I'm trying to buy a cell phone WITHOUT A PLAN. I am sending it to a
> relative in another country where they will activate it.
> So far I have not found a local shopping establishment that sells > them.
> Can anyone recommend somewhere online where a cell WITHOUT A PLAN can
> be purchased? Is it even possible?
Last I knew, which was several years ago, the cellular carriers controlled the distribution of the phones, so you couldn't do that. You might be able to find some way of adding one to an existing plan with pooled minutes so you could use the minutes but give away the phone.
The other problem is that most countries use GSM, which uses frequencies that differ from the "GSM" used by some carriers in the US. I think the US protocol is also somewhat bastardized. Be sure you get a phone that is intended to roam in the country you intend to send it to.