Need US GSM contract without a phone

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Hans Meier - 16 Nov 2004 21:42 GMT

I am currently moving from Europe to the US and tiered of using my
prepaid US -Cell Phone service. I am looking for an US T-Mobile
contract (12 / 24 months) WITHOUT a phone - as I just got an unlocked
GSM Mot. V600 from my German operator.

The contract should be for US-Zip (34205) and provide good cash back,
but no phone.

I can provide an US-SSN as well as US-CreditCards and US
billing/shipping address.

Please email if you have something like this available

Thanks Hans Meier

Reply to this Message

Joseph - 16 Nov 2004 22:06 GMT

>I am currently moving from Europe to the US and tiered of using my
>prepaid US -Cell Phone service. I am looking for an US T-Mobile
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>I can provide an US-SSN as well as US-CreditCards and US
>billing/shipping address.

You'll need a satisfactory US credit record to get monthly service or
if they do let you have service they'll likely require a $500 - $1000
deposit if you do not have a satisfactory US credit record.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

Baderunner - 17 Nov 2004 02:08 GMT

They have a variety of free phones you would get that are locked. Just keep
it as a spare. If you have a US-SSN and US Cedit Cards they probably will
not need a security deposit.

>I am currently moving from Europe to the US and tiered of using my
> prepaid US -Cell Phone service. I am looking for an US T-Mobile
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thanks Hans Meier

Reply to this Message

Joseph - 17 Nov 2004 03:33 GMT

>They have a variety of free phones you would get that are locked. Just keep
>it as a spare. If you have a US-SSN and US Cedit Cards they probably will
>not need a security deposit.

I don't know where you got that from! Of course they'll do a credit
check and if there's not sufficient credit they may either refuse him
service or they'll ask for a deposit.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

Stuart Friedman - 18 Nov 2004 00:59 GMT

I think "Baderunner" was treating the U.S. credit cards as some proof of
U.S. creditworthiness.

I don't know whether a long history with T-Mobile DE will help. Moreand
more international divisions of companies are managed to talk. I got an
MBNA UK credit card based on my MBNA US history. A friend got a mortgage
for a second home from HSBC FR based on their contacts with his home branch
of HSBC UK. Obviously, you'll need to call T-Mobile and approach them with
this. Going to a corner store and trying to do this will nto work. It
might not work at all, but is sometimes possible. In any event, it never
hurts to ask.

Stu

>>They have a variety of free phones you would get that are locked. Just
>>keep
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

blader - 20 Nov 2004 01:03 GMT

exactly, I appologize. I assumed if someone had a US SSN and US credit card
that they would have some US Credit history.

Of course you are right, if you do not have suffcient credit history and
good enough credit you will still not get the phone.

>I think "Baderunner" was treating the U.S. credit cards as some proof of
>U.S. creditworthiness.
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>>
>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

Andy M - Tampa Bay - 17 Nov 2004 15:46 GMT

>I am currently moving from Europe to the US and tiered of using my
> prepaid US -Cell Phone service. I am looking for an US T-Mobile
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thanks Hans Meier

Hans, welcome to bradenton and sunny SW florida.

i've helped a student friend from colombia get a sim-only contract and they
didn't have to pay security deposit (she had a SS#, US credit card). just go
to a t-mobile-ownded corporate store, not the middlemen dealers. one of them
is here: http://tinyurl.com/65atk

DeSoto
303 US HIGHWAY 301 BLVD West
909
BRADENTON, FL 34205
941-748-6911

although the extra free phone is a bonus, as baderunner mentions u got a
spare, u can get it unlocked and sell it on eBay. don't think T-Mobile USA
do cashback deals that you find in europe. All t-mobile contracts are 12
months, not 24.

Reply to this Message

Mike - 18 Nov 2004 02:45 GMT

You could try signing up through amazon

www.amazon.com

It looks like the best bet right now is the Motorola C650. You pay $75 up
front, but you get $200 in mail in rebates, so you end up making $125, and
you get a backup phone to have around. I've seen some of the other posts
talking about credit history, but really, as long as you have pretty much
any kind of positive history, you should have no problem, cell phones in
general are easy to get.

-Mike

>I am currently moving from Europe to the US and tiered of using my
> prepaid US -Cell Phone service. I am looking for an US T-Mobile
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thanks Hans Meier

Reply to this Message

Joseph - 18 Nov 2004 13:18 GMT

> I've seen some of the other posts
>talking about credit history, but really, as long as you have pretty much
>any kind of positive history, you should have no problem, cell phones in
>general are easy to get.

Yes, but unless there's some way to check that history you're in the
same boat as earlier described. That's why credit bureaus keep credit
histories for people in the areas where they wish to add a credit
encumbrance. Businesses of course have some wiggle room on what they
do and do not see as sufficient to offer credit to you, but generally
that's on a case by case basis. It may be sufficient to have a
US-based credit card and a US bank, but that's not a given either. If
a company wishes to extend credit to you they may or may not require
that you put down a substantial deposit or may even do "smart access."
A lot of it depends on the individual trying to obtain service.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

Cyrus Afzali - 18 Nov 2004 22:56 GMT

>> I've seen some of the other posts
>>talking about credit history, but really, as long as you have pretty much
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Yes, but unless there's some way to check that history you're in the
>same boat as earlier described.

But they can check credit history in numerous ways. IOW, even if
you've never had a mortgage or owned a car, it's relatively easy in
this day and age to determine whether or not you're a good credit
risk, assuming you've had a few forms of credit of some type.

>That's why credit bureaus keep credit
>histories for people in the areas where they wish to add a credit
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>that you put down a substantial deposit or may even do "smart access."
>A lot of it depends on the individual trying to obtain service.

Basically, credit information is just segregated by revolving and
non-revolving debt. I've yet to see any report from Equifax, Experian
or any other that goes into more detail than that.

Reply to this Message

Joseph - 19 Nov 2004 06:28 GMT

>But they can check credit history in numerous ways. IOW, even if
>you've never had a mortgage or owned a car, it's relatively easy in
>this day and age to determine whether or not you're a good credit
>risk, assuming you've had a few forms of credit of some type.

It may be easy, but each company will determine what it requires to
extend credit to you (the particular you in this case.) Some people
may have no problem while others indeed may. You cannot make a
blanket statement about who will and who won't qualify.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reply to this Message

Cyrus Afzali - 19 Nov 2004 13:56 GMT

>>But they can check credit history in numerous ways. IOW, even if
>>you've never had a mortgage or owned a car, it's relatively easy in
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>may have no problem while others indeed may. You cannot make a
>blanket statement about who will and who won't qualify.

But that's not the issue I was responding to. You said:

>unless there's some way to check that history you're in the
>same boat as earlier described.

And I'm saying that there are numerous ways to check history. Whether
or not they're willing to extend you credit is another matter
entirely, and everyone has their requirements for that. But the fact
remains, as long as you've had some type of credit, there's a way to
check it through a report from one of the big 3 agencies.

The problem more are likely to find is that there is something on
their report that they don't know about -- especially if they've
tended to live "on the fringe" as far as spending.

Reply to this Message