Hello xda-users:
I'm going to japan for vacations and I'm thinking to buy a phone there, I read that you need to buy the phone with a contract ? and the phone might not work overseas.
Also I heard that the phones are really expensive.
Any help in this matter wil be appreciatte
I´ve just heard that the phones will not work outside of japan as they use a different signal frequency...
Softbank or NTT Docomo just announced a bunch of new phones, which include the Toshiba TG-01 and the HTC favorites. The only problem being that you need a gaijin card to get them and some other requirements (a contract too). You'll probably know more once you get there.
You can rent a phone and they do use 2100 Mhz UMTS/HSDPA, but I don't know if an unlocked non-JP phone will work there with a rental phone's SIM.
I live in Australia and I'm thinking about buying a Touch Pro from USA since it seems cheaper. I was wondering is there anything I have to look out for that might stop it form working here. Eg. Network issues.
I'm thinking about this one
Hi,
The phone in the link operates on the CDMA network, you'll want the GSM version (the one that uses a simcard). It is also network locked and will need to be hacked/unlocked.
Very cheap though...
Thanks
Some of them say A & T service required for some of the features. What does that mean?
you don't really need to "hack" it. just get someone to create your unlock code for you. you can get it here on xda or even ebay. I believe olinex can provide you the unlock code for a price. I can gaurantee that these guys here at xda are very helpful so dont' worry about that too much.
you should think about what band your provider in aus is using.
Good luck!
EDIT: those "features" are ATT specific and you can make those disappear. check the links on "unbloating" your phone. It's pretty annoying but it does not do anything for your phone if you don't use ATT's network. Check out the thread on flashing for beginners. Read it carefully and if you have questions, be very specific.
Thanks for the help. I been using a jasjam (hermes) with a flashed rom but the hermes is in bad condition so thinking about getting a new phone.
Dood, I'm in Aus and also upgraded to Touch Pro from JasJam.
A warning. You will not get Telstra NextG video calls. The touch pro does not operate on Telstra's band. Just in case you were/are a Telstra man...
Also, you should be able to ebay a cheap as new unit in Australia... I've seen many go for under $300.
A brand new phone for less that $300???
What are you searching "HTC touch pro"?
Touch Pro or Fuze in Australia?
Mate, check the 3G/UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA frequencies used by your provider!!!
The TP AND the Fuze will work AS PHONE in almost any GSM network (beside some Asian countries i.e. Japan) since they are 4 band GSM devices. However, using the benefits of high speed data aka 3G you have to check which band your provider is using. AFAIK Telstra is using 850/1900 which matches the ATT US network while t-mobile and the std. TP use 900/2100. IF you are with Telstra get a Fuze and it will work. People here in the US buy the HD (not offered here in the US by ATT) in Australia to operate it in the US network.
Good luck and don't get screwed.
Hello everyone,
I've been searching sometime for an answer but I seem to keep getting conflicting information. Here's the gist: I'm moving to South Korea long term and I have a Samsung Nexus S that was purchased through Koodoo. Works like a sweet machine and I'm loath to give it up. I'm just wondering if it will work when I bring it over instead of forking out money again for another smartphone.
Reasons I think it will work: Nexus S seems to have a wide range of frequencies that it is compatible with, designed to be a world phone, etc.
Reasons I think it might not work: I keep hearing different information on South Korean frequencies from CDMA only to god-knows-what.
Can anyone out here help? It's quite confusing to me. If it won't work then I'll likely try to resell it (still in pristine condition) before leaving instead of bringing it all the way over and it being unusable. However if it does work, again, it would save me buying a new smartphone over there which will probably cost me more in the long run.
Any advice is MUCH appreciated. Thanks!
I'd like to say that it should work fine in S.Korea givin that the i9020 is basically the m200(Korean nexus s). I'm not completely sure though, I can be wrong so don't count me in on it 100%. If it's possible I would contact a Korean GSM telco through email and ask, they'll know if your nexus s is compatible with their bands. I would do that JUST to make sure
What model of Nexus do you have? Do you what bands/frequencies South Korea service providers use?
hi all.
