Hi All, Just picked up a used AT&T wireless Nokia 3595 on eBay without a SIM card. I talked with my wireless provider Cingular about the SIM cards and they stated I could use virtually any NEW sim card and it would work on the phone. They want $20 for them but I see plenty on eBay for less than half that amount. I just want to varify here that they're the same and also I see some stating 32k cards... what's the difference with that? Anyone here able to set me straight? Thanks, Larry
If your used phone is an AT&T phone, then it is locked. AT&T has policy not to unlock phones. This means that your phone will only work with AT&T SIM cards. There are unlocking services which will unlock your phone for a fee. After unlocking, the phone will work with any SIM card. You can get either contract (post paid) or Pre-Paid SIM cards. The SIM card includes the telephone number. Pre-Paid SIM cards can be re-charged when the minutes run out.
Thanks Bug, So, do I have to get a cingular card or will any unused card suffice? I believe I read about codes that will unlock the phones, I guess I should have done more reading before I purchased the phone but only paid $31+$6 shipping...... Larry
www.nokiafree.com -- why pay? Check the listing before it expires and goes away to see if it's unlocked. Alternately, find a friend with a Cingular or T-Mobile phone and put their SIM card in your phone. If it prompts for a code, it's locked. If it registers on the network, no problem. Now for the bad news. If you don't already have GSM phone service, you are going to need to get your own (new) SIM card. Buying SIM cards over eBay is stupid... the point of a SIM card is to store information about YOUR account, like your phone number, and to store YOUR names, numbers, ringtones, text messages, &c. If you already have a GSM phone on Cingular, and your new eBayed phone is unlocked, take the SIM card out of your phone (it's behind the battery) and put it in the slot in the new phone with the metal contacts facing inwards. It will only go in one way -- that's what the tab cutaway is for -- then replace the battery and power up the phone. It should register on the Cingular network. Depending on the age of the phone and the age of the SIM card, it may not display the correct information (for example, when I put my T-Mobile SIM in my old unlocked V3682 from Cingular, it says it's registering on Cingular Wireless and is roaming, when it's actually on T-Mobile and is in home mode), but it will be working just as if it were in your old phone. Be careful -- I believe Cingular program their phones to say "Cingular Extend" when you're in home-airtime areas but are not on Cingular's own network. An unlocked phone most likely will NOT say "Cingular Extend", it will say "T-Mobile" or "AT&T" or even "Voicestream".
An unlocked phone will read Cingular Extend when on another network regardless, the carrier display on the phone is controlled by the SIM card, not the phone. If you have a GSM National Plan with Cingular or a GSM America plan with AT&T, you don't have to worry anyway, as there are no roaming or long distance charges, period.
Does anyone know where to get a Motorola unlocked for free? I've found places but I don't feel like paying $15-$40 just because it's a V600, lol.
ok i need help than i got a motorola prepaid sim caard and it locked up the number on back says TFSIMC4890141060773856039 can you help?
What do you mean the SIM locked up? The others were posting about using a SIM in an unlocked phone & this was 3 years ago. Also no one can do anything from here with a SIM card, so posting it's number is a moot point.
