Develop Bugs

Best USA network (pay as you go) to use with BA

Hi
I currently live in the UK, but am emigrating to Massachusetts (New Bedford) soon.
I upgraded my O2 XDA II, to an O2 XDA II S primarily for the quad band, and to give a greater network choice when I get to the USA.
Being new to the states (no credit history etc) I will go PAYG to avoid the huge deposits they want from someone with no credit history.
Can anyone suggest a good network both price and customer satisfaction? Are Virgin any good in the USA - I see they use the Sprint PCS network - They certainly are cheap in the uK!
Also if I did upgrade again to a HTC Universal / XDA Exec, what networks in the USA have good network coverage using just the tri band (900/1800/1900?) as apposed to the quad band (850/900/1800/1900).
Cheers for any help or advice!

Dude, how did you get the visa? I went to California for 9 months as part of my degree, all I'm trying to do now is get back after I finish this year!
As for Virgin, no dice on that. Virgin/Sprint use CDMA (not GSM which is what SIM cards are designed for).
I've not heard of the deposits you're talking about, all I knew is you needed a social security number (which I didn't have), but I guess you know more about that than me. T-Mobile let couples talk for free, so if you are going over to live with a girlfriend or something, that might be ideal, but you both need a T-Mobile contract :roll:
I was on ATT Wireless (now Cingular) GoPhone when I was there. It's PAYG, but lets you pay automagically when you run out of cash or the month is up, so it's like a contract but you don't need the credit check. Or you can just do normal top-ups. The rates aren't exactly stellar, but it's a safe bet. Cingular reception was never great for me (had to walk to a very specific window in my house if I wanted to make calls), but in the US you live with the fact the whole country isn't covered.
Cingular should also let you do a SIM only deal at their stores (not online) which saves you 80 bucks buying a phone you won't use.
Don't have any dealings with Verizon, they are bad people. Metro PCS seem to have a good plan (40 bucks each month, all you can talk) but I don't know if that's on CDMA or if that needs a credit check as well.
Don't forget to unlock your phone before you leave!
And how *did* you get that visa?
Chris

Hey, send me a PM as I am moving from UK to Boston, MA with my job in October too! I'll be working in Framingham but I'll live in Boston.
Anyway, I think your best bet is Cingular or T-Mobile as you'll want the same data services as you have here in the UK. e.g. Verizon uses CDMA (not GSM)
As for Visas, I'm working on that now. A company will need to sponsor you. The US government grants 65,000 H-1B visas annually and this is currently oversubscribed. A new allotment of 65,000 visas comes in on October 1st when the new congressional year begins. So if you apply now you won't get one before October 1st which is what I'm aiming at. If you have a masters degree or similar the US make an extra 20,000 visas available to these persons. (that category is not currently oversubscribed).
To get one for October 1st would mean the sponsoring company would need to pay a $1,000 premium which pushes the descision process to within 3 business weeks and get the application off ASAP, like last week. (not done mine yet...)

Lewisham said:
And how *did* you get that visa?
Chris
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It was an extremely long and hard process (not entirely for me), but I will be getting a fabled GREEN CARD in the next month or two, as being a spouse I get the same visa.
My wife is a nurse - a skill they are in dire need of (like every other country around the world). She was sponsored by a nursing agency, revised for 6 months then had to fly to Atlanta to take NCLEX which is the American nursing license. We are currently awaiting Packet 4, the final interview at the London embassy, all the other stages complete. I have got to have a big pile of injections to on Friday, MMR etc which I can't prove I have had over here <OUCH>
It's been a long process, quite often stressful with loads of running around and calling people to find out if they have done there job properly!
The only otherways to get a Greencard straight away, invest $1 million dollars in a business, or marry an American........... Otherwise you just get temporary Visas (H-1B etc) where they can kick you out of the country at any time! Not good if you buy a house etc.... But you can try to get a Green card once in position of having a visa, but it's a slow process, usually 6 - 8 years!
Good luck though, with determination you can do it!
Saldous, I will PM you.....

I never noticed this thread before
First of all welcome to the state - I live in MA too - live in Salem, work in Boston.
There are several GSM pay-as-you-go options:
Carriers:
T-mobile with PAYG: http://www.t-mobile.com/prepaid/rates.asp
Cingular with GoPhone: http://www.cingular.com/myaccount/prepaid
MVNO:
1. Oxygen
2. Locus Wireless GSM
3. CallPlus Wireless GSM
4. POP
http://www.icallplus.com/2html/wireless.html?PHPSESSID=ccb69a994a490423b31b019f4a272adb
5. 7-eleven prepaid: www.7eleven.com (you have to buy a phone, but you can just use the SIM and resell the phone on ebay )
GSM you cannot use:
1. Net10 (www.net10.com)
2. TracFone (www.tracfone.co)
While the two above are GSM prepaid services and do have SIM cards, the SIM serial is tied to an IMEI of a phone with custom firmware. I have not been able to use my TracFone SIM in any "standard" GSM phone
Also for more info on pay as you go worldwide: www.prepaidgsm.net
and/or www.howardforums.com (in the prepaid forum there is a sticky).
BTW: CDMA carriers do use SIM cards (they call them RUIMs). CDMA Carriers in North america, japan and korea don't use SIMs, but there are phones coming out with RUIM capability hopefully all CDMA systems in the future will feature SIM cards

Should I buy new Tilt 2 or Used Tilt 2 if Already on AT&T?

