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skyline5k
Shanghai Royalty
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: 8699
Location: i am ERROR
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
Mar 07, 2005 - 11:22 AM |
 
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| Post subject: Using a Chinese Purchased Mobile in the USA |
When I had a mobile in the US, we didn't use simcards at all, though when I purchased my phone here (in Xi'an) I was told that Sony Ericsson DOES work in the US. It's a Z608 model flip-phone.
Has anyone tried this? Anyone ever gotten a sim card in the US? As far as I can tell, they're non existant, or maybe it's just in my small hicktown. |
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peining
Reacher
Joined: July 24, 2004
Posts: 223
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Mar 07, 2005 - 12:02 PM |
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i got my sony ericsson k700 in china. and it works back in the states in san francisco, boston, dc.. and a small, small hicktown in the boony lands of pennsylvania.
i suspect your even your town will have GSM coverage. as long as your phone is a tri-band or quad-band phone, i.e. runs at 1.8G or/and .9G.
unfortunately, getting a sim card in the states is problematic because typically you'll need to sign a year long agreement with a mobile operator, such as sprint, AT&T or T-mobile, etc. by which case, you might as well get a new phone. i have heard of phone rentals plans, but don't know of any pay-as-you-go plans in the US.
hopefully someone else will have some info. |
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peining
Reacher
Joined: July 24, 2004
Posts: 223
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Mar 07, 2005 - 01:05 PM |
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skyline, i forgot to mention that i am on a china mobile plan, and i have no problems with phone coverage in the US as well as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
i don't actually know what the rates are for foreign roaming coverage, as the phone bill is covered by my company. but i try to be considerate and send SMS' wherever i can. in america, i send to friends who are able to receive SMS'. likewise, i am able to receive their SMS'. usually, i'm close enough to a land-line or with a friend so i can borrow their phone. |
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skyline5k
Shanghai Royalty
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: 8699
Location: i am ERROR
Status: Offline
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Mar 07, 2005 - 01:11 PM |
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thanks peining. I'm hoping to just get a temporary simcard, one that I can toss when I come back here. I'm only heading back for about 3 weeks, but I want to be reachable to friends & family.
Last time I was back, I asked the people at CellOne, and they were completely clueless as to what I was talking about. "Sim Card??? What's that?" |
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lucky
LoopKicker
Joined: Feb 26, 2003
Posts: 844
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Status: Offline
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Mar 09, 2005 - 12:42 AM |
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I had the same experience as well. T-Mobile had what they called Starter Kit for GSM, but was asking for USD50 (not including credit, if I am not mistaken). I just kept my Singapore number and did a lot of SMSs.
Roaming charge is quite expensive, better to teach your family and friends to use SMS.  |
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msittig
Rocker
Joined: Oct 06, 2004
Posts: 733
Location: Zhangjiang High-Tech Park
Status: Offline
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Mar 09, 2005 - 06:55 PM |
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If I remember correctly, it's something like:
GSM/SIM cards: T-Mobile, AT&T, Cingular...
CDMA: Sprint, Verizon, Qualcomm...
More here:
http://www.cellular-news.com/coverage/usa.shtml
I was just back in Los Angeles over the Chinese New Year. I had the same experience as skyline5k when I walked into a Sprint office before I knew the above... they were like, "Chinese phone? huh?".
But then I walked into my local T-Mobile office, plunked down USD 25 and received a SIM card with USD 10 of credit, without signing an agreement for any length of time. I could use my Shanghai-purchased tri-band Siemens with no problem. The only disclaimer is that the credit expires within a set time, something like six months, but I believe that's standard practice. |
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Jørgensen_M
Barker
Joined: Mar 08, 2005
Posts: 127
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Mar 09, 2005 - 07:45 PM |
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Hey skyline, I think you already know enough, but for what its worth, it worked for me, I could use my phone bought here in Denmark and other countries as well. With SIM cards. |
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skyline5k
Shanghai Royalty
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: 8699
Location: i am ERROR
Status: Offline
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Mar 19, 2005 - 11:25 AM |
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Thanks, people! Heading back in about 5 weeks, so I'll look into it. |
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good4kicks
LoopKicker
Joined: Jan 20, 2004
Posts: 955
Status: Offline
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Mar 19, 2005 - 11:56 AM |
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For international roaming, China Mobile charges about 1 RMB to send or receive an SMS. The phone call charges for sending or receiving are around 1 USD per minute, or more. |
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emilytt
Reacher
Joined: May 06, 2004
Posts: 279
Location: xiangyang lu
Status: Offline
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Mar 19, 2005 - 09:22 PM |
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just noticed that Yahoo messenger allows text msg to cell phone numbers in the states.. it's very neat.. when the other replies the messenger conversation window pops up.. fast and easy.. free too.. |
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