Hello all,
This may seem like a simple question, but recently bought a new unlocked GSM phone directly from the manufacturer. I've decided to get service from T-Mobile without a contract, so I just need a SIM card. I'm just not sure how to get one. Do I just walk into the T-Mobile store, explain my situation, and ask to get a new SIM card and service? Providers can and are willing to give me just the SIM card right? I hope
Sorry, I just have never bought an unlocked phone before.
-DruX
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mpapple10 Posts: 1132
Phone Model: T-Mobile Shadow/HTC Juno
Service Provider: T-Mobile
Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:39 am
Sorry, have some bad news. Tmobile will not just give you a sim card and a plan. Within all the fine print it says some plans require a 2 year contract and by some they mean just about everything you see on their website. Also, you need to activate service with one of their phones then swap the sim. Id pick out a free phone, turn it on and activate a line then put the sim in your unlocked phone.
soular Posts: 18
Phone Model: T-Mobile Dash
Service Provider: T-Mobile
Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:56 am
That would be a good thing if cell companies did that. I mean, the contract is so they can recoup the cost of the phone they gave you a discount on, so if you don't get a phone, why should you have to get a contract? I know t-mobile in the UK offers just sim cards on a one month contract. Maybe it'll spread to the US eventually.
kylef Posts: 2
Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:30 pm
T-Mobile USA added "FlexPay" plans which do not require a contract. They're essentially pay-as-you go plans where you prepay for each month, so there is no credit check, etc. But unlike their traditional prepaid plans, they offer the same deals as the contract plans, which is awesome. So for example, the "Individual 1000" plan is the same price with FlexPay as it is under the contract option.
The only down side is that with FlexPay, T-Mobile doesn't offer subsidized deals on handsets, which makes sense. If you buy a phone, you pay MSRP. Which is fine if you already have a phone!
And when you add a FlexPay plan to your cart, you can search for "Prepaid phones", and one of the options there is something called a "SIM Card Activation kit" instead of a phone. It's designed for people who have already purchased a phone.
I would certainly check it out. Don't know whether anyone else here has tried it yet.
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