vB Easy Archive - 3G SIM Card: Why?

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3G SIM Card: Why?
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Posted by: DDavidA

Does anyone know if there is a reason to activate a new 3G SIM card instead of the otherwise latest card from Cingular? I am switching from a Nokia E62 to a Samsung Blackjack... is there an advantage/disadvantage to switching SIM cards?

I cant seem to find an online report of what a 3G SIM card actually is...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Posted by: maevro

I went from the e62 to the Blackjack also and in the store, they set up the phone with a new 3G SIM card, thus killing my old one. They told me I needed it for 3G, but people here have said that it is not true.

Posted by: DDavidA

Interesting. I do not want to change any aspect of my phone plan including my MediaMax 200 plan currently used for the E62. Will they make this change without modifying your account in any way? That is, is there any reason not to move to a new 3G SIM card? (I assume my 64K Smartchip Card is different than the new 3G card?)

Posted by: convbcuda

I walked into a corporate Cingular store and asked to upgrade my 64k to a 3G card. They did it for free and didn't change my plan (which still has Mediaworks Unlimited). I just took the SIM in and didn't show them my 750v.

The only thing that was a bit odd was that I had to set up a new voicemail box.

Posted by: Gunner1

Two different reps told me that as long as you have a 64K, 2nd generation sim card 3G service will work fine.

Posted by: ChrisMc73

Why not get a new 3G card? Will you not get updates from the network for your 3G phone if you don't have one?

Posted by: DogPatch

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisMc73

Why not get a new 3G card? Will you not get updates from the network for your 3G phone if you don't have one?

according to the customer service rep that i dealt with, no.

i had tried registering my 8525 with the 64k SIM from my mpx220, and the system would not allow it. the phone worked fine; i was able to make and recieve calls, surf the 'net...but thats besides the point.

so basically, your phone would not be able to receive latest updates without the 3G SIM...or so the story goes.

when i switched to the 3G SIM, i was not required to alter my current service plan.

Posted by: DDavidA

Thanks verymuch. Sounds like I should go into the Cingular store, buy the Blackjack, and at the same time hvae them setup the phone with a new 3G card. Or is it better to do this via the 800 number?

Posted by: cardio1

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDavidA

Thanks verymuch. Sounds like I should go into the Cingular store, buy the Blackjack, and at the same time hvae them setup the phone with a new 3G card. Or is it better to do this via the 800 number?

I did not have any problems going from the 650 ($19.99 plan) to the Blackjack and a new 3G sim card.

Posted by: DDavidA

Did you do this in a store or with the 800 number?

Posted by: cardio1

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDavidA

Did you do this in a store or with the 800 number?

In store on Black Friday where they had the buy one get one free sale.

Posted by: stan23

I got a new sim card with my blackjack as well. The previous card I had was the 64k one.

Posted by: DDavidA

Thanks again to everyone for the help. I'll go to the store, pick one up, and get a new SIM card as well. Appreciate the help.

By the way, will the new SIM card also work back in an older phone like the E62?

Posted by: DogPatch

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDavidA

Thanks again to everyone for the help. I'll go to the store, pick one up, and get a new SIM card as well. Appreciate the help.

By the way, will the new SIM card also work back in an older phone like the E62?

good question. i dont know from experience, but i would assume that if you were to put a 3g SIM in the E62, it would work, but again, you might not be able to register the phone with the SIM. i'm sure someone has a clearer answer.

Posted by: DDavidA

Thanks - maybe someone else has given this a shot and put their 3G card into an older phone... want to be sure that after 'upgrading' the SIM that I can still revert back to use other GSM phones.

Posted by: scuzy

i don't see why it wouldn't work in your older fone. I'll try it tonight. I know that the 64k sim card i had before had a 3g sign on the back but i still requested for a new 3G card that was all blue and orange

Posted by: znutar

The 3G sim has no problems working in any GSM phone. I tried it on my old SMT5600, my wife's old Nokia candybar phone and my daughter's Moto V180...no problems.

Posted by: cardio1

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDavidA

Thanks - maybe someone else has given this a shot and put their 3G card into an older phone... want to be sure that after 'upgrading' the SIM that I can still revert back to use other GSM phones.

The 3G card works fine in my Treo 650, of course you do not get 3G speeds with the Treo, but it works just as well as the original card did in the 650 for voice and data.

Posted by: reas0n555

I bought a d807 yesterday and they still gave me a new 3G sim,weird since a bought an EDGE phone.

Posted by: shelby77

I'm using my old SIM card in my Samsung A707 (previously used the 8125). I have a new 3G SIM but haven't bothered to activate it, as I am seeing 3G & Edge on my A707. I'm assuming my old SIM is giving me 3G too. Is that right?

Posted by: bodeh6

Quote:

Originally Posted by reas0n555

I bought a d807 yesterday and they still gave me a new 3G sim,weird since a bought an EDGE phone.

Actually all they have is 3G SIMs now so no matter what phone you get you will get a 3G SIM.

Posted by: Gunner1

Quote:

Originally Posted by znutar

The 3G sim has no problems working in any GSM phone. I tried it on my old SMT5600, my wife's old Nokia candybar phone and my daughter's Moto V180...no problems.

That's not true. The 3G Sim that they gave me refused to work properly in my Nokia 6682 which is an EDGE phone.

The phone would come up and register the SIM ok but the phone would show an X over the signal bar and couldn't make or receive calls.

Posted by: bodeh6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunner1

Thats odd. I had a 6682 as well with a 3G SIM and it worked fine. Allowed manual network selection as well.

Posted by: DDavidA

One more question - I am traveling a bit right now. If I get a new 3G SIM card in FL instead of my home area of CA, will it make any difference? Should I wait until I return to CA? For example, how does the voicemail number get set?

Posted by: conqoror

I use my 3g sim in my gsm blackberry. works fine.

Posted by: jkozlow3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunner1

I've also had problems with the 3G SIM in my unlocked SE W810i. I can make calls but cannot use the internet. I had them switch me back to a 64k card and internet started working again.

Interestingly, the 3G sim which would not work properly in my unlocked W810i worked in several non-3G Cingular branded phones that we tried. Weird.

Posted by: bodeh6

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkozlow3

Then it is a problem with the SIM if it did not work in Cingular branded phones as well. I have a 3G SIM in my unlocked W810i and it has been working great.

Posted by: daxfx

i got my 3g sim card upgrade for free since warranty change mi w810 for the a707 I keep both phones and the simcard works fine in the w810 that is the oldone and have no 3g covarage.
3g simcard has nothing diferent from the 64k only that is 128k nothing else if you remember the first simcard that cingular use was 16k then change to 64k. but all 3 cards are the same with diferent capacities (...k)

Posted by: bodeh6

The 3G SIM is still 64k, not 128k like Nextel phones.

Posted by: keltraine

So what exactly is the difference b/w the 3G SIM cards and the 64k ones? I was on the AT&T SIM for the longest time, and only recently finally got the 64k SIM when I upgraded so I could get unlimited mobile-to-mobile. You're telling me there's yet another SIM upgrade now?!

And how do you tell which one you have, 64k vs "3G"? Any tips appreciated...

Posted by: keltraine

Anyone? Bueller? :P