best android unlocked phone for prepaid sim cards

[boatman]

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this. Have a droid. But am traveling to europe lots. Would like to have a phone that I can just put a pre paid sim card in. Must be a GSM quad band phone, and I need to have it unlocked to take a pre paid sim card.

Am only used to VZW as that is what I have had. Would the google phone do this, or can I unlock a TMO phone. If so, how do I do this. Also, would it be able to get data as well as voice if I purchased a sim with those capabilities.

Also, I figure if I have an ulocked phone, I can just get pay as you go sim cards here from TMO and ATT. Would these work as well?

Thanks.

 

[noahjk]

Best Android Phones | Page 3 (1, 3, and 5 are Verizon, therefore 2 & 4 are your choices on here)

The Nexus one looks like your best bet.

The Nexus one should work with the prepaid card and I don't see why it wouldn't work with data. The only reason it wouldn't is if Google locked it down but I'm sure being rooted could solve that issue.

Here is one more thread on Network Compatibility from someone at Google. I'm not sure how helpful it is but it basically states that (allegedly) T-Mobile is the only network the Nexus one would get full 3G on.

 

[boatman]

I thought the nexus one is tied to tmo, and not unlocked?

 

[Jayziac]

I use the Acer Liquid E quad-band GSM phone on US Tmobile prepaid, It also can do 3G on AT&T, and outside of the U.S. too. It has almost the same specs as N1, but cheaper.

 

[boatman]

JAyziac, can't see how to purchase in the US...

 

[Jayziac]

I bought mine new on ebay, shipped from a distributor in FL, arrived in about 3 days.

search for 'acer liquid' under Cellphones & Smartphones category. The A1 is exactly same as new E, but with 256MB RAM instead of the newer one with 512 MB RAM. Both can be flashed to run Eclair 2.1 easily.