Sim Card

When you say an “unlocked GSM Phone” does that mean i can use it with any company? I have Cingular so i can just remove the SIM card and an unlocked GSM Phone would work, even if the phone is motorola? (from Whitepimp via YouTube)

Sometimes it is hard to believe that phones really aren’t tied directly into the telephone company – but it’s true! Your account, when using GSM phones, is really tied only to the SIM card itself. The phone is not involved.

So, unlocked GSM phones are just that – not tied to T-Mobile, Cingular/AT&T or any other company to use them. They are generally the actual model produced by the handset company for general sales, not custom made for one of the wireless companies.

Even a pre-paid SIM card (from a pre-paid Cingular/TMobile phone) can go in any of the fanciest phones there are!

All you gotta do is take your SIM card out of your phone (first, make sure you have all your contacts copied from your phone memory to your SIM card) and pop it in the new one! Viola! Power it on and it will have the name of your phone carrier display on the screen.

Here is a great overview of the whole GSM technology.

Hope this helps!