Sim Cards

[doctormann]

Hi

Sorry if these questions have been covered before - I've done the search but I'm still not sure:

1. If I take my Nokia 3210 to the UK can I easily buy and fit a sim card for a UK network (rather than having to buy the whole phone) and will the phone then work OK in the UK? This is an alternative to enabling the phone for international roaming (AIS) as this, I'm told, results in high call costs.

2. If I buy a new phone in UK (maybe can get a good duty-free price) will it work back in Thailand if I fit an AIS sim card? I've heard something about needing to get the phone 'unlocked' but I'm not sure what this is all about.

Any help or advice appreciated.

DM

[Mobi]

Hi

Sorry if these questions have been covered before - I've done the search but I'm still not sure:

1. If I take my Nokia 3210 to the UK can I easily buy and fit a sim card for a UK network (rather than having to buy the whole phone) and will the phone then work OK in the UK? This is an alternative to enabling the phone for international roaming (AIS) as this, I'm told, results in high call costs.

2. If I buy a new phone in UK (maybe can get a good duty-free price) will it work back in Thailand if I fit an AIS sim card? I've heard something about needing to get the phone 'unlocked' but I'm not sure what this is all about.

Any help or advice appreciated.

DM

You can definitely use a Thai mobile in the Uk. My daughter has bought (or rather I bought) a couple over here and used them back in England. I took a Nokia back last year and used an English Sim while I was there.

I'm almost certain that you have to do something to Uk phones to get them to take Thai Sims. I had one that I gave to a Thai friend and he uses it here, but I think he had to have something unlocked. I'm sure someone can confrm that - or otherwise.

[bluedragon]

If you Thai phone is unlocked, you can take it anywhere there is a GSM system, as long as the frequency matches i.e. 850,900, 1600, and I forgto the other.

I have an unlocked RAZR and have taken it to Thailand and the US and no prblem.

If you have a LOCKED phone, you should be able to get it unlocked a cell phone shop.

Regards, Mike

[Mobi]

If you Thai phone is unlocked, you can take it anywhere there is a GSM system, as long as the frequency matches i.e. 850,900, 1600, and I forgto the other.

I have an unlocked RAZR and have taken it to Thailand and the US and no prblem.

If you have a LOCKED phone, you should be able to get it unlocked a cell phone shop.

Regards, Mike

I'm sure you know far more about it than me. but as I said, my daughter took two of them to England at different times, and I took mine last year. Didn't do any unlocking or anything to the phones before we went (2 were Nokias , one was a Samsung), just popped into Tescos in England, bought pay as you go sims, and we were up and running.

[sbk]

Phones are locked by the provider usually when you get the phone through them in a contract, ie two year contract, get a free phone (locked to that provider of course).

No company in Thailand gives free phones, you have to buy a phone before you can get service here, hence they should all be unlocked.

[JohnC]

I have a O2 samsung E350 and when in Thailand I bought a one2call sim and just slotted it in and it works fine, when I come back to UK I just put the O2 sim card in and back to normal. The only thing with one2call is if you dont activate it after your credit expires they will close your number after 3 months and you can't add credit from UK so it depends how often you travel to Thailand whether you put loads of credit on it and extend the dates. Mind you a new sim card can be bought for 350 baht so no big deal. Better than a new phone!

Edited April 7, 2006 by JohnC