How can I tell if an unlocked phone will work on Cingular?

[cecieh]

Hi,
How can I tell if an unlocked phone will work on Cingular's network? I have no idea what GSM, CDMA, TDMA....means. For example, a seller on ebay has an unlocked LG Chocolate phone with this listed for the frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA. Can I use this phone with Cingular?

Thanks for your help,
Cecie

[MOTOhooligan]

No. Cingular uses the GSM network standard and the LG phone uses the CDMA network standard, the Chocolate is incompatible with Cingular's network.

[cecieh]

Thanks! Can you tell me what frequency I need to look for to make sure a phone is compatible with Cingular?

I know these are newbie questions, I appreciate your help in saving me hundreds of dollars!

[DarrylLeeOHS30]

to find one that works for Cingular search for phones that operate on the GSM band.

[Quint101]

Wirelessly posted (Q's Mobile Device: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/3.0.6306/1528; en; U; ssr))

Originally Posted by cecieh

Thanks! Can you tell me what frequency I need to look for to make sure a phone is compatible with Cingular?

I know these are newbie questions, I appreciate your help in saving me hundreds of dollars!

Make sure that the GSM phone has at least 850 and 1900 mhz. If the phone doesn't have those 2 bands, steer clear!

[efparri]

Originally Posted by cecieh

Hi,
How can I tell if an unlocked phone will work on Cingular's network? I have no idea what GSM, CDMA, TDMA....means. For example, a seller on ebay has an unlocked LG Chocolate phone with this listed for the frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA. Can I use this phone with Cingular?

Thanks for your help,
Cecie

CDMA phones are not really locked or unlocked. A CDMA carrier will only activate phones in its database. Only GSM phones, which is what Cingular uses, are locked or unlocked.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by MOTOhooligan

No. Cingular uses the GSM network standard and the LG phone uses the CDMA network standard, the Chocolate is incompatible with Cingular's network.

There is a GSM Chocolate, however I think it is only in the asian market right now. One of our members has one, I don't remember who though.
The main points to check for a phone to be used on Cingular are that it is a GSM or UMTS phone (Not CDMA, TDMA, Analog, or iDEN), and that it is unlocked and will operate on at least the 850 and 1900 bands.
-Jay

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by cecieh

Hi,
How can I tell if an unlocked phone will work on Cingular's network? I have no idea what GSM, CDMA, TDMA....means. For example, a seller on ebay has an unlocked LG Chocolate phone with this listed for the frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA. Can I use this phone with Cingular?

Thanks for your help,
Cecie

First of all GSM "Chocolates" have been known about since quite early in the year, see http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=1647.

Aside from that you can purchase a triband GSM "chocolate" on many unlocked phone sites, http://www.cellhut.com/product-1940.html as an example (please note this is only an example, I do not advise purchasing from companies you are unfamiliar with.) The triband (DOES NOT FEATURE 850MHz) is known as the KG800, the folder chocolate (again triband) is the KG810. There are also UMTS capable versions KU800 and KU810, however, these are not setup for american frequencies.

[CWick]

cool...wouldn't mind seeing a GSM Chocolate.

Back to the thread, I would think you would want a quad band GSM phone, GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900.

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by CWick

cool...wouldn't mind seeing a GSM Chocolate.

Back to the thread, I would think you would want a quad band GSM phone, GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900.

Amen, especially on Cingular! T-mobile primarily stays in the 1900mhz band, however, Cingular uses a mixture of both 1900 and 850 mhz (850 is what the triband phones are missing) you'd be capable of using Cingular in most large cities but country side is usually 850mhz because of the distance it travels. Best of luck.

[Heavy Fluid]

I have three GSM phones on Cingular, V3 RAZR, SE T610, and a Moto v60i. The V3 is quad, the other two are tri-band. To be honest, I get better reception with the tri-band than the quad.

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

I have three GSM phones on Cingular, V3 RAZR, SE T610, and a Moto v60i. The V3 is quad, the other two are tri-band. To be honest, I get better reception with the tri-band than the quad.

That could be simply because the RAZR (in my experience) doesn't tend to get as-good reception as other phones... it may have nothing to do with tri- versus quad-band phones.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by MOTOhooligan

That could be simply because the RAZR (in my experience) doesn't tend to get as-good reception as other phones... it may have nothing to do with tri- versus quad-band phones.

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

I have three GSM phones on Cingular, V3 RAZR, SE T610, and a Moto v60i. The V3 is quad, the other two are tri-band. To be honest, I get better reception with the tri-band than the quad.

The V3 does not perform as well because sacrifices were made to make the phone small and thin without an external antenna. It does rather well all things considered, but the V3 is the worst performing Moto available right now. Not to say that it is bad, but it just does not do as well as other offerings from Motorola. My V551's have kick a reception, and they are quad band phones.

-Jay

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

The V3 does not perform as well because sacrifices were made to make the phone small and thin without an external antenna. It does rather well all things considered, but the V3 is the worst performing Moto available right now. Not to say that it is bad, but it just does not do as well as other offerings from Motorola. My V551's have kick a reception, and they are quad band phones.

-Jay

Indeed. My wife's v600 and my v620 were hard to beat for reception and they are also quad-band phones.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by MOTOhooligan

That could be simply because the RAZR (in my experience) doesn't tend to get as-good reception as other phones... it may have nothing to do with tri- versus quad-band phones.

Exactly, also if you are not going to travel outside US a dual band 850/1900 phone will suffice. All you need to make sure for the US is that it has 850 & 1900, whether it is dual band, tri band or quad band does not matter.

Hope we have not confused you too much.

[cecieh]

Not at all! I have a much better understanding now. It sounds like as long as I get a GSM quad-band phone I'll pretty much be ok.

Thanks again for all of your help!

[cecieh]

Charlyee,
I have been seeing the orange 3G icon on a lot of phones recently. What does that represent?

Thanks,
Cecie

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by cecieh

Charlyee,
I have been seeing the orange 3G icon on a lot of phones recently. What does that represent?

Thanks,
Cecie

The orange 3G icon is for "Third Generation" phones that have wireless broadband capability. The 3G network is still in its infancy, so you may not get the super fast data speeds in your area just yet. These phones will still work on the old GSM network though, and it wouldn't hurt to get one if you can afford it.

-jay

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

The orange 3G icon is for "Third Generation" phones that have wireless broadband capability. The 3G network is still in its infancy, so you may not get the super fast data speeds in your area just yet. These phones will still work on the old GSM network though, and it wouldn't hurt to get one if you can afford it.

-jay

Let me extend just a wee bit on that, 3G on the American GSM carriers is for a service known as UMTS/ W-CDMA / HSUPA / HSDPA (lots of jargons) jay gave you the very best simple explanation that can be given, it's a much faster service than the current data services on GSM which are GPRS and EDGE. UMTS operates in the ranges 2100mhz and 1700mhz (2100 for download 1700 for upload at least in Europe and Asia, I believe here in the US they are implemented at 2100mhz and 1900mhz, so effectively a true world phone for both UMTS and GSM would have 6 frequencies it could operate at. Just a little useless factorial information. But if you're purchasing a unlocked european quadband phone make sure it's 2100/1900 not 2100/1700.