Unlocked Cell Phones
 

While looking on Ebay at new unlocked cell phones I noticed many are listed as "international Versions". Could someone explain what this means?

:ho: cell phone international version what does that mean - Google Search

I'm looking too. Hope someone can explain.

“International version” cell phone??? You got me. I don’t even know what an “unlocked” cell phone is.

i don't think you want an international version in in florida


they are made and used across the pond
if you travel, these phones can be cheaper "over there".


not worth the risk

From a Google search:

International Version means it was not made for the U.S. market. Often they will work in the U.S. with compatible networks. You need to make sure before you purchase one.

The following websites can help you pick an international phone that will work in the U.S. but always check with your carrier...

PhoneArena - Phone News, Reviews and Specs
GSMArena.com - mobile phone reviews, news, specifications and more...
Phone Scoop

The seller on Ebay said phone will work on US Verizon, BUT all the phones features may not work.

So, forget that idea.

Thanks to all for your input!

For short trips, we used our US Verizon plan as well. Purchased data and minutes. For extended stay trips, our company had phones from across the pond and the minutes/data was cheaper than US based phones.

I have lived between the US and Japan for the past 11 years. I have a Japanese iPhone and just switch SIM cards when entering a new country. I paid my carrier to unlock it before my trip to the states the first time. The only difference in the Japanese iPhone is it makes a shutter click sound when you take a photo and makes a chime sound when you start a video.
The law here requires it. If the phone is a recent model and unlocked you should be able to get a SIM card from a US carrier to use it. I’d recommend checking with the carrier first.

It means they work in other countries when you buy " sim" chips that the carriers sell . For instance I travel to Asia . With one phone I use a mainland China chip then switch to a Hong Kong chip . SIM chips are what hold your minutes . Like memory chips for cameras . You can buy them anywhere in Europe or asia . Instead of reloading a prepaid phone

Unlocked is preferable
 

In short, an unlocked phone is a phone that is not exclusively tied to a single carrier. Unlocked phones can be moved from one network to another, typically by swapping the SIM card inside. Your device's SIM card is basically the physical pass that allows your device to connect to a specific network.

I have purchased and used several "international" versions of Samsung phones that were unlocked.

Unlocked simply means that any SIM will work, as the phone is not locked to a specific carrier.

One needs to be careful as not all unlocked phones are compatible with the Verizon network. This is because Verizon requires certain technology (CDMA) for the radios inside for US locations. Outside the US, those Verizon phones roam using GSM cell carriers.

International models also sometimes have unique features not offered in the US. My Samsung S7 Edge had slits for 2 SIMs, permitting me to use my US phone number as well as a local number when traveling in Asia and Europe. I purchased a local travel SIM in some countries to avoid roaming charges.

These phones lack US carrier applications and bloatware - apps that use memory. I had no issues on ATT, but was able to manually install a few ATT apps that I wanted.

Finally, the international version may have a warranty that is not honored in the US.

Bottom line, you need to understand the details to make sure the phone will work as expected, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Yes, sometimes prices can be very good. I purchased mine from reputable vendor on eBay, for new, unlocked, factory sealed phones intended for the UAE. They were shipped by a Houston vendor.

I have an unlocked international Moto g7 power.

It will not work with Verizon but runs TMobile.

I forget the technical terms but TMobile and Verizon use different methods to reach your phone. The phone that I bought will not operate on the Verizon plan. I bought it on purpose because it came with more ram

Usually go to the UK in the summer. My phone is an unlocked iPhone, nothing special. At any phone store in the UK, and they are numerous, I replace the sim card which they usually do it for me with a pay per minute program which I top up any time, no contract. Upon returning home to The Villages I put my AT&T sim card back in and good to go.:coolsmiley:

A unlocked phone is one that you can put a SIM card in that will work in the country you are visiting the cards can be bought at the country's airport or whoever is the provider in that country. You pay full price for the phone as it is not tied to a provider.

Pinball wizard nailed it in post #6. The sites linked to can give you all the info you need to assure compatibility (3G, 4G, LTE, etc.), but checking with your carrier is the smartest & safest way to go. RBW225 also gave very useful info in post #13. You will need a SIM from the carrier you intend to use, although if you plan to remain with your current carrier, you may be able to remove the SIM from the phone you have been using & transfer it to the unlocked phone. Ask your carrier about that, too.

I have been using an unlocked LG phone for a couple years & bought it primarily so I wouldn't be locked into a lease or contract and so that I could swap out the SIM when we traveled. Cell carriers in some countries sell cheap SIMs right at the airport. Most will allow you to add airtime via the phone or online. Worked well for us in South America a few years ago. Almost all the standard features of the phone work for me except for the voicemail app, which was tied to the original carrier, Sprint. I was able to find a 3rd party app that has worked out very well. As always, YMMV. There are even some phone models that can accept 2 SIMs & allow to to activate 1 or the other, a nice feature if you do plan to use it outside of the US.

