<SPRINT> SIM Card question - Page 2

mikejones13 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 03:39 AM

Mybad, I was saying in the U.S. say you have horrible service...maybe at your job. You want service but can't with sprint. You can buy a pre paid sim card and if you get service say from tmobile, you can use that sim card to have service where you didn't/don't with sprint/cdma. If you are going to just japan and have great service where you are now then all you need to do is buy a prepaid sim card from or in japan, pop it in your phone and your good to go. But I also heard to use data you have to set it up some how. I haven't been out of the country but from what I have seen you would have to set data up

amart79196 · #12 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 04:13 PM

This all makes sense, but WHY does sprint provide you with a SIM card? If I pull it, my phone still works. What is the point of the sprint SIM card??

**japper88** · #13 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 04:26 PM

Since you have a Sprint TP2 you do not need to do anything to be able to use a Japanese GSM sim card with your phone in Japan. Just pop out the Sprint one and pop in a Japanese one. Simple as that.

However, from my understanding I thought part of Japan used CDMA?

fgr · #14 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 05:14 PM

FYI:

I just got back from China. The phone worked just fine "as is". Just be sure to call sprint and explain what you are doing. They had to enable the international capabilities for my account (not the phone). Doesn't cost anything, they just did it.

Calling home was expensive, $2/min. I thought about buying a sim card in China, but never got around to it, I was to busy.

Data worked fine also, but it was $.002/kb.

Gotta go eat Thanksgiving dinner with the family, or I'd explain a little more. Sprint customer service was very helpful when I called them. I wanted to be sure everything would work BEFORE I got there and everything did just like they said.

The Lance · #15 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 05:48 PM

uh you don't even need a sim card for your TP2 or any CDMA phone to roam internationally in Japan.. They use CDMA over there too...

amart79196 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 05:58 PM

But what is the purpose of the Sprint SIM card?? Is there any need for it at all?

**japper88** · #17 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amart79196

But what is the purpose of the Sprint SIM card?? Is there any need for it at all?

To make money off you!!! Also some corporate clients have deals with Sprint where they pay a lower rate (than us regular folks) when they roam abroad. Basically meaning Sprint has made some deals with international GSM carriers so the Sprint GSM card picks up their signal. Sprint then charges you "international roaming" rates they set. This probably works well for frequent international business travelers who go all over the world on short trips (buying GSM cards for every country would be a pain).

When I go to China/Hong Kong I just but a disposable GSM sim card (only a few bucks) that I fill up (similar to pay as you go services in the U.S.).

The best thing about the TP2 is you don't have to call Sprint or anything if you want to just use your own GSM sim card internationally. Just put it in and go!