I am an AT&T employee but don't quite understand the whole activation and SIM scenario. Here is my situation.
I have a company provided phone and data plan. I want to get the Tilt 2 but the company won't spring for it. I am eligible for an upgrade through my personal account, but then I have to sign a new 2 year contract and it makes me select a data plan. Well, I don't currently have a data plan on my personal account and I don't want one (because I use my company phone exclusively). So I realize that I need to simply buy a phone outside of the AT&T retail loop. And I want it to be AT&T branded because I definitely want it to be compatible with the ATT 3G network.
My question is, is there any difference between buying a used or new AT&T branded Tilt 2 off eBay or similar place in regards to it working with my company provided SIM? Meaning, does a new phone require some kind of activation or can I just slip my SIM card in and go? If I get a used Tilt 2 is there a possible issue with the phone being registered to someone else and not working with my SIM? I am trying to avoid dealing with the AT&T CSR's because I am afraid that they will somehow screw up my company account just because I bought the phone myself. And lastly, since I know I will be using it with the ATT network, is there any advantage to getting an unlocked version? Thanks for your time.

ChasDun said:
I am an AT&T employee but don't quite understand the whole activation and SIM scenario. Here is my situation.
I have a company provided phone and data plan. I want to get the Tilt 2 but the company won't spring for it. I am eligible for an upgrade through my personal account, but then I have to sign a new 2 year contract and it makes me select a data plan. Well, I don't currently have a data plan on my personal account and I don't want one (because I use my company phone exclusively). So I realize that I need to simply buy a phone outside of the AT&T retail loop. And I want it to be AT&T branded because I definitely want it to be compatible with the ATT 3G network.
My question is, is there any difference between buying a used or new AT&T branded Tilt 2 off eBay or similar place in regards to it working with my company provided SIM? Meaning, does a new phone require some kind of activation or can I just slip my SIM card in and go? If I get a used Tilt 2 is there a possible issue with the phone being registered to someone else and not working with my SIM? I am trying to avoid dealing with the AT&T CSR's because I am afraid that they will somehow screw up my company account just because I bought the phone myself. And lastly, since I know I will be using it with the ATT network, is there any advantage to getting an unlocked version? Thanks for your time.
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You *could* buy it straight-out from a store, if they give you any crap about it tell them it's a gift and you will do the activation when the person receives it. You'll be paying $500ish this way, however. But they won't touch your data service. In the long run, it's cheaper this way. For me it would have cost $15 extra month to upgrade to the Tilt 2 so I figure the $360 over the 2 year contract and forevermore it was worth paying more for the phone up-front.

Thanks Kha for the response. What is the advantage to getting it at the ATT store vs ebay or somewhere similar? New ATT TP2s seem to be going for around $400 on ebay from reputable dealers and slightly used ones for around $350. Either way, can I drop my SIM card in without having to do anything else?

If you buy a Tilt 2 from AT&T, you get the benefit of the 1-year warranty and the piece of mind of knowing that it's un-soiled. If you purchase from eBay or some other used device avenue, you could get it from a decent discount, compared to the store purchase, but the device won't have the warranty (unless it's from a eBay store seller who offers a non-AT&T warranty) or it could be stolen and there might be a flag on the IMEI number. This is probably not the case if you buy from a seller with excellent feedback. If you purchase from eBay, you might want to consider the OEM branded HTC Touch Pro2. It has the front-facing camera, it's unlocked and won't be tracked by AT&T, a lot of people prefer the OEM housing to the Tilt 2's, I think the tolerances on the battery cover are tighter so the device is slightly slimmer, and it looks different than all the other TP2's you'll see around the US.
And about your SIM question, yes you should be able to insert your SIM and start using your phone. If you don't get a Tilt 2, you might have to configure the connection settings for the AT&T network first.

Dramacydle said:
If you purchase from eBay, you might want to consider the OEM branded HTC Touch Pro2.
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The only problem with buying the European/International unlocked version is that there will be no AT&T 3G support. That was the dealbreaker for me when I wanted the unlocked Rhodium.
_________________
OP: As long as the phone is sold from a reputable dealer (so it's likely not IMEI blacklisted) you should be able to pop in your SIM and be done. And most any firmware, whether cooked or stock AT&T, should be able to automatically configure all the data settings like apn, username & password, and data line type. There's no worry about the phone being registered to another person, unless it's blacklisted from the network because it was reported as stolen. A good reason to always buy from reputable people.
In my opinion, there's not a practical advantage to getting the unlocked version. The only thing I don't like about the Tilt2 versus the OEM Touch Pro2 would be the horrendous keyboard changes, but you get used to it eventually. Getting the unlocked version would cost more money, but be almost the same thing. The unlocked one also wouldn't support AT&T's 3G network, and AFAIK the front facing camera wouldn't work on AT&T's network regardless of 3G connection.
The only thing you might not like about the Tilt2 as opposed to the OEM Touch Pro2 would be the internal chipset; the Tilt2 uses the slightly weaker Qualcomm MSM7201A processor, which cannot record VGA video while the unlocked Touch Pro2 can because it uses the slightly more powerful MSM7200A. The screen on the Tilt2 is also said to be slightly less vibrant than the OEM version, but it's still a fantastic display and I didn't even notice it. If I were in your position, I would buy the Tilt2, as its benefits clearly outweigh its faults.