Phones companies in the US are allowed to refer to their phones as "unlocked" even if they cannot work with a new SIM card purchased abroad. I went to a great deal of trouble to "unlock" my phone from TracPhone, then I got a SIM card in Europe from someone other than TracPhone. It would not work. When I asked, it was explained "Your phone is unlocked, but not unlocked for Europe".

I would guess international version is good if you want to travel. Don't purchase merely "unlocked" if you want to travel abroad because it probably won't work with SIM cards purchased for it abroad.

I think the bottom line however is that you must ask the seller on ebay, which can be done through their system over there, what is specifically meant by "International Version" - whether the phone will work in the US with any SIM card and whether the phone will work abroad with any SIM card. You need both (unless you never leave the country).

Here is a link to an article that explains why some phones won't work on Verizon.

Will my unlocked phone work on Verizon? (Probably not) | Android Central

Careful you may upset someone more than John Wayne! :1rotfl:

Some phone are only set up for international use. I guess you could check with your carrier
to see if this can be changed. Good Luck!

Unlocked cell phone
 

Hi, I’m not a very “techy” person so if I sound stupid, I’m sorry.
I purchased my IPhone when the lease was up. Don’t know if that was smart or not, however it’s done. How does one go about getting the phone unlocked. I’d like to switch carriers but after reading several replies, I’m worried that it might not be compatible with another provider. I’m at a loss as to what my options are.
Thanks in advance for any input.

Thanks for all the reply's but I decided against buying the international phone.

An "international version" means that it was not made for sale in the USA. It will probably work in the USA with a carrier using GSM technology.

You might find this link useful... willmyphonework.net

If it’s an unlocked GSM Mobile phone (NOT CVMA; which is usually Verizon), then while traveling overseas you can buy a local SIM card in the country you go to and make international calls (including calling back to the US) for cheap. I hope this helps you.

Even if you purchased your iPhone from Verizon, they will unlock your phone after you own it and have a contract with them for a minimum of 45 days. In the future you can buy unlocked iPhones directly from Apple, just go to their web site and search for unlocked phones. You can even buy an unlocked refurb iPhone from Apple with a full one year warranty for less cost than the same model if purchased from one of the major carriers.

International can mean two things. Most easily dealt with is that the supplied charger, may have some sort of European power supply. You can easily replace that, or buy a pin converter. All European phones I’ve seen, will work on US power. The reverse is not necessarily the case.
The main problem is that some of the frequencies used by the networks, are not the same as in the US. Having said that, I have four U.K. iPhones, ranging from a 5 to an 8. All work great in the US. BUT, most countries of the world us a standard called GSM. They have SIM cards, which can be moved between phones. My US network uses SIM cards, so no problem, the big issue is VERIZON compatibility. I think that the latest VERIZON standard also uses SIM cards, but they may not be compatible.
I would stay with iPhones and nothing older than a 6. If your not on VERIZON, you should be o.k. But talk to your US provider about buying a SIM.

I forgot to say, in my earlier reply. UNLOCKED is essential. New phones, sold to you by your service provider, are locked. They will not work on any other network. I don’t mean roaming, I mean you can’t move between providers. The meaning of unlocked, is therefore obvious. Some networks will unlock your phone, for a fee, and after you’ve had the contract for some time. Some networks automatically unlock the phone, say after a year.

My telephone was made in China. So this is an international phone. However, I never called China since I can't understand Chinese!

Unlocked Meaning
 

Unlocked means that you are not tied to a specific cell phone company and can cancel from 1 company and move it to another. It is more expensive, but some people do not like being stuck with 1 cell provider.

Wow..that was very educational. What a nice response to a question that many have pondered by many but were afraid to ask...

There are/were basically four high frequencies cellphone bands that are used worldwide in different areas of the world. They are 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 or derivatives thereof. Two of these are GSM (with Sim card) and the others are CDMA. Most cellphones use only two bands in a particular country. International phones are able to work on any of the four bands and usually cost more. So you do not have to buy a different phone to use in another country. If you live in the US you could step off a plane with your same phone in Europe and make a call. This is the reason one carrier's issued phone even here in the US may not work with another carrier. As 4G and 5G showed up things are a little more complicated now with smart phones and such; but this is the basic reason for the difference.

I forgot. Unlocked means it will work on other carriers whether in US or other. International means it will work on all four bands. So Unlocked International is the most flexible. Double sim card phones means you can have two completely different phone numbers on one phone that operate independently as if you are holding two phones. You can even put one on hold and answer the other number, different call waiting, etc. Work and personal, etc. You have to pay for two lines from the carrier of course.

中文真的很容易理解
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