OT? Do I need old bands on my cell phone if I'm using only basic services.

Is there a still active** newsgroup where cell phones are on topic?

If not, let me tell you all that I'm confused about the topic: I see

4-band GSM phones for sale, with these bands: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband)

But there are also 2-band phones, which have only iiuc the USA 3G frequencies, 850./ 1900.

The bands they don't have, 800 and 1800, were used in 2G phones.

Since I'm only getting basic (2G?) service, no internet, do I need these frequencies that were originallly used by 2G phones?

**Or is therer even a non-active ng which might have good archives to read, because I'm so confused.
Reply to
micky
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"800" is really 850. Same thing.

Perhaps you mean 900 and 1800. Neither of these bands were EVER used for cellular in the USA, 1G, 2g, any-G.

The only frequencies you need for voice coverage in the US are 850/1900. But basic GSM is being phased out by AT&T in some cities to devote more "slots" to 3G. It is retained for international roamers, but you might find no service for a few minutes when entering a congested area.

Reply to
Mike S.

alt.cellular.{pick-your-favorite-service-provider} You'll also find quite a bit of good info under:

There's no such thing as an on topic newsgroup unless its moderated. Your off topic posting to a repair newsgroup is a good example.

There's no such thing as a 3G frequency. 3G can be deployed on almost any cellular band.

USA uses 850/1900. Europe uses 900/1800. Quad phones have all 4 bands. Dual mode phones will do both GSM and CDMA. 4G phones add 1.7 or 2.1GHz bands for data.

That depends on where you live and where you are visiting. If you're in the USA, you only need 850/1900. If you travel to strange and out of the way places, I suggest quad band and dual mode.

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# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

So what is the sequel to GSM?. Maybe I should look for that instead.

Thanks for the help. Would have posted back earlier but sick for a week, then I found this page, lost it, finally refound it, and wanted to include. You probably know all this stuff, but archive readers of the thread might like it.

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The middle of it is the most interesting.

P&M because it's been so long.

Reply to
micky

Posted&Mailed because it's been so long since you posted. I was sick, and then I was looking for this url, which I found, lost, and refound and which might be of interest to archive readers of this thread.

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Ah hah. Yeah, there were 30 goups, some for brands of phone. The AT&T group isn't real busy. Someone should advertise Usenet. Since no one makes any money on it, the so inconvenient to use web forums are taking out business.

Thanks. It looks good.

Okay.

The place I'm most likely to go is Israel.

I wanted to go for a week to Guatamala, which I visited in 1971, to see if it's changed, but I would have to open an account there, right?, even if I had a phone. And I really have no one to call there.

Thanks.

Reply to
micky

Being possibly the only follower of this newsgroup in Israel, I can tell you to do nothing until about a month before your trip.

Since October of 1999 until early 2012, there were three cellular service providers, plus Motorola who sold trunked radio service as if it were cellular.

By the end of 2012 there will be 5 phyiscal networks, Motorola will still be selling their service (called MIRS here, iDEN in the US) and 4 more virtual service providers (companies that buy time in bulk from a real SP, and sell it cheaply to retail customers).

There currently is a price equipment war.

Note that cell phones sold in Israel are always unlocked, there are no minimum contract lengths and if you buy a phone from a "phone store" instead of an SP, you can ask for the same deal, so they are not subsidized.

With that said, you can buy a 900/1800 dual band simple phone for 130 NIS on sale (around $33) and a pay as you go SIM for about half of that, so if you really want a phone here and yours is locked, one can be had cheaply.

Since everyone is moving to different phones and carriers, there are a lot of old phones in drawers, being too good to throw out and can't be used by their owners, so you may be able to get one free if you are visting someone.

It's ALL GSM and the new virtual operators are all 3G only. CDMA/TDMA phones are bricks.

Geoff.

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Geoffrey S. Mendelson,  N3OWJ/4X1GM/KBUH7245/KBUW5379
To put it in terms everyone understands, the US debt is over 150 Facebooks.
Reply to
Geoffrey S. Mendelson

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