Getting cell phone...

[GnomeyNewt]

Yes yes I'm out dated, and I'm just now getting one... I always just had 2 phone lines, but I need a cell...

Anyhows, anybody have an suggestions? I am a complete idiot when it comes to this... I'm not sure even were to began... ack i'm going nuts... Thanks in advance for help. :c)

:banana:

[nameslave]

Well, I have been using a cell phone since 1991 when it cost nearly $2k just for the phone itself!

It very much depends on what your local company supports, but brand-wise, Nokia has the best phone around.

[GnomeyNewt]

nameslave,

I'm gonna search a bit, like I've been doing than call some of the companies around here. I'm glad it don't cost $2k anymore!!!!

[Steve]

Originally posted by nameslave:

Well, I have been using a cell phone since 1991 when it cost nearly $2k just for the phone itself!

It very much depends on what your local company supports, but brand-wise, Nokia has the best phone around.



:eek: after all that here a :banana:

[Dapon]

Originally posted by nameslave:

Well, I have been using a cell phone since 1991 when it cost nearly $2k just for the phone itself!

It very much depends on what your local company supports, but brand-wise, Nokia has the best phone around.

Boy I remeber those days. In 1989 I had one installed in my car for about $1,600. The antenna cost another $90. Then there was the calls. $.90/min peak time and $.40/min weekends. Average cell bill was $600/month. Plus when you pulled through a drive through and were on the phone all the people would come to the window to see.

I agree with the Nokia recomendation also. I own several Nokias now and am happy with them. GHet a good phone though, not one of the free ones. You will get better calls with a better phone. Like hosting, you get what you pay for.

[thebyp2]

this is my phone:

http://www.advancedmobiles.co.uk/advanced/showphone.asp?phone=3650&network=TMO

i was going to get a p800, but didn't because i thought i would break it :D

but this is my baby:
http://www.three.co.uk/explore/handsets/detailDescPopup.omp?cid=1031309016792

nec e808 3G mobile. thank you work.

[GnomeyNewt]

Welp so far nokia is the best, and somebody said voicestream is bad ... hehehe ...

[Robert]

I am current;y with AT&T and have the Motorola V60i.

In July/August I plan on switching over to GSM and getting the Motorola One. The color screen and what not.

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by Robert:

I am current;y with AT&T and have the Motorola V60i.

In July/August I plan on switching over to GSM and getting the Motorola One. The color screen and what not.

i noticed motorola are still quite big in america. from the moto's i've had i would say avoid them. nokia or sony ericson are the best.

[jbiz718]

I use sprint, I like sprint, I hate my bill.

US Cellular is cheap, check them out.

[Operator]

Get a nokia phone with an AT&T plan. Couldn't go wrong, the the phone lasts for a few days (standby).

I have a Samsung n400 (color, only 17 hours standby) with a SprintPCS plan. I love the phone, I love the service (SprintPCS), and I hate the bill as well ;)

[kunal]

You have to get the Sony Erricsson P800 with a t-mobile plan.

The phone works on the GSM network and supports SMS. Man, this country ( USA ) is soooo backward in its cell phone technology it isnt funny. :rolleyes:

You can check out the P800 here:
http://www.sonyericsson.com/P800/

You can find the p800 for 500$ at amazon.com

kunal

[interactive]

I have a nokia 3390 a have had it for a while. Originally with VoiceStream which was bought out by TMobile (German company). When VS was owned by VS themselves they sucked really bad, but when T-Mobile bought them out they started kicking butt! Both of my parents have Sprint and have had them for close to 4 years and like them alot. A good friend of mine owns a cell phone store at the local mall, he sells 4 brands: alltel, sprint, tmobile, and nextel. Out of all the phones he sells he sells more nextel then anything and says almost all of his nextel customers are extremly happy. Another thing about nextel is that if your a teacher there's pretty big discounts. So if I were you, I'd go with Nextel or Tmobile.

[thebyp2]

i would def recomend the p800. its a bit delicate though, which is why i ended up with the nokia.

