6340i on GSM-only rate plan w/SIM Swap?

Right now I have a Nokia 6340i and a GAIT Nation plan. I'd like to
switch to a GSM plan but I understand that cingular won't let me use
this phone on a GSM-only plan, even though at the time I bought this
phone in July 2003, the rep told me I'd be all ready for when cingular
went all-GSM. I don't have a problem with that although I'd like to
use this 6240i on a GSM-only plan so I don't get soaked the $179.00
for a "retail-price" GSM-only phone. Also, I am perfectly happy with
the 6340 and would like to keep it.

I have read that some cingular stores will let you use a 6340i phone
on a GSM plan, but that the possibily exixts for the customer to
inadvertently rack up expensive roaming and not even know it. I don't
want this problem. Another solution appears to be to use a GSM-only
SIM card in my 6340i which will effectively lock out the TDMA and
analog cabability and render my 6340i a GSM-only capable phone with no
risk of inadvertent roaming charges.

I have called around and everyone seems to have a different story
although they all seem to agree that there's no way to use my 6340i on
a GSM-only plan.

An earlier thread said I could buy just the SIM card (GSM-only) from
cingular for around $25 and pop it into my 6340i to use it on a GSM
rate plan. Does this really work, and if not, is there anything else
I can do to use my 6340i on a GSM rate plan?

Thanks

Darren
Dallas, TX

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› See More: 6340i on GSM-only rate plan w/SIM Swap?

" > I have read that some cingular stores will let you use a 6340i phone
> on a GSM plan, but that the possibily exixts for the customer to
> inadvertently rack up expensive roaming and not even know it. I don't
> want this problem. Another solution appears to be to use a GSM-only
> SIM card in my 6340i which will effectively lock out the TDMA and
> analog cabability and render my 6340i a GSM-only capable phone with no
> risk of inadvertent roaming charges.
Yes, this works just fine.
I have a 6340i, and I put the sim card for my gsm only plan
Its been three months and no problems no surprises.
I called Cust service and they said no problem with that
set-up, I don't know why you would get hasseled using that phone
on a gsm plan with a gsm sim card. If you call 611 you will
get differing information, I'd wager.

> I have called around and everyone seems to have a different story
> although they all seem to agree that there's no way to use my 6340i on
> a GSM-only plan.

Don't ask the kids at the stores, they really only know what
is in the colorful brochures.

>
> An earlier thread said I could buy just the SIM card (GSM-only) from
> cingular for around $25 and pop it into my 6340i to use it on a GSM
> rate plan. Does this really work, and if not, is there anything else
> I can do to use my 6340i on a GSM rate plan?

Yes, do that, it works fine

Bernard
Seattle, WA

That's great news that I can, after all, continue to use my much-liked
6340i on a GSM-only plan. After being sold on the 6340i last year
becasue it was "ready for when Cingular went all-GSM" I had to believe
there was a way to actually do that!

I called about 10 Cingular stores and affiliates and they all said I
was mistaken and that I couldn't use my 6340i on a GSM-only plan, even
if I purchased a SIM card programmed for GSM-only phones. So I guess
the next question is how to I go about buying (or excahnging for) a
new SIM card for my 6340i since I can't find any Cingular stores that
will even acknowledge that this can be done? Is there a store in the
Dallas area that can do this? If I had to, I imagine I could just buy
a cheapie Cingular GSM phone off eBay and use its SIM card once it was
properly programmed for my account, but an outright new SIM card
direct from Cingular ould be the more elegant solution.

"Bernard Farquart" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> " > I have read that some cingular stores will let you use a 6340i phone
> > on a GSM plan, but that the possibily exixts for the customer to
> > inadvertently rack up expensive roaming and not even know it. I don't
> > want this problem. Another solution appears to be to use a GSM-only
> > SIM card in my 6340i which will effectively lock out the TDMA and
> > analog cabability and render my 6340i a GSM-only capable phone with no
> > risk of inadvertent roaming charges.
> Yes, this works just fine.
> I have a 6340i, and I put the sim card for my gsm only plan
> Its been three months and no problems no surprises.
> I called Cust service and they said no problem with that
> set-up, I don't know why you would get hasseled using that phone
> on a gsm plan with a gsm sim card. If you call 611 you will
> get differing information, I'd wager.
>
> > I have called around and everyone seems to have a different story
> > although they all seem to agree that there's no way to use my 6340i on
> > a GSM-only plan.
>
> Don't ask the kids at the stores, they really only know what
> is in the colorful brochures.
>
> >
> > An earlier thread said I could buy just the SIM card (GSM-only) from
> > cingular for around $25 and pop it into my 6340i to use it on a GSM
> > rate plan. Does this really work, and if not, is there anything else
> > I can do to use my 6340i on a GSM rate plan?
>
> Yes, do that, it works fine
>
> Bernard
> Seattle, WA

