9/12 I'm going to be in Spain and Morocco and I'm considering
getting a GSM phone to use while I'm there. I've heard
it's best to buy the phone in the US and then get a sim
card for the phone there (or maybe off of ebay while still
here). So, can I just get any GSM phone (assuming it uses
the same frequencies as they use in Europe), or are some
of them somehow not going to be compatible with the service
providers in Spain or Morocco? Would I be better off going
to an independent cell phone store, or buying something off
of ebay? I basically just want the cheapest possible phone
that will work.
\_ Dear Aaron, I'm not so sure asking technical question on motd
is such a good idea anymore. Over the years, it's turned into
a freeper libper trolling ground. There are other good place
to post these types of questions, just google them.
\_ p0wn3d
\_ You'll want a quadband phone or a tri-band phone with at
least the 900MHz frequency and those phones are usually
never cheap. Expect to spend $150 or more depending on
what you're willing to shell for a phone. Go to
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html
to get information on local calling cards.
\_ the frequencies between Europe and NA are different, so you will
need to get a world phone. Also, you need an unlocked phone- a
phone that is not locked to a particular carrier. My parents
went to China and got a GSM Motorola phone dirt cheap there.
\_ Right. I understand I need to get a phone that has the right
frequencies, and of course it has to be unlocked. Suppose
I get any old phone that has the right frequency and is
unlocked and then I go to some store in Spain to buy a sim
card. Do I need to be concerned that I will have somehow
gotten a phone that's not compatible with the sim cards they
sell in Spain (or at a particular store), or is this not an
issue? Also, how much is dirt cheap? $10? -op
\_ couple things:
1. look for so-called tri-band phone. Rest of the world
uses 900Mhz/1800Mhz, USA uses 1900Mhz cuz military refused
to release the 1800Mhz band for civilian uses.
2. If the phone is unlocked, then, any SIM card will do.
you won't encounter any compatibility issue.
3. Phone cost about the same around the world. Motorola /
Nokia if anything, cost a bit more than the develped
Nation... excpt that there isn't much channel to buy
phones retail in developed nation.
4. Phone actually cost a lot more than you think. The
price you see is the subsidized price. If you are going
to buy a phone at retail, you are looking at $300-400
for a mid-ranged phone. A good phone (e.g. high end
SonyEricssion) is going to cost you $600-700 or more.
5. I bought a dirt-cheap tri-band phone for my parents.
The phone I got was Nokia 3100 (newer version is 3120).
It cost about $80 USD. Unless you are willing to buy some
Chinese made phone (Bird, TCL), you are looking at
$80-100 for a Nokia/Motorola phone.
email me for detail kngharv
\_ I found one on ebay for $35. I'm not talking about
the latest and greatest. Just some piece of junk
that works.
\_ i posted more info, but someone censored it again.
email me for more questions. I would be very
careful about $35 phone, as one can sell battery
for that price alone.
\_ Plenty of people sell old phones for below
$50. Probably stolen, though. :) -John
\_ It could have been found in Lousiana
recently.
\_ Cell phones do not, in general, float,
and react poorly to immersion. My Nokia
6130 took a drenching at Song Kran in
Thailand, and had a cute little aquarium
in the display. Still made calls when I
dried it, though. -John
\_ My Motorola StarTac fell into the
Fox River, IL, and after a few days
of drying, came alive again.
\_ again, I've posted this before but someone
censored it. I would avoid used phone because
it is the battery which tend to show its age.
A typically used 2 year old phone will not
able to withstand 1 day of normal usage even
at the full charge. And the cost of a
replacement Li-Ion battery will destory any
of the savings you are trying to do.
-- been there, done that.
\- You should ask one of the professors studying wireless and
cellular netowrking which phone to buy.
\_ won't they just forward your e-mail to a grad student,
who does all the work anyway?
\_ I only approach my profs with PROPERLY SPELLED QUESTIONS.
\_ Get a prepaid SIM card. Telefonica mobile, Movistar and I believe
T-Mobile and a few others do this in Spain, and if you don't intend
to call for hours, that should be fine for Morocco too. Do some
research on Spanish GSM providers, and send them a mail to ask if
you can get a card at the airport. If you've got the unlocked 3-
or 4-band GSM phone, it'll fit in there. -John
\ What John said. Since I'm going to Spain too, here's what I did:
For SIM Card, Amena is the cheapest I found. This guy from eBay (whom
I've dealt with) got a bunch: http://stores.ebay.com/Phone-Call
I paid around $25 for 12 Euro worth of starting balance. Remember that
incoming calls in Europe and Asia are FREE (on European and Asian cell
Sometimes (not UK). _/
numbers, of course) - so you may sign up for a callback service
(<DEAD>kallback.com<DEAD> comes to mind) to save money. Read up on how it
works (it's not as difficult as it sound).
For cellphone, since you want barebone stuff, I just bought this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5807241582 An oldie
but goodie Sony Ericsson T28World, UNLOCKED. (so any SIM card would work
in it.
If you miss this bid, don't worry, he's got more to sell, just find more
items under his name. DO NOT get into a bidding war on this phone.
Bid for the starting price ($9.99) and let yourself lose (since some
eBay schmuck will trump you on the last minute). Wait for an hour or so
and you'll get a second-chance offer for the last price you bid. (in this
case, $9.99, plus $12.95 s+h plus 8.25% tax). |
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