First, I'm a prepaid cell user here as I very seldom use one. Bill and I will be in Paris for a month and I wanted us to be in contact with each other while we are roaming separately. I bought 2 Motorola quad band V195 phones from T-Mobile for $39 each back in Dec. In Feb. I bought ($83 each) 1 yr service + minutes (online, not T-Mobile)for our use in the USA. This month I called T-Mobile and asked to have the phones unlocked. They E-mailed me the codes and now I have 2 unlocked quad band phones ( I used my friend's Cincinnati Bell SIM for the unlocking). I decided to purchase the Telestial Lite Passport Sims so that I could test the phones here and as we will be in the UK,France and Italy in the next year, I thought they would be better than individual country cards. I may find that a French card will be more convenient this year but as I have to but 2 of everything, I will think about that later.

I have read "horror stories" about how hard it is to get a Motorola phone unlocked especially with T-Mobile. Well, it was "easy" for me! Just thought I'd let everyone know.

Kathy

Thanks for the report. I've heard of difficulties with T-Mobile (my carrier) also so it is good to hear your story.

Do you have any service with T-mobile or just their phone? I'm curious because I'm a pre-paid T-mobile user. My phone is a T-Mobile Samsung that a friend gave me and I should get it unlocked for future travel.

Quick note: I had no problem getting our AT&T phones unlocked. I wonder if carriers are getting less paranoid about this?

We didn't have a problem getting our T-mobile phone (a Samsung) unlocked either, once we were past the required waiting period. I can't remember now what it was ... maybe 90 days? We've used it successfully in France and Italy, with a United Mobile card, which is probably quite similar to the Telestial.

At home I use the T-mobile prepaid plan, which costs $100 a year for 1000 minutes (which I never even come close to, as I don't use the phone much here).

Thanks for letting us know your story, Kathy. I am not sure T-mobile is still selling those inexpensive quadbands; I think I looked recently when someone else was asking me for phone suggestions, and they didn't have them listed on their web site.

- Roz

Hi,again.

Marta, I have the prepaid plan. I bought the $100/1000 min. refill for it at callingmart.com for $83. back in Feb. It's $93 there now but they run periodic sales lower also. I like T-Mobile better than my old Tracfone service (whose phones cannot be unlocked).

Roz, the Motorola V195 is available now on the website for $39.99 plus you get a free $25 refill card. I remenber now that I got that free refill card also. It's a good deal!

I believe that the 90 day requirement is still in effect. I had no trouble whatsoever getting the first unlock code for the phone in my name. With the 2nd one in Bill's name, they wanted to charge $10 because he hadn't "refilled" in the last 30 days! I said, no way, it has a one year/100 min charge in it! They backed down and sent the code.

Correction That's a $100/ 1000 min refill, not 100 min!

Hi anthemion,

Let me see if I have this correct. I can buy a prepaid Motorola V195 phone for $40, and the $10/30 min./90 days plan. Then I buy the $10 plan again, before my 90 days expire. After 90 days I can ask to have my phone unlocked and I can let my plan expire. So for $60 I then have an unlocked quad band phone.

I don't need the phone service, but $60 sounds like a good deal to me.

Is this correct?

Denise

Hi, Denise,
Here's how I figure it: V195 phone + free $25/130 min/90 day card = $40 (plus tax/shipping? I think) Now, if at the end of those 90 days you call and want the thing unlocked, they may want you to pay $10 since you haven't topped off in the last 30 days (see above where they tried to make me pay for my second unlock). With this scenario the unlocked phone would cost you $50 and tax etc.

I don't guarantee that this will work as I have the 1 yr plan and intend the phone to be my only phone here in the states also. I have read on other sites where people have been sucessful doing this but, who knows. It worked for me.

Kathy

Thanks Kathy. If I decide to give it a try, I'll report back. It just seems like a cheap and easy way to buy a quad band phone.

Denise