Not really computer related...

[Pau11y]

Does anyone know what it means when ppl advertise cell phones on Ebay as "unlocked"? Is it that you can use it w/ any provider or some other sillyness?

[narlus]

no idea, sorry. maybe it's got something do w/ the SIM card? ask a seller.

[steve45]

unlocked means you can use it on any network/sim card, when you buy a phone form a network they usually lock it so that it only works with they're sim cards, the phone just wont recognise sim cards from other networks, which is a pain in the ass.
but phones can be unlocked which allows you to put in other sim cards from different networks.

i usually have my phones unlocked but havnt had my SE k750i done yet.

[zmtber]

it help for when you are traveling over seas my family has one you pay extra, but then the phone doesn't only work with cingular or at&t it also works with foriegn compony or other that run off sim cards as well, if you are traveling it a good thing, you save money when you have to make calls

[Pau11y]

Ah... copy that. So, pointless unless you're going to be travelling internationally w/ your cell, or you plan on swapping providers all the time...

[binary visions]

Ah... copy that. So, pointless unless you're going to be travelling internationally w/ your cell, or you plan on swapping providers all the time...
No no no, not pointless at all. The point is that unless you get an unlocked phone, you're can't buy a phone from eBay except for a specific service provider. It has nothing to do with swapping providers, and has everything to do with choosing your first provider :)

It's like those VoIP phones that are Vonage-only. Unless you have an unlocked phone, you can ONLY use the provider that the phone is set up for.

[narlus]

it help for when you are traveling over seas my family has one you pay extra, but then the phone doesn't only work with cingular or at&t it also works with foriegn compony or other that run off sim cards as well, if you are traveling it a good thing, you save money when you have to make calls

are you referring to tri-band phones?

[binary visions]

are you referring to tri-band phones?
I didn't quite understand that post either... The unlocked phone should have nothing to do with travelling, only with signing up with a provider. You just have to make sure your phone supports the cellular network in the country you're travelling to.

I've never heard of someone changing their SIM card to travel overseas :confused:

[blue]

Note to Verizon peeps:

Verizon is cheap and incredibly lowtecchy, they don't have SIM cards. You're scrooed on that front.

[Pau11y]

I was reading something about a guy buying a pre-paid SIM card w/ 1000 mins on it for S Korea...

Edit: removable SIM cards = good right?