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Cellular Phone Forum / Country Specific / Australian Group / September 2004Taking a US cellphone to Australia
I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: 1) Can I buy an unlocked GSM phone in the USA and use it in Australia? The Telstra website seems to say "yes" ( see http://tinyurl.com/694wp ) 2) If I get a triband GSM phone capable of 850/1800/1900, will it work in Australia (bearing in mind that Australia has a 900/1800 network)? Or does the lack of 900 frequency really hurt compatibility? #) Any tips or tricks or advice anyone can offer me? I am only considering this becasue the phone I want is USD200 in the USA but AUD780+ in Australia! Crazy prices in Australia, as usual! >:-( BTW, I'm looking at the Sony Ericsson T630. Thanks in advance ... > I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks in advance ... My understanding is 900 MHz is the primary band used here in Australia and that the 1800 MHz band is used to supplement 900 MHz in congested areas. I may not 100% correct on this and I'm sure others will give input later in the day when they get up, but if I'm right it may not be the best option to purchase a phone in the US if you are intending to move back. Typical bloody Yanks always have to be different! 73 de Simon, VK3XEM. > I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > has a 900/1800 network)? Or does the lack of 900 frequency > really hurt compatibility? It won't work on the Telstra network. Telstra hides all its 1800 cells. They show up in the neighbouring cell list only after a call's established on 900 mHz. Only then can a handover to 1800 occur. I have a phone that lets me specify 900, 1800 or dual band, so I've been able to see how this works. With the other two networks, 1800 cells can be very few and far between - often just used in shopping malls, etc. John > > I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: > > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > With the other two networks, 1800 cells can be very few and far > between - often just used in shopping malls, etc. No, Optus have them in a hell of a lot of places now I wrote: >> With the other two networks, 1800 cells can be very few and >> far between - often just used in shopping malls, etc. "Michael" replied: > No, Optus have them in a hell of a lot of places now Not near where I live in surburban Canberra. Plenty of 900 mHz though, and no 1800 channels in the NMR list. In 1800 mode, there's no registration on the Optus network. John > I wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > John Canberra is a small town though, we were referring to Australian cities. In Sydney and Melbourne they are everywhere on Optus. > I wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > though, and no 1800 channels in the NMR list. In 1800 mode, > there's no registration on the Optus network. Yeah, but youre in fscking Canberra. Enough said > No, Optus have them in a hell of a lot of places now Except in the hick state - outside the "CBD" there is almost no Optus GSM1800 sites, the only two I can think off the top of my head on the southside are Algester and Macgregor (which is right next to Garden City) Albinus. If you buy the Sony Ericsson T630 which has frequencies 900, 1800, 1900, it will work perfectly in Australia (900, 1800) and N.America (1900), my understanding is that 850 range is mostly used in rural areas of USA. If you can get this phone for $199 US = $280 Aus., then go for it, as its around $500 Aus here. It is possible to get a Quad phone in USA which covers all 4 bands (Motorola 600 or something like that). Also ensure the phone is not locked to a US network. Hope that helps. Sam > I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks in advance ... > I'm moving back to Australia soon, and I have a few questions: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks in advance ... Most American phones are 1900 or 1900+850, and "triband" in America usually refers to 850/1800/1900 as you have described. The problem with this is that GSM900 is the primary band used in Australia, and although we use GSM1800 as well, the way this is used varies from carrier to carrier. For example, on Telstra, GSM1800 is used only in dedicated mode and camping is forbidden on almost all Telstra 1800 BTS. This means, the GSM900 band must be present on a phone to establish a call and see the network in idle mode. This is similar to what Cingular does in some markets with the GSM850 control channels. On Vodafone and Optus, these requirements are less strict and camping is allowed on GSM1800. However, Optus is the only network with a 'decent' GSM1800 footprint, and even that is quite poor outside Melbourne and Sydney. So unless you can get a quadband, it's not worth it. "Jeremy Quirke" <jqr@no-ausmobile-spam.com> wrote in message > So unless you can get a quadband, it's not worth it. Thanks everyone for the advice. It happens that I can buy an "unlocked" Sony Ericsson T630 with 900/1800/1900, so that's what I'll do. I suspect all I then have to do once in Oz is show the receipt for the purchase to Telstra or Optus (to prove I bought the phone), and they'll hand over a SIM card for a hefty fee, right? > "Jeremy Quirke" <jqr@no-ausmobile-spam.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > the purchase to Telstra or Optus (to prove I bought the phone), and > they'll hand over a SIM card for a hefty fee, right? They don't really care what phone you use, just walk into a shop or get online and sign up. That's the good thing with GSM, you can use any phone you want. Shop around all the GSM carriers as they are starting to bring out capped call plans. I recently ported to Vodafone for $79 a month to get $500 worth of TXT and calls. They were not in the slightest bit interested in what phone I had. The phone industry is very competitive in Australia right now :) 73 de Simon, VK3XEM. I suspect all I then have to do once in Oz is show the receipt for > the purchase to Telstra or Optus (to prove I bought the phone) No, just go and get a SIM and use it, no need to show anything about your phone. > and > they'll hand over a SIM card for a hefty fee, right? No need to pay anything hefty. Plenty of places doing connections with little or no signup fee, some even doing that with no contract period either. Because you have a phone, you have plenty of options. >> So unless you can get a quadband, it's not worth it. > Thanks everyone for the advice. It happens that I can buy an > "unlocked" Sony Ericsson T630 with 900/1800/1900, so that's > what I'll do. I suspect all I then have to do once in Oz is show > the receipt for the purchase to Telstra or Optus (to prove I bought > the phone), and they'll hand over a SIM card for a hefty fee, right? No need to prove anything to anyone, just order a service and receive the sim. For free depending on who you get it from. > "Jeremy Quirke" <jqr@no-ausmobile-spam.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > the purchase to Telstra or Optus (to prove I bought the phone), and > they'll hand over a SIM card for a hefty fee, right? Nope. You just get your SIM card. prepaid from as cheap as $10 for a starter kit or postpaid for, well, pretty darn cheap now. Does anyone still have $0 access fees for new postpaid conns? > Does anyone still have $0 access fees for new postpaid conns? Yep, can't speak for any of these personally though Southern Cross Mobile (Telstra GSM + CDMA networks) http://www.scmobile.com.au/FreedomOne.pdf B Digital (Optus network) https://www.bdigital.com.au/bweb/html/shopping/call_plan.html?planID=511 Dodo (Vodafone network, IIRC) http://www.dodo.com.au/mobileplans.html Vodafone http://www.vodafone.com.au/noplans North Queensland Telecom (Telstra network, but the words 'Telco in a box' should be enough to scare you off) http://www.nqtelecom.com.au/ourproducts/mobile.asp Unison Mobile (Vodafone network) http://www.unisonmobile.com/rate.htm > > Does anyone still have $0 access fees for new postpaid conns? > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > should be enough to scare you off) > http://www.nqtelecom.com.au/ourproducts/mobile.asp ahhhhhh! this is who telco in a box are! >> "Jeremy Quirke" <jqr@no-ausmobile-spam.com> wrote in message >> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > darn cheap now. > Does anyone still have $0 access fees for new postpaid conns? Unison. No signup fee either. |
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