DaveTheTytnIIGuy said:
The only problem with buying the European/International unlocked version is that there will be no AT&T 3G support. That was the dealbreaker for me when I wanted the unlocked Rhodium.
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The OP mentioned that he has no intention of using the Tilt 2 for data, so I assumed that was a moot point. Good call about mentioning that though.

Hi All. Thanks for your replies. They have been very helpful. The Tilt 2 price just dropped in ATTs retail stores from $499 to $399. I was in 2 different stores today and saw the new price. I finally convinced them to sell me the phone at the no commitment price without trying to link my IMEI before I left (again, this is for my AT&T company provided phone (COU) and not my personal phone). Anyway, retail people cannot access ATT employees COU accounts even if they tried. So the gal at the store said I would have to call COU to get the IMEI linked to my COU account. Is this true? I thought I could just take the SIM out of my Treo 750 and pop it into my Tilt 2 and go.

ChasDun said:
Hi All. Thanks for your replies. They have been very helpful. The Tilt 2 price just dropped in ATTs retail stores from $499 to $399. I was in 2 different stores today and saw the new price. I finally convinced them to sell me the phone at the no commitment price without trying to link my IMEI before I left (again, this is for my AT&T company provided phone (COU) and not my personal phone). Anyway, retail people cannot access ATT employees COU accounts even if they tried. So the gal at the store said I would have to call COU to get the IMEI linked to my COU account. Is this true? I thought I could just take the SIM out of my Treo 750 and pop it into my Tilt 2 and go.
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You can just put the SIM in and it will work.
Do you not have a data plan of any kind? AT&T is now adding data plans to the accounts of purchasers of its new branded smartphones. Don't be surprised if you get a text message from AT&T within as day or two that the smartphone data plan has been added to your account. I had the $15 Media Net plan with an unlocked Palm Treo Pro and my wife had PPU data with her Moto V3xx. I bought a Tilt 2 for me and a Bold 9700 for her and as soon as the phones were activated we each got text messages that the appropriate data plans had been added to our accounts. There were loopholes in the past to get around it (call in with the IMEI of a dumbphone) but AT&T is now tracking the IMEI's of its branded smartphones and adding data plans. Users with older devices and the $15 Media Net plan seem to be grandfathered in for now (there was a "Smartphone Exclusion" feature that showed up on people's feature lists when the policy chaged recently).

Thanks DW. I do have a data and voice plan on my SIM. It is paid for by the company. So from what I understand I can just put my same SIM card in the new phone and be done.

[Q] European Prepaid plans - Which is the Best?

I am planning a trip to England this summer and possibly France as well. One of the main reasons I purchased the GSM Galaxy Nexus was the pentaband radio and it's ability to work everywhere.
What I would like to know is what plans are you guys (and I think I have seen one lady here as well) who are in Europe are using. I will be looking for a plan that would be good for up to 2 weeks, I don't really care about having too many minutes or text messages but Data is a must. I estimate 2GB of data use when traveling, knowing I will be able to use a lot of hot spots too. Not living there I do not know what the regional carriers reputations are, who has the fastest network etc.
I have been doing a little research and it looks like most carriers offer good prepaid sim only plans, I could just use some local knowledge for this.
Thanks in advance...

bmolloy said:
I am planning a trip to England this summer and possibly France as well. One of the main reasons I purchased the GSM Galaxy Nexus was the pentaband radio and it's ability to work everywhere.
What I would like to know is what plans are you guys (and I think I have seen one lady here as well) who are in Europe are using. I will be looking for a plan that would be good for up to 2 weeks, I don't really care about having too many minutes or text messages but Data is a must. I estimate 2GB of data use when traveling, knowing I will be able to use a lot of hot spots too. Not living there I do not know what the regional carriers reputations are, who has the fastest network etc.
I have been doing a little research and it looks like most carriers offer good prepaid sim only plans, I could just use some local knowledge for this.
Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm from Texas and just moved to the UK... I'm sure you will find many great pay&go sim cards..... I prefer o2.... just go to the web site or shop and get a sim... you can bolt on as much data as you need and the calling/sms start around 15 pounds.....

I would recommend Three whilst in the UK if you need lots of data. Their coverage is excellent in most places for 3g/HSPA+ I get 5-7meg in most places I go. Other UK networks aren't that great for data speed.
Go to https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order for a free pay and go SIM.
A £15 add on gets you UNLIMITED DATA, 300mins to UK landlines and any UK mobile network, and 3000 texts for 30 days.
They have other add ons too(make sure to select pay as you go phone). http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Get_better_value_with_an_Add_on
It's free to receive incoming calls on any UK mobile network by the way. If you go to France you would be best off finding a SIM card for a french network too as it will cost you to receive calls to a UK SIM card whilst outside the UK.
Hope this helps.
Rik.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

