Learn Me: How to check if imported phone will work in NZ

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Castlvaniafan

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Master Geek

#311436 15-Jan-2024 13:22

I'm familiary with bands and Mhz, but I do sort of feel like I'm comparing apple to oragnes when I compare what the manufacturer shows and what the mobile providers here show. Let's take this for example, I'm researching if I can buy the Asus ROG 8 while in USA (US Version) or if I'll have to wait to buy the Worldwide version in NZ. This is what Asus specifications show:

US Version

GSM/GPRS/EDGE; CDMA/ WCDMA/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+; FDD-LTE; TD-LTE; 5G Sub 6 SA/NSA
Support EN-DC/NRCA(5DL+FR1, 2FR1)
FR1: DL up to 4.93 Gbps / UL 0.9 Gbp
LTE: DL 7CA Cat20 up to 2.0Gbps / UL 2CA Cat18 up to 211 Mbps
Gigabit LTE
DC-HSPA+: DL 42 Mbps / UL 5.76 Mbps
4x4 MIMO
5G SA&NSA: n1 / n2 / n3 / n5 / n7 / n8 / n12 / n18 / n20 / n25 / n26 / n29 / n38 / n40 / n41 / n48 / n66 / n71 / n77 / n78 / n79
4G FDD-LTE: B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B7 / B8 / B12 / B17 / B18 / B19 / B20 / B25 / B26 / B29 / B30 / B32 / B66 / B71
4G TDD-LTE: B34 / B38 / B39 / B40 / B41 / B42 / B43 / B48
WCDMA: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100MHz

Worldwide Version

GSM/GPRS/EDGE; CDMA/ WCDMA/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+; FDD-LTE; TD-LTE; 5G Sub 6 SA/NSA
Support EN-DC/NRCA(6DL+FR1, 2FR1)
FR1: DL up to 4.92 Gbps / UL 0.9 Gbp
LTE: DL 7CA Cat20 up to 2.0Gbps / UL 2CA Cat18 up to 211 Mbps
Gigabit LTE
DC-HSPA+: DL 42 Mbps / UL 5.76 Mbps
4x4 MIMO
5G SA&NSA: n1 / n2 / n3 / n5 / n7 / n8 / n12 / n18 / n20 / n25 / n26 / n28 / n38 / n40 / n41 / n48 / n66 / n77 / n78 / n79
4G FDD-LTE: B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B7 / B8 / B12 / B17 / B18 / B19 / B20 / B25 / B26 / B28 / B32 / B66
4G TDD-LTE: B34 / B38 / B39 / B40 / B41 / B42 / B43 / B48
WCDMA: 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100MHz
GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz

And this is what we get from providers:

Skinny:

For the best experience, mobile devices will need to support the frequency bands below.
3G: Band 5 | 3G 850MHz
4G Essential: Band 3 | LTE 2100MHz + Band 28 | LTE 700Mhz
4G Optional: Band 40 | 2300MHz + Band 7 | 2600MHz
5G: N78 (N78 can be anywhere from 3300Mhz to 3800Mhz – Spark N78 is in the 3600MHz range.

5G NSA
Our Initial 5G deployment is ‘NSA’ (non-stand-alone). What this means is that a device first needs to connect to 4G before it can connect to 5G. This means that at minimum, a device must support both Band 3 | LTE 2100MHz and N78 | 5G.

2 Degrees:

As well as being 4G capable, it will need to be compatible with one of more of the following frequencies: LTE 1800 MHz, LTE 900 MHz or LTE 700 MHz.

Seems like there's a bit of art to comparing what you get from specs and providers. Any help in this? In short will the US version work?

Thanks a ton!

Behodar

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#3182208 15-Jan-2024 13:34

Avoid the US version: it doesn't support the critical band 28.

I'm not au fait with the other specs these days so I'm not sure whether the other model is acceptable.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3182213 15-Jan-2024 13:45

Behodar:

Avoid the US version: it doesn't support the critical band 28.

