Text 9145, 78 rader
Skriven 2010-07-11 08:55:46 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
   Kommentar till text 9093 av Roy Witt (1:387/22)
Ärende: Cellphone woes
======================
Roy Witt wrote to Robert Bashe on Friday July 09 2010 at 10:48:

RB>> Strange system. For one thing, why did you haave to "register" the
RB>> phone?

RW> To use the service, they have to program the system with the serial
RW> number of the phone.

OK, that's CDMA then. With a GSM phone all you need is the SIM. Nothing has to
be programmed, you just have to buy the SIM and have it activated (the last one
I bought, for EUR 5 on the Internet, had to be activated by using it one single
time, either for a voice connection or a text message - cost to you exactly EUR
0.09). GSM phones that are unlocked (presently most of them except the
subsidized cheapies sold by some providers) can be used with any SIM from any
provider for as long as you want.

RB>> Or was this not a prepaid phone, but one on a provider contract?

RW> Tracphone is a prepaid system.

But obviously CDMA, and that's where the hassle comes in. GSM is much simpler:
that's the reason why it's becoming the main system even in the States, whereas
CDMA phones are slowly dying out.

RB>> And another question would be how the **** they had any knowledge of
RB>> your "contacts" (I assume names and phone numbers)? This really is
RB>> wierd, must have been a CDMA phone too, since you have all that data
RB>> on the SIM with a GSM phone.

RW> I asked this question a couple of years ago. It seems that some
RW> providers and their GSM phones store the phone book on the providers
RW> system. And not all GSM phones have a SIM card these days.

The first point (storage of your personal phone book at the provider) is
totally unknown in the case of a GSM phone, and the second one is simply wrong:
the whole principle of GSM phones is the use of a SIM module. If it doesn't
have a SIM, it isn't a GSM phone.

RB>> This would make people here pretty unhappy - the emphasis on private
RB>> information is pretty strong here.

RW> Don't use Verizon or any of their non-SIMed GSM phones as your
RW> provider then.

Well, Verizon doesn't operate in Germany and there are no GSM phones without a
SIM, so I'm in no danger on that point.

RB>> As for the "minutes" (for incoming calls), well, this is something
RB>> apparently only Americans really understand. Things here work
RB>> completely differently: you pay for a call you make and that's that.

RW> Same here.

All I can do is shake my head at such obstinency. And of course you're dead
wrong.

RB>> Nobody pays to receive a cellphone call any more than you would on a
RB>> land line. And any "minutes" you might buy or have given to you for
RB>> signing a contract are _sending_ time minutes here, i.e. how long you
RB>> can call.

RW> I have no contract, but get 8800 minutes/month free.

You don't get zilch free, Roy, and if you believe that, I've obviously
overestimated your intelligence.

RB>> They have nothing to do with receiving a call, since that's always
RB>> free in Germany.

RW> Same here.

Bullshit. Are you really that naive, misinformed or just plain resistant to
facts?

Cheers, Bob

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