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| Thread ID: 68250 | 2006-04-22 12:02:00 | What to get for new phone? | mejobloggs (264) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 448556 | 2006-05-03 05:00:00 | As roddy_boy said, GSM and CDMA are for different kinds of networks. All parallel imported phones are for GSM networks such as Vodafone (and Econet which is coming at the end of the year). All you need to do is put a SIM card in and the phone is good to go, just like if you take your phone to another country you can switch it to a local network the same way. With CDMA phones the network provider has to do something to them (what it is, I don't know). :) | maccrazy (6741) | ||
| 448557 | 2006-05-03 05:09:00 | With CDMA phones the network provider has to do something to them (what it is, I don't know). They provision a phone number to the your phone, and programme your phone to use this number, then allocate your phone's ESN number to that phone number on their network. Similar to what Vodafone has to do to your SIM card. |
roddy_boy (4115) | ||
| 448558 | 2006-05-03 06:01:00 | Aha, thanks for the explanations! I see 'version numbers' on CDMA. Should I be trying to get the latest version? And what is that? Oh, and I see WCDMA...? |
mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 448559 | 2006-05-03 06:25:00 | From Wikipedia: W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) is a type of 3G cellular network. W-CDMA is the technology behind the 3G UMTS standard and is allied with the 2G GSM standard. More technically, W-CDMA is a wideband spread-spectrum 3G mobile telecommunication air interface that utilizes code division multiple access (or CDMA the general multiplexing scheme, not to be confused with CDMA the standard). History W-CDMA was developed by NTT DoCoMo as the air interface for their 3G network FOMA. Later NTT DoCoMo submitted the specification to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a candidate for the international 3G standard known as IMT-2000. The ITU eventually accepted W-CDMA as part of the IMT-2000 family of 3G standards. Later, W-CDMA was selected as the air interface for UMTS, the 3G successor to GSM. |
maccrazy (6741) | ||
| 448560 | 2006-05-03 06:34:00 | Thanks. I can't find any decent websites to look for phones. Hardly any of them display prices. I found one phone I really liked the look of. Nokia 6030 i think. Unfortunately it was GSM. But that's the sort of phone I am looking for (as far as the looks go. Features apart from txting are just a bonus imo :)) I want prices on websites! |
mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 448561 | 2006-05-03 23:50:00 | Hey I have worked for Telecom Previously, and ever since have only used Vodafone phones . If you are looking for coverage in more rural Areas Telecom phones are likely to give you slightly better send and recieve functions, but don't spend more than you budget on a telecom phone, the Sanyo 7400's aren't worth the money, it seems you only need a phone for the normal functions and not for the Value Added features that you see advertised everywhere . I wouldn't recommend the Samsung N391 as the will often not send a text unless you haev more than 2 bars of reception . No phone brand is perfect, you need to find one that you like and if your not happy take it back . Regarding you question about networks such as CDMA and GSM, and 3G . The only provider in the country to offer real 3G is Vodafone, Telecom calls their service T3G which is misleading as the communications commission ruled that it wasn't fast enough to meet the 3G standards, this is because telecom piggy backs Data which results in slower overall speed in many cases . For normal use you shouldn't notice any difference between networks for the length of time it takes to send and recieve Texts . The Nokia phones tend to be easy to text from aswell as the Sony Ericsson . The whole arguement about which provider is better and which phone is better all comes down to personal choice with phones under $350-$400, if you ever choose to spend over that amount you need to start looking at extra features and data plans to suit your needs . so until that time just find a phone that you like and you can afford, and you should be right . And in reply to Tux stating the 'facts' about Telcoms great phones such as the high end harrier etc, Vodafone had the exact same device under a different brand for cheaper . People need to start paying attention, Often competitors offer the same products as each other with slightly different model numbers or brand names, but often have very different prices . |
nzdrifter (10264) | ||
| 448562 | 2006-05-03 23:53:00 | Yeah, but i get better reception on telecom at my house. Is 1 bar enough to send a text? One bar will send a text. |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 448563 | 2006-05-04 05:20:00 | I can't find any decent websites to look for phones. Hardly any of them display prices.There is a magazine called MyMobile. I've never bought one, but it has the specs of many of the latest phones and reviews etc. It's only $5. :) | maccrazy (6741) | ||
| 448564 | 2006-05-05 10:14:00 | ahem, yes... I ended up getting a Nokia 6030. GSM :) I though it was better than any telecom one I had seen around $200. I got it from Parallel Imports. Not because it was cheaper, but because it was closest. I think it might have actually been slightly more expensive (not sure, but parallel imports didnt include sim card) I thought I would take the risk, and it looks like it is ok. I get 1 bar signal most of the time, which is good enough to send a text aparantly. There seems to be some type of security code on it, and I can't do stuff like 'delete all contacts'. How can I change the security code? How do I find out what my number is? :) |
mejobloggs (264) | ||
| 448565 | 2006-05-05 10:31:00 | There seems to be some type of security code on it, and I can't do stuff like 'delete all contacts'. How can I change the security code? The security code could be either the last 4 digits of your cell number :rolleyes: 0000 or 1234 (or even 12345 - which is what the book says) How do I find out what my number is? Send a text to another phone? |
Dannz (1668) | ||
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