Nokia Candy Bar

[Carl]

After years pissing away money on a smart phone, and the plans that accompany them I finally broke free.  Canceled my month-to-month Verizon and switched to a prepaid from T-mobile.  The phone was $19, and I pay $30 a month from T-mobile for 1500 talk/text. 

I was thinking about switching to AirVoice or another cheap carrier, but my handset (SGH-T139) is locked.  I am thinking about picking up a Nokia candybar phone of some description but am running into a problem: they aren't marketed for the US so I don't know, or can't tell, if they are compatible with a GSM network.   

Any help, or direction to a website where I can educate myself would be much appreciated.

Thanks! 
Carl

[Daley]

Spot Mobile is technically a T-Mobile carrier now. They highly recommend a carrier unlocked handset, but it's theoretically possible that you wouldn't need to carrier unlock your current phone to use them so long as you don't mind losing MMS/internet access (similar circumstances with P'tel as another T-Mo MVNO). No promises, though, as they used to be an AT&T MVNO and you couldn't use their SIM cards with carrier locked AT&T handsets like you can at Airvoice. Incidentally, if you're happy with T-Mo prepaid coverage, P'tel or Spot would probably be your two best options depending on usage numbers. You might also call up and ask T-Mo customer support if they might be willing to carrier unlock the handset. Never hurts to ask.

As for what to look for, GSM 850/1900 is the magic terminology for feature phone band support in this country, AT&T or T-Mobile GSM service.

There's always GSM Arena's search tool, but I'm not sure you'll really need it. I've got a small assortment of feature phones listed at the Shopping Hut on my website, but I won't bother linking them. Your best bang for the money and build quality if you can't use the phone you currently have is probably the Nokia 2330C-2B, new and carrier unlocked for under $50 through Amazon. The AT&T locked GoPhone version of this can be had for under $10, but you'll never be able to use it with another carrier besides AT&T, Airvoice, or another AT&T based MVNO. If you're planning to invest money in a good handset again, get one that you can take to wherever you like.

[madage]

Incidentally, if you're happy with T-Mo prepaid coverage, P'tel or Spot would probably be your two best options depending on usage numbers. You might also call up and ask T-Mo customer support if they might be willing to carrier unlock the handset. Never hurts to ask.

T-Mobile's SIM unlocking policy

In my experience, T-Mobile CSR's follow this policy without complaints. You can request an unlock electronically; my request was completed entirely over email. Because you're on prepaid service, you must have made $50 in refills and the phone must be active on T-Mobile's network for 40 days. Pretty reasonable.