Sprint SIM card?

Does sprint use sim cards at all? I'd like to use a t-mobile phone on
the sprint network but after doing some reading it looks like i'd need
a sprint sim card to do that...

Thanks!


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lazlo123

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› See More: Sprint SIM card?

lazlo123 wrote:
> Does sprint use sim cards at all? I'd like to use a t-mobile phone on
> the sprint network but after doing some reading it looks like i'd need
> a sprint sim card to do that...


Heh, you'd need a lot more than a Sprint SIM card. Try a Sprint phone.

Unfortunately, T-Mobile and Sprint are operating two incompatible
networks. T-Mobile uses GSM, while Sprint uses CDMA. This means that a
T-Mobile phone cannot ever connect to the Sprint network, and vice-versa.

Currently Sprint does have a world phone that can use both GSM and CDMA
networks, but the GSM half of the phone is only meant for use in other
countries (i.e. Europe). The GSM side of the phone will not connect to
US networks... Sprint would much rather you use their network in the us
instead... justifiablys so, considering it IS a Sprint phone.

Also, no, Sprint does not use SIM cards, except for the above-mentioned
GSM/CDMA phone, but again that won't help you in the US.

Also, for what it's worth: nearly every wireless phone company in the US
locks their phones, preventing you from taking that phone to another
carrier even if the network is compatible. Some will let you unlock the
phone after you've had service with them for awhile, but not all.

And for future reference:

Cingular/AT&T and T-Mobile: GSM

Sprint, Verizon, Alltel, Virgin Mobile and Qwest: CDMA

Nextel: iDEN, compatible with almost nobody.

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Thanks for the reply, good to know. Its really too bad sprint has such a
small selection of phones...


--
lazlo123

"lazlo123" <lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
news:lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...
>
> Does sprint use sim cards at all? I'd like to use a t-mobile phone on
> the sprint network but after doing some reading it looks like i'd need
> a sprint sim card to do that...
>

Well, there are two instances that prevent you from doing this.

First and foremost is the technology used. T-Mobile uses GSM and Spring PCS
uses CDMA - the phones are not compatible.

Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.

"lazlo123" <lazlo123.1nn76a@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
news:lazlo123.1nn76a@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...
>
> Thanks for the reply, good to know. Its really too bad sprint has such a
> small selection of phones...
>
>
> --
> lazlo123

You consider 21 different phone models a small selection?

Bob

"John S" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "lazlo123" <lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
> news:lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...
> >
> > Does sprint use sim cards at all? I'd like to use a t-mobile phone on
> > the sprint network but after doing some reading it looks like i'd need
> > a sprint sim card to do that...
> >
>
> Well, there are two instances that prevent you from doing this.
>
> First and foremost is the technology used. T-Mobile uses GSM and Spring
PCS
> uses CDMA - the phones are not compatible.
>
> Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.

Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.

Scott wrote:

>>Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.
>
> Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.

Only the ones that offer international GSM roaming, unless things have changed.


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Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

"Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Scott wrote:
>
> >>Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.
> >
> > Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.
>
> Only the ones that offer international GSM roaming, unless things have
changed.
>
They have changed, Steve- Nextel went to SIM's a couple of years ago on all
phones.

CDMA supports SIMs. The implementation in the US does not, but in China the
CDMA phones have SIM cards. I believe that the same is true in Hong Kong.

Stu

"Scott Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Scott wrote:
>>
>> >>Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.
>> >
>> > Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.
>>
>> Only the ones that offer international GSM roaming, unless things have
> changed.
>>
> They have changed, Steve- Nextel went to SIM's a couple of years ago on
> all
> phones.
>
>

John S wrote:
> "lazlo123" <lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
> news:lazlo123.1nmgsa@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...

> Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.

Actually, not correct. There are isntaces of CDMA networks in South
Korea and Japan where R-UIM (the equivalent of SIM cards; same
technolgoy, different name) are used.

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Steve Sobol wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>
>>> Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.
>>
>>
>> Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.
>
>
> Only the ones that offer international GSM roaming, unless things have
> changed.


Ah yes, thanks for reminiding me. All current iden phones use sim cards
as well, including the ones that dobn't support international roaming.

People make the mistake of assuming that SIMs are a GSM-specific
standard. Not so. One could make a TDMA, CDMA, or iDEN system that
fully supports SIM cards if they choose. North American CDMA carriers
and early TDMA, however, chose to go the ESN/MSID route to retain
compatibility with AMPS.

Likewise, a wireless company operating a GSM network could choose to do
away with SIMs and use an ESN/MSID or even a totally different scheme if
they wanted to; doing that, however, would effectively make them a
closed network as they could not interface with the various GSM networks
that DO use SIMs, nor could they fully interoperate with the many CDMA
networks that don't speak GSM.

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Bob Smith wrote:
> "lazlo123" <lazlo123.1nn76a@WiFi-Forum_dot_com> wrote in message
> news:lazlo123.1nn76a@WiFi-Forum_dot_com...
>
>>Thanks for the reply, good to know. Its really too bad sprint has such a
>>small selection of phones...

>
> You consider 21 different phone models a small selection?

Typical GSM snobbery, Bob. Just let it go.

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The US Military has a GSM network with no SIM cards. I don't know all the
details, but a friend in the military told me that it is being used in
G'tmo. I would guess that it would not take much to take the logic from a
SIM card and embed it on a motherboard.

Stu

"Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Steve Sobol wrote:
>> Scott wrote:
>>
>>>> Second, only GSM uses SIM cards.
>>>
>>>
>>> Actually so does the newer iDEN phones.
>>
>>
>> Only the ones that offer international GSM roaming, unless things have
>> changed.
>
>
> Ah yes, thanks for reminiding me. All current iden phones use sim cards
> as well, including the ones that dobn't support international roaming.
>
> People make the mistake of assuming that SIMs are a GSM-specific standard.
> Not so. One could make a TDMA, CDMA, or iDEN system that fully supports
> SIM cards if they choose. North American CDMA carriers and early TDMA,
> however, chose to go the ESN/MSID route to retain compatibility with AMPS.
>
> Likewise, a wireless company operating a GSM network could choose to do
> away with SIMs and use an ESN/MSID or even a totally different scheme if
> they wanted to; doing that, however, would effectively make them a closed
> network as they could not interface with the various GSM networks that DO
> use SIMs, nor could they fully interoperate with the many CDMA networks
> that don't speak GSM.
>
> --
> E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
> Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.

Mainly do to the fact that they quality check the phones. Which is why
poor quality phones like Sony-Ericson or the Razr will NEVER be on Sprint.

Leon Rutledge via CellPhoneKB.com wrote:
> Mainly do to the fact that they quality check the phones. Which is why
> poor quality phones like Sony-Ericson or the Razr will NEVER be on Sprint.

Funny... The Sony Ericsson T608 WAS on Sprint for a while, and there is
a CDMA version of the RAZR in development.

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