Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?

[micky]

Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?

Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

[VanguardLH]

micky wrote:

> Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?

Yes.

> Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

Yes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subscriber_identity_module
"The use of SIM cards is mandatory in GSM devices."
"SIM cards are always used on GSM phones; for CDMA phones, they are only
needed for newer LTE-capable handsets (1)."

(1) Because LTE is a derivative of GSM and why a SIM card is needed for
it. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_(telecommunication).

I had a Motorola W375 flip dumbphone. It only supported up to 2G;
however, carriers dropped 2G service so that phone got dumped. It had a
SIM card because it was a GSM phone. I have a Kyocera S2100 flip
dumbphone: $5 on clearance from $20 at Radio Shack, so I got 2 (and glad
I did as one forgettfully went into the hot tub with me at the resort).
That one does not have a SIM card because it doesn't work on GSM
networks, only CDMA networks.

[Ralph Fox]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:07:41 -0500, micky wrote:

> Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?
> Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

Sure there are. I have one, a Samsung E2530:

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_e2530-3665.php



--
Kind regards
Ralph
🦊

[nospam]

In article <9fas2c1dbrs6if5qc...@4ax.com>, micky

<NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote:

> Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?
>
> Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

all phones that aren't cdma (sprint/verizon) use sim cards.

[tlvp]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:07:41 -0500, micky wrote:

> Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?

Yes. To supplement what Vanguard and Ralph Fox have already written, other
examples include LG's cu-400 and Motorola's RAZR V3.

> Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

Apart from the above, which are camera-bearing flip phones, there are also
the mucholder camera-free candybar phones TimePort 7389, SLVR L2 and P280
by Motorola, the Nokia 6610, and many, many more.

HTH. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

[micky]

In comp.mobile.android, on Thu, 17 Nov 2016 21:41:56 -0500, tlvp

Okay, I've got that straight. Thanks a lot, all.

[Chris in Makati]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:07:41 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

>
>Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?
>
>Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

Every phone I've owned since my first one way back in 1994 uses SIM
cards.

[Arno Welzel]

micky schrieb:

> Are there flip-phones that use SIM cards?

Yes.

> Are there any phones that are not smart phones that use SIM cards?

Yes.


--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de
https://de-rec-fahrrad.de
http://fahrradzukunft.de

[Carlos E.R.]

That means all GSM phones. A GSM phone needs a SIM card. With one
exception: without a SIM card, a GSM phone can make emergency calls.

Phones belonging to a different technology or standard can use anything
they decide to use.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

[micky]

In comp.mobile.android, on Tue, 22 Nov 2016 22:00:59 +0100, "Carlos

I wonder what my first candy bar phone was, or the two phones I was
given free on separate occasions because they were obsolete, I thought
I'd keep one in the trunk of my car for emergencies but a) the battery
went dead I'm sure. In 53 years I've only needed a phone twice to get
out of a car problem and I borrowed one each time with little trouble.
But now when I'm going out in the wilds I carry one.

Anyhow, if they had a SIM card, I didn't know about it. I didn't know
about GSM, CDMA, or AM/FM.

[VanguardLH]

micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> on 2016/11/26 wrote:

> I wonder what my first candy bar phone was, or the two phones I was
> given free on separate occasions because they were obsolete, I thought
> I'd keep one in the trunk of my car for emergencies but a) the battery
> went dead I'm sure. In 53 years I've only needed a phone twice to get
> out of a car problem and I borrowed one each time with little trouble.
> But now when I'm going out in the wilds I carry one.
>
> Anyhow, if they had a SIM card, I didn't know about it. I didn't know
> about GSM, CDMA, or AM/FM.

The SIM card is to validate you have a valid account with a GSM provider
so you can use their cellular service. All cellular provides must
support 911 calls even if you don't have a currently active subscription
with them. That means you can make 911 calls without a cell plan.

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/911-wireless-services

So I would think even without a SIM card in a GSM phone that the cell
carrier cannot refuse to accept a 911 call to their network. They
cannot require you be their subscriber for you to make a 911 call.

