TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Is it Possible to Buy a Cell Phone With no Plan?

Re: Is it Possible to Buy a Cell Phone With no Plan?

John McHarry (jmcharry@comcast.net)
Sun, 19 Jun 2005 23:12:49 GMT

On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 14:22:37 -0700, FrankBooth wrote:

> I'm trying to buy a cell phone WITHOUT A PLAN. I am sending it to a
> relative in another country where they will activate it.

> So far I have not found a local shopping establishment that sells
> them.

> Can anyone recommend somewhere online where a cell WITHOUT A PLAN can
> be purchased? Is it even possible?

Last I knew, which was several years ago, the cellular carriers
controlled the distribution of the phones, so you couldn't do
that. You might be able to find some way of adding one to an existing
plan with pooled minutes so you could use the minutes but give away
the phone.

The other problem is that most countries use GSM, which uses
frequencies that differ from the "GSM" used by some carriers in the
US. I think the US protocol is also somewhat bastardized. Be sure you
get a phone that is intended to roam in the country you intend to send
it to.

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