Picking up handsets in the states?

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PottsyNZ

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#55462 5-Jan-2010 09:02

I'm travelling to LV/SF in Feb and have decided it is also time for a new mobile - I've heard they can be quite cheap over there - is this the case? Has anyone had any experience? I'm guessing I'll need to be careful with what I pick up if I want to use Vodafone 3G?

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Matt

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Biddle Corp

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#287096 5-Jan-2010 10:02

You can get some reasonable priced handsets online from retailers or ebay but overall it's not a particularly cheap place for phones. Don't expect to be able to buy anything from a retail store - virtually every handset sold in the USA from a retail store will be SIM locked, and if the price is dirt cheap it's probably because there is a service contract attached.

Odds are you'll struggle to find many handsets in the USA that do 900MHz WCDMA for Vodafone since the USA only has 850MHz WCDMA networks.

freitasm

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#287106 5-Jan-2010 10:17

Matt didn't tell us what network he's using here... As sbiddle says, if using Vodafone you may get handsets that will work in some areas but won't work on the new 900MHz 3G network.

If you are using Telecom then you must chose from AT&T range, which is the one running 850MHz 3G in the U.S.

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PottsyNZ

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#287116 5-Jan-2010 10:46

freitasm: Matt didn't tell us what network he's using here... As sbiddle says, if using Vodafone you may get handsets that will work in some areas but won't work on the new 900MHz 3G network.

If you are using Telecom then you must chose from AT&T range, which is the one running 850MHz 3G in the U.S.

Says in my post Voddy 3G...

So I'm probably going to have more luck with NZ based onlines stores if I want a cheap mobile eh...

freitasm

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#287117 5-Jan-2010 10:49

Oh, sorry, didn't notice... Yes, if you want some 3G then any 3G US phone will work on 2100 MHz WCDMA. But you will miss the 900MHz 3G extended network on Vodafone...

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PottsyNZ

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#287120 5-Jan-2010 10:59

not worried about it dropping back to 2G in some areas

nzbnw

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#287136 5-Jan-2010 11:39

Also not some phones in the USA are 850/1900 WCDMA, so you would not get any 3G coverage on VFNZ.

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PottsyNZ

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#287143 5-Jan-2010 12:05

Well this is shaping up to be rather fruitlesss...

NZtechfreak

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#287211 5-Jan-2010 17:33

If you can get it on the right bands then its fine - from memory I think T-Mobile capable phones are UTMS 2100 and will work on Vodafone.

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PottsyNZ

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#287258 5-Jan-2010 19:58

So unlocked t-mobile phone...got it.

sbiddle

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#287269 5-Jan-2010 20:50

PottsyNZ: So unlocked t-mobile phone...got it.

T-mobile uses a non standard 2100/1700 band combination for it's 3G network (1700 uplink and 2100 downlink). Some of their handsets will not work on a pure 2100Mhz UMTS network like every other 2100MHz network in the world.

For optimum usage on Vodafone NZ you want a UMTS 900/2100 capable handset. Getting one of those in the USA will prove difficult since those frequencies are not used there.

Virtually any t-mobile handset will work on GSM here but it seems rather point elss buying a flash handset and being limited to GSM these days.

kevinnugent

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#289486 13-Jan-2010 01:46

How about the Nexus One? Seems to fit your bill.

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old3eyes

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#289509 13-Jan-2010 08:04

This link may help.

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_us.shtml

http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=UNITED+STATES

Regards,

Old3eyes

PottsyNZ

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#289519 13-Jan-2010 08:35

Yeah I thought about the Nexus.

Anyways - I got a c905 the other day.

So my next question - how are are prepaid sims to come by in the states? I've heard you have to pretty give a blood sample...

freitasm

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#289521 13-Jan-2010 08:44

I got an AT&T prepaid SIM with no problems - only needed the credit card to buy it from a store.

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fab

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#289526 13-Jan-2010 09:03

You bet your a$$ they are cheap - and not just online. I remember going in to Best Buy and the price of handsets (one of those Harvey Norman type places with non-stop 'sales') were just so cheap.
Yes locked but plenty of places in the US advertise they will unlock your phone for you, pretty cheap too I think.
I had to give my wife my wallet to stop myself buying a new cell or two! The prices were just that tempting.

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