1. is the expiration tied to the onset of use, ie. inserting/activating, or is it "8 months from the purchase date"?

2. once you've started making calls, does a European SIM give any indication when it is going to expire? or do you have to make a note and just remember to top up before a certain date?

thanks....

Different carriers have different policies regarding expiration of their sim cards and normally you get that info on the carrier's web site and to some degree has something to do with the first call you make and your last recharge.

Some expamples...

Virgin Mobile in the UK presumably requires some activity during a 180 day period although it is not clar, at least to me, if the simple act of receiving a call extends the 180 day period. Same is true of Orange UK.

Mobilcarte which is Orange Fr on the initial purchase of a sim card gives you one month of service and then you can retain the number for four months to receive calls. If you recharge for 20€ you get two months of service and then retain the number for six months after that, a 30€ top up gives you three months and you retain the number for six months after that. By retaining the number we mean you can receive calls while in France. At the end of the stated period (two months for a 20€ you lose whatever credit you have but if you top up, the top up increases and includes that credit. After the six month period ends, you have to buy a new sim card and get a new number. Recharging procedures vary among carriers.

Some carriers send you a text message when the sim is about to expire; others don't.

Or you can call a certain number and be told when the card expires or call customer service or whatever.

So there just isn't one answer to the question.

Hi T,

Will you be doing a lot of calling, or is this for emergency use only?

I was wondering about this too but first I have another question. I have inherited an old Nokia 6340i phone that was used with Cingular. Now when I turn it on it asks for a SIM card. will I be able to use this in Italy? Be gentle, since I am no techie

If it has a SIM in it, it's broken. Get another one.

If it doesn't, then you may need to unlock it to get it to accept another carrier's SIM. I don't know Nokia, but most can be unlocked for no cost with a few minutes googling <b>unlock 6340i</b> and looking for a hobbyist site among all the commercial ones.

If not, then mobilefun.co.uk will send you the unlock codes for $2.95

Damn! Looks like it's broken

Telestial.com says of Mobicarte:
&quot;...Mobicarte airtime credit will expire every 2 months, however incoming calls can be received for up to 8 months. If the credit is not used in the 2 months, it is lost. <u>If the mobicarte is not reloaded at least once every 8 months then the SIM card and accompanying phone number will expire</u>...&quot; This doesn't say the SIM has a limited life (ie. end of 6 months).

I'm just looking around right now... have T-Mobile and that works fine...thinking about a 2nd phone or alternate phone; already placed an order for the $49 Mobal phone. Now I'm checking up on the various types of SIMs.

I think I said the same thing kind of...maybe you misinterpreted or I wasn't clear enough...when you lose the phone number the sim card is worthless. You will have to buy a new starter pack and get a new number etc.

I don't really want that hassle so I pick up a few &euro;10 recharge slips when in France (I tend to be there 2 or 3 times a year and don't want to have to let everybody know my number again) and I can recharge from the US. With a 10&euro; recharge I get 15 days which I might or might not use to send some text message (Orange Fr does allow roaming in the US) and then can keep the number for 6 months although if riiing makes it and that is still kind of iffy it will resolve a whole lot of problem.

Incidentally riiing requires an event every 9 months to keep the credit and your number.

Oh, Ok - I just read your example as 'literal'...got it now! Thanks...

ahotpoet -

The answer I gave is incomplete. I have been informed that some phones give the &quot;Insert SIM&quot; message if another carrier's SIM is inserted in a locked phone.

So your Nokia may not be brain-dead, but merely dazed.

Author: Robespierre
Date: 04/03/2005, 02:11 pm
ahotpoet -

The answer I gave is incomplete. I have been informed that some phones give the &quot;Insert SIM&quot; message if another carrier's SIM is inserted in a locked phone.

So your Nokia may not be brain-dead, but merely dazed.

Dear Robes
I have no idea what the problem is with the phone. It has a full charge. I took your advice and did the google thing and it says press #* or 8# blah blah blah so I do and by the time I press # it turns itself OFF. Can you imagine??????????????