SIM swap or activate?

[statdoc]

I just spent quite a while talking with 4 different people on the Sprint Customer Service, who couldn't answer a simple question. I asked if I could the SIM from my old Blackberry Bold 9650, and install it in place of the SIM that came pre-installed in my Photon. Or, if it was better to have Sprint ensure that my new SIM was listed on the account. I could not get a straight answer.

In fact, the final straw was when I was told, "You could try it and see if it works." Of course, the only way to discover it if works would be to get on a plane and leave the country to test it!!!

So, accumulated wisdom of AndroidCentral: swap SIM's, or try to get someone at Sprint to ensure the new SIM is listed appropriately on my phone's record?

 

[Razgriz24]

Just a random question...are you talking to regular CS or International CS? I think the international department are the ones who deal with the SIM card stuff.

 

[statdoc]

Just a random question...are you talking to regular CS or International CS? I think the international department are the ones who deal with the SIM card stuff.

The final person I spoke to was the International CS. She was truly just as clueless as possible.

I guess it doesn't matter, really. I posted my Blackberry on eBay this afternoon, and it sold in a couple hours. I have already put it in the mail to the buyer, with the SIM in it. I left the Photon's SIM in place.

Perhaps next time I speak with someone at CS, I will be lucky enough to get someone who can actually make sure my Moto will work when I leave to go overseas, rather than telling me to "just try it".

 

[statdoc]

Well, at long last. I spoke with a lovely woman at the International section of Sprint CS, and she fully understood what I was talking about. She said that even if I had swapped the BB SIM in place of the Photon's SIM, I would have had to call to have them update the SIM number in their system, since their system had already changed over my profile to indicate the SIM in the Photon. In other words, swapping SIM's was not the best idea. Glad I didn't do it!

In addition, being a new phone/SIM, she made sure my account properly indicated I wanted international roaming, for both voice & data.

Why, oh why couldn't I have spoken with Anna on the first call? She has restored my faith in Sprint's CS, in spite of the multiple hits they took at the hands of the prior phone call.

 

[emilm]

Can anyone please answer to my question?
I live in Thailand and want to buy the Photon through Amazon and have it sent to me in Bangkok. Here is the question: Would it work if i just insert my local Thai sim card or the phone needs to be activated by Sprint first? If so I couldn't buy it since Sprint is available only in the US...Can anyone please help? I tried to call Sprint from Bangkok but was put on hold forever, my phone bill will cost as much as the new phone
Thank you,
Emil

 

[Puzzlegal]

Can anyone please answer to my question?
I live in Thailand and want to buy the Photon through Amazon and have it sent to me in Bangkok. Here is the question: Would it work if i just insert my local Thai sim card or the phone needs to be activated by Sprint first? If so I couldn't buy it since Sprint is available only in the US...Can anyone please help? I tried to call Sprint from Bangkok but was put on hold forever, my phone bill will cost as much as the new phone
Thank you,
Emil

From the user manual, and my experience setting up, I think it needs to be activated on sprint. I don't know that, but I would not be comfortable having an unactivated phone shipped to Bangkok.

Do you know anyone in the states who could activate it? Of course, activation comes with a 2-year contract. Maybe try and buy one used on ebay from someone who wants to upgrade to the next phone?

The good news is that once it's activated it is unlocked overseas. I am typing this from Germany, where I just bought the cheapest so card I could find. (I bought voice-only, and the using wifi to access this forum, but I could have bought voice+ data.)

You can contact sprint customer service on-line via a chat interface. That would be a lot more affordable than calling them.

 

[Alik R]

on my way back from china. took me awhile to activate SIM card but once i did, it worked good. the problem is that you have to choose the right GSM settings, automatic doesn't work really well because it selects networks that are far form perfect, especially those that won't provide you with caller ID information. i am leaving for Bangkok in two weeks, will see what happens there...

i spent a significant time on the phone with Sprint International customer service but i am sure if there are any charges, i will be able to wave them

 

[boggs3010#AC]

Can anyone please answer to my question?
I live in Thailand and want to buy the Photon through Amazon and have it sent to me in Bangkok. Here is the question: Would it work if i just insert my local Thai sim card or the phone needs to be activated by Sprint first? If so I couldn't buy it since Sprint is available only in the US...Can anyone please help? I tried to call Sprint from Bangkok but was put on hold forever, my phone bill will cost as much as the new phone
Thank you,
Emil

yes it will work, per my training at motorola.

 

[emilm]

Thank you so much for your help!
I bought a new Photon on Amazon and just put my Thai SIM card in it...at first i got all the Sprint activation requests but once you pass that first stage and select "Automatic" mode on the mobile networks the phone works perfectly. One issue, at first i was having problems with the WIFI getting "Error" but by resetting it it goes away and works fine. It's a bit of a hassle though...:-\

 

[Puzzlegal]

Are you getting data from local 3g?

 

[neal77]

I am in Thailand now and just bought a sim card here and put it in. I downloaded the app called apn global and it knew I was in Thailand and set up the info for the AIS sim card (the app has most of the international networks) on the gsm network. Works great.

 

[odror]

I am in Thailand now and just bought a sim card here and put it in. I downloaded the app called apn global and it knew I was in Thailand and set up the info for the AIS sim card (the app has most of the international networks) on the gsm network. Works great.

Why do you need that app. I should work without it.

 

[willysp]

I am in Thailand now and just bought a sim card here and put it in. I downloaded the app called apn global and it knew I was in Thailand and set up the info for the AIS sim card (the app has most of the international networks) on the gsm network. Works great.

I would not have installed that app - not needed to use a SIM card outside the US.

 

[brianbeatz]

yes it will work, per my training at motorola.

Can I get a us model root it and use it on a Europe gsm network?

 

[neal77]

The app is used to set up the apn (access point names) so you can use the data parts on the phone like email, internet, facebook. It sets up the protocals for you. Without it i could only make calls on the gsm network.