You could buy a new battery; however, for the cost, you can probably get
a cheap flip phone just for 911 calls. If you don't have a cell plan,
you won't have a phone number to give to the emergency operator to call
you back in case of a disconnection or to have the police or ambulance
call you if they cannot find you. With a cell phone without location
services, how are you going to make a 911 call in the "wilds" (assuming
you get a signal and can make the call) to tell them where you are (if
you have a clue) but you cannot speak? You might manage to dial 911 but
too injured to speak.

Without a cell plan, and with a phone that has no GPS service, how are
you going to tell anyone where you are? "Help me. I'm lost and injured
in the middle of some woods. No, not a clue where I am. Can't help you
find me." Better is to write down a trek schedule of when you leave,
where you will be, where you will go, and when you expect to get back,
just like how flight plans work. If "wilds" means you will still be on
roads (so not that wild), you go hiking for a couple miles looking for a
mile marker and tell the emergency operator about where you are (and
hopefully you know what road you are on or you happen to also see a road
sign for it on your hike).

When someone says "wilds", I don't imagine a scenario where there is
handy location signage. When the cell carriers claim 99% coverage of a
country's population, that 99% is scoped to within the regions they
actually cover. If you're in the "wilds", you make get no cell signal.
If you look at the cell carrier coverage maps, that are still huge
chunks of the USA that are *not* covered. Population density is so low
there that who are there are not included in that 99% coverage
statistic.

If you have a cell plan but are in an area with a signal too weak to
establish a phone call, your cell phone may still connect to the nearest
tower. This will leave a trail of where you were (as you make
consecutive phone calls). Emergency personell can use this trail from
your cell provider to search for you albeit the area may be large. Of
course, that means someone has to report you missing which is why I
mentioned having a flight plan you give to someone who will initiate a
missing person search if you don't return or show up at a different
destination.

If you cannot afford cell phone service, there are assistance plans to
give you a free phone (but you could buy your own or maybe reuse your
old one to use instead of the itty bitty low-featured one they give
you). One is Assurance Wireless. Tracfone has one called SafeLink
Wireless. Those are the only 2 that I've heard of. There may be
others.

If you're going to be in the wilds for awhile, where are you going to
recharge your cell phone? Are you planning on toting along a fully
charged power pack and a big one so you can get enough recharges to
outlast your trek into the wilds?

[The Real Bev]

On 11/27/2016 03:01 AM, VanguardLH wrote:
> micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> on 2016/11/26 wrote:
>
>> I wonder what my first candy bar phone was, or the two phones I was
>> given free on separate occasions because they were obsolete, I thought
>> I'd keep one in the trunk of my car for emergencies but a) the battery
>> went dead I'm sure. In 53 years I've only needed a phone twice to get
>> out of a car problem and I borrowed one each time with little trouble.
>> But now when I'm going out in the wilds I carry one.

...

> If you cannot afford cell phone service, there are assistance plans to
> give you a free phone (but you could buy your own or maybe reuse your
> old one to use instead of the itty bitty low-featured one they give
> you). One is Assurance Wireless. Tracfone has one called SafeLink
> Wireless. Those are the only 2 that I've heard of. There may be
> others.
>
> If you're going to be in the wilds for awhile, where are you going to
> recharge your cell phone? Are you planning on toting along a fully
> charged power pack and a big one so you can get enough recharges to
> outlast your trek into the wilds?

DO NOT CONSIDER T-MOBILE SERVICE FOR BACK-COUNTRY USE.

I can't get signal at my local POPULAR ski resort (Snow Summit, Big
Bear, CA) until I get down into the town main street half a mile away.
My Verizon friend has no problem at all.