I'd like some advice. I have the chance to buy a new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 32 GB tablet in the USA. The price is significantly better than the UK equivalent.
But what I need to know if will the device work in the UK? For example will I be able charge the device?
I'm assuming that I'd need to change the virtual keyboard settings from US to UK but that should be simple enough - I hope...
Sorry if this is an obvious question.
I'd rather not root the device if at all possible. I'm happy to buy one or two things to make the device mine since the saving is almost £250(!)
Thanks in advance for your help.
You just need to make sure that the charger works on 220V or that you are plugging it into 110V. Otherwise, I can't imagine any reason it wouldn't work for you.
You could get a 220->110 transformer pretty easily if necessary.
In case it is a 3G-version it might not work in Europe. USA has different radio-bands .......................
The US doesnt have a 3G version yet so no problems there.
Sent from my Galaxy S3 running DietICS
May need to change wifi region codes to access the correct 5 GHz frequencies, not sure.
Is buying a UK alternative charger an options...?
sonofdays said:
You just need to make sure that the charger works on 220V or that you are plugging it into 110V. Otherwise, I can't imagine any reason it wouldn't work for you.
You could get a 220->110 transformer pretty easily if necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the insight. I guess I couldn't just buy a UK compatible charger...?
Wifi only
troed said:
In case it is a 3G-version it might not work in Europe. USA has different radio-bands .......................
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I was planning on the Wifi only option in any event.
A configurable option?
Entropy512 said:
May need to change wifi region codes to access the correct 5 GHz frequencies, not sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice.
Is this something that I can do without rooting...?
I'd appreciate it if you can point me to a guide for this this.
SpartanGrey said:
Thanks for the insight. I guess I couldn't just buy a UK compatible charger...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure you can, doesn't the charger output USB voltage? 5V 1A? If so any android charger should work
The charger is 5v and 2A, but i think it could charge at 1Amp, but it will take longer.
There is also the prob that there are 2 different wifi models EU:8010, US:8013. But i think the difference is in wifi channels numbers. Maybe you can flash a 8010 ROM and it becames an UK model. This you need to find out.
mdalacu said:
The charger is 5v and 2A, but i think it could charge at 1Amp, but it will take longer.
There is also the prob that there are 2 different wifi models EU:8010, US:8013. But i think the difference is in wifi channels numbers. Maybe you can flash a 8010 ROM and it becames an UK model. This you need to find out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. If you flashed a UK firmware on the N8013 it would most likely work.
You would lose the ability to use the IR port.
Any Samsung Tab-compatible 2A charger will work. iPad chargers will not work unless you use a charging adapter such as http://www.dealextreme.com/p/usb-data-charging-extension-cable-for-samsung-p1000-black-91141?item=4 (If that link breaks, search DX for P1000) - Samsung hasn't changed charger design since the original Tab, so P1000 chargers/charging adapters will work.
You don't need to change the radios, they're the same. D-Link, NetGear, et. al., sell the same routers internationally that they do domestically. If there was a compatibility issue my UK devices (and I have/had many) wouldn't work in the U.S. As for the 3G the Note's quad-band worldwide (except Korea) so it'll work just about anywhere.
One thing to keep in mind about using Samsung mobile devices outside their country of intended sale is that it affects your warranty. If a U.S. sourced Note needs repair they'll only repair it in the U.S. The same holds true in reverse. Samsung U.S. won't repair a Note intended for sale outside the U.S. They take a tough stance on gray market purchases and this has been proven time and time again. So you may want to compare the initial savings vs. the cost of roundtrip shipping to the U.S. should it ever need service.
BarryH_GEG said:
You don't need to change the radios, they're the same. D-Link, NetGear, et. al., sell the same routers internationally that they do domestically. If there was a compatibility issue my UK devices (and I have/had many) wouldn't work in the U.S. As for the 3G the Note's quad-band worldwide (except Korea) so it'll work just about anywhere.
