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Thread ID: 68699	2006-05-08 04:14:00	Prepaid Cell Phone	vodafone (9466)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
453173	2006-05-08 04:14:00	I posted this elsewhere but didnt get any replies so will appreciate if someone can advise or has had similar experience. Cheers ============================== I plan on taking my NZ Mobile Motorola E398 which is with Vodafone on Prepay . the phone lists as being tri band etc. Has someone used a prepaid vodafone from NZ in US. Whats the procedure of gettting it changed to use it there. Is it as simple as Swapping NZ SIM with US SIM....do they even have a SIM card If this phone can be used US, whats the cheapest and quickest way of getting it switched to US phone carrier. Is there a recommended phone company in US. Also when i get to NZ i just want to pop the SIM back in it and use as before	vodafone (9466)
453174	2006-05-08 04:25:00	Should work, what you plan to do. If they have prepay over there.	KiwiTT_NZ (233)
453175	2006-05-08 04:59:00	Just simply change your sim card while your US.I buy my mobiles all the time from Hk.You just change the simcards whatever country you are from. You could do global roaming with your prepay sim card though.I remembered I sent 10 texts while i was in hong kong for xmas to a vodafone nz mobile and it costed me $100 on my vodafone bill.lol So take care if u do use global roaming	Ninjabear (2948)
453176	2006-05-08 05:01:00	So take care if u do use global roamingConcur with that. Only useful if you need to retain your own number (i.e. for business, then it will probably not be prepaid)	KiwiTT_NZ (233)
453177	2006-05-08 05:08:00	Google finds it for you e.g. www.cellularabroad.com The only "problem" you might face is if your NZ phone is "locked" to NZ prepay, but not sure how common that is these days. If it was purchased as a prepay at a lower price than just as a handset, it could be locked. If just purchased as a handset, for which you bought a prepay pack and sim, should be fine. Just make sure one of the "tri-bands" is 1900 MHz as mentioned in the link.	godfather (25)
453178	2006-05-08 05:10:00	Since you have a tri-band phone, yep, all you need to do is change the SIM card. Show your phone to a knowledgeable person in the SIM card store to be sure the SIM card you are getting will be OK. But all you need to do is to check that it is the same size and that it fits. I have done this in India, Malaysia, China and Thailand - and my Vodafone cellphone did just fine. In each country the sales person actually inserted the SIM and registered it. Inserting the SIM is no problem but dealing with foreign languages can be tricky. What about your charger? Either get a small convertor from DSE (240 v to 120 v) or get a new charger in the USA. BTW, I think in the States you pay for calls received, not made. As NinjaBear says, global roaming is to be avoided - a real rip-off !	Strommer (42)
453179	2006-05-08 05:17:00	The only "problem" you might face is if your NZ phone is "locked" to NZ prepay, but not sure how common that is these days. If it was purchased as a prepay at a lower price than just as a handset, it could be locked. If just purchased as a handset, for which you bought a prepay pack and sim, should be fine. I have always wondered if NZ has "locked" cellphones. "vodafone", do us a favour and ring Vodafone and ask them if your phone is locked, or if any on Pre-Pay are ever locked or any on Plans - and tell us. Thanks. :thumbs: BTW, in Asia evidently it is easy-peasy to find a techie who will unlock your phone in about half a minute. These techies often set up shop smack on the footpath alongside the local footpath hot food vendor, watch repairer, locksmith, and fruit seller and jeweller! Over here if your cellphone goes on the blink you basically throw it away and get another since the cost of repairs is so high but in Asia they fix whatever for cheap.	Strommer (42)
453180	2006-05-08 05:18:00	All the sim cards are the same size. Vodafone sells mobile which are unlocked so you can feel safe using your mobile overseas. I only used global roaming because if there was something special happening my auntie could call me + it was my first time bak in hk for 14 years now and I didn't have a sim card.If i get robbed or get lost at the airport I could ring my father. But yeah avoid global roaming costed me like $4 per minute and costed $2 a minute for me to receive a call	Ninjabear (2948)
453181	2006-05-08 05:18:00	Thanks GF and everyone, I bought the phone from parallel Imported ( Never will i buy anything from them again) last year and i got a separate SIM pack from Vodafone store. Just need to find right phone provider when i get to LA. I have did some search on net for T-Mobile/Cingular. Will Only be travelling 3 states - Washington/Ohio/California so i just hope the provider i get in LA provides coverage in these 3 states. Cheers	vodafone (9466)
453182	2006-05-08 05:19:00	I have always wondered if NZ has "locked" cellphones . "vodafone", do us a favour and ring Vodafone and ask them if your phone is locked, or if any on Pre-Pay are ever locked or any on Plans - and tell us . Thanks . :thumbs: BTW, in Asia evidently it is easy-peasy to find a techie who will unlock your phone in about half a minute . These techies often set up shop smack on the footpath alongside the local footpath hot food vendor, watch repairer, locksmith, and fruit seller and jeweller! Over here if your cellphone goes on the blink you basically throw it away and get another since the cost of repairs is so high but in Asia they fix whatever for cheap . I wouldn't do an unlock even if locked mobiles . I wouldn't trust the shops either who knows what they will do with your mobile . Not all shops are dodgy but you never can be sure I rather buy my phones unlocked and official:)	Ninjabear (2948)
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