International cell phone SIM

[JugglingMonkeys]

at present i have individual nation SIM cards that i put into an unlocked GSM phone when i visit certain countries.

But i'd like to get another SIM card that will cover many nations. An international SIM card.

any ideas?

best one would be:
no min usage
no monthly fees
top up from the web
does not use a "callback" system

[porsche060]

perhaps ebay?

[JugglingMonkeys]

Originally Posted by porsche060

perhaps ebay?

it would be a company that sells the SIMS and then sells additional minutes for them on an as-needed basis.

[Harshal]

normally those with multiples countries and multiple number on on SIM card are expensive.
Per minute rate is expensive on them as well.

[JugglingMonkeys]

i have seen some cheap ones advertised but don't remember where. Didn't keep them.

I'm hoping the wisdom of this board might come to my assistance here.

[TxHockeyGuy]

Originally Posted by JugglingMonkeys

i have seen some cheap ones advertised but don't remember where. Didn't keep them.

I'm hoping the wisdom of this board might come to my assistance here.

I looked into it briefly but it was just more expensive than I wanted. It was per minute and if I used it back in the states at all it was at $3.00 per minute. If I did something like this I'd like it to be usable as a second phone, and at $3.00 per minute here it is not usable. I found the best results by doing a google search on "international sim". There rates for other countries were more reasonable, but given how little I'd use the sim/phone it just didn't make sense for me. I also looked into getting a prepaid phone here and trying to take it international, no go. Sad, AT&T sells prepaid phones which advertise international bands, but they don't allow them to work on international roaming and are no doubt sim locked to their network. So what's the point?

[Jaymeany]

I was just thinking about this topic. I have cingular / at&t and was wondering how to use my phone on vacation. Have you asked the actual cell phone company? (I assume you have) What did they say. I don't want to wait a half hour for another CS Rep to be like "what are you talking about?" How do people in business use their blackberrys all over? I saw people from the US using theirs in anguilla when we were there in June. I am very interested in this, I will check my anguilla stuff because I remember there was some local cell phone service that would allow you to use there network for a fee (I think they unlock your phone).

[TxHockeyGuy]

Originally Posted by Jaymeany

I was just thinking about this topic. I have cingular / at&t and was wondering how to use my phone on vacation. Have you asked the actual cell phone company? (I assume you have) What did they say. I don't want to wait a half hour for another CS Rep to be like "what are you talking about?" How do people in business use their blackberrys all over? I saw people from the US using theirs in anguilla when we were there in June. I am very interested in this, I will check my anguilla stuff because I remember there was some local cell phone service that would allow you to use there network for a fee (I think they unlock your phone).

It depends on where you go. Cingular/at&t is GSM which is a bonus as GSM is the most common international cellular standard. That being said there are 4 GSM frequencies in use, 850, 900, 1800, and 1900. You'll need to be certain your phone supports the frequency in use there, that your carrier has a roaming contract with whatever local carrier is in use, and if your plan allows international roaming. I was strictly looking into pre-paid and I did call the carrier, but you're not talking about pre-paid so that is entirely different.

[nferra2]

My cellphone has always worked in different countries without needing a special sim card. Where are you traveling that a major US carrier doesn't have coverage, or an agreement with a local carrier?

[TxHockeyGuy]

Originally Posted by nferra2

My cellphone has always worked in different countries without needing a special sim card. Where are you traveling that a major US carrier doesn't have coverage, or an agreement with a local carrier?

I'm with Verizon which is CDMA and will not work in Turks and Caicos.