--
Cheers, Bev
"I read somewhere that 77 per cent of all the mentally ill live in
poverty. Actually, I'm more intrigued by the 23 per cent who are
apparently doing quite well for themselves." -- Emo Philips

[nospam]

In article <o1f11u$te3$1...@dont-email.me>, The Real Bev

<bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> >
> > If you're going to be in the wilds for awhile, where are you going to
> > recharge your cell phone? Are you planning on toting along a fully
> > charged power pack and a big one so you can get enough recharges to
> > outlast your trek into the wilds?
>
> DO NOT CONSIDER T-MOBILE SERVICE FOR BACK-COUNTRY USE.
>
> I can't get signal at my local POPULAR ski resort (Snow Summit, Big
> Bear, CA) until I get down into the town main street half a mile away.
> My Verizon friend has no problem at all.

big deal. just because one spot you happen to go to has weak t-mobile
service doesn't mean everywhere else will have weak service too.

there are plenty of places where t-mobile has service when other
carriers do not.

*every* carrier has dead spots, including verizon.

[tlvp]

On Sun, 27 Nov 2016 08:20:25 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

> DO NOT CONSIDER T-MOBILE SERVICE FOR BACK-COUNTRY USE.
>
> I can't get signal at my local POPULAR ski resort (Snow Summit, Big
> Bear, CA) until I get down into the town main street half a mile away.
> My Verizon friend has no problem at all.

Don't over-generalize. In Hawaii lately I encountered odd-ball spots where
only Sprint, only at&t, only VZW, and only T-Mo could offer service, and
none of the others.

The "only at&t" one was the pull-out on the Hana Highway that I pulled over
onto with a flat. I had handsets relying on T-Mo and on VZW -- both seeing
no signal. Good Samaritan #1 had Sprint as carrier, saw enough signal to
dial out and connect, but not enough to have an intelligible conversation.
Good Samaritan #2 had service through at&t, and managed to reach and
activate a roadside assist service.

I'll spare you all the gory details of what came next, or of the three
other sorts of spots. Moral: keep 4 phones w/ you, one ea. on each service.

[The Real Bev]

On 11/27/2016 10:35 PM, tlvp wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Nov 2016 08:20:25 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> DO NOT CONSIDER T-MOBILE SERVICE FOR BACK-COUNTRY USE.
>>
>> I can't get signal at my local POPULAR ski resort (Snow Summit, Big
>> Bear, CA) until I get down into the town main street half a mile away.
>> My Verizon friend has no problem at all.
>
> Don't over-generalize. In Hawaii lately I encountered odd-ball spots where
> only Sprint, only at&t, only VZW, and only T-Mo could offer service, and
> none of the others.

With my previous BLU phone I couldn't connect inside my house; I had to
walk out to the sidewalk in front of my neighbor's house, and we're
roughly 1/4 mile from the tower. New Motorola phone is better, but --
with exceptions -- useless anywhere but a city or near a freeway. The
t-mobile coverage map used to be a lot more detailed -- I could see the
difference between my house and my neighbor's.

> The "only at&t" one was the pull-out on the Hana Highway that I pulled over
> onto with a flat. I had handsets relying on T-Mo and on VZW -- both seeing
> no signal. Good Samaritan #1 had Sprint as carrier, saw enough signal to
> dial out and connect, but not enough to have an intelligible conversation.
> Good Samaritan #2 had service through at&t, and managed to reach and
> activate a roadside assist service.
>
> I'll spare you all the gory details of what came next, or of the three
> other sorts of spots. Moral: keep 4 phones w/ you, one ea. on each service.

Pfaugh. What did we do before we had cellphones? We suffered, that's
what, and we can do it again!

--
Cheers, Bev
"No one's life, liberty or property is safe while
the legislature is in session." -- Mark Twain

[tlvp]

On Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:15:12 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

> Pfaugh. What did we do before we had cellphones? We suffered, that's
> what, and we can do it again!

Well, as regards dealing with flat tires, we had full-size wheels for
spares, with full-size tires on them, not dinky donuts like today. (Mrrph!)

