If I buy a US cell can I set it up here?

[endy]

Hello
Not sure if this makes sense.
I lost my cell phone on Monday. We're headed to Montana this weekend. So my question is - can I buy a phone there, not activate it until I get home.
Can I activate it on my Bell account? I have 2 years left and really don't want to spend hundreds on a phone.

Thanks for any answers and help.

 

[Valjean13]

I may be wrong, but I think that idea would only work with "unlocked" phones, and they can only be used on GSM networks. Currently Rogers and Fido are the only companies you can do that with. The only reason it works is because those phones use SIM cards, so you just insert your Rogers SIM into any unlocked GSM phone and it works. Bell and the other companies use CDMA phones, which are programmed for that specific carrier. You can't use a Bell phone with a Telus account, so I don't think you could buy a phone in the states and use it with Bell. You'd have to get them to program it, and aside from them charging you lots of money to do that....they probably just don't do it in the first place.

 

[Charleyann]

I have a Trac phone and it works here in Canada. I recently got a call on it from Florida. Wrong number of course

Charleyann

 

[tinytink22]

We were at Wal Mart last night looking at the cell phones and the lady told us that this fall all the major cell phone companies in the States are coming to Canada and cell phone prices are going to be going down because of all the competition.

 

[endy]

Thanks for the answers. It was wishful thinking. Of course it wouldn't work here that's why we have to pay the big bucks.
Maybe I'll look at a pay as you go phone just for when I'm in the states.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I have an older Samsung N400 phone from Sprint that was unlocked and I set it up on the Bell network without a problem you just need to make sure it is unlocked which you can't just walk into any cell shop and buy.

We were at Wal Mart last night looking at the cell phones and the lady told us that this fall all the major cell phone companies in the States are coming to Canada and cell phone prices are going to be going down because of all the competition.

Rogers is working to block this from happening and from what I have been told they are going to be or have been succesfull in their attempt so I wouldn't count on this happening.

 

[bavaria]

Just FYI if you buy a prepaid phone on a major network the US companies are required to unlock on request. I unlocked my AT and T phone earlier today in about 5 minutes by calling customer service. (I have a multitude of phones and phone numbers due to my international travel so do this quite regularly with phones) http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/go-phones/

Also note that many phones sold in America are not multi band phones and cannot be used internationally ie outside N America