dizzyfreedom, It's not quite that simple. Were you referring to "replacing a card" in your sister's
Sprint Cell Phone? That is NOT possible as CDMA Phones
(Sprint, Verizon, Nextel) don't use SIM cards and the phones are not technically capable of operating on the GSM network (which Europe and about 85% of the rest of the world use). It's a completely different technology.
There are several options you might consider:
> When is your sister's plan finished with Sprint? If it's time to re-enroll, she could perhaps switch to
Cinqular/AT&T or
T-Mobile and obtain a
quad-band GSM Phone handset, which will work in Europe and about 150+ other countries around the world.
This is perhaps the most flexible option as it allows the customer to choose whether they want to "roam" with their home carrier, use a Euro SIM at Euro rates, OR use a "universal SIM" such as the one mentioned below (Euro & Universal SIM can only be used if the phone is unlocked!).
One important point though, I believe the roaming option is ONLY available for those on a contract plan, and NOT for those on PAYG. Check with the Carriers to confirm.
Some carriers will unlock phones on their network for a nominal charge, or for no charge after a specific time period has elapsed. The roaming rates are a bit "pricey" but not too hard to manage if you use the phone
sparingly for voice calls. It's MUCH cheaper and more efficient to use text messaging (SMS) to keep in touch during Euro travels!!! One caution if using a Euro SIM - voice calls back to North America could be expensive?
Roaming charges seem to be about the same for all North American GSM carriers (allowing for currency exchange variations). Calls "in country" are normally about $1.00/minute outgoing and $2.00/minute incoming (plus applicable taxes & fees of course). Outgoing calls involving long distance (or "out of country") vary according to the destination and country / network being used, but are often about $2.00/minute.
> Your sister could obtain a GSM Phone with a "universal" SIM from a firm such as
www.cellularabroad.com/.
It's highly advisable to read the "fine print" though, and gain a clear understanding on what the realistic operating costs will be. If you choose this route, you might consider buying a GSM Phone for travel. One important caveat though - if you were to choose a quad-band handset which will also operate in North America, I believe the usage charges for making or receiving calls here are fairly steep!
> Your sister could purchase an
unlocked quad-band GSM Phone off E-Bay or wherever. As usual, it's "caveat emptor" with respect to anything purchased off E-Bay. I've found that unless you can find a phone handset that's "factory fresh", it's wise to be cautious as the phones often come with a lot of programming for the original network they were sold on. That means that some functions might not work as well (ie: web browsing, as the IP addresses will be configured for the original network). When she arrives in Europe, it's a simple matter to buy a PAYG card from one of the networks there.
HOWEVER, this is not necessarily the best option! A SIM card purchased in one country will incur steep roaming charges if you travel to another Euro country (this is improving a bit lately, as the networks are being "pressured" by the E.U.). It's not really practical or cost effective to buy a separate SIM card in each country (although some people do, WHY I'm not sure?). Keep in mind that each time you change SIM cards, the phone number changes, so keeping the family informed of what number you're using at any given time becomes an issue. In addition, any calls they make to your sister will be Long Distance.
One final point to mention - if your sister wishes to stay with
Sprint, she could consider upgrading her phone to a Motorola a840, which is a "dual technology" phone having both CDMA and GSM capability. Some of the North American carriers will provide a PAYG GSM card, which will allow their customers to operate in Europe. HOWEVER, I hesitate to recommend this option, as the whole concept seems kind of GOOFY - when the customer is travelling they are paying for two cell plans, only one of which they can use at any given time - not very efficient or cost effective!!! In addition, some of the reviews that I've seen for the a840 handset are NOT exactly "glowing". Your choice, but again "caveat emptor"........
I always travel with a quad-band GSM Phone (the same mobile phone I use at home, a Motorola V551), using roaming with my home network. I try to be somewhat frugal with voice calls and use SMS most of the time to keep in touch with family in Canada and the U.S.
Hope this had clarified the phone situation. If you have any questions, post another note.
Cheers!!!