[GnomeyNewt]

Okay, dumb dumb Alert! :banana: But do incoming calls take away from my mintues? :c)

[thebyp2]

incidently, do you even have 3g in the usa yet?

[Dapon]

Originally posted by littlestar:

Okay, dumb dumb Alert! :banana: But do incoming calls take away from my mintues? :c)

Oh, you betcha.

[Robert]

Verizon has started to offer 3G phones (beta).

I am awaiting for the 3G phones to be widely available.

My 2 previous phones were Nokia, while I did like them. I do like the Motorola because it's a Flip Phone. I like Flip Phones!

[kunal]

Sarah, yup, any type of talk time - incoming, outgoing, voice mail checking.. EVERYTHING takes away minutes :(

Motorola phones are technically excellent phones.. but if you want good features, a decent and sleek interface and a lot of fun stuff, Nokia phones kick any other companies ass. Though, sony ericsson is catching up. :)

kunal

[GnomeyNewt]

Ack, Hrrm... so cell phone to cell phone calling == both people paying? Oh geesh!

[kunal]

Originally posted by littlestar:

Ack, Hrrm... so cell phone to cell phone calling == both people paying? Oh geesh!

how do you think they make their gazillions of dollars? :fork:

kunal

[interactive]

It depends on the company though Sarah. Some companies offer free or discounted customer-to-customer calling. The best deal for you would just to goto a cell phone store that sells more than one company, and talk to them.

[kunal]

Robert, good point. The services I use, Sprint and T-Mobile, (don't ask me why I use 2 providers) offer unlimited minutes outgoing and incoming to Sprint or T-Mobile numbers. The other person has to pay though.

kunal

[Operator]

I think my cell phone is 3g, not sure however.

[suppleSupport]

Yep it depends on the company. Over here you only get charged for outgoing calls (not incoming) but apparently calls made to cell phones cost a bit more.

[Operator]

Argh! I forgot I had lose change in my pocket and I put my cell phone there. Now it's scratched up, and it's a color one! :crys:

[suppleSupport]

Originally posted by Operator:

Argh! I forgot I had lose change in my pocket and I put my cell phone there. Now it's scratched up, and it's a color one! :crys:

Heh, speaking of color...

Me and my friends had our palms painted to make some posters once and in the middle I got a call... so my cell phone is blue and um... bright orange :D

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by littlestar:

Ack, Hrrm... so cell phone to cell phone calling == both people paying? Oh geesh!

wow really? in the uk, only the person calling pays. also minutes are only used for calls made. u certainly don't use up minutes if somebody calls you.

not sure how the american industry is so 'child like' in its structure next to the european market. mind you we are all mobby mad over here. :D

[kunal]

thebyp2, you really dont wanna try figuring these guys out ;) they yet use the CDMA technology :rofl:

*ducks as he see's keyboards flying towards him*

kunal

[thebyp2]

cdma, i remember that. i think. somebody remind me.

[shaunewing]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

wow really? in the uk, only the person calling pays. also minutes are only used for calls made. u certainly don't use up minutes if somebody calls you.

It's the same here in Australia... I've always been perplexed about the "receiver pays" system in the US - I wouldn't have a mobile if I had to pay for people to call me.

With my particular plan, if I don't make any outgoing calls in the month my bill is $0.00.. I just pay AU$0.01 per second and that's it (apart from SMS of course).

Originally posted by kunal:

thebyp2, you really dont wanna try figuring these guys out ;) they yet use the CDMA technology :rofl:


CDMA? CDMA you say? *shudders* :banana:

Here in Australia they introduced CDMA a few years ago; it was introduced to replace the old AMPS network that was shut down at the start of 2000.

We also have GSM. We use GSM 800 (with some extra 1800 towers in the city, etc).

I've known a few people who have used CDMA, but they always hate it. Bad coverage, poor voice quality, etc. seem to be some of the general complaints.

Personally I've had a mobile phone for 8 years now. I had an AMPS phone from 1995 - early 1997. I then got a GSM phone and have had one ever since. I couldn't live without it :)

--Shaun

[Fazel]

Nokia phones are easy to use but I prefer Motorola.

