I have an old Nokia mobile phone that I use here in Thailand. Can it be used in the USA with the purchase of a local SIM? Would it need to be unlocked? It doesn't have any ID on it inside and out (that I can see), but it is the type that was once very common here, with the removable covers.

I have an old Nokia mobile phone that I use here in Thailand. Can it be used in the USA with the purchase of a local SIM? Would it need to be unlocked? It doesn't have any ID on it inside and out (that I can see), but it is the type that was once very common here, with the removable covers.

NO the US uses a completely different system. I won't bore you with technical specifications. Your best option if just travelling to the US is to purchase a prepaid PHONE that gives you a certain number of minutes. Pre paid phones are easier to obtain than are pre-paid SIM cards for TRI and QUAD band phones (that can be used in the US)

Trac-fone is one of the major ones and can be found at Wal Mart for around $29

I have an old Nokia mobile phone that I use here in Thailand. Can it be used in the USA with the purchase of a local SIM? Would it need to be unlocked? It doesn't have any ID on it inside and out (that I can see), but it is the type that was once very common here, with the removable covers.

NO the US uses a completely different system. I won't bore you with technical specifications. Your best option if just travelling to the US is to purchase a prepaid PHONE that gives you a certain number of minutes. Pre paid phones are easier to obtain than are pre-paid SIM cards for TRI and QUAD band phones (that can be used in the US)

Trac-fone is one of the major ones and can be found at Wal Mart for around $29

That's not exactly true, the US just use a different GSM frequency band to Europe and Asia. As long ago as 2000 I had a Nokia 8890 which was a tri-band phone and which I used in the US as well as Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

If the Nokia you have is a 'Tri-Band' phone or it supports GSM-1900 it will work in the US.

Thanks for both replies. Don't have a tri-band, so if I decide I need a phone I will go the Wal-mart route.

You should check out att&t--they offer refurbished phones on their site with time as well, for quite reasonable prices.

edit: virgin mobile as well, tracfone can be expensive and doesn't always offer deals.

virgin mobile also offers data plans for pay as you go phones which most of the others dont' seem to offer.

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/phones/phon...do?skuId=VMS200

Thanks for both replies. Don't have a tri-band, so if I decide I need a phone I will go the Wal-mart route.

I got a prepaid great small Samsung for $ 50 in the US. The $ 50 was for the calling fees - the phone was for free. Just go to one of the many phone shops and ask for an offer with phone and not only sim card. The Samsung works without any problems here in Thailand.

Check out how long you can go without refilling too.

I am currently using AT&T prepaid with my iPhone because they have a $100 refill option which has a 1 year expiry. All the other options have much shorter expiration so it will expire while you are away, or you have to remember to get online and refill (if it works - these guys don't have the greatest websites, refilling online was pretty sketchy as recently as 2008...)....

Tri-band phones are dirt cheap so I'd buy one here, then get the SIM in the USA. Unless you go somewhere out in the great wastelands of middle America where AT&T/T-Mobile may not work.

But yeah if you don't mind a crap phone that only works in the USA, you can go with the other networks too...

Thanks for both replies. Don't have a tri-band, so if I decide I need a phone I will go the Wal-mart route.

I got a prepaid great small Samsung for $ 50 in the US. The $ 50 was for the calling fees - the phone was for free. Just go to one of the many phone shops and ask for an offer with phone and not only sim card. The Samsung works without any problems here in Thailand.

Whoops I maybe should have read the whole thread - sounds like you got a great deal there, didn't know they had that in the USA. So I guess it's a tri-band phone? For free? Pretty good deal. What about expiry?

Thanks for both replies. Don't have a tri-band, so if I decide I need a phone I will go the Wal-mart route.

I got a prepaid great small Samsung for $ 50 in the US. The $ 50 was for the calling fees - the phone was for free. Just go to one of the many phone shops and ask for an offer with phone and not only sim card. The Samsung works without any problems here in Thailand.

Whoops I maybe should have read the whole thread - sounds like you got a great deal there, didn't know they had that in the USA. So I guess it's a tri-band phone? For free? Pretty good deal. What about expiry?

My Samsung is a tri-band phone and it was for free. There was no lock and no expiry (at least not one that would have hurt me and I stayed for two months) - but ask when you buy - things change. A problem is that it is very small and the battery is designed to be extremely small - it fits for the phone and the case. So it is hard for this phone to get a battery replacement here in Thailand. But this is not the case for all phones what they provide - you can choose between many. If you want to buy a new battery better buy a new phone ;-) But the battery holds for years.

In respect of the networks over there. I would say in a polite way it is not like Thailand. The US like many companies over there are bankrupt and this leaves traces ;-) In Nevada for instance the phone almost never worked - at least when I did not go to very high hills at certain times. But this has nothing to do with the phone. The company of the phone Samsung is not a US company and I am extremely happy with it :-))) Samsung is not responsible for the networks.