Why is it such a PITA to buy a SIM??

Because you didn't make them more money by buying a phone.

Seriously though, it's a shame on how much different it is. I do know due to the Homeland Security policies, they do have to have your Name, address & some other form of ID, such as your SS# or DL# and your SS# isn't used for a credit check.
Where in some other countries they don't care who buys the SIM's & is why they have these bombing issues etc... i

As for having to enter your Chocolate's info, maybe because they put you down as having your own GSM phone & something is required in the system to activate the card, if you didn't have your GSM phone, they had to enter something.

I know for T-Mobile I asked the Manager how to get a pre-paid SIM, while I was inspecting the place & he said I would need basically the same info you mentioned & it would cost me $50.00 + and include 10 Minutes of time. So they seem to be close on this.

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Nokia6010/1.0 (8.62) Profile/MIDP-1.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0)

That's sad. It's easier and cheaper to buy a prepaid package than a sim only. Cingy sells the C139 for 30 bucks and you get a few minutes of airtime on top of it. If an extra wasn't needed, simply sell the phone on ebay. It's also sad that initial customer service was lousy.

 

I guess that's why buying SIM on eBay is so much more attractive. The overall wait is longer, but you don't want to kill anybody the whole time you're waiting... I've got to say that in Russia even with them writing down your passport information it takes just a few minutes. The envelope they give you contains all the information including the phone number, you pay about $7 for a SIM with $5 credit on it and you're on your way.

 

But the Chocolate is a CDMA phone and doesn't have an IMEI. The Chocolate would have an ESN instead. How can they even put that in the system?

What about just buying the SIM on Ebay and then take it to the store for activation? I don't know, but maybe you could've done it by phone.

 

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The mod has a GSM chocolate

 

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/3.0.6306/1558; en; U; ssr))

The mod has a GSM chocolate

 

It's probably possible to activate online, too.

 

i just bought a moto phone and sim at sam's club for 29.00. but now you can get one at walmart for 19.99. comes with 10.00 in air time.

 

I didn't know LG had made a GSM chocolate. I hope it is not as bad as other LG's.

 

Everybody with a CDMA LGs I know loves their phones. The rumor has it GSM LGs are nowhere near the quality of CDMA, or at least the ones that were available from AT&T Wireless and Cingular weren't. The new CU 500 though doesn't seem to get such a bad rap as the older GSM LG models.

 

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This reflects my LG experience. My basic VX3300 was decent... But my L1150 was a mess! The screen messed up after 4 months and Cingy did nothing 4 me since I was a prepaid customer at the time.

 

ZaphodB;

Two words HOMELAND SECURITY. Prepaid SIMS where what was used in Madrid when the trains were bombed. Hope this makes sense.

 

That makes sense as far as taking some of that information down is concerned. It does absolutely nothing to excuse over an hour to get him on his way.

 

Besides, he could have walked into walmart and walked out with phone and sim in under 20 minutes activated.

 

Most of the Cingular authorized resellers, in my area, will set you up with a prepaid SIM (includes $10 airtime), for $25. Sounds like the OP unluckily hit a shady outfit. I've heard it reported that some Corp stores will give the SIM for free, and just charge for the initial $10 of airtime.

 

that doesnt make much sense because when i got Boodt they didnt ask for my SSN??????weird but the homeland security thing does make sense....

 

at walmart no name or ssn is needed.

 

walmart sells individual SIM cards ?!?!?!?!

 

no its a prepaid phone for 19.99.w/10.00 air time.

 

ohhh..........yeah.......sure prepaid phone never need an SSN........all they need is your name and birth age

 

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Here in oklahoma they did not ask for anything except money.

 

for a SIM sure but when you go to activate your new prepaid phone they will ask for name and birthdate and thats all they really need.......the rest is for mail outs and account notifications when they ask for and email and address............also the address is to figure out your billing area and to give you a local number so really alll the need is your name birthdate and address......anything else that would be mandatory???

 

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Oh ok. ive bought several but never activef one.

 

wait............youve bought several prepaid handsets but never activated one?????!!!!!!!!..............why?

 

He probably just puts SIMS he already has in them. No sense getting a new number and paying more. Besides, WG is a phone junkie.




SW