I have a new(ish) C330. Not sure about the specifics but apparently you can change the shape of the phone by replacing the faschia. There's a link for a review below with some pics of the phone, it really is that SMALL!!!

http://www.threegmobile.net/gallery/motorolac330/

[shaunewing]

Originally posted by Fazel:

Nokia phones are easy to use but I prefer Motorola.



I'm starting to prefer Motorola as well... personally I don't like the way Nokia is going with their weird (novelty?) designs.

I recently bought my first Motorola phone in 6 years (my last Motorola I had from 1996-1997) - a Motorola T720 and I really like it. The user interface is quite intuitive and easy to use.

My last phone was a Nokia 6210, before that other Nokias and Ericssons.

--Shaun

[Chicken]

I want one that takes pictures! I suppose mine is outdated now as I've had it a year. One of teh Touchpoint small flip ones. No one carries Touchpoint accessories, and I can't use the neato trip-o-delic flashing antennas or batteries :cry:

[GnomeyNewt]

OH OH the ones that take pictures are cool :) ... But I bet they are really expensive.. Hmm this cell phone thing is worse than picking out hosting.

[Chicken]

yeah, and if you can find a phone you like, then there's carrier, then plan... it keeps going on and on. I do like my little Touchpoint, and Sprint, but it depends on the area. Sprint may be totally sucky in your neck of the woods. Ask around. Ask people you know what carrier they use and how the reception is (especially important in relation to where you go most often), quality of reception, and if calls get dropped, etc.

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by Chicken:

yeah, and if you can find a phone you like, then there's carrier, then plan... it keeps going on and on. I do like my little Touchpoint, and Sprint, but it depends on the area. Sprint may be totally sucky in your neck of the woods. Ask around. Ask people you know what carrier they use and how the reception is (especially important in relation to where you go most often), quality of reception, and if calls get dropped, etc.

are there really that many black spots for coverage in america? you get reception 50miles of the english coast the coverage is so saturated.

[Chicken]

Well, there certainly are stronger areas than others, and due to various things recpetion can go in and out. California is a tough place to get total coverage because it is so spread out, and everyone has their own ideas about how their neighborhood should look, etc. Some don't want towers in town, but that means that covereage suffers.

[nameslave]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

are there really that many black spots for coverage in america? you get reception 50miles of the english coast the coverage is so saturated.
When I was back in Hong Kong, reception there is EXCELLENT. Reason? Because it's such a small place! :)

[kunal]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

are there really that many black spots for coverage in america? you get reception 50miles of the english coast the coverage is so saturated.


You bet there are. My Sprint phone works in one corner of my room but does not work on the corner. Imagine that? :eek:


Chicken, all the new phones, well, most of them, have the camera inbuilt. The P800 however, has kick ass image quality. Its images are just like any other decent digital camera. It also has an inbuilt PDA etc... pretty cool eh? :banana:


kunal

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by nameslave:

When I was back in Hong Kong, reception there is EXCELLENT. Reason? Because it's such a small place! :)

i'm not sure the size of the place has much relavence. from what i can gather americans are not quite so mobile mad as us brits or the asian market, which as we all know is gizmo mad.

[Dave]

My AT&T plan allows unlimited mobile to mobile included in the plan. I have a great service plan, but service sucks in some areas, overall it's not too bad. I have 500 anytime, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited mobile to mobile, free incoming SMS, and 10 cent outgoing for $40/mo.

[shaunewing]

Originally posted by kunal:

The P800 however, has kick ass image quality. Its images are just like any other decent digital camera. It also has an inbuilt PDA etc... pretty cool eh? :banana:


kunal

Yeah.. my best friend and business partner Justin recently bought one of those phones.

The quality is excellent, at 640x480.

The bad thing - paranoia of losing it. I personally wouldn't want such an expensive phone because I'd be too worried I'd lose it, Justin feels the same but it's too late now.