One thing to keep in mind about using Samsung mobile devices outside their country of intended sale is that it affects your warranty. If a U.S. sourced Note needs repair they'll only repair it in the U.S. The same holds true in reverse. Samsung U.S. won't repair a Note intended for sale outside the U.S. They take a tough stance on gray market purchases and this has been proven time and time again. So you may want to compare the initial savings vs. the cost of roundtrip shipping to the U.S. should it ever need service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true. Available 5 GHz frequencies are VASTLY different between the UK and US. See http://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-5.htm
Similarly, Europe allows 2.4 GHz channels 12 and 13, the USA does not.
Entropy512 said:
Not true. Available 5 GHz frequencies are VASTLY different between the UK and US. See http://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-5.htm
Similarly, Europe allows 2.4 GHz channels 12 and 13, the USA does not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then the radios compensate for the variations in channels. Like I said, the Note is my fifth international device and it has no problem working in the U.S. I travel a lot and have never had a Wi-Fi issue with any of them. My OG P7500 has been to every continent.
BarryH_GEG said:
Then the radios compensate for the variations in channels. Like I said, the Note is my fifth international device and it has no problem working in the U.S. I travel a lot and have never had a Wi-Fi issue with any of them. My OG P7500 has been to every continent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will if you change the region configuration - with root and/or custom firmware that is possible. But if you use it "out of the box" - it won't work without hax.
Entropy512 said:
it won't work without hax.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of my devices are rooted and all use OEM ROMs. Primarily because I've always had tons of issues registering on foreign 3G networks in my travels when I've used third party ROMs and radios. In all the forums for those devices I've never seen a discussion on Wi-Fi incompatibility based on region. Have you? I'd think people with U.S versions of popular phones like the SGS2 series, VZW Nexus, and HTC phones like the Vivid and Sensation would be reporting problems if they couldn't use their Wi-Fi properly when traveling overseas. I'm sure plenty of U.S. Samsung tablets have been used overseas when people travel also. And if U.S. iPhones and iPads had different radios than the international versions owners would be reporting incompatibility issues when using them abroad. So I get that there may be variations in Wi-Fi regionally but the radios must be designed to accommodate them. Otherwise this would be a much larger discussion and not just in the Note forum.
I'm from the UK, currently travelling in the US, and I just bought a 32GB note last Thursday...
The charger is compatible voltage-wise, all you need is a US->UK plug adapter...
I've also never had WiFi problems in my travels here in the US, I use an international 5.3" note, and WiFi works everywhere. I don't expect any problems.
When I switched the Note 10.1 on for the first time, it asked me what region I was in, I chose UK, and could have chosen anywhere...
BigStuart said:
The charger is compatible voltage-wise, all you need is a US->UK plug adapter...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, if you look at the charger, the piece with the prongs on it snaps out. It's the same base charger worldwide with different prongs thrown in the box based on the region its being sold in. I carry a single charger and a half-a-dozen different prongs that I use depending on where I'm traveling.
Just what I needed to hear!!
BigStuart said:
I'm from the UK, currently travelling in the US, and I just bought a 32GB note last Thursday...
The charger is compatible voltage-wise, all you need is a US->UK plug adapter...
I've also never had WiFi problems in my travels here in the US, I use an international 5.3" note, and WiFi works everywhere. I don't expect any problems.
When I switched the Note 10.1 on for the first time, it asked me what region I was in, I chose UK, and could have chosen anywhere...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
You've answered pretty much all of my questions. :good:
Thanks for all of the advice
Thanks for all of the advice - it's very much appreciated! :good:
Frankly the warranty point is a slight worry but for almost £170 saving it's worth the risk.
btw I don't mind paying the UK taxes, but I really resent being gouged by a few hundred pounds for no discernible service or product difference.
I don't care whether it's Samsung or the UK suppliers decision.
morning guys
I've seen a few threads about buying in the US and using the N5 in different countries and the fact that although you can use it for 3G/GSM, being able to use 4G LTE is a no go due to the bands that are utilised.
Does/Would anyone know if this is changeable due to the radio being used or would it be a hardware matter as to me it would seem abit odd to produce 2 different phones using the same form factor where a piece of software enabling the bands would be more cost efficient. I appreciate that the software etc is probably being looked at by Dev's now but was wondering if anyone with previous knowledge of this would know.
Only reason I ask is as I'm in the US at the moