Telecom GSM/CDMA World Phone

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nzbnw

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#10565 29-Nov-2006 00:01

Well guys seems you all are a little slow on the new Samsung W531 which although not officially available through all Telecom channels until the 30th of November, is actually available from 5 key Auckland TRS stores as part of the 'Soft Launch' from Friday last week. The new Samsung W531 is Telecoms first ‘World Mode’ phone that operates on CDMA 800/1800 and GSM900, providing a great roaming option for Telecom and their Customers, together with Telecom’s Roaming Partner and UK network operator; ‘O2’. The Phone it self uses the now familiar UI of the Samsung A900 and A920, complete with a 1MP camera. Users wishing to roam to a GSM country will need to contact the Telecom International Roaming Help Desk on 0800 492 120 OPT 4, and they will be send a ‘O2’ roaming SIM card that the customer is able to keep while the maintain service with Telecom. More information will be on the Telecom Website; http://www.telecom.co.nz/w531 from the 30th of November. The Samsung W531 will have a launch price of $399 on any Open Term Telecom CDMA plan or Go Prepaid. nzbnw

Edit: O2, not 02 mmm just as it sounds.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#54091 29-Nov-2006 00:05

No, it seems TNZ is slow in bringing things to our attention. You know we can do so much without help...

And that's O2, not 02.

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grant_k

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#54092 29-Nov-2006 00:07

This is an excellent move on Telecom's part and $399 is quite a reasonable price too.

There are some countries which use GSM 1800MHz and 1900MHz services but hopefully they will also have 900MHz available.

Good to hear from you again NZBNW

.

By the way, how did your ADSL Splitter installation go?

nzbnw

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#54093 29-Nov-2006 00:12

freitasm: No, it seems TNZ is slow in bringing things to our attention. You know we can do so much without help...

And that's O2, not 02.

True just maybe they are!.

O2 all fixed

nzbnw

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#54095 29-Nov-2006 00:18

Grant17: This is an excellent move on Telecom's part and $399 is quite a reasonable price too.

There are some countries which use GSM 1800MHz and 1900MHz services but hopefully they will also have 900MHz available.

Good to hear from you again NZBNW .

By the way, how did your ADSL Splitter installation go?

Yes this is an excellent move. I guess Telecom are hoping or guessing rather that places that provide the less popular GSM 1800/1900 also operate CDMA? Case in point I guess would be the USA? But I could be wrong.

I only just got to try out my ADSL filter as I haven’t been home, but it has improved speed test from the Xtra Speed test website to 580kbs, not ideal but much better than it was! Gutted though, because the guy who installed it was saying to my mum who was home at the time that Telecom put in a new cabinet up the road in a new subdivision (I am 4k from my exchange) and for a while they where moving customers to the new cabinet to improve speeds but its now full!! O well, not the end of the world.

Thanks for asking anyway.

nzbnw

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#54097 29-Nov-2006 00:20

nzbnw: Yes this is an excellent move. I guess Telecom are hoping or guessing rather that places that provide the less popular GSM 1800/1900 also operate CDMA? Case in point I guess would be the USA? But I could be wrong.

You'll will see that not having a 850 MHz GSM phone in the U.S. is becoming worthless. All new cell sites are 850 MHz now, and have been for at least one year.

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paradoxsm

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#54100 29-Nov-2006 01:24

I can now officially chuck the info up, I was unsure. Cheers!

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johnr

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#54108 29-Nov-2006 08:12

What happens if you put a Vodafone NZ SIM into the handset

Is it fully locked to O2 sims only

johnr

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#54111 29-Nov-2006 08:30

Ok just read blog

There will be a fix for this one day soon

BigFella

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#54122 29-Nov-2006 09:47

World phone - mono band GSM? Wow, good luck with that.

Comments are my own, don't blame my employer...

bbman

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#54131 29-Nov-2006 10:52

160 countriers that roaming is capable - well probably less than that with GSM and the freq's as mentioned above but this handset will become a standard in yeasr to come, a true multi network world phone.

Telecom are launching a whole range of these world phones early next year including a PDA or so i have heard so this will really evening the playing field.

They also will have a TNZ sim in the near future that will work using o2's service but be branded TNZ.

Good news for TNZ clients and possibly a big help in winning Voda clients back to TNZ

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#54133 29-Nov-2006 10:57

I would not call it seamless roaming

You have a different number does TXT still work and PXT

I would not call this a break through!!

UK SIM in a GSM handset I wonder how people would know what number to dial

Or does it work different

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sbiddle

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#54137 29-Nov-2006 11:14

It's actually mmO2 to be precise! :-)

I actually think the whole concept is a bit of a lemon. The lack of 1800MHz GSM on the phone and a UK number hardly creates a seemless roaming experience. IMHO you're far better buying a Vodafone prepay, diverting your 027 number to that and taking that overseas with you. It'll be a far better experience. Telecom haven't done anything revolutionary and still can't solve the single biggest problem of being a CDMA network - that roaming is a problem.

freitasm

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#54140 29-Nov-2006 11:49

I think you will find mmO2 changed the company name officialy to be O2 only.

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TinyTim

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#54141 29-Nov-2006 11:54

To be useful it really needs to be a TNZ SIM with your 027 number.

Jama

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#54142 29-Nov-2006 11:59

I need to think about this... If I was traveling to the UK would I rather roam on Voda and pay:
$1.20 peak and .50 off-peak calls within UK
$3.90 peak and $2.85 off-peak to call NZ
.50 cent surcharge on text messages

OR

On the Telecom world phone pay:
.40 cents within UK
.92 cents to call NZ
.43 cents to send a Text message

And to think the Voda 'mother ship' is based in the UK.....

Then (of course) I fly the USA flip into CDMA mode and pay:
$1.27 within US
$1.93 to call NZ
$2.20 to receive calls in the US
.20 cents to send a text message

But if I was on Voda I would pay...
$2.50 within USA
$5.50 to call NZ
$2.50 surcharge to receive calls
.80 cent surcharge on text messages

...Hmmm what a difficult decision.

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