new razr phone

[debbiemetler]

Hello I'm new to this forum and trying to figure out my new cell phone. I have a new razr phone and my reason for buying it is to use in France this summer. My question is should I buy a sim card to use this phone (it came without one) and how do I go about that? Does a sim card include service? Do I have to have a provider here to have service? My old cell phone was a virgin party animal and I did the pay as you go service. When I go on my vacation to France, do I just take my sim card out and replace it with a sim card that I buy in France? According to what I was reading the sim card that from France will provide me with a phone number and service while I am there. TIA for any info, for I am indeed on a learning curve.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by debbiemetler

Hello I'm new to this forum and trying to figure out my new cell phone. I have a new razr phone and my reason for buying it is to use in France this summer. My question is should I buy a sim card to use this phone (it came without one) and how do I go about that? Does a sim card include service? Do I have to have a provider here to have service? My old cell phone was a virgin party animal and I did the pay as you go service. When I go on my vacation to France, do I just take my sim card out and replace it with a sim card that I buy in France? According to what I was reading the sim card that from France will provide me with a phone number and service while I am there. TIA for any info, for I am indeed on a learning curve.

Debbie, first off, welcome to the forums.

You need a SIM card for your phone to work, so your options to sign up with in Florida are AT&T and T-Mobile. You can have service with them either prepaid, like Virgin, or postpaid with or without a contract. You pay for the SIM, you'll be issued a number and that's it.

When you go to France, the cheapest way to use service there is to buy a prepaid SIM while you're there. You could use your AT&T or T-Mobile number, but in the case of both of them, the international roaming rates can be frighteningly expensive, which is why using a prepaid SIM would be more cost-effective for you.

There are other prepaid options out there for your GSM phone, but you can research this yourself so you know what's available in your area of Florida.

If you have any other questions, just ask!

[debbiemetler]

Thank you for your response. I have been looking online for a sim card. I have found several on ebay from T-moblie and At&t, the term the sellers are using to describe them are activated and unactivated. What does an activated Sim mean or an unactivated? I would really like just to be able to buy a sim card and put it in the phone and have it work. Is that possible or do I need to take a trip to T-mobile?

Thanks,
Debbie

[RadioRaiders]

Don't buy a US pre-paid SIM card, because then you'll have to pay heavy roaming fees while traveling abroad. Buy a pre-paid SIM card when you get to France. I was just in france and was looking at the pre-paid plans from Bouygues and they don't last very long ie: you have to put a minimum of 15 EUR every month on the account to keep it active. SFR and Orange are the other 2 big providers in France. I asked in a shop and they said I needed to pay 30 EUR for the SIM card, which seemed kinda steep. In Germany you get a SIM card with 10 EUR credit that is good for 1 year. In Switzerland you can get SIM cards for 5 EUR that are also valid for 1 year.

Originally Posted by debbiemetler

My old cell phone was a virgin party animal and I did the pay as you go service. .

Where did you get the pay-as-you-go service from a virgin party animal?

[debbiemetler]

I bought the virgin party animal (Kryocera phone) from Best Buy and then went online and added minutes. I've had that phone for about 5 yrs. The virgin phone is a cdma and won't work in europe. I was just trying to be able to use the new razr phone that I bought now and then when I go to France get another sim card and use it there, and when I come back home put the first sim card in it and use it until whenever. My friend is going to France too and we are staying in different hotels but want to catch up with each other daily. I hope I can find something cheaper than 30eur for a sim card there. I'll look at the site, suggested. I still don't know the difference between an activated sim and an unactivated. My question is for the razr to work here can I get a sim card from t-mobile online with acess to a provider and time for use in the states ?

Debbie

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by debbiemetler

I bought the virgin party animal (Kryocera phone) from Best Buy and then went online and added minutes. I've had that phone for about 5 yrs. The virgin phone is a cdma and won't work in europe. I was just trying to be able to use the new razr phone that I bought now and then when I go to France get another sim card and use it there, and when I come back home put the first sim card in it and use it until whenever. My friend is going to France too and we are staying in different hotels but want to catch up with each other daily. I hope I can find something cheaper than 30eur for a sim card there. I'll look at the site, suggested. I still don't know the difference between an activated sim and an unactivated. My question is for the razr to work here can I get a sim card from t-mobile online with acess to a provider and time for use in the states ?

Debbie

If you get a SIM card from T-Mobile, you'll have T-Mobile service (whether it's prepaid, postpaid contract or no-contract). You can't get a T-Mobile SIM for use with anyone else. It doesn't work that way (that I know of).

I wouldn't trust SIMs sold on eBay. You get a SIM card from the carrier whose service you wish to use. I don't know of many GSM-based prepaid carriers out there, but there are some. Even so, T-Mobile and AT&T have pretty good prepaid plans, which may work out well for you before you head to France.