for free. Can you use a T mobile unlocked phone on AT&T. Yes but remember AT&T has many GSM areas where they use 850 exclusively and the T mobile phones which don't have 850 won't work.

The good news is that at the end of the year, Cingular and AT&T are merging as Cingular bought AT&T. So it will be interesting to see which direction this unlocking business goes.

Thanks again xyz. But now that you've clarified the bands on the Nokia 3100 I'm not sure what to do. My choices at this point seem to be: 1) get the Nokia 3100 from Cingular (my current provider, so I can get it for $50 by signing a new contract) and getting it unlocked on line. I am going to Florence, Venice, Prague and Lake Como. Do you think missing the 900 band will be a problem?

My other option seems to be to buy an unlocked Motorola V66 which claims to have 900/1800/1900 on ebay which I might be able to get for about $90.

I travel to Europe about twice a year for a total of about a month, so I don't want to spend too much, especially since in a year or two these phones will be rather outdated. But the convience of having the cell phone and the economics of having my family be able to call me for only 3 cents a minute make getting some cell phone seem desirable. What do you think I should do? Thanks

Isabel..

I don't really think the lack of 900 should be a big deal but there might be isolated places it could be a problem. Also is it your intention to buy a prepaid SIM or use Cingular international roaming? Also evidently your trip is concentrating on Italy with a trip to Prague. Your decision will be based on how long you will be staying in various countries, whether you will be making or receiving calls etc.

You might wish to take a look at www.prepaidgsm.net and look at the policies of the various countries which also list the bands.

Sorry I can't be of further help as I am not to familiar with Italy and Czech Republic.

Wow XYZ! Thia same problem has been irking me!! Thank you so much for your detailed explanation here. It is much appreciated! I am sure by all...

AI have the opposite situation though: I live in Europe and all the great phonse in Belgium cost upward of 500 euro. I wanted to get one in the US, but to get a good deal (under $200), you need to subscribe with a local carrier..I do not even have a problem with that- I'll subscribe, I need coverage in the US - but I also want to be able to put that SIM card in Europe and not pay for roaming..

Question: do you know where I might be able to get software to unlock Samsung phones?

Thanks

At present, for the most part, the only phones where there is a calculator of unlocking codes is Nokia (Siements has such a calculator for a few but not all of its models). For other manufacturers you will need assistance in the form of a cable and special software to come up with the unlocking code. I presume hackers have been working on the problem but so far have not solved this problem.

It is interesting that Nokia's unlocking codes are so readilly available. Nokia is a Finnish country and in Finland, mobile phone use is the highest in the world. And none of the Finnish carriers feel it necessary to pull this locking garbage.

I have found relatively good prices at www.expansys.com for phones. You can check if they have phones available for shipping to Belgium.

Pay as you go is not as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world. You will probably find it difficult to get a contract with a US mobile provider. Virgin mobile has an operation in the US but interestinglty enough, it is not GSM. T mobile also has an operation here but they do not make their best phones available. Mobile operators try to justify the locking of phones with their asinine claim the phones they sell are heavily subsidized yasa yada yada.

Of course, again, if it is a Nokia unlocking is no problem.

Thanks again xyz. I will be in ITaly for 12 days and Prague for 5 days. My plan was to get an Italin SIM card once I got to Florence and then be able to receive free calls from my family back home. I would only rarely use it to place calls. In Prague I was probably going to just use a phone card and not talk to them too much, it seems a waste to get a SIM card for only five days. I am on a budget. So since you think the lack of the 900 band won't be a problem I guess I'm off to Cingular to see if I can get a Nokia 3100. Wish me luck.

Shop on the Cingular products website then see if you can get the same phone from www.amazon.com for less.

That is how I got a Sony Ericsson T300 gsm phone for $0.01 AND a $20 rebate, then I activated it myself with T-Mobile. (the instructions are given with the phone order page on Amazon). I haven't asked them to unlock it - we've only made about 30 total minutes of calls in two trips, billed at their int'l rate of $0.99/min.

Here's another option that worked for me - look on eBay for an unlocked triband (or quad band if you want to pay the price). I picked up a nice Motorola v60i that works well in Europe and the US. Just be sure it is triband GSM before you purchase.
As to the AT&T international roaming - when you factor in the up front cost of a SIM card (nearly $50) and the per minute rates to call to the US, it may be worth it just to go with AT&T's plan - we did, and it was fine. You can add the option to your plan for the month you wil travel then drop it when you return. Aside from the hassle of keeping track of SIM cards, the advantage is that anyone calling you just dials your regular (US) number. If you get a Swiss SIM, US callers will have to dial (and pay for) a Swiss number.
I recognize that this could cost a wee bit more than going the Swiss SIM route, but for me it was worth it to keep things simple.

Good point...but it depends on country, carrier, length of visit. I think for a 2 week visit to Italy, given Italian rates, it pays to go the local SIM route. Depending on your set up at honme, you can do things like get an international 800 number and use their forwarding so folks can dial your local number or you can text message your italian number. As far as high price of calls to US, again that is country dependent. For example, in the UK it costs only 20p a minute to call North America with calls timed to the second if you use Virgin Mobile. And the Virgin Mobile service pack costs only £10 with £5 worth of call credit whereas Switzerland might be more expensive.

That is why you have to do your homework and there is no simplistic answer as much as somebody such as myself might think he or she is such an expert!

Message: Here's another option that worked for me - look on eBay for an unlocked triband (or quad band if you want to pay the price). I picked up a nice Motorola v60i that works well in Europe and the US. Just be sure it is triband GSM before you purchase.
As to the AT&T international roaming - when you factor in the up front cost of a SIM card (nearly $50) and the per minute rates to call to the US, it may be worth it just to go with AT&T's plan - we did, and it was fine. You can add the option to your plan for the month you wil travel then drop it when you return. Aside from the hassle of keeping track of SIM cards, the advantage is that anyone calling you just dials your regular (US) number. If you get a Swiss SIM, US callers will have to dial (and pay for) a Swiss number.
I recognize that this could cost a wee bit more than going the Swiss SIM route, but for me it was worth it to keep things simple.


I did the same thing - got two unlocked tri-band phones on ebay. One is already in Italy with an Italian SIM card purchased there (as the users will be in Italy for 5 weeks). We have already spoken to them, and it worked fine. The other we will use with AT&T international roaming - just for emergencies and to make a couple of calls to the US and to the Italian cell phone. We'll cancel the international service when we get back.

I have just gotten an unlocked GSM quad band phone on eBay (Nec 525). I will be on a Mediterranean cruise with pre and post days in Spain and Italy and will visit the UK, Spain, France, Monaco, and Italy. It's pretty expensive to buy a separate SIM card for each country, so I have been researching the Orange prepaid international SIM card. Have any of you used it?

http://www.110-220volts.com/SIM_INTL_orange_DTL.shtml