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Pureza · 07-01-2005, 7:05 PM

I am working on getting my Tracfone to work, but if it doesn't, I would like to try and take my phone to another carrier.

Would it be possible to take a Nokia 1100 and use it with Cingular's prepaid service? I don't have a clue if Tracfone's phones are unlocked. I also don't know if Cingular will work with the Nokia 1100. If they can, couldn't they just give me a SIM card that would work on their service?

Any help would be appreciated.

EdwardP · 07-01-2005, 7:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pureza

I am working on getting my Tracfone to work, but if it doesn't, I would like to try and take my phone to another carrier.

Would it be possible to take a Nokia 1100 and use it with Cingular's prepaid service? I don't have a clue if Tracfone's phones are unlocked. I also don't know if Cingular will work with the Nokia 1100. If they can, couldn't they just give me a SIM card that would work on their service?

Any help would be appreciated.

TracFones would be considered locked, as they have special firmware inside them (same for their Net10 phones). If there is a problem with the TracFone SIM card, they should send you another. Because of the firmware inside them, no other carrier's SIM will work in a TracFone, and only a TracFone SIM will work in a TracFone.

In most (if not all) areas, TracFone activates the Nokia 1100 on Cingular.

Pureza · 07-01-2005, 8:56 PM

That was my Tracfone problem, which is in another thread, they put me on T-Mobile and they don't have no coverage here.

EdwardP · 07-01-2005, 9:09 PM

The only way I could see this happening, is if the phone was purchased directly from TracFone and when ordering, a zip code that was strictly in a T-Mobile area was used. T-Mobile's network is 1900 MHz, the non-TracFone Nokia 1100 phones work on both 850 and 1900. You should call Customer Service, tell them what happened and they should send you a new SIM card that will work on Cingular. Previously, TracFone offered phones that were 1900-MHz only, in T-Mobile service areas, I do not know if this is still the case.

If you purchased one locally (Target, Wal-Mart, RadioShack), the phone would work perfectly in the area that it was purchased. For example, when I input my own zip code at TracFone's web site, the only phone models offered are Motorola and GSM phones, that are activated on Cingular, no CDMA phones. But when I went into a local RadioShack, they offer CDMA TracFones, which in this area, are activated on Verizon.

Andy · 07-01-2005, 10:52 PM

So why does Tracfone lock the SIM to work only on T-Mobile or Cingular in a specific area? Since they say they have a huge calling area, why don't they allow a user to use both networks, even in their home area, when needed?? This doesn't make any sense to me.

DarrylLeeOHS30 · 07-02-2005, 9:17 AM

Yea, I don't get that either Andy. Tracfone here has always been a little messed up for example:

They sold TDMA phones , and when you left the county, it was considered roaming. When I had Tracfone i had this phone. I went from my county, to campbell county and it was consdered roaming... but I was still within eloqui's network on an Eloqui tower.

They sell GSM phones here, and we don't even have GSM service yet.

needless to say tracfone doesn't have very many customers in my area..

EdwardP · 07-02-2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy84094

So why does Tracfone lock the SIM to work only on T-Mobile or Cingular in a specific area? Since they say they have a huge calling area, why don't they allow a user to use both networks, even in their home area, when needed?? This doesn't make any sense to me.

Like T-Mobile, Cingular does not have any "native" service in Vermont. Last October, a GSM TracFone activated on Cingular, roamed in Vermont on Unicel, and this past April, a CDMA TracFone activated on Verizon, also roamed on U.S. Cellular in New Hampshire and Vermont.

TracFones will roam on other networks than what they were activated on.

Pureza · 07-02-2005, 2:22 PM

My phone was purchased on their website. Our local Wal-Mart doesn't carry the Nokia 1100, just the Nokia 1221.

Andy · 07-04-2005, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrylLeeOHS30

Yea, I don't get that either Andy. Tracfone here has always been a little messed up for example:

They sold TDMA phones , and when you left the county, it was considered roaming. When I had Tracfone i had this phone. I went from my county, to campbell county and it was consdered roaming... but I was still within eloqui's network on an Eloqui tower.

They sell GSM phones here, and we don't even have GSM service yet.

needless to say tracfone doesn't have very many customers in my area..

So what exactly happens to customers that buy GSM phones?? They have to return them because of No Service?? How stupid is that of Tracfone?

07-01-2005, 7:05 PM	#1
Pureza Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid I am working on getting my Tracfone to work, but if it doesn't, I would like to try and take my phone to another carrier. Would it be possible to take a Nokia 1100 and use it with Cingular's prepaid service? I don't have a clue if Tracfone's phones are unlocked. I also don't know if Cingular will work with the Nokia 1100. If they can, couldn't they just give me a SIM card that would work on their service? Any help would be appreciated.

07-01-2005, 8:56 PM	Original Poster #3
Pureza Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid That was my Tracfone problem, which is in another thread, they put me on T-Mobile and they don't have no coverage here.

07-01-2005, 9:09 PM	#4
EdwardP T-Mobile since 2004 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,101 Phone(s): Samsung Gravity Provider(s): T-Mobile Devices: Motorola Bluetooth Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Images: 3	Re: Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid The only way I could see this happening, is if the phone was purchased directly from TracFone and when ordering, a zip code that was strictly in a T-Mobile area was used. T-Mobile's network is 1900 MHz, the non-TracFone Nokia 1100 phones work on both 850 and 1900. You should call Customer Service, tell them what happened and they should send you a new SIM card that will work on Cingular. Previously, TracFone offered phones that were 1900-MHz only, in T-Mobile service areas, I do not know if this is still the case. If you purchased one locally (Target, Wal-Mart, RadioShack), the phone would work perfectly in the area that it was purchased. For example, when I input my own zip code at TracFone's web site, the only phone models offered are Motorola and GSM phones, that are activated on Cingular, no CDMA phones. But when I went into a local RadioShack, they offer CDMA TracFones, which in this area, are activated on Verizon. __________________ T-Mobile: 148,400,000 customers and counting...

07-01-2005, 10:52 PM	#5
Andy Join Date: May 2003 Location: Campione, Italy Posts: 10,290 Phone(s): Blackberry Tour, Motorola RAZR V3i Provider(s): VZW, Vodafone D2, Solomo, Swisscom Mobile Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts Images: 130	Re: Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid So why does Tracfone lock the SIM to work only on T-Mobile or Cingular in a specific area? Since they say they have a huge calling area, why don't they allow a user to use both networks, even in their home area, when needed?? This doesn't make any sense to me.

07-02-2005, 9:17 AM	#6
DarrylLeeOHS30 1,000 Posts - 1/25/07 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Oneida, TN Posts: 1,161 Phone(s): Blackberry Pearl, Red, Pantech Um150 AirCard, LG VX9100 enV2 Provider(s): US Cellular, Verizon Wireless Devices: iPod Touch 16 GB, HP Pavilion DV2700 Notebook Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post My Auctions	Re: Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid Yea, I don't get that either Andy. Tracfone here has always been a little messed up for example: They sold TDMA phones , and when you left the county, it was considered roaming. When I had Tracfone i had this phone. I went from my county, to campbell county and it was consdered roaming... but I was still within eloqui's network on an Eloqui tower. They sell GSM phones here, and we don't even have GSM service yet. needless to say tracfone doesn't have very many customers in my area..

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07-02-2005, 2:22 PM	Original Poster #8
Pureza Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Taking a Tracfone to Cingular Prepaid My phone was purchased on their website. Our local Wal-Mart doesn't carry the Nokia 1100, just the Nokia 1221.

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