My €0.02...
It also depends on where you're going... 'Europe' is a mish-mash of different countries with different carriers, plans and systems.
If you're travelling to multiple European countries on your visit, and especially if you don't want to change your phone number all of the time, it may just make sense to get a Vodafone pre paid SIM.
Whilst Vodafone aren't the least expensive, they are the most expansive across Europe. Dealing with one company can often just be simpler.
If you get a Vodafone pre paid SIM and load on the "Passport" service you can then buy a data bundle that will work pretty much across Europe at a lower rate (but still somewhat expensive - expect around €10 for 25MB). Casual roaming data rates can be as high as €10 per *single* MB.
I don't think you'll get this flexibility on another carrier but I could be wrong.
Finally... price also depends on where you get your SIM card from in the first instance. With this approach you only buy one SIM and the country where you buy it establishes the price you pay across Europe. If you purchase in Turkey or Greece (for example), you will pay less than if you purchase in the UK or Netherlands (per min and per MB typically).
Edit: Here's an old article... http://www.tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/index.php/cheaper-data-roaming-with-vodafone

Thanks for the replies. It is surprisingly overwhelming looking at how many prepaid options there actually are in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. In the States prepaid sims are almost non existant, and when you do find some service that offers it Data is super expensive.
Here is another question. I saw that the 3 Mobile prepaid sims do not allow for tethering. Has anyone with a GN been able to get this to work, or will I have to pay for hotel wifi the whole time? I haven't seen if O2 blocks this, I will have to look into that as well.

Most don't seem to allow tethering on pre pay but they don't disable the option on your phone either(they just stick it in their terms). I think you'll be OK. The worst they can probably do is take off pre paid credit if they found out.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Hi bmolloy, how was your trip?
like u, im planing a trip cross european, basicly france, london, budapest and barcelona; so i have de same cuestion, what is de best option for me?
here in mexico i have an option to contract traveler plan but the cost is huge, is 20MB for 52USD, if i cant find an option y will buy this one.
i will loking into the vodafone options and i imagine i will have to buy that there in europe.
tnks for all guys

Android app for calls internationally?

I am going to Israel and need a app that can provide me with a International number (obviously using the web -- sorta like google voice but i need to accept phone calls also and the whole thing needs to be thru the web as any calls i make would be considered roaming ) obviously I'd like something that is cheap and would also allow for txt messages.
I dont know why it would matter but I have a verizon plan. I'll be using WIFI mostly but will be purchasing the 100 mb international plan
Thank You

Shalom man u should go into any cellstore there buy a unlimited orange gsm card for internet then get skype international and ur in business mamish like 25 the whole thing unlimit u can't go wrong..good luck dude lshana habo biyrshlyim.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

worldpants said:
Shalom man u should go into any cellstore there buy a unlimited orange gsm card for internet then get skype international and ur in business mamish like 25 the whole thing unlimit u can't go wrong..good luck dude lshana habo biyrshlyim.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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He has a Verizon (CDMA) phone. He can't simply pop in a standard SIM.

galaxy nexus - in israel
patruns said:
He has a Verizon (CDMA) phone. He can't simply pop in a standard SIM.
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so what would you recommend to get the galaxy nexus to work in israel?
or should i just rent another cell phone?
and if so, go with one of the many places that rent phones (amigo?) or rent one at a store once there?
thanks

kingsfan33 said:
so what would you recommend to get the galaxy nexus to work in israel?
or should i just rent another cell phone?
and if so, go with one of the many places that rent phones (amigo?) or rent one at a store once there?
thanks
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Click to collapse
I would just buy a cheap unlocked gsm phone here in the states and buy a sim card once I get to my destination. I would imagine international roaming is quite pricey, both for data and voice, and its cheaper and less complex to just switch to a gsm phone for the duration of the stay.

mendezj666 said:
I would just buy a cheap unlocked gsm phone here in the states and buy a sim card once I get to my destination. I would imagine international roaming is quite pricey, both for data and voice, and its cheaper and less complex to just switch to a gsm phone for the duration of the stay.
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Click to collapse
any recommendation for a place to pickup a sim in israel?
thx

kingsfan33 said:
any recommendation for a place to pickup a sim in israel?
thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, the Minister of Communications really shook up the market here, and now there are like 5 new cell companies, and all are offering unlimited Calls, SMS and data (3GB) for 99 NIS a month (~$25) and the Sim cards usually cost a one-time fee of 40 NIS, no contracts, you can disconnect any time you want without fees by law here.
I just moved over to Golan Telecom, which are great, but you can only receive a sim card by ordering one off the Internet, and it takes about 4 days to arrive.
If you don't want to, or can't, go with Rami Levy (yup, the supermarket chain). I was very happy with them before I moved to golan telecom, and they now also offer an unlimited plan, with 1GB data plan, for 88 NIS a month, and the sim card costs the same, but you can pick it up in-store.
And as far as bringing the Gnex here, I'm pretty sure you can't use a CDMA phone here yet... I'll post the frequencies doc here when I find it and you can figure out if your phone will work here and on what provider.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

