@computergeek541 wrote:
@Korth wrote:
You can use any SIM card in any unlocked phone. You can even use the same SIM card in a different phone every day, if you like.
Although a given, the phone has to be compatible. There are many unlocked phones that will never function on Public Mobile service.
This is true. The phone has to be radio-compatible. The phone has to be SIM-compatible. The phone must be unlocked. The phone cannot be blacklisted (registered as lost/stolen/etc).
But I was keeping it simple. "All" new phones sold in Canada are radio-compatible. "All" new phones sold in Canada are SIM-compatible (if they're not, they're eSIM-only or whatever, they won't have a physical slot you can fit your SIM card into so it's a moot point).
It is possible to buy phones (from online vendors like Alibaba, etc) which are intended for use in foreign regions and foreign markets - they likely aren't compatible with North American radio and SIM standards unless they specifically advertise that within their "global" specs. Buyer beware.
It is possible to buy used/aftermarket phones which come with all sorts of problems (from craigslist, eBay, etc). They might be incompatible, foreign, broken, locked, stolen, who knows. I would never buy used devices from strangers without being able to test them before the deal is done. As easy as plugging your active SIM card into the device and restarting - it works immediately without any problems - or it doesn't.
