Dumbphone/featurephone options (with Wi-Fi/hotspot) post 3G switchoff

Forums › Mobile handsets › Dumbphone/featurephone options (with Wi-Fi/hotspot) post 3G switchoff

aw

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#324283 23-Mar-2026 23:21

Well, it was a wonderful, yet too brief time for my Nokia 2720 Flip.

A new years' resolution to get off the damn phone by making it simple just got made harder with the 2G/3G switchoff and requirement for VoLTE support, and the newfound uncertainty that any phone bought from overseas will work here. This really sucks. I was really enjoying my phone being just a phone, and being good at that one job. (I moved most of the other stuff we need today, maps, banking apps etc to a tablet)

So, what dumbphone options are now out there that will continue to work? Preferably with Wi-Fi / hotspotting, no touchscreen, and a nice ASMR T9 keypad. Flip would be a bonus, as that's such a satisfying way to end calls.

I had a look at dumbphones.org and set VoLTE as a requirement, but lost all confidence in its results when its first suggestion to replace my Nokia 2720 was ... a Nokia 2720. It also included phones like the Jelly Star which @pengo reported here also stopped working today.

Nothing it suggested is sold by a local carrier/retailer. Does that mean there's basically no options at this point? :(

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#3472950 24-Mar-2026 08:20

Did you actually check the service provider's online stores?

Spark stocks two Mobiwire devices that would likely suit, and 2degrees carry the TCL 4042s.

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aw

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#3472953 24-Mar-2026 08:29

toejam316:

Did you actually check the service provider's online stores?

Spark stocks two Mobiwire devices that would likely suit, and 2degrees carry the TCL 4042s.

Thanks, but I need hotspot and/or tethering. I think I'll relax my requirement for it to hotspot, and accept USB/Bluetooth tethering as options, but those look like they lack those too.

Behodar

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#3472962 24-Mar-2026 09:07

A quick search yielded some AI slop claiming that the 2720 works on Spark but I couldn't independently confirm that. Maybe pick up a Spark SIM next week and give it a go?

Linux

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#3472966 24-Mar-2026 09:16

@aw So you want a dumb phone with smart phone features?

muppet

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#3472968 24-Mar-2026 09:29

We bought my daughter one of these - it's so basic that it's lovingly called "The Calculator" by her friends (many of whom have had their iOS/Android phones taken off them for inappropriate use...)
They also have a flip phone option. I know they don't have Wifi, but you _might_ be able to tether by plugging a cable into them - they certainly have 4G for VoLTE. Fire off TDT an email, they're pretty responsive. Just as a data point too, they sold me my daughter's phone telling me it was VoLTE compatible. It wasn't, but to their credit they contacted me before the shutoff with a software update that DID make it VoLTE compatible. So we're still very happy with her phone.

But yea the Wifi/Tethering might be a dealbreaker for you.

muppet

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#3472970 24-Mar-2026 09:30

Or (sorry to double post) get one of these.

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mudguard

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#3472972 24-Mar-2026 09:38

Linux:

@aw So you want a dumb phone with smart phone features?

Yeah why not just uninstall all the stuff that is time consuming? As someone who doesn't have any games on my phone, I'd get on a flight and realise there was nothing to do on my phone.

I've had that with Instagram, never really used it and realized how easy it was to endlessly scroll through videos and waste time. So I just signed out and uninstalled it.

At least with banking apps I spend barely any time other than minimum in them!

muppet

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#3472980 24-Mar-2026 09:50

One of the most annoying things about Geekzone, and other online forums in general, is this thing where someone asks "Hey how can I do X?" and instead of answering the question, everyone screams at them "X?? WHY WOULD YOU DO X?? DO Y!!!!"

Maybe they have problems with gambling and want a phone where they can't just install TAB one day "quickly, while i'm waiting for the bus" - maybe they want it to pass it to a young child. etc etc etc.

Why do we always have to argue with what people want to do, instead of provide suggestions for how they could do it?

aw

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#3472985 24-Mar-2026 10:02

Behodar:

A quick search yielded some AI slop claiming that the 2720 works on Spark but I couldn't independently confirm that. Maybe pick up a Spark SIM next week and give it a go?

My understanding is it'll work on Spark for about two weeks before they turn off 3G too. So yep that'd work, but not for very long, and not worth giving up eight months of prepaid Kogan!

Interestingly while hacking the 2720 firmware I found it has a carrier profile for 2degrees (but no other NZ carrier), but the config.xml for them expliticly disables VoLTE. And yes I did try creating config.xml and settings.json files for OneNZ/VF and set the default to enable all VoLTE and VoWiFi options and reflashed with that custom image - unfortunately it had no effect. I guess the phone is not on the OneNZ (or Kogan? not sure how this works with MVNOs) whitelist for VoLTE.

Linux:

@aw So you want a dumb phone with smart phone features?

Nope - no touch, no doomscrolling, few to no apps (the 2720 did Google Maps via a web shortcut which was a good balance of convenience and friction), no need for a good (or any) camera as I have rediscovered proper cameras lately too. I've deliberately moved all that stuff except camera to a device (tablet) that deliberately does not fit in my pocket (one of my cameras does fit in my pocket).

