Do I have a SIM card?

Q: Do all phones contain a SIM card? If so, where are they located? I have a Samsung MM-A900 with Sprint.
--Theresa

A: Actually, many cell phones don't use SIM cards, and your Samsung MM-A900 is one of them. Your MM-A900 uses a technology called CDMA, which is one of the two cell phone transmitting standards used in the United States. And CDMA phones, which would include all handsets from both Sprint and Verizon Wireless, do not use SIM cards.

On the other hand, you will find a SIM card in phones that use GSM, which is the second standard used in this country. Typically you'll find the SIM card behind the handset's battery, but other models (typically smart phones) may locate it in a different place. For example, the Apple iPhone's SIM card is located in a tiny drawer on the phone's top end. And in case you were wondering, AT&T and T-Mobile are the major carriers that use GSM. For more on this topic, check out CNET's Cell phone buying guide.

Q: My daughter bought me a new Nokia 6010, but I'm unable to set up the voice mail because I don't know the voice mail access password. I didn't set a password and neither did my daughter, so I don't know what to do. Is there a default password?
--Penny

A: New phones are always set with a default password, but it varies among phone models and carriers. I suggest trying "0000," "9999," or "1234." If those don't work, you can try the last four digits of your phone number or you can call your carrier to see if they can help.

Q: My Motorola E815 decided to go to a blue screen one evening immediately after I ran through a powerful rainstorm. I had done this before and was careful about protecting my handset, but I suppose this time the phone wasn't happy about getting wet. I took it to the Verizon Wireless store, but they were unable to work on it. Do you think there is any hope for the phone to work again by having it repaired? Or if it's dead, is there any chance of retrieving all my 600+ numbers?
--Jaipal

A: Unfortunately, if Verizon is giving you bad news, then it sounds like your E815 may be out of commission. You could try getting it repaired through Motorola or an authorized service center, but that can be more expensive and more trouble than it's worth. You might have better luck with accessing your numbers, though. I would go back to the Verizon store and ask them if they can just access your contacts list. If they say no, you could try cell phone syncing software like Motorola's Mobile PhoneTools to see if your phone will connect with a computer for transferring your contacts. Just keep in mind your phone will need to power up for that to even happen. But if none of the above methods work, I'm sorry to say you're probably out of luck.