-Psycho- said:
Honestly, the Minister of Communications really shook up the market here, and now there are like 5 new cell companies, and all are offering unlimited Calls, SMS and data (3GB) for 99 NIS a month (~$25) and the Sim cards usually cost a one-time fee of 40 NIS, no contracts, you can disconnect any time you want without fees by law here.
I just moved over to Golan Telecom, which are great, but you can only receive a sim card by ordering one off the Internet, and it takes about 4 days to arrive.
If you don't want to, or can't, go with Rami Levy (yup, the supermarket chain). I was very happy with them before I moved to golan telecom, and they now also offer an unlimited plan, with 1GB data plan, for 88 NIS a month, and the sim card costs the same, but you can pick it up in-store.
And as far as bringing the Gnex here, I'm pretty sure you can't use a CDMA phone here yet... I'll post the frequencies doc here when I find it and you can figure out if your phone will work here and on what provider.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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Thx a lot, lots of useful info...
If i google israel sim card there is so much out there
Can you recommend a site to get the sim youre referring to?
Thx again

kingsfan33 said:
Thx a lot, lots of useful info...
If i google israel sim card there is so much out there
Can you recommend a site to get the sim youre referring to?
Thx again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, here it is - Golan Telecom
Oh, btw, forgot to mention, Golan Telecom also offers free international calls to 30 something countries (landlines), and to the USA and Canada for free also to cell phones (and the International numbers that aren't for free are for a ridiculously low price, you can look around at the site.
In any case other companies offer very similar deals as well, with free international calls, I can just tell you from my experience that it's pretty hassle free and the costumer service is good (in comparison to other companies where I've waited for over an hour on the phone, they usually answer right away, 3 mins tops).
No matter what company you choose, if you encounter trouble with the internet connection, some companies (like mine) require you set up the APNs manually. Highly recommend APN Israel app, just one click and your set.
Finally, as promised, here's the frequency list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtSH6N4JBcwrdGdEaXRwaU0zczRnS1dOTW1EQTNsZGc
Good luck!
PS. I am not an employee of Golan Telecom or anything of the sort, just a really happy customer. I can just as well recommend Rami Levy, and Orange, all of which I was happy with, but for my own needs Golan Telecom was best for me

Psycho has a lot of useful information in his post and you have a few options. Anytime I travel internationally, I buy a sim card on ebay and get it sent to me from the US. Then, depending if they allow it, activate it here in the US or wait until I arrive in the country Im going to. I always buy prepaid and most sim cards already have credit on them. This way will be more expensive than if you were to just buy the sim card when you are in the country you are visiting but I have found it worth the extra cost. Once activated in the US, I will already have my international number for my family/friends to call me and just give them that number before I leave. Its all a matter of preference and convenience so just have to find out what works for you. GL and wish I could provide more info specific to Israel.

mendezj666 said:
Psycho has a lot of useful information in his post and you have a few options. Anytime I travel internationally, I buy a sim card on ebay and get it sent to me from the US. Then, depending if they allow it, activate it here in the US or wait until I arrive in the country Im going to. I always buy prepaid and most sim cards already have credit on them. This way will be more expensive than if you were to just buy the sim card when you are in the country you are visiting but I have found it worth the extra cost. Once activated in the US, I will already have my international number for my family/friends to call me and just give them that number before I leave. Its all a matter of preference and convenience so just have to find out what works for you. GL and wish I could provide more info specific to Israel.
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I was told that unless you have an Israeli ID/passport that you cannot just go into any super market and buy a sim card.
Of course the person telling me this was a company similar to talknsave that wants $7 a day per phone + $1 for US #. (for 2 phones it really adds up).
I am leaving this Sunday 9/23, so any help asap would be appreciated.
Thanks!
p.s. I did get the Galaxy Nexus International gsm version that is unlocked for this trip.

kingsfan33 said:
I was told that unless you have an Israeli ID/passport that you cannot just go into any super market and buy a sim card.
Of course the person telling me this was a company similar to talknsave that wants $7 a day per phone + $1 for US #. (for 2 phones it really adds up).
I am leaving this Sunday 9/23, so any help asap would be appreciated.
Thanks!
p.s. I did get the Galaxy Nexus International gsm version that is unlocked for this trip.
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Click to collapse
Just talked to my companies customer service, and you're right. I wasn't aware of that. You do need an Israeli ID number and address.
After discussing it with the rep, if you have someone in Israel who you can purchase the card just under his name and address, then you're good to go.
You won't be able to (at least with Golan Telecom, I'm assuming it's the same with all the companies) freeze the account completely for future use, but rather lower the bill to the basic 10 NIS (~$2.5) a month plan. But unless you're really traveling every couple of months you're better off just canceling the account and buying a new sim card next time you come for 40 NIS...

Thanks a lot lot!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Will Verizon A50 Work On T-Mobile?

I was looking to get it from Samsung. com and wanted to make sure if it will work fine (all the bands) on T-Mobile. I checked with Verizon and they said I wouldn't have to unlock it and it should be already unlocked.

My verizon version arrived today and I want to use it on Cricket. Fist boot looks positive showing LTE and 3 bars, but halfway through initial setup LTE disappears and prompt shows that alternate SIMS cannot be used at this time. From the little I have researched looks like since a few months ago Verizon phones no longer come unlocked out of box and require you to activate on their network. Upon activation the phone should automatically be unlocked within 48 hours.
I jumped on xda to see if there was an unlocked firmware i can flash to avoid that, and if I find something... if i dont update it means I never did and probably asked a family member whose on Verizon to use my phone for a few days until its unlocked.
*update/edit*
Just to clarify, my first boot had an alternate sim in(Mint mobile). Next boot I tried with the provided Verizon sim, and got through the initial setup screens choosing to skip the Verizon account setup. Then tried switching the sims, which prompted me to restart. Upon restart I again see LTE and 3 bars while booting. Once booting is complete I see the gray antenna mark with the "x" again. So still no good. Havent seen a release of an unlocked firmware yet, except for one paid service ($4). Not willing to pay for something that should be free... yet. SO I will keep looking

Similar issue, did you ever find a solution? Third party unlocks via ebay also do not support the Verizon or Sprint version it seems.

