Can you switch cell phone providers with a Sprint Glaxy S3?

[Odesseiron]

I haven't been able to find a straight answer to this question anywhere. Am I shit out of luck when it comes to switching providers from a Sprint Galaxy S3 to another provider? namely T mobile? Their plans are relatively cheaper and somewhat reasonable.

From what I can see, it has no SIM card, so I may have to end up going with one of their phones, which defeats the purpose, since you pay extra every month for the phone.

Anyone have any experience with this?

[Pabst]

If it was gsm compatible then you could always get sprint to unlock it try.

[Aylee]

idk about in your area but around here we call it T-maybe... t-Mobil has worst service possible around my area, make sure you check in on that before switching.

[Sonomaa]

Verizon and Sprint use CDMA technology. This does not have a SIM card as the code is embedded in the phone. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM, which has a SIM card. So can use an unlocked AT&T or other GSM phone on T-mobile and vice versa.

depending on your contract, walmart has galaxy S3 phones for next to nothing so you can probably switch that way, if you are out of contract all is well, if you arent well its best to stay with spring until its over then get a new unit

[Krandor]

Verizon uses SIM cards in a fair number of their phones now actually. My last two Verizon phones have used a SIM card, just swapping when I bought a new one.

[Seanr]

The LTE phones use SIM cards, that's why some sprint and verizon phones have sims in them. Like my sprint htc one, apparently I can unlock it and take it to tmo/AT&T

[Krandor]

The phones still operate on different frequency bands. Unless you're snagging something that's specifically a "world" phone, usually the only ones youre finding that would cover every carrier is something like an international Samsung phone, which usually won't have 4G.

[Seanr]

The phones still operate on different frequency bands. Unless you're snagging something that's specifically a "world" phone, usually the only ones youre finding that would cover every carrier is something like an international Samsung phone, which usually won't have 4G.

Correct, some phones like the nexus 5 will operate on all bands though