When activating a prepaid cellphone do they ask for a name and address?

I have always wondered about a prepaid cellphone's phone number. Is activation required and a number assigned at that time? When activating do you choose a local area for the number? Do they ask for a name and address? If a foreign tourist buys one and travels all over the country is the phone number based on where they purchase it or do they have a choice? Do all prepaid cellphone have free long distance and roaming? Anything else people should know about them? This is just for my knowledge so I can answer other people's questions.

When activating a prepaid cellphone do they ask for a name and address?
Yea, they have to....even if its pre-paid they need to sent something in the mail.
Reply:Well, they may ask for it later for billing reasons but for activation they have to see who is owning the cell phone, so if people steal cell phones of of target or whatever, the company doesnt have to keep up with unreasonable cell phone bills the crook makes. You usually have a cell phone number that you tell them (from your reciept or something) so they know its really their cell phone youre activating. To activate it you have to pay a fee usually, the only company I have found that does not charge is virgin mobile. They do not base your purchases on where you are unless its long distance, then maybe. Since it has a connection they can look in your cell phone info to see how much you called or texted. Then they base your bill on that information.