SIM Cards- Please Educate Me

[Guest ronnie4you]

Years ago I bought a tiny phone in Bangkok and then a SIM card. I assumed that I had to buy a Thai phone. I know what a SIM card is- it gives you the connections and the minutes. (Right?)

 

But, if you come from say, the U.S. and have a phone with a removable, or unlocked, SIM card, then you just need to buy the Thai SIM card, right? If your US phone is locked, you cannot remove the SIM card.

That's as much as I know. How does one go about finding just the right SIM card? If my phone is a Smartphone, do I need a different SIM card?

 

Thanks for any responses.

[Guest ryanasia]

Any unlocked GSM phone can accept any SIM. I use True.

[Up2u]

Locked means you are forced to use a certain carrier. Simply contact your US carrier and request they give you the unlock code which is bunch of alpha-numeric you punch into your phone. You can always physically remove a SIM card.

[Guest ronnie4you]

ryanasia, my carrier was also True. I wouldn't have remembered that had you not spoke up.Up2u, I was reading that there are ways to unlock the phone yourself. I don't dare try. If I can find my old Thai phone I will just use that. It's not as though I expect a lot of calls there.

[Moses]

Main is what standards of communication is supporting by your phone. In USA can be GSM (T-Mobile and AT&T) and CDMA (Verizon and Sprint). In Thaialnd only GSM-900/1800/2100 is in use.

 

If your smartphone can support GSM-900/1800/2100 standards - then you can just to change sim-card, if your phone doesn't support one of this GSM standards and can be used only in CDMA network - then is no way you can use it in Thailand. (Of course I'm talking about unlocked phone at any case).

[Brummbaer]

If your Smartphone is locked and is useable in Thailand (i.e. operates on GSM bands), then the friendly guys at Pattaya's Tukcom  or Bangkok's MBK mall will unlock it for a small fee.

[steveboy]

How does one go about finding just the right SIM card? If my phone is a Smartphone, do I need a different SIM card?

 

 

SIM cards come in four different sizes:  Full size SIM (the earliest one), mini-SIM, micro-SIM, and nano-SIM (the latest one). Your modern smartphone has either the micro or the nano size. There are adapters that allow a phone made for larger sizes to use the smaller sizes. The active chip is identical in the different size cards.  When you buy a SIM they will give you the right size for your smartphone.

[Guest ryanasia]

ryanasia, my carrier was also True. I wouldn't have remembered that had you not spoke up.Up2u, I was reading that there are ways to unlock the phone yourself. I don't dare try. If I can find my old Thai phone I will just use that. It's not as though I expect a lot of calls there.

 

just go into True, Dtac, AIS and they will do it for you. You can get them at 711 but it can be slow. Don't worry about the SIM. Just make sure your phone is unlocked. That is basically all that matters. Make sure you have your passport when you go to purchase the SIM.

[ChristianPFC]

 

If my phone is a Smartphone, do I need a different SIM card?

 

SIM card size is the same, but you probably want data connection to use your phone as a smart phone. Nowadays, probably all SIM cards come with data connection, but my card from 2011 (?) cannot, so I bought a SIM with data in 2013.

 

And don't forget to bring your passport, you have to register when buying a SIM.

[Guest]

I just walk into one of those True shops & buy the SIM there. Then if something needs fixing, they can do it.

 

Their current package comes with WiFi, which can be useful if you have a tablet,

[Guest ronnie4you]

"And don't forget to bring your passport, you have to register when buying a SIM."

 

Really? Why? It's been a long time, but I don't remember having to show a passport.

[paulsf]

With the current govt, they want SIM cards registered, so yes, bring your passport.

[Brummbaer]

Has been like that for about a year to 18 months. Normal tourist would buy a SIM and that then would deactivate after some time of non-usage.Basically every time you top off the credit that extends the date it will deactivate. A normal tourist would then just get a new SIM on the next trip.

 

I bought my SIM some 3 years ago and as I want to keep the number for various reasons, my BF and I play around with sending credit back and forth between our phones to push forward the expiry date to a time when I'll be back in Thailand. Last May I tried to phone my BF when I arrived at BKK and found out, that although I had credit, I couldn't connect to the net. Problem was, that the SIM wasn't registered and therefore blocked. As soon as I registered with my passport at AIS Counter in the airport I was able to use the phone again. Not sure if Thai have to register when they buy a prepaid SIM, too.

[Alexx]

Thais have to register as well, using their ID card.

[Guest ronnie4you]

Looks like it will be Pattaya's Tukcom as we go there first.

And thanks for the advice to bring the passport!

[NIrishGuy]

And finally if you know how to do it ( and even if not ask someone to do it for you AT HOME ) try to be sure to "back up" your phone before you give it to anyone to do anything with as it wouldn't be the first time that a company has tried to unlock a phone and totally screwed it up, losing all the customers data and stored phone contacts etc ( which is a real pain if it happens )

 

I'm guessing you're not "up" on these things but you ( or someone for you) can reasonably easily either back your phone up to your computer at home, meaning you'll always have that data there should anything bad happen or you lose your phone OR you can now quite easily open a "cloud" account ( like apples iCloud service) for free and then set your phone to back up EVERYTHING there as often as you like, every day if on holiday certainly, as once you select that option it's all automated thereafter and you won't even notice your phone doing it from then on and it only takes seconds.

 

Then if you damage your phone or get it stolen you simply go buy a new empty phone, connect it to the internet, then connect online to your cloud account and press a button to reinstall ALL your data, phone contacts, pictures taken etc to that phone instantly and away you go again. That feature has saved my bacon several times now when travelling.  You'll also have the bonus of all that data also being available to you once you get home on your computer too.

 

I realise if you're not that way inclined that might sound difficult, it's really not and it's the way phones are now going and it is a really useful service and I personally wouldn't and couldn't do without it - and even if not travelling EVERYONE should now be backing up their phone at some points in case of it breakdown and you being left with no contacts and all your photos simply gone and lost forever.

 

Good luck.