Ended up biting the bullet and paying for a month, but its prorated so I figure should get 90% of the money back -$20 fee for opening the line. Also rakuten has $75 cashback for opening a new verizon line. So not too bad. Might even make money in the end.
Anyway here is my process:
1. Get a plan - $55 single device plan is the cheapest you can get
2. Stick sim in and it will activate fairly quickly (less than 10 minutes, likely less that 5)
3. Wait 12-24 hours. Might not be necessary but I did this anyway
3. Create Verizon online account and login
4. Chat with agent and ask them to unlock the phone (do not call, it takes longer and they are worthless)
I did this, and immediately swapped out the sim and put it in another Verizon A50 bought from samsung and it quickly activated, Waited 12 hours and chatted with another agent. Now I have two unlocked, and if I get that $75 cashback the cost will be under $15.
($55 + $20 activation fee + tax = ~$90) - $75 cashback = $15 + prorated return on the $55

Thanks, may try that if flashing to the canadian version A-505W fails. Usually Canadian and US samsung phones are the same hardware and firmware compatible. This seems more like a software lock on Verizon firmware than a true SIM lock as those would not register any signal from a different provider for any length of time (which these do) and ask for an unlock code which in the case of these is no where to be found or entered.

Would activating on a prepaid Verizon plan works or does it have to be post pay?

moku160 said:
My verizon version arrived today and I want to use it on Cricket. Fist boot looks positive showing LTE and 3 bars, but halfway through initial setup LTE disappears and prompt shows that alternate SIMS cannot be used at this time. From the little I have researched looks like since a few months ago Verizon phones no longer come unlocked out of box and require you to activate on their network. Upon activation the phone should automatically be unlocked within 48 hours.
I jumped on xda to see if there was an unlocked firmware i can flash to avoid that, and if I find something... if i dont update it means I never did and probably asked a family member whose on Verizon to use my phone for a few days until its unlocked.
*update/edit*
Just to clarify, my first boot had an alternate sim in(Mint mobile). Next boot I tried with the provided Verizon sim, and got through the initial setup screens choosing to skip the Verizon account setup. Then tried switching the sims, which prompted me to restart. Upon restart I again see LTE and 3 bars while booting. Once booting is complete I see the gray antenna mark with the "x" again. So still no good. Havent seen a release of an unlocked firmware yet, except for one paid service ($4). Not willing to pay for something that should be free... yet. SO I will keep looking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol i dont think u will get an "unlocked" firmware on the A50 since it is a exynos chipset and the "unlocked" firmware you speak of assuming you mean U1 firmware ive only ever seen on qualcomm..
to add, it sounds like ur device is probably unlocked but u need to set the apns and network mode.. vzw typically uses LTE/CDMA/UMTS or something rather whereas tmo uses GSM n other modes..
on my A10e from tmo it works with vzw and tmo and spr etc etc but usually i need to play with the modes and apns to get it just right..
to add, if it was still locked itd tell you.. usually something about using a non vzw sim or simply say the device is locked etc etc

undertaker2k14 said:
Thanks, may try that if flashing to the canadian version A-505W fails. Usually Canadian and US samsung phones are the same hardware and firmware compatible. This seems more like a software lock on Verizon firmware than a true SIM lock as those would not register any signal from a different provider for any length of time (which these do) and ask for an unlock code which in the case of these is no where to be found or entered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
correct.. wat ppl r describing in here seems to me the devices r unlocked lol.. wat i noticed on my tmo a10e is that it seems the carrier configs are not switching over properly at times so it might seem like its locked but it isnt..
then again my tmo a10e is sim/carrier locked.. chimera tool is pretty good.. they have a paid feature they recently added called carrier relock.. instead of unlocking the sim they lock the device to up to 64 carriers which works the same as a sim unlock without actually sim unlocking lol.. quite clever i must say..
i get a vzw a50 tomorrow and will b testing it out on tmo and will try to remember to report back here..

romeo0119 said:
Would activating on a prepaid Verizon plan works or does it have to be post pay?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
id research that if i were u.. go to vzw site and view the device unlock policy.. sometimes prepaid has different policies.. if its purchased for vzw postpaid then might need to b activated on postpaid.. prepaid might require a longer timeframe possibly as most prepaid carriers have a time frame such as 50 days or somethin

elliwigy said:
id research that if i were u.. go to vzw site and view the device unlock policy.. sometimes prepaid has different policies.. if its purchased for vzw postpaid then might need to b activated on postpaid.. prepaid might require a longer timeframe possibly as most prepaid carriers have a time frame such as 50 days or somethin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea seems like it’s 60 days for prepaid, I might just open a line and cancel after a month.

romeo0119 said:
Yea seems like it’s 60 days for prepaid, I might just open a line and cancel after a month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I asked the question about unlocking at my local Xfnity store. They said they want to see it activated for 60-90 days (she wasn't sure exactly how long) on the Xfinity mobile plan (postpaid only available) before they will entertain any unlock requests. They only sell the phone if you bundle it with some sort of plan. I believe the US carriers with the A50 (Sprint, Verizon, Xfinity) will want you to activate it on their network first for a specific length of time before they will unlock it. She said it will work on any US carrier after unlocking, but she was unsure whether the phone will automatically rebrand like the higher end Samsung phones.
As far as I can tell the only out-of-the-box unlocked phones available in the USA are grey market. Their specs are not identical to the multi-CSC A505U version that is sold in the US that support the domestic carrier bands (and features like wifi calling.)

