Can u use you canadian cell phones in US?

[redBlue 1]

I don't mean the service;I mean the phone itself..or perhaps can the SIM card be changed and be used some how?

Thnx

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

google, the manufacture of the phone and see where they are selling the type of phone that you have. How can anyone answer this question without all of the details about the cellphone. i.e model,type

[Leafgal 3]

I think it also depends on the carrier in the area you are going to be living as well.

[SapphireDreams 71]

If you have a phone on the GSM network with a sim card, the phone just needs to be unlocked and then you can buy a new SIM card for a US network. In the US I know T-Mobile has GSM, AT&T, Verizon don't...

If you have a CDMA phone with no SIM card, you can't switch it over.

[Spoom 8]

You might be able to switch a CDMA phone but you'd have to call the local CDMA network (e.g. Verizon, Sprint) on which you wanted to use it and inquire whether they'll accept a non-company phone to their network.

GSM phones (i.e. phones with a SIM card) just need to be unlocked; the process to do so depends on your phone model. Try Googling "unlock" as well as your phone's model, you should find some instructions or a company to sell you an unlock code. Once it's unlocked, all you have to do is pop in a SIM (with the phone off of course) to a local GSM network (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile). I know AT&T at least has no problem giving you a free Pay as you Go SIM as long as you pay for some amount of minutes with it. The advantage to this is that when you go back to Canada, you can pop in your Canadian SIM and avoid roaming fees altogether.

Of course, you can always roam to the US networks, but that gets expensive very quickly (I speak from experience).

Edited March 18, 2010 by Spoom

[Pauley 2]

In the US I know T-Mobile has GSM, AT&T, Verizon don't...

Once it's unlocked, all you have to do is pop in a SIM (with the phone off of course) to a local GSM network (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile).

Spoom's info is correct here: AT&T is a GSM carrier in the USA, as is T-Mobile. Outside of Tracfone (a prepaid-only service), no other GSM provider has more than 600K subscribers and probably isn't really worth thinking about.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Spoom's info is correct here: AT&T is a GSM carrier in the USA, as is T-Mobile. Outside of Tracfone (a prepaid-only service), no other GSM provider has more than 600K subscribers and probably isn't really worth thinking about.

Thanks for clarifying, almost everyone I know on AT&T has an iPhone and they don't have sim cards, so hence my incorrect assumption!

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

That's why my comment to the OP was for them to google their phone on the internet, since they did not indicate to us what type of phone they were referencing to. I see 6 comments were made and none of us, even knows what type of cell phone they have, everyone is making an assumption.

Again, lets stick with the facts, that were given in the question, the only fact that was stated was that they have a cell phone in Canada and they wanted to know if they can use it in the USA. The only true statement that any of us can provide would be yes, in the USA you will have the ability to use cell phone service. Can they use their exsting phone, none of us can verify that without more information.

[marisp 0]

Thanks for clarifying, almost everyone I know on AT&T has an iPhone and they don't have sim cards, so hence my incorrect assumption!

Actually, all iPhones DO have SIM cards, AT&T included.

I have an iPhone and a Motorola Razr, iPhone originally on Fido, and Razr on Rogers. I unlocked both and got a couple pay-as-you-go T-Mobile SIMs from the T-Mobile store. Cost $10, and works like a charm. (Beyond no contract or monthly charges!)

Edited March 18, 2010 by marisp

[Pauley 2]

Thanks for clarifying, almost everyone I know on AT&T has an iPhone and they don't have sim cards, so hence my incorrect assumption!

Actually, all iPhones DO have SIM cards, AT&T included.

Yup, they do! They're in a tray that slides into a slot on the top of the phone:

(photo is an original iPhone; iPhone 3G and 3GS work the same way)

[SapphireDreams 71]

Well then apparently my friends don't know they have a simcard!

My friend just lost her iPhone and she was like, yeah it didn't have a SIM card.

haha, clearly we should not be working in Tech!

[mike777 0]

I'd like to get in on this thread...

some questions of my own here.

I have Verizon, I have a blackberry plan so that's 30 a month plus my voice and texting additional. When my wife finally moves to NY, we'll need something thats either flat rate so she can call canada and not worry about charges. So we're debating getting landline with time warner cable. Internet, phone and tv through them, I was quoted about 110. before taxes. Or should we forgo the landline and I tack her onto my cell with family plan, again keeping in mind we want to be able to call Canada at no extra minute by minute charge.

So we're looking between both for cheapest price/best value. Any suggestions?

[SapphireDreams 71]

I'd like to get in on this thread...

some questions of my own here.

I have Verizon, I have a blackberry plan so that's 30 a month plus my voice and texting additional. When my wife finally moves to NY, we'll need something thats either flat rate so she can call canada and not worry about charges. So we're debating getting landline with time warner cable. Internet, phone and tv through them, I was quoted about 110. before taxes. Or should we forgo the landline and I tack her onto my cell with family plan, again keeping in mind we want to be able to call Canada at no extra minute by minute charge.

So we're looking between both for cheapest price/best value. Any suggestions?

We do almost exactly what you do. We have a family plan with T-Mobile for our blackberries that we pay $40/month each for. And then we have the time warner itnernet/phone/cable for $110/month with unlimited long distance. It works really well for me. I onyl really call Canada when I'm at home or I use bbm/text message with my friends. The only thing to consider is that the time warner pricing for us was only for 1 year, after 1 year it goes up to around $160/month... although I've heard there are ways to bargain it back down.

[mike777 0]

Hm, 160 wow. now that makes me wonder...should I just go for directv or dish network for tv, and get time warner for cable and do cell phones for phones...I don't know what option is the cheapest.

I guess I never had an issue with Time Warner, I always picked them because I was always in apartments, where I wouldn't be longer than a year.

[redBlue 1]

thank you all!I think I know what to do now...