Sim Cards???

[plunker]

I have always been with sprint or a local provider. So what is up with the sim card technology?

Does using a sim card let you place your sim in any phone and start using it?

Do you buy different sim cards for different areas and use the same phone??

Just curious. Sprint seems to work or roam just about everywhere so why use a sim card technology?

[Stillrockin]

I have always been with sprint or a local provider. So what is up with the sim card technology?

Does using a sim card let you place your sim in any phone and start using it?

Do you buy different sim cards for different areas and use the same phone??

Just curious. Sprint seems to work or roam just about everywhere so why use a sim card technology?

Hey Plunker, the short answer to all your questions is Yes!

Recent examples. I have an older Nokia Phone, a Treo 650 and a Treo 680. When I bought the 680, I pulled the Sim out of my Wife's Sony, and stuck it in the 650 and she uses it now. No trip to the Cingular store and no calling CS. Sometimes I know I will doing things that aren't exactly "Treo-kind", but I still want a cell phone with me . . So I pull the Sim out of the 680 and drop it in the old Nokia. I don't worry if I get it wet, dirty, muddy or anything else.

Then, you look at the GSM standard. GSM is pretty much dominate throughout the world. And so with a GSM (unlocked) phone, you can plug in a Sim that you buy at an area that you are in. They sell them often in Airports . .

GSM carriers however have a way of making this not this easy. This is when you hear people here talk about being locked or unlocked. Carriers lock the devices they sell to their networks. So you obtain an unlock code from them when you want to use the device on other networks throughout the world.

In a rush here at work, but thought I would take a stab at answering your questions . . .

[plunker]

Thanks for explaining. We have sprint and alltel with one local carrier plateau within two hundred miles. Plateau maybe gsm but I have never seen sim cards with their phones.

[maceyr]

The beauty of GSM is the fact the SIM card contains all your cellular account settings, plan, contact numbers, etc (in that SIM card). So, provided you use ANY non subsidy locked GSM phone that the local carrier supports and put in your SIM card, it will work, just like if you were using your other phone. So, if you use the Treo 650 on Cingular and then borrow a friend's GSM cell phone from Asia and put in the SIM, you can place and receive calls on that Asian phone (again, if it support the local network frequencies). And vice versa with the Asian SIM card on the Cingular phone.

I tend to swap my SIM card with my other cell phone for backup or when travelling. When I visited Hong Kong, I simply buy a local SIM with prepaid minutes and put it in the Treo 650, rather than paying for roaming charges with Rogers. Mind you, I bought the phone in Hong Kong but it wouldn't matter if the phone is unlocked. When I came back, I put in my local Rogers SIM in it and worked.

That's the beauty of GSM and SIM that a lot people who never used it isn't aware of. GSM is absolutely wonderful in my view and I would never want to be be restricted to CDMA and paying hefty roaming charges when travelling and being stuck with THAT particular phone. GSM users have easily changed and upgraded phones at their whim without any problems. Just swap out the SIM card and put it in the new phone. Quick and simple.

[plunker]

Sounds pretty neat to change cards instead of phones. Sprint on my plan has no roaming charges, ld, or data charges. It is all included.

[maceyr]

Yes, it's very nice. I know that a lot of CDMA users love their coverage but the problem arises when you move to somewhere else, where the coverage is spotty and you are stuck with that carrier. Unfortunately, to sign up for another CDMA carrier, you have to sign up for another 3 year contract (even if it's the same phone). Technically, you could use it, but CDMA carriers simply refuse to do so when they can force you to use only their "branded" phones. So, if you move a lot, you may end up with a bunch of phones you don't use anymore because the carriers won't allow you to use them, although they can technically work fine. That's what I have a problem with.

That's the main reason why I insist on GSM carriers. Unfortunately, we only have one national one in Canada. I'm very much hoping that new legislation will release foreign ownership in the telecom sector since we are so behind, and being forced into paying outrageous fees that only fatten the wallet of the carriers. Maybe the new number portability which happens in March may start changing things a bit. But I refuse to go CDMA mainly for that reason. That's also why I refuse to sign any contract and instead buy an unlocked phone.

And the GSM Treo 650 is quad band (850/900/1800/1900) as opposed to 800/1900 for the CDMA Treo 650. So, you may not be able to place or receive calls at some places in the world even if you are willing to pay for roaming charges.

[plunker]

Well I don't need a gsm (no service provider 200 miles) and cdma works for me. I think that both probably work well, just not for you in Canada and the rest of the world. I mainly travel to the big cities on business and my local area is covered pretty well. (again roaming is free for me)

I hope you get more carriers up there. Our plans or contracts are not as long or (sounds like) as expensive as yours.

[maceyr]

I agree that many people find that CDMA carriers offer much better coverage in North America where GSM is spotty or non-existant in many places and thus why CDMA is more popular in North America. As long as where I am has decent GSM coverage, I will continue using GSM because I just hate how CDMA carriers force you to sign for contracts and still force you even after the contract ends to stay with them.

Actually, CDMA is quite popular in Canada too, but I just hate them so I refuse to use them.

Just think of the VHS vs Betamax debate. GSM is VHS and Betamax is CDMA. Just because it's widely adopted in the world doesn't mean it's better.

[plunker]

Sh-t!! I'm a betamax....