I asked Verizon and they said 60 days, doesn’t matter post or prepaid. I think it will depend on the rep. I activated mine on the cheapest prepaid plan, will try to chat in a few days and ask them to unlock the phone. I don’t think it will be a problem.

Why Switch...
occams-razor said:
I asked the question about unlocking at my local Xfnity store. They said they want to see it activated for 60-90 day on the Xfinity mobile plan before they will entertain any unlock requests.. She said it will work on any US carrier after unlocking, but she was unsure whether the phone will automatically rebrand like the higher end Samsung phones.
As far as I can tell the only out-of-the-box unlocked phones available in the USA are grey market. specs are not identical to the multi-CSC A505U version that is sold in the US
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just sent back an Overpriced (IMO) Galaxy S9+ ($600.00) after tax (Amazon..) after using it for 14 days once I seen this deal at Xfinity for the Galaxy A50..
How The Hell can you beat $385.00 (Out The Door) with a $250.00 rebate after 3-4 Months using the service.. ?
$0.00 down.. and after making four $14.58 payments and applying the $250.00 rebate to the balance.. you throw $75.00 on top of that and your done.. for only $135.00 out of your pocket.. :angel:
And to top it off... Xfinity still has the cheapest Unlimited Plan That I see in the U.S.A. @ $45.00 a month.. Hell I was paying $50.00 on MetroPCS for the same thing.. and get better and faster coverage with Xfinity using Verizon's Towers.. :good:
The coverage may not be as good as using other carrier's for some of you.. I get that.. but, the price is consistent across the U.S.
This device is equal to the S9+ I just sent back minus the stereo speakers.. battery is superior.
For a Brand New device that has Samsung Pay and only cost the buyer $135.00 bucks.. This is a STEAL.

RaiderWill said:
I just sent back an Overpriced (IMO) Galaxy S9+ ($600.00) after tax (Amazon..) after using it for 14 days once I seen this deal at Xfinity for the Galaxy A50..
How The Hell can you beat $385.00 (Out The Door) with a $250.00 rebate after 3-4 Months using the service.. ?
$0.00 down.. and after making four $14.58 payments and applying the $250.00 rebate to the balance.. you throw $75.00 on top of that and your done.. for only $135.00 out of your pocket.. :angel:
And to top it off... Xfinity still has the cheapest Unlimited Plan That I see in the U.S.A. @ $45.00 a month.. Hell I was paying $50.00 on MetroPCS for the same thing.. and get better and faster coverage with Xfinity using Verizon's Towers.. :good:
The coverage may not be as good as using other carrier's for some of you.. I get that.. but, the price is consistent across the U.S.
This device is equal to the S9+ I just sent back minus the stereo speakers.. battery is superior.
For a Brand New device that has Samsung Pay and only cost the buyer $135.00 bucks.. This is a STEAL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was even a bigger steal before August 1st. You could buy the phone outright from XFinity with their "free" unlimited calling and text plan and not use any mobile data (it was $12/gig rounded up if you used it). Leave the plan after a couple of months and then you have an unlocked phone and $250. As of August 1st, the minimum charge per month changed to $12 after Xfinity realized what was going on. Only issue for some was the need to be an xfinity internet customer. So outright robbery is now just theft.

I Mean.. Really...
occams-razor said:
It was even a bigger steal before August 1st. You could buy the phone outright from XFinity with their "free" unlimited calling and text plan and not use any mobile data (it was $12/gig rounded up if you used it). Leave the plan after a couple of months and then you have an unlocked phone and $250. As of August 1st, the minimum charge per month changed to $12 after Xfinity realized what was going on. Only issue for some was the need to be an xfinity internet customer. So outright robbery is now just theft.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What You Are Stating Is Not Entirely Correct..
You still can NOT use Data.. and just pay the Sir-Charges..
These A50's ( Verizon's Sprint's and Xfinity's ) all released at: $349.00 + Tax..
In what State did someone sell you one for only $250.00 + Tax ???
Even with NOT using data.... and only using Wi-Fi for your connection to the Internet.. ( Which Most People Cannot Do.. ) you still have Sir-Charges of a few dollars a Month.
Finally... Please Tell Us....
What United States "U-Version" A50 Do You Have That Came With A "Carrier Unlocked Bootloader" ..
Every version I've seen does not even have the option in Developer Settings... So, you're saying you just Pop In any old Sim and it works for "You" ? :victory:
If Xfinity sold you a GSM / CDMA "Unlocked" version of this device ( ) AND you only paid $250.00 for it.. AND you can use it on any CDMA / GSM Carrier.. Then *Bully!* for you.