--Shau

[Chicken]

Originally posted by kunal:

Chicken, all the new phones, well, most of them, have the camera inbuilt. The P800 however, has kick ass image quality. Its images are just like any other decent digital camera. It also has an inbuilt PDA etc... pretty cool eh? :banana:
All of that sounds good (seems like more than enough of what I'd need), though I don't see it offered at http://www.sprintpcs.com so I'm not sure I can get it (and Sprint). In fact, unless I'm mistaken, none of those phones has a camera :cry: though they are 'Vision Enabled' -I guess they can get pictures or something. Have to go to a store and check them out, talk to human, etc.

[thebyp2]

so if you want a mobile in america do you have to buy it from your contract company?

[kunal]

thebyp2, you need to buy the phone from your service provider. They control the phone market. They do not have the sim-card system here. So your pretty much tied down to the phone you get. :rolleyes:

Chicken, yup, the phone wouldnt work with Sprint. You would need to get AT&Ts new wireless GSM service or T-Mobiles GSM service.

Shaun, I would be scared at first too. But I'd get over it. ;)

EDIT

Chicken, on second thoughs, you could give Sprint a call and they *could* enable the p800 to work with their network. Also, most of their new phones do have an inbuilt camera. So you should be fine as long as your not picky about the picture quality. :D

kunal

[thebyp2]

thebyp2, you need to buy the phone from your service provider. They control the phone market. They do not have the sim-card system here. So your pretty much tied down to the phone you get.

thats amazing, in the uk you just go to a phone shop and you can buy any network or any phone. most people (like me) wonder in and just go ' i want phone x' on any network that is cheap.

You can even buy phones in supermarkets if you feel the need.

[shaunewing]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

thats amazing, in the uk you just go to a phone shop and you can buy any network or any phone. most people (like me) wonder in and just go ' i want phone x' on any network that is cheap.

You can even buy phones in supermarkets if you feel the need.

Same here in Australia.

One can go buy a new phone when one wants (like I do); all one has to do is switch the sim card.

The only reason I had to call my provider when I bought my new phone was to have GPRS activated - otherwise it would have been seamless.

Some supermarkets also sell phones (like you mentioned in the UK) - they're normally only prepaid phones though.

-Shaun

[kunal]

Shaun, thebyp2, like i said earlier.. they yet use CDMA.. and CDMA doesnt use sim cards... in India we have both... the sim and non-sim phones. I prefer the sim system anyday. But oh well. :)

littlestar, did you decide on a phone and service? :)

kunal

[thebyp2]

i wonder if the reason the market is mostly the same in the uk and australia is because it was mostly shaped by vodafone there and here?

[kunal]

That could be true. But I really think its the same because both the industries started later into the cell phone revolution. Hence, they used the better technology rather then the old one. The US decided to stick with the old stuff cause if was cost effective.

kunal

[thebyp2]

i'm not sure america has had cell phones any longer than the uk has.

[GnomeyNewt]

kunal,

Nopes I haven't decided yet! But thats just how I am, probally be 1-2 months before I actually get one... :c) But these post helping me out alot tho. Very interesting the way cell phones work in other countries. I wonder when we will catch up! Thanks all for posting!

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

i'm not sure america has had cell phones any longer than the uk has.

i'll just correct myself here, mobile phones in america arrived in 1984. mobile phones arrived in the uk in 1985.

[kunal]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

i'll just correct myself here, mobile phones in america arrived in 1984. mobile phones arrived in the uk in 1985.

There you go. I think the only place in the world that relies solely on the CDMA technology is the USA. The rest of the world uses GSM or the newly introduced 3G technology. But the USA is moving to the GSM network. From what I know, AT&T has already introduced the GSM technology but it is yet very limited. T-Mobile is the only service provider that is using the GSM technology.


kunal

[thebyp2]

i'm still a bit amazed that everbody dosn't use gsm. its quite old technology now. you would have thought that they would have upgraded. from what i understand cdma quality leaves a lot to be desired.

[kunal]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

i'm still a bit amazed that everbody dosn't use gsm. its quite old technology now. you would have thought that they would have upgraded. from what i understand cdma quality leaves a lot to be desired.