I'm not au fait with the other specs these days so I'm not sure whether the other model is acceptable.

Ah! Ok Darn.

wellygary

8326 posts

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#3182215 15-Jan-2024 13:46

Also there is no guarantee that an O/Seas supplied device will have 4G VOLTE support for the RCG rural sites...

KiwiSurfer

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#3182217 15-Jan-2024 14:19

Castlvaniafan:

Skinny:

For the best experience, mobile devices will need to support the frequency bands below.
3G: Band 5 | 3G 850MHz
4G Essential: Band 3 | LTE 2100MHz + Band 28 | LTE 700Mhz
4G Optional: Band 40 | 2300MHz + Band 7 | 2600MHz
5G: N78 (N78 can be anywhere from 3300Mhz to 3800Mhz – Spark N78 is in the 3600MHz range.

5G NSA
Our Initial 5G deployment is ‘NSA’ (non-stand-alone). What this means is that a device first needs to connect to 4G before it can connect to 5G. This means that at minimum, a device must support both Band 3 | LTE 2100MHz and N78 | 5G.

Is the above actually from Skinny? Very disappointing if so as it's not quite correct. LTE Band 3 is 1800 MHz not 2100 MHz -- it is 1800 MHz (Band 3) that is essentinal as 99% of Spark towers have that band not 2100 MHz (Band 1) which is usually only deployed on 5G towers. For the 5G info, also mentions Band 3 as being 2100 MHz when it is in fact Band 1 -- it is Band 1 (2100 MHz) that is needed for the 4G connection before it can connect to 5G. If this is from Skinny hopefully someone reading this has connectins to whoever can correct the above info.

For the OP, if you're not sure then you are much better off staying away from any imported phones. Just buy a phone from a NZ carrier or reptuatable NZ store that sells phones for the NZ market. Otherwise you risk getting a phone that will not have the correct band(s) for many parts of NZ and/or does not support basic features like voice calling in many parts of NZ. Also with the coming 3G switch off you risk having no access to voice calls (including 111 calls) anywhere in NZ. Unless you know what you are doing, don't do it.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3182228 15-Jan-2024 14:29

Okay, I can wait for PB Tech to have this phone as they had last years model. Which does make me think this years model worlwide version should work though!

Inphinity

2780 posts

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#3182229 15-Jan-2024 14:37

KiwiSurfer:

Is the above actually from Skinny? Very disappointing if so as it's not quite correct. LTE Band 3 is 1800 MHz not 2100 MHz -- it is 1800 MHz (Band 3) that is essentinal as 99% of Spark towers have that band not 2100 MHz (Band 1) which is usually only deployed on 5G towers. For the 5G info, also mentions Band 3 as being 2100 MHz when it is in fact Band 1 -- it is Band 1 (2100 MHz) that is needed for the 4G connection before it can connect to 5G. If this is from Skinny hopefully someone reading this has connectins to whoever can correct the above info.

For the OP, if you're not sure then you are much better off staying away from any imported phones. Just buy a phone from a NZ carrier or reptuatable NZ store that sells phones for the NZ market. Otherwise you risk getting a phone that will not have the correct band(s) for many parts of NZ and/or does not support basic features like voice calling in many parts of NZ. Also with the coming 3G switch off you risk having no access to voice calls (including 111 calls) anywhere in NZ. Unless you know what you are doing, don't do it.

Yes - https://www.skinny.co.nz/pricing/5g/

Bottom of the page, under the last FAQ about network frequencies

Behodar

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#3182232 15-Jan-2024 14:54

Of course it's under the "Pricing" section of the site, not the "Phone Compatibility" page!

