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Sim Card Restrictions???

Posted by (Plantation) on

I have been researching the purchase of SIM cards to used in an unlocked TMobile phone while we are in Europe (6 weeks - France, Holland, Germany, Prague). The plan was to purchase sim cards at each destination however I read that due to new anti-terrorist and anti-drug laws many countries have made buying their sim cards very difficult, even if you're a citizen or resident and in some cases you can only buy them if you such. This website indicates that terrorists have been using sim cards as detonators in cell phones to blow up people and things, such as the Spain train bombing when they used a Swiss sim card. Therefore countries are now demanding to know exactly and completely all the most personal details of a tourist when trying to buy a sim card. Usually they need:

3 color copies of your passport photo, 2-3 copies of your passport page, your home address and tel. numbers, you family's first and last names and your place of work. In addition come of them require information you likely don't even have on hand.

Also, you'll have to take a taxi ride to a specialized shop and then a taxi back to your hotel. Often it can take 1-2-3-4 hours to complete the purchase depending on how busy the shop it, how expert the salesman is and how their computers are feeling that day.

Has anyone encountered this? Or is this just false advertising (this website also sells SIMS). Has anyone on this helpline been in Europe recently and purchased a SIM?

Thanks

Posted by
4555 posts

Italy's the only place I've run into where this is in effect....and retailer sometime turn a blind eye. If you're concerned, and since you'll be in more than one country, consider purchasing a SIM card here first...a "global" one, which will give you good rates from country to country, superb rates back home....and one phone number (usually UK but not always) for friends and family to call. One retailer is www.brightroam.com

Posted by
505 posts

Unless things have changed very recently, I don't things are nearly this bad.

I live in the UK, but am a US citizen and have had no problem getting Sim Cards in Denmark and in Australia, and have not heard of anyone having issues here - cards are advertised in all the local corner shops and given how often they sell alcohol to underaged kids, I can't see them being very strict with sim cards. This was in the last two years, and I don't remember even having to show my passport or even give an address (at least in Denmark). It was just a matter of choosing a card, a phone number, paying and switching Sim Cards in my telephone.

The Sim Card itself cannot be used as a detonator. It's possible that info is encoded on the card, but it's the phone itself that does anything. And you could theoretically buy a SimCard anywhere and use it illicitly.

Posted by
12 posts

I don't follow the need to buy SIM cards. Before I went to Italy, I called T Mobile Customer Service and they gave me an unlock code for my current SIM. Once I understood the sequence, it worked fine. Of course I haven't gotten the bill yet so we'll see....

Posted by
4555 posts

SIM cards purchased in, or specifically for, Italy, will incur far lower charges than American services used from Italy. Your SIM card may have been "unlocked" to use T-Mobile's overseas service, but the phone itself would still be "locked", meaning you couldn't use an Italian SIM anyway.

Posted by
84 posts

You can also get them from www.Telestial.com

It's a bit more expensive than buying in Europe...but I prefer it since I'd rather just get the thing ahead of time instead of worrying about it when I hit the ground.

Posted by
531 posts

I have not read anywhere else about SIM card restrictions however I requested and received an unlock code through my cingular provider prior to going to Aruba this past winter. The unlock code allows you to purchase a SIM card from the country you are visiting and use it in your phone. I bought one at the airport, took mine from Cingular out and used the new one for the 2 weeks we were in Aruba for a lot less than if I used my US provider - even called the US for 40 cents. I'm planning on purchasing a SIM in Italy this October.

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