be very careful, it may or may not work. if you put a GSM SIM in the 6340
and are not near an 800mHz TDMA area, it might work but if you go to an area
where Cingular has 800 TDMA the phone may go there and since your account
would have no TDMA info in it you would be denied service. in order to do
what you want, you would need access to a GSM phone and activate your
account as a GSM only plan. your current SIM would then be loaded with GSM
only information. then you could put the SIM back in the 6340. hopefully you
dont run into the 800 TDMA issue. remember, YMMV.

jim
"Darren418" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That's great news that I can, after all, continue to use my much-liked
> 6340i on a GSM-only plan. After being sold on the 6340i last year
> becasue it was "ready for when Cingular went all-GSM" I had to believe
> there was a way to actually do that!
>
> I called about 10 Cingular stores and affiliates and they all said I
> was mistaken and that I couldn't use my 6340i on a GSM-only plan, even
> if I purchased a SIM card programmed for GSM-only phones. So I guess
> the next question is how to I go about buying (or excahnging for) a
> new SIM card for my 6340i since I can't find any Cingular stores that
> will even acknowledge that this can be done? Is there a store in the
> Dallas area that can do this? If I had to, I imagine I could just buy
> a cheapie Cingular GSM phone off eBay and use its SIM card once it was
> properly programmed for my account, but an outright new SIM card
> direct from Cingular ould be the more elegant solution.
>
> "Bernard Farquart" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > " > I have read that some cingular stores will let you use a 6340i phone
> > > on a GSM plan, but that the possibily exixts for the customer to
> > > inadvertently rack up expensive roaming and not even know it. I don't
> > > want this problem. Another solution appears to be to use a GSM-only
> > > SIM card in my 6340i which will effectively lock out the TDMA and
> > > analog cabability and render my 6340i a GSM-only capable phone with no
> > > risk of inadvertent roaming charges.
> > Yes, this works just fine.
> > I have a 6340i, and I put the sim card for my gsm only plan
> > Its been three months and no problems no surprises.
> > I called Cust service and they said no problem with that
> > set-up, I don't know why you would get hasseled using that phone
> > on a gsm plan with a gsm sim card. If you call 611 you will
> > get differing information, I'd wager.
> >
> > > I have called around and everyone seems to have a different story
> > > although they all seem to agree that there's no way to use my 6340i on
> > > a GSM-only plan.
> >
> > Don't ask the kids at the stores, they really only know what
> > is in the colorful brochures.
> >
> > >
> > > An earlier thread said I could buy just the SIM card (GSM-only) from
> > > cingular for around $25 and pop it into my 6340i to use it on a GSM
> > > rate plan. Does this really work, and if not, is there anything else
> > > I can do to use my 6340i on a GSM rate plan?
> >
> > Yes, do that, it works fine
> >
> > Bernard
> > Seattle, WA

"Darren418" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That's great news that I can, after all, continue to use my much-liked
> 6340i on a GSM-only plan. After being sold on the 6340i last year
> becasue it was "ready for when Cingular went all-GSM" I had to believe
> there was a way to actually do that!
>
> I called about 10 Cingular stores and affiliates and they all said I
> was mistaken and that I couldn't use my 6340i on a GSM-only plan, even
> if I purchased a SIM card programmed for GSM-only phones. So I guess
> the next question is how to I go about buying (or excahnging for) a
> new SIM card for my 6340i since I can't find any Cingular stores that
> will even acknowledge that this can be done? Is there a store in the
> Dallas area that can do this? If I had to, I imagine I could just buy
> a cheapie Cingular GSM phone off eBay and use its SIM card once it was
> properly programmed for my account, but an outright new SIM card
> direct from Cingular ould be the more elegant solution.

Keep in mind that my excellent experience with this solution was
in the Seattle area. All gsm, and I started with a gsm sim card.
you need to make sure you have a gsm only plan. Cust service
told me that the phone would not roam off gsm if the plan
didn't allow it. You should really call cust service and see what
they say, it sounds like the stores are confused, maybe you need
to change your plan with the nice person at 611. That works
too, you don't need the store guy at all./

Bernard