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Castlvaniafan

97 posts

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#3182262 15-Jan-2024 17:01

I found a website that will compare bands to a phone. Here's one of the phones I'm looking at. Seems like even the US version will have a potential to work just fine, with only 1 missing band.

wellygary

8326 posts

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#3182263 15-Jan-2024 17:05

Castlvaniafan:

I found a website that will compare bands to a phone. Here's one of the phones I'm looking at. Seems like even the US version will have a potential to work just fine, with only 1 missing band.

700Mhz 4G is a pretty vital band in this part of the world

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nzs-big-4g-mobile-rollout-progress-report/E47QY7SIKXNBEA4DDN4LH7UGNY/

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3182264 15-Jan-2024 17:10

wellygary:

Castlvaniafan:

I found a website that will compare bands to a phone. Here's one of the phones I'm looking at. Seems like even the US version will have a potential to work just fine, with only 1 missing band.

700Mhz 4G is a pretty vital band in this part of the world

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nzs-big-4g-mobile-rollout-progress-report/E47QY7SIKXNBEA4DDN4LH7UGNY/

Ah, that's great to know. Worldwide version it is when PBtech stocks it!

KiwiSurfer

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#3182331 15-Jan-2024 18:37

To give you an idea of the coverage loss if you skipped the "just missing 1 band"...

This is 2degrees without band 28:

And the same with band 28:

Quite a big difference...

nztim

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#3182388 15-Jan-2024 19:23

Notwithstanding all the reasons above even if B28 was supported you may get 4G/5G data but not be able to make voice calls once 3G networks are shutdown due to the lack of NZ carriers VoLTE profiles being loaded into the phone’s firmware

I will repeat a comment I have said so many times on here…..
With the exception of the Apple iPhone DO NOT parallel import a mobile phone (Including buying locally from retailers who parallel import for example PBTech)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3182395 15-Jan-2024 19:38

nztim: Notwithstanding all the reasons above even if B28 was supported you may get 4G/5G data but not be able to make voice calls once 3G networks are shutdown due to the lack of NZ carriers VoLTE profiles being loaded into the phone’s firmware

I will repeat a comment I have said so many times on here…..
With the exception of the Apple iPhone DO NOT parallel import a mobile phone (Including buying locally from retailers who parallel import for example PBTech)

Thanks! I'm learning. So even if you verify it has the required bands and PBTech has imported it, still not a good idea?

nztim

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#3182403 15-Jan-2024 20:11

Castlvaniafan:
nztim: Notwithstanding all the reasons above even if B28 was supported you may get 4G/5G data but not be able to make voice calls once 3G networks are shutdown due to the lack of NZ carriers VoLTE profiles being loaded into the phone’s firmware

I will repeat a comment I have said so many times on here…..
With the exception of the Apple iPhone DO NOT parallel import a mobile phone (Including buying locally from retailers who parallel import for example PBTech)

Thanks! I'm learning. So even if you verify it has the required bands and PBTech has imported it, still not a good idea?

Not unless you can confirm your desired carrier’s VoLTE profile is in the phones firmware

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

GeeCee

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3182851 17-Jan-2024 07:31

Don't forget VoWiFi - can be a real life saver if you live somewhere with no mobile coverage (VoWiFi allows voice calls via your internet service, which could be Starlink or a wisp if you're in the rurally boondocks). Can be a real matter of safety for access to emergency services.

Really need to check band coverage and for both VoLTE and VoWiFi.

In practical terms this means Apple, Samsung, Oppo... The phones offered by the carrier's.

Anything else you need to be careful, ask others using the phone with your preferred carrier, check they actually used VoLTE & VoWiFi. Or test in store with your preferred carrier's Sim and via the stores wifi if you can - before purchase.

At this point I start muttering about anticompetitive behaviours (forced "bundling" and "tieing" of essential services to the carrier's own brand of handset - and exclusion of others - with the intention of maximizing revenues). Shouldn't be allowed in a competitive standards based industry, worthy of complaints to competition authority (if NZ actually had one of those that mattered) as the effect is abusive to customer choice and customers wallet.