Vodafone Smart Prime $149

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Geek
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#1331563 25-Jun-2015 17:14

Jaxson: That's on a work phone plan with 2degs but from memory they mostly use the same frequencies as Vodafone? - so the hardware should be similar once unlocked?

Mine is running sweet as on 2 degrees. I went and got a second phone today, this time for the wife!

bluey

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#1331577 25-Jun-2015 17:22

So would this be completely compatible with spark if unlocked?

MurrayM

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#1331837 26-Jun-2015 06:58

My router at home has both 2.4 and 5GHz wifi bands and I have both turned on (2.4 for my older devices and 5GHz for my newer devices that support it). My new Vodafone Smart Prime picks up the 2.4GHz ok but not the 5GHz. I couldn't see anything in the specs that talked about which wifi bands this phone supports. Does anyone know? If the phone doesn't support 5GHz then I won't need to troubleshoot any further, but if it does then I'll have to figure out why it's not picking up on my router.

dickytim

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#1331838 26-Jun-2015 07:16

For $99 I picked up one so I can move to the dark side....

Or give it to my niece once I have had a play with it.

NikT

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#1331875 26-Jun-2015 08:57

MurrayM: My router at home has both 2.4 and 5GHz wifi bands and I have both turned on (2.4 for my older devices and 5GHz for my newer devices that support it). My new Vodafone Smart Prime picks up the 2.4GHz ok but not the 5GHz. I couldn't see anything in the specs that talked about which wifi bands this phone supports. Does anyone know? If the phone doesn't support 5GHz then I won't need to troubleshoot any further, but if it does then I'll have to figure out why it's not picking up on my router.

No 5GHz in Smart prime.

FYI for anyone planning to unlock & use on Spark or Skinny - we do not test compatibility of other networks. Box says 850MHz 3G is available, every other spec I've seen says only 900/2100. I would suggest someone who has unlocked one test in a known 850MHz area before others purchase explicitly for this purpose.

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jonathan18

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#1331893 26-Jun-2015 09:31

Picked up my mother's Smart Prime yesterday - $95 with Warehouse Stationery's price matching policy. I too noticed the lack of 5GHz, but can't imagine this will be an issue for her.

My only issue thus far is with the sound quality - it seems like the speaker's vibrating, so even ring tones sound a bit dodgy especially at higher volumes (which they need!). Will compare it against the other one when it arrives... Screen certainly isn't up there with my G3, but given its price point I'm not complaining.

Other than that, I've been really impressed, in particular with its inclusion of a 'basic' mode that's perfect for my parents who are in their 80s. It provides only three homescreens - the main with six large icons to main apps (plus large clock); swipe to right for contacts (nine large icons plus access to all others); swipe to left for apps (again, nine icons). I've not played much with relatively pure Lollipop phones before (my G3 isn't that pure), but is this a standard feature on Lollipop or a specific addition for this phone?

Anyway, this mode is ideal for older people or those new to smart phones, so much so that my father's asked me to buy him one too! (and this is an 83 year-old who's never once made a call or sent a text on his own flip-style phone he's had for well over a year, and that's designed for older people).

So, I called Warehouse Stationery back today; they're out of stock locally, but will bring one in for me from another store AND do the price match less 5%! I'd assumed it would be in-store stock only for this policy. Good times all round...

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old3eyes

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#1331964 26-Jun-2015 11:06

At $95 it's a bargain considering it's 79 pound in the UK. May get one as a play thing..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Yabanize

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#1331965 26-Jun-2015 11:07

NikT:
MurrayM: My router at home has both 2.4 and 5GHz wifi bands and I have both turned on (2.4 for my older devices and 5GHz for my newer devices that support it). My new Vodafone Smart Prime picks up the 2.4GHz ok but not the 5GHz. I couldn't see anything in the specs that talked about which wifi bands this phone supports. Does anyone know? If the phone doesn't support 5GHz then I won't need to troubleshoot any further, but if it does then I'll have to figure out why it's not picking up on my router.

No 5GHz in Smart prime.

FYI for anyone planning to unlock & use on Spark or Skinny - we do not test compatibility of other networks. Box says 850MHz 3G is available, every other spec I've seen says only 900/2100. I would suggest someone who has unlocked one test in a known 850MHz area before others purchase explicitly for this purpose.

