When we went down to the Lower 48 over 90 days ago (this'll make sense in just a bit), I purchased a prepaid T-Mobile SIM card for an old T-Mobile (actually, VoiceStream) phone that I had lying around. But it wouldn't work back at home because of some roaming issue. I tried and the phone wouldn't get a signal. It was prepaid, just $25, so it was just fine as a throwaway.
This morning, just because I was curious, I plugged the prepaid SIM card into the unlocked, previous BlackBerry device (7100t) that I have lying around, taking up space and collecting dust. Surprise, surprise, it received a signal. When I went to the T-Mobile site to check on the account, I discovered that the minutes left on it had expired 2 days ago. (They're good for 90 days.)
I refilled it with $10 worth of minutes, because I still was skeptical about whether it could actually send and receive calls. (The coverage map says prepaid doesn't work here.) As soon as I purchased the refill, it received a couple of text messages. I was able to call out. So it looks like this prepaid will work as a temporary measure until I get the replacement SIM card for my primary number.
I don't know why it works. Is it because my BlackBerry 7100t is unlocked? Is it because this device supports more communication frequencies than the older Motorola? Is it because AT&T got their connection with their acquired Cingular/Celluar One/Dobson networks working more seamlessly? For whatever reason, T-Mobile prepaid appears to work in Alaska now, or at least this part of it.
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