They should have, but I think they believe in the good old philosophy - why change something that isnt broke. Also, it comes down to simple numbers. The profit you can make of the CDMA technology is far greater then GSM. Not to mention the cost of installing and upgrading your existing network.

kunal

[thebyp2]

i supose it all comes down to numbers in the end.

[Chicken]

Re: the SIM card thing, the past couple phones I've owned (before switchign to Sprint and getting this phone), used SIM cards. The Sprint phone doesn't and I don't know if any phones currently use these or not.

[thebyp2]

really? no sim? all the phones i have ever had have had sims. pcn, gsm or otherwise.

[shaunewing]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

i'm still a bit amazed that everbody dosn't use gsm. its quite old technology now. you would have thought that they would have upgraded. from what i understand cdma quality leaves a lot to be desired.

Incidentally, the GSM network turned 10 years old yesterday here in Australia. I've had a GSM phone for 7 of those years :) (before that I was on AMPS).

CDMA - I know a few people on it in Australia and they always complain that the quality is horrible. Lots of dropouts, bad range, etc.

My first few mobile phones were on the AMPS system - they didn't have SIM cards. You bought it from the store and they programmed it there on the spot. AMPS in Australia was shut down in early 2000.

-Shaun

[kunal]

Originally posted by Chicken:

Re: the SIM card thing, the past couple phones I've owned (before switchign to Sprint and getting this phone), used SIM cards. The Sprint phone doesn't and I don't know if any phones currently use these or not.


you sure you had a SIM card? which service did you use? :confused: :eek:

kunal

[interactive]

Sprint hasn't used Sim cards since about a year after they started (back in like 97 I believe). Tmobile, Nextel, and Verizon I'm pretty sure are the last companies that still use sim cards.

[FindSP.com]

I hate those damn things, so get something small and noiseless, I have a Samsung, but I've always prefered Nokia because of a better... hmm, not sure what's the word, but it's a lot easier to use, in Samsung you need to press a button 5 times befre you get the the phone list and in Nokia only once

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by interactive:

Sprint hasn't used Sim cards since about a year after they started (back in like 97 I believe). Tmobile, Nextel, and Verizon I'm pretty sure are the last companies that still use sim cards.

every company uses sim's in the uk. infact you can get double sim'd phones so that you can run two networks next to each other.

[thebyp2]

i was having a thumb through my new copy of zdnet week and came accross this:

http://comment.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t479-s2133059,00.html

hardly seems like a good way to go :)

[kunal]

ugh! that sucks! they seriously want to send iraq to the stone age...:rolleyes:

kunal

[interactive]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

every company uses sim's in the uk. infact you can get double sim'd phones so that you can run two networks next to each other.

Thats pretty cool. Wish it was that way in the USA, and people say we're advanced PFFT!

[thebyp2]

i think its amazing people will try and do that. yes, give a country a network that runs on a completly different format to the rest of the entire region, let alone the land mass.

[thebyp2]

Originally posted by interactive:

Thats pretty cool. Wish it was that way in the USA, and people say we're advanced PFFT!

yeah, it was v kewl. i had it on my 8210, now i have to carry seperate phones again.

[kunal]

Originally posted by thebyp2:

i think its amazing people will try and do that. yes, give a country a network that runs on a completly different format to the rest of the entire region, let alone the land mass.


the funny thing is, iraq doesnt have money to rebuild itself-generate electriciy, buy food, clean water-and the US wants to build a cell phone network. :rolleyes:

kunal

[Chicken]

I haven't kept up with the news lately, however any talk of building cell hone networks in Iraq does seem to be a bit odd to say the least. Not sure what to make of that one, but I mentally file it under 'weapons of mass destruction'. Must have something to do with that.

[thebyp2]

You had better file the current loby group trying to push for a contract to install atm machines in iraq under weapons of mass destruction also.

it certainly can't be for actually withdrawing money as their currency is worthless.

[Operator]

Oh no. I just dropped my cell phone from a three stair. My Samsung n400 is no longer my prized posession. Scratched everywhere!!! AHHH!!!!