The datasheet from http://www.vodafone.co.nz/MEDIA_ProductCatalog/m780073_Product_Datasheet_1_14_V895.pdf says it has 850

NikT

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#1332003 26-Jun-2015 12:06

Yabanize:
NikT:
MurrayM: My router at home has both 2.4 and 5GHz wifi bands and I have both turned on (2.4 for my older devices and 5GHz for my newer devices that support it). My new Vodafone Smart Prime picks up the 2.4GHz ok but not the 5GHz. I couldn't see anything in the specs that talked about which wifi bands this phone supports. Does anyone know? If the phone doesn't support 5GHz then I won't need to troubleshoot any further, but if it does then I'll have to figure out why it's not picking up on my router.

No 5GHz in Smart prime.

FYI for anyone planning to unlock & use on Spark or Skinny - we do not test compatibility of other networks. Box says 850MHz 3G is available, every other spec I've seen says only 900/2100. I would suggest someone who has unlocked one test in a known 850MHz area before others purchase explicitly for this purpose.

The datasheet from http://www.vodafone.co.nz/MEDIA_ProductCatalog/m780073_Product_Datasheet_1_14_V895.pdf says it has 850

Indeed it does. Data sheets are filled out by the vendor, as are the specs on the box of course.

As above, I would suggest someone test this to be on the safe side, as the data sheets we have been supplied by Vodafone Group differ from the ones supplied by the vendor (Alcatel/TCT).

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DKe

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Geek
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#1332065 26-Jun-2015 13:28

NikT:
Yabanize:
NikT:
MurrayM: My router at home has both 2.4 and 5GHz wifi bands and I have both turned on (2.4 for my older devices and 5GHz for my newer devices that support it). My new Vodafone Smart Prime picks up the 2.4GHz ok but not the 5GHz. I couldn't see anything in the specs that talked about which wifi bands this phone supports. Does anyone know? If the phone doesn't support 5GHz then I won't need to troubleshoot any further, but if it does then I'll have to figure out why it's not picking up on my router.

No 5GHz in Smart prime.

FYI for anyone planning to unlock & use on Spark or Skinny - we do not test compatibility of other networks. Box says 850MHz 3G is available, every other spec I've seen says only 900/2100. I would suggest someone who has unlocked one test in a known 850MHz area before others purchase explicitly for this purpose.

The datasheet from http://www.vodafone.co.nz/MEDIA_ProductCatalog/m780073_Product_Datasheet_1_14_V895.pdf says it has 850

Indeed it does. Data sheets are filled out by the vendor, as are the specs on the box of course.

As above, I would suggest someone test this to be on the safe side, as the data sheets we have been supplied by Vodafone Group differ from the ones supplied by the vendor (Alcatel/TCT).

My Spark SIM works with my unlocked Smart Prime and has 4G.

NikT

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#1332116 26-Jun-2015 14:10

DKe:

My Spark SIM works with my unlocked Smart Prime and has 4G.

Thanks - 4G will work fine on 1800MHz, the question is around 3G on 850MHz.

It should work as the vendor has advised the device supports the band, I'd just rather be on the safe side than have people be disappointed.

That said, it's a Vodafone branded device intended for use on the Vodafone network.

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DKe

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#1332133 26-Jun-2015 14:32

NikT:
DKe:

My Spark SIM works with my unlocked Smart Prime and has 4G.

Thanks - 4G will work fine on 1800MHz, the question is around 3G on 850MHz.

It should work as the vendor has advised the device supports the band, I'd just rather be on the safe side than have people be disappointed.

That said, it's a Vodafone branded device intended for use on the Vodafone network.

I've set it to '3g only' and it still works. Unsure if that's the 850 Mhz though.

NikT

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#1332135 26-Jun-2015 14:35

DKe:

I've set it to '3g only' and it still works. Unsure if that's the 850 Mhz though.

Thanks again, sounds promising. 2100 is used by Spark primarily in urban areas, so if you're not in a CBD or similar it's likely good to go on 850. Just wanting to be sure.

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DKe

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#1332138 26-Jun-2015 14:43

NikT:
DKe:

I've set it to '3g only' and it still works. Unsure if that's the 850 Mhz though.

Thanks again, sounds promising. 2100 is used by Spark primarily in urban areas, so if you're not in a CBD or similar it's likely good to go on 850. Just wanting to be sure.

Update: Also works with Skinny SIM which is good, since they only use the 850 frequency

NikT

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#1332165 26-Jun-2015 15:14

DKe:

Update: Also works with Skinny SIM which is good, since they only use the 850 frequency

Skinny uses the same 850/2100 split - see footnote here: https://www.skinny.co.nz/shop/sims/

Unsure why they would refer to it as 'HSDPA' on that page - be more accurate to say UMTS, WCDMA, or HSPA, but whatchagonnado.

Glad to hear the box is accurate all the same.

Now that prime is out of the way... http://vodafone.co.nz/smartultra

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