Star Tac

gmcknight · **Star Tac -** 28-11-2011, 19:18

I have a Star Tac st7797 (AT&T GSM). No sim card or sim card slot. Where can I activate this phone?

DRNewcomb · 28-11-2011, 21:27

I believe that this phone is an old TDMA/analog model. No major carrier activates analog phones any more. There may be a few little companies out in the boonies that still have a TDMA net running but I don't know where they are and you couldn't roam out of their coverage area. Toss it in the phone recycling bin and get something that will work. Sorry to bring bad news.

Motel75 · 28-11-2011, 21:38

If there isn't a SIM slot (it's in a tray that slides into the side of the phone next to the keypad) then DRNewcomb is right, as there were AMPS and CDMA versions of the StarTAC. However, if you're lucky and yours is a GSM model, it should still work fine (I have one, and it's still usable) - I wouldn't necessarily recycle a classic model like this one. It's also possible the SIM tray is missing.

inquisitor · 28-11-2011, 22:43

Back in the late 90s when the StarTac was released AT&T was still years away from switching over to GSM. Afaik AT&T went for GSM after acquiring BellSouth/Cingular in 2005 or so. So this phone can't be GSM-capabale and according to Wikipedia the ST7797 is an AMPS/TDMA dualmode handset.

Telekom · 30-11-2011, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

If there isn't a SIM slot (it's in a tray that slides into the side of the phone next to the keypad) then DRNewcomb is right, as there were AMPS and CDMA versions of the StarTAC. However, if you're lucky and yours is a GSM model, it should still work fine (I have one, and it's still usable) - I wouldn't necessarily recycle a classic model like this one. It's also possible the SIM tray is missing.

Even if it would work it would only work on GSM 1900 since the Star-Tac was for GSM prior to it being available on "cellular" frequencies. Something else to consider is if it was the "old" AT&T i.e. At&T Wireless it's probably meant for the old MCC/MNC 310-38 rather than the newer AT&T/Cingular MCC/MNC of 310-41. You may get SIM incompatibility with the newer 310-41 network SIMs.

stfans · 20-01-2012, 06:01

Wow, a StarTac. That is old school. We used to activate these at Tracfone about 15 years ago. That phone belongs in a museum!

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	(#1 (permalink))
gmcknight (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 1 Join Date: 28 Nov 2011 Country:	Star Tac - 28-11-2011, 19:18 I have a Star Tac st7797 (AT&T GSM). No sim card or sim card slot. Where can I activate this phone?

	(#2 (permalink))
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,253 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	28-11-2011, 21:27 I believe that this phone is an old TDMA/analog model. No major carrier activates analog phones any more. There may be a few little companies out in the boonies that still have a TDMA net running but I don't know where they are and you couldn't roam out of their coverage area. Toss it in the phone recycling bin and get something that will work. Sorry to bring bad news.

	(#3 (permalink))
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 482 Join Date: 15 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	28-11-2011, 21:38 If there isn't a SIM slot (it's in a tray that slides into the side of the phone next to the keypad) then DRNewcomb is right, as there were AMPS and CDMA versions of the StarTAC. However, if you're lucky and yours is a GSM model, it should still work fine (I have one, and it's still usable) - I wouldn't necessarily recycle a classic model like this one. It's also possible the SIM tray is missing. Current DE: Solomo (0172), Lidl Mobile, Netzklub; PL: Heyah; UK: Giffgaff; US: T-Mobile (212, 931); IT: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Vistream, Simyo, Congstar; PL: Era, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Heyah, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; TR: Turkcell

	(#4 (permalink))
inquisitor (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 957 Join Date: 15 Nov 2006 Country:	28-11-2011, 22:43 Back in the late 90s when the StarTac was released AT&T was still years away from switching over to GSM. Afaik AT&T went for GSM after acquiring BellSouth/Cingular in 2005 or so. So this phone can't be GSM-capabale and according to Wikipedia the ST7797 is an AMPS/TDMA dualmode handset. terminals: Motorola: Milestone, F3; Nokia: N95, 1208; BenQ-Siemens: S68; Huawei: E5, E1823, E1762, K3715, K3765, EM770 in Asus Eee PC 901 GO; Qualcomm Gobi 2000 in Sony VAIO VPC-Z12X9E/X postpaid: DE: O2 Blue 100 Flex; prepaid: DE: Lidl, Fonic, Tchibo, solomo pro, congstar, T-Mobile, Vodafone, otelo; CH: Swisscom Natel Easy BeFree, Sunrise go dayflat, Lebara; OK,-mobile; UK: T-Mobile, 3; NL: T-Mobile; ES: Vodafone, MÁSmovil, simyo; HU: T-Mobile; BG: MTel, Globul, vivatel, Petrol mobile; INT'L: none

	(#6 (permalink))
stfans (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 1 Join Date: 20 Jan 2012 Location: Tennessee Country:	20-01-2012, 06:01 Wow, a StarTac. That is old school. We used to activate these at Tracfone about 15 years ago. That phone belongs in a museum!