I just want calling, texting, maybe basic map support, and the ability to pass the mobile data connection on to other (larger) devices I may or may not choose to have with me. I had all that with the 2720.

mudguard

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#3472988 24-Mar-2026 10:09

muppet:

Why do we always have to argue with what people want to do, instead of provide suggestions for how they could do it?

That's fair enough. I guess for most people a cellphone isn't really an actual phone anymore. It's replaced a tonne of devices. And given how rarely I used mine for voice calls or even text messaging it would essentially be a redundant piece of tech.

I used to do something similar when travelling for work. I had a seven inch cellular tablet that had the apps installed and email accounts attached that I purposefully didn't want on my cellphone.

tangerz

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#3472995 24-Mar-2026 10:30

aw:

Interestingly while hacking the 2720 firmware I found it has a carrier profile for 2degrees (but no other NZ carrier), but the config.xml for them expliticly disables VoLTE. And yes I did try creating config.xml and settings.json files for OneNZ/VF and set the default to enable all VoLTE and VoWiFi options and reflashed with that custom image - unfortunately it had no effect. I guess the phone is not on the OneNZ (or Kogan? not sure how this works with MVNOs) whitelist for VoLTE.

Since it has a 2Degrees profile, have you thought to try a 2Degrees SIM with a custom 2Degrees config.xml with VoLTE enabled? 2Degrees 3G is now off, so if you can make calls on their network now it will be VoLTE. Worth a shot I'd say.

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toejam316

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#3472998 24-Mar-2026 10:40

It looks like to meet your criteria, you need a device running KaiOS like your Nokia. I'm not sure you'll have much luck, as it seems too niche for our local carriers to source a device that has that specific feature set.

By and large the people who are seeking those phones aren't looking for mobile tethering, etc. and just want to call and text. A less than ideal solution might an android device that doesn't have Google Play Services which would make getting random time killing apps much more difficult.

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aw

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#3472999 24-Mar-2026 10:44

muppet:

We bought my daughter one of these - it's so basic that it's lovingly called "The Calculator" by her friends (many of whom have had their iOS/Android phones taken off them for inappropriate use...)
They also have a flip phone option. I know they don't have Wifi, but you _might_ be able to tether by plugging a cable into them - they certainly have 4G for VoLTE. Fire off TDT an email, they're pretty responsive. Just as a data point too, they sold me my daughter's phone telling me it was VoLTE compatible. It wasn't, but to their credit they contacted me before the shutoff with a software update that DID make it VoLTE compatible. So we're still very happy with her phone.

But yea the Wifi/Tethering might be a dealbreaker for you.

Or (sorry to double post) get one of these.

...snip...

One of the most annoying things about Geekzone, and other online forums in general, is this thing where someone asks "Hey how can I do X?" and instead of answering the question, everyone screams at them "X?? WHY WOULD YOU DO X?? DO Y!!!!"

Maybe they have problems with gambling and want a phone where they can't just install TAB one day "quickly, while i'm waiting for the bus" - maybe they want it to pass it to a young child. etc etc etc.

Why do we always have to argue with what people want to do, instead of provide suggestions for how they could do it?

Thanks - I looked up the manuals for those but they don't have tethering or hotspot. Interestingly the AGM M11 does tho, might look to see if that's likely to work here.

The lite phone may be an option too - I must admit tho I liked the return of the physical T9 keypad - and ending calls with a decisive snap shut - and I am starting to remember people's phone numbers again! (remember when we all had to do that?)

And thanks - yeah I've already been down the "dumb down my smartphone" route, and it wasn't quite cutting it. I'd still, without realising, get it out of my pocket and be scrolling something (news, twitter, whatever) of no value and wasted effort, just to fill in time rather than just relax or stop or enjoy the scenery, or properly engage with my children. There's growing research about the psychological impact on kids of parents being on their phones all the time and I wanted to stop being one of them. As well as set a better example for the kids.

mudguard:

That's fair enough. I guess for most people a cellphone isn't really an actual phone anymore. It's replaced a tonne of devices. And given how rarely I used mine for voice calls or even text messaging it would essentially be a redundant piece of tech.

I used to do something similar when travelling for work. I had a seven inch cellular tablet that had the apps installed and email accounts attached that I purposefully didn't want on my cellphone.

Yeah I'm wanting to go back the other way now. I want my phone to be a phone - basic on-the-go communications. The bigger apps (WhatsApp, Signal, banking etc) can wait til I'm sitting down or at home and make an effort to open them up. Kinda sorta how we used to do ICQ, MSN Messenger etc.

On the side, doing this made me get a proper camera off Trademe (and then several more better ones) and it's totally changed why I take photos. They're taking with more intent and purpose, not mindlessly, to sort and keep, pick out the best ones for an album.

muppet

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#3473002 24-Mar-2026 10:52

aw:

There's growing research about the psychological impact on kids of parents being on their phones all the time and I wanted to stop being one of them. As well as set a better example for the kids.

I 100% feel this. I often catch myself mucking around on my devices when I should be spending time with my kids.

aw

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#3473325 25-Mar-2026 06:22

So it turned out the solution was to hack the phone even more.

Can now confirm with a combination of this firmware and this Settings app patch to force enable VoLTE settings in the menu (MediaFire link), plus maybe some of my carrier config files or not (I haven't tested rolling them back), My 2720 Flip can now make and receive calls again. I'm so happy 😁

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