AT&T will sell you a SIM, without a contract, without a phone; Europe laughs
By Stefan Constantinescu on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 PM PST In AT&T
I’ve held off on blogging about the recent news that AT&T (NYSE: T) now sells SIM cards. Here in Europe buying a SIM card is like buying a bottle of Pepsi, you’re in and out in less than 30 seconds. When I went to the states during Christmas I stopped by a T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) ship to pick up a SIM since they have unlimited EDGE data (ask for t-zones) for only 7 dollars a month. They wanted my ID, my address, my home phone number and a urine sample. I felt like I was being interrogated all for a god damn piece of plastic with microchip that I would be using for only 3 weeks. A 10 minute argument with the 17 year old pimple faced, incredibly busty breasted bimbo working the register and I got what I needed. I pay per month, what normal users pay, plus an extra $5 because I was considered an undesirable by the Führer.
Apparently AT&T service will now be equally as easy to obtain and since they offer the only HSDPA network in the states they’re looking a lot more attractive than T-Mobile. Don’t even bother telling me T-Mobile has 3G, no one makes a smartphone that uses the 1700 MHz band. The blogosphere blew up when a typo stated you needed a 2 year contract to get a SIM card, but Gigaom clears up the miscommunication by actually doing something called real journalism and contacting a source.
Ricky Cadden says AT&T still manages to muck up MMS, but we have to be happy that baby steps are being taken.
I don’t get it…i’ve been using AT&T/Cingular with my unlocked phones ever since I moved to the US 3 years ago. I’ve never bought a phone from them, I always get the SIM by itself. I live with my 3 brothers, we’ve all been doing the same thing for years! The people in the store always look at me like I just raped someone when i pull out my phone and put the sim in it, but that’s beside the point
Thank you Stefan. Are these offers a possible solution for travellers to the U.S.? I’m will be staying for 2 weeks in NYC with my N95 and would like to use internet and apps like Google Maps via EDGE. Which offer would you recommend?
Sven,
Just go to T-Mobile store and buy the cheapest starter (it’s usually $30) which includes bottom line Nokia phone and a starter sim with $10 worth of calling. I believe you need to log in to t-mobile’s website to activate edge service. I will double check on it and let you know as I’ve bought about 6 phones before (I needed a starter sim for my Text-to-tv system demo). Now I have a bunch of sims (if anyone needs one – let me know. I can send them to you free – you will have to recharge it with top-up cards though as they are “high and dry” by now)
Hello!
Hungary is the same as US (was): you need to show all kind of papers if you want to buy a SIM.
I am a employee of at&t, and from my knowledge of working here as long as I have, when a customer comes in, all they have to do is have a account with us and we will give them a new SIM card FREE OF CHARGE, we never give anyone hassles or question someone, everyone has there reasons, they either lost it, phone was stolen or which ever. I hope this clears this up.
And the reason why we do this is because like I said in my last statement, there are many reasons why. If someone stole your phone why should you have to pay 25.00 to get a new one. Thats ridiculous.