Can I take the sim card out of a cheap cellphone I bought in David a few months ago with +Movil minutes and put into a Samsung Android smartphone purchased in the States? My wife is coming to Boquete this coming week and would rather use the android, if possible.
I slipped the +Movil card into the phone here in Pennsylvania tonight, and can't really test it. It's asking for a SIM card pin number, and (from poking around the internet tonight) expect that it will then ask for the PUK number for the carrier. And, of course, I have no idea what those numbers might be.
Is this something easy to do, or will she have to do that at a +Movil store? Is it as simple as finding out what +Movil's PUK number is?
Alternatively, can she buy a new sim card by itself in Panama? We are obviously trying to avoid buying new smartphones when we complete our move to Boquete.
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One more bit of info for others: Verizon 4G phones are never locked. The gal at Cable & Wireless didn't know this and thought our Motorola Androids were locked. All we had to do was change a setting under Preferred network type to GSM/UMTS for it to work with a local SIM card.
Jane, that works for Iphones from Verizon, not sure about others? There is a FCC rule about the frequencies used by Apple.
My phone isn't an iPhone. It's a Motorola Droid.
Thank you, now I know others are also under that same FCC ruling
AT&T gave me the unlock code by email in like two days. No long waiting period. I was still using AT&T when they gave me the unlock code. I have it for a back up. I bought the samsung III in David after arriving anway. Just a little info on AT&T unlocking. Just email them.
Cheers,
Hil
That's useful information. I didn't know whether getting an unlock code would terminate the current contract. During our move, I'd like to maintain the AT&T contract until we've wrapped things up in the USA
Thanks, folks!
That was pretty easy. After a quick interaction on the AT&T website, It's definitely unlocked now. I'm not sure whether the sim card I transferred into phone will immediately work upon landing at Tocumen, but if it doesn't, the phone should be ready for a quick stop to the nearest Mas Movil store with four dollars in hand.
I appreciate the help
The normal 4 digit pin code on MasMovile is 1111, the PUK code is on the card that originally contained the SIM, you will not need it unless you enter the SIM in error several times. The Mas Movil SIM expires in about 90 days of inactivity so you may need to buy a new one when the phone arrives in Panama.
Expires??
You mean my unused minutes expire, or my phone number expires?
My wife is planning to call a driver when she arrives in PTY tomorrow evening. If she has to buy a sim card before she can do that, that will be a problem. Yikes
Has the American Carrier (The one whose logo is probably printed at the top of the phone and shows when you boot up the phone) UNLOCKED the Android phone? (perhaps that is a PUK - Phone Unlock Kode)? Depending on how you acquired the Android, that may be necessary. Call your carrier for instructions (They may possibly withhold their consent if the contract associated with that phone has not already been satisfied).
It IS possible to get a new SIM chip when you arrive in Panama. But the phone hardware may require unlocking anyway.
I used my Motorola Android from AT&T when I arrived in Panama, but did need AT&T to provide the unlock code. I was within 30 days of satisfying the original 2-year service contract with AT&T when I asked.
Good luck to you.
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