RaiderWill said:
What You Are Stating Is Not Entirely Correct..
You still can NOT use Data.. and just pay the Sir-Charges..
These A50's ( Verizon's Sprint's and Xfinity's ) all released at: $349.00 + Tax..
In what State did someone sell you one for only $250.00 + Tax ???
Even with NOT using data.... and only using Wi-Fi for your connection to the Internet.. ( Which Most People Cannot Do.. ) you still have Sir-Charges of a few dollars a Month.
Finally... Please Tell Us....
What United States "U-Version" A50 Do You Have That Came With A "Carrier Unlocked Bootloader" ..
Every version I've seen does not even have the option in Developer Settings... So, you're saying you just Pop In any old Sim and it works for "You" ? :victory:
If Xfinity sold you a GSM / CDMA "Unlocked" version of this device ( ) AND you only paid $250.00 for it.. AND you can use it on any CDMA / GSM Carrier.. Then *Bully!* for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You completely misunderstood me. The phone was $349 + local sales tax at Xfinity. The $250 is the gift card they give you back after you port your number, activate the phone, and stay on the plan for a few months. Before August 1st you could get away without being charged the minimum $12 per month for being on the "by-the-gig" plan. Use no data and you just pay the telecom taxes and fees if you bought the phone before August 1st (effectively a free plan). After you meet the minimum requirements for being on the Xfinity mobile plan, the phone is yours and unlocked + the $250 dollar visa gift card or whatever it is. This deal is still available but the cheapest "by-the-gig" plan now is $12 +taxes because they don't want you getting a free plan.
Since only xfinity internet have access to this deal, any decently populated area should have enough access to their hotspots so lack of mobile data is not a deal killer for many. Kids, grandmas, and the like will probably be ok with this if all they need is a way to call and text mom and dad from the mall or school.
And I did not participate in this deal since I already have the verizon version.

Time To Close This Out..
occams-razor said:
You completely misunderstood me. The phone was $349 + local sales tax at Xfinity. The $250 is the gift card they give you back after you port your number, activate the phone, and stay on the plan for a few months. Before August 1st you could get away without being charged the minimum $12 per month for being on the "by-the-gig" plan. Use no data and you just pay the telecom taxes and fees if you bought the phone before August 1st (effectively a free plan). After you meet the minimum requirements for being on the Xfinity mobile plan, the phone is yours and unlocked + the $250 dollar visa gift card or whatever it is. This deal is still available but the cheapest "by-the-gig" plan now is $12 +taxes because they don't want you getting a free plan.
Since only xfinity internet have access to this deal, any decently populated area should have enough access to their hotspots so lack of mobile data is not a deal killer for many. Kids, grandmas, and the like will probably be ok with this if all they need is a way to call and text mom and dad from the mall or school.
And I did not participate in this deal since I already have the verizon version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A Lot To Unpack Here...
AS I AM A BUYER WHO "DID PURCHASE THE DEVICE UNDER THIS PROMO".... Let me explain the FACTS to you. :angel:
FACT 1 ) Xfinity Gives You * 100 mb of data* FOR FREE.. If One Can Use That To Quickly Check Their Mail, Tweets.. Whatever.. And Somehow Stay Strictly on Wi-Fi.. Then Their Bill Is NOT A MINIMUM OF $12.00...
It Will Consist Of Regulatory / 911 / Misc Fees.. Totaling Less Than $5.00 A Month.
August 1st Had Nothing To Do With Changing That.. That's All Day Every Day.. Standard Fare With Xfinity. :victory:
FACT 2 ) You're Thinking Of Yourself... Maybe All You Do Is Call Mommy & Daddy... But, Most Of Us Adults Need And Want Internet Access *When We Want It* And Are Not Going To Drive / Walk / Bus Or Bike Their Way Around Towns Looking For A Wi-Fi Connection.
If You Have The Funds / Credit To Purchase A $350.00 Phone.... Then You Have The Means To Pay A Monthly Cellular Bill.. :victory:
Fact 3 ) The A50 Through Xfinity Will Cost $100.00 + Tax @ Whatever A Person's County Tax Rate Is... PERIOD.. After The $250.00 Rebate Which Indeed Comes Around The 4th Month Of Service.
And Finally,
So... You Think Your CDMA Verizon A50 ( Or Xfinity's And / Or Sprint's ) Has All The Bands.. And Is Ready For You To Unlock It And Run It On ANY Carrier's Network You Choose?
I'd Like To See That...
By All Means.. Hit Me Up.. with A Pic Showing Your Verizon A50 Running On T-Mo , Cricket, MetroPCS Or AT&T..
You'd Certainly Be The 1st To Do So..... :victory:

I got one from Verizon and it is GSM unlocked.

Hi,
Has anyone found a solution to use the Verizon A50 on other carriers. Some where I read that the device can be used on international Sim, but when I tried the international Sim, it's not working
Any suggestions?
Thanks

As of today after unlocking from xfinity, an Xfinity a50 works on the T-Mobile mvno mint and att postpaid plans. I tried various flavors of gsm Sims including FreedomPop and they are all working. Only issue is sprint and their mvnos. Sprint still uses their IMEI whitelist and the Xfinity branded phones are not in their database. Maybe a corporate cs can add it if you beg.