[The Real Bev]

On 11/29/2016 11:56 PM, tlvp wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:15:12 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> Pfaugh. What did we do before we had cellphones? We suffered, that's
>> what, and we can do it again!
>
> Well, as regards dealing with flat tires, we had full-size wheels for
> spares, with full-size tires on them, not dinky donuts like today. (Mrrph!)

OTOH, I haven't had a flat for maybe 40 years. I remember it
distinctly. I had to roll the spare home and back (maybe a mile away)
to inflate it. Just as I was finally letting the car down a Highway
Patrolman pulled up and asked if he should call the auto club for me. I
was polite, I swear to god.

--
Cheers, Bev
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the
majority, but to be insane in such a useful way that
they can't commit you." -- Mark Edwards

[tlvp]

On Wed, 30 Nov 2016 09:26:10 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

> I haven't had a flat for maybe 40 years.

You must drive on roads with no potholes and no fallen tree-limbs sticking
out from the shoulders to obstruct the travel lanes, and park alongside
curbs with no broken curbstones at the ready to puncture your sidewall.

Me, I live in the great US of A and all my roads and curbs, alas, come
*with* the features described above. So: a flat typically every 3-5 years.

YMMV. Cheers, -- tlvp

[The Real Bev]

On 12/01/2016 01:44 AM, tlvp wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Nov 2016 09:26:10 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> I haven't had a flat for maybe 40 years.

I was wrong -- I actually had a flat a couple of years ago, but it was
due to a blown sidewall (tire defect) while I was parked rather than by
some outside entity. That was a monumental nuisance. I would have
changed the tire (doughnut in trunk) except that I couldn't find the
wheel-lock key and the auto club guys didn't have any way of cracking
the lock off. I ended up being towed to my favorite tire store, having
them crack ALL the wheel-lock nuts off and buying two new tires. They,
along with two even newer ones, were on the car when I drove it to the
knackers.

> You must drive on roads with no potholes and no fallen tree-limbs sticking
> out from the shoulders to obstruct the travel lanes, and park alongside
> curbs with no broken curbstones at the ready to puncture your sidewall.

Pretty much. I avoid potholes and rarely see tree-limbs (although I saw
a lot of them when we had a 100mph windstorm here several years ago
which showed exactly why cities shouldn't plant magnolias or Chinese
elms as street trees). Mostly I park in parking lots or areas where the
curbstones are in acceptable shape.

> Me, I live in the great US of A and all my roads and curbs, alas, come
> *with* the features described above. So: a flat typically every 3-5 years.

The Pasadena city roads are mostlyacceptable, it's the sidewalks that
are in piss-poor shape -- mostly due to the aforementioned
surface-rooted self-pruning street trees. Their idea of a repair of a
sidewalk heaved up a foot or so is to fill the space with blacktop. God
help you if you're in a wheelchair. Supposedly the residents are
supposed to foot the bill for repairing the sidewalks in front of their
houses, but the City passed that ordinance after we moved in and I don't
think anybody has ever taken it to court. Their tree, their sidewalk,
THEIR problem.

The City also refuses responsibility if a limb falls off a street tree
and squashes he car parked (on the City street) beneath UNLESS the limb
had been previously reported as dangerous. I'd take that one to court too.

--
Cheers, Bev
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for
anything, but they still bring a smile to your face
when you push them down a flight of stairs.

[~misfit~]

I see that it's listed as still available. I wish my Nokia 3710 was still
available as it's the best damn phone I've ever had and shudder to think
what I'd go through if I were ever to need to replace it.

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_3710_fold-2833.php

When compared with your Samsung using GSM Arenea's 'Compare with' function
the Nokia wins out on almost everything - yet has been unavailable for years
now. (I know, I tried to buy a spare in 2012 when I realised how good this
thing is and noticed I hadn't seen one around for a while. :-/ )

I use a tablet with android for non-phone things but prefer to use a small
easily pocketable device as a mobile phone.
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long way when religious belief has a cozy
little classification in the DSM*."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)
(*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)