"Joel Kolstad" <JKolstad71HatesSpam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:12njd9i6m51h090@corp.supernews.com...
> "SMS" <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote in message
> news:4578a722$0$82615$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net...
>> "Both T-Mobile and Cingular had an advantage not available for Verizon
>> and Sprint users: their GSM-based phones can usually be used in many
>> non-U.S. countries, CR observed."
>
> "Usually" is probably rather overstated: Unless someone specifically
> purchased an unlocked phone from their U.S.-based GSM carrier, I'd say the
> odds of the average person having such a phone is perhaps... 1 in 10?

Absolutely incorrect. You do not need an unlocked phone to have service.
If your phone functions on the 900/1800/1900 GSM frequency bands and your
local service provider has a roaming agreement with the overseas provider
your phone will work. However you per minute cost might be through the roof,
so by having an unlocked phone you can purchase a local SIM card and get
much better rates.
>
> Granted, trying to use a CDMA phone outside the U.S. is probably a 1 in
> 1000 shot; I'd be surprised if we could find anyone who has successfully
> taken, e.g., a Sprint phone and gotten it to work in, say, Japan. But
> perhaps I'm horribly mistaken...
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