SIM card question.

[Chilton Gaines]

I have a friend here from Italy and he's got an Italian cell on Voda fone. Is there an easy switch to get him a SIM card that will accept calls from Europe and such? Any help would be appreciated.

[supercilious]

need to get the phone unlocked and use a rogers pre-paid sim card if the italian sim wont receive calls here

[darkside flow]

Vodaphone Italy's phones use GSM 900/1800 and HSPA 2100 frequencies. Basically what this means is that the phone is likely not designed to access our 850/1900 mhz networks, even if a local SIM is inserted.

Now depending on the phone he has, it may well be compatible, but I couldn't say without looking at it.

Is his phone getting any service while on in Canada with his Vodaphone SIM?

[sp]

sim cards don't operate on different frequencies, phones do. if he has a quad band phone it will work here with a rogers sim. i've done the opposite in europe with a north american phone.

[darkside flow]

no, they don't, but if he has a phone that doesn't operate on the frequencies then no matter what sim card he has it will not work.

from what i can tell, chilton's friend's phone won't work and he's wondering if he just needs to switch to a supported sim card.

[supercilious]

Vodaphone Italy's phones use GSM 900/1800 and HSPA 2100 frequencies. Basically what this means is that the phone is likely not designed to access our 850/1900 mhz networks, even if a local SIM is inserted.

Now depending on the phone he has, it may well be compatible, but I couldn't say without looking at it.

Is his phone getting any service while on in Canada with his Vodaphone SIM?

I've had a friend use an italian phone here with a rogers sim.... worked just fine

[darkside flow]

I may have misinterpreted the original question. I suppose the issue is simpler than I was making it out to be.

I took it to mean the phone wasn't working with his Italian SIM in Canada and he was looking for a local SIM to make it work. It's probably true that the phone works fine and he just wants to set up a temporary plan so that he can receive calls from abroad and not have to use Vodafone roaming.

If this is the case, then yes, unlock the phone and choose any prepaid carrier that uses a SIM card.

[Chilton Gaines]

thank you for all the input. checking it out tonight at oakville place. EZ

[sp]

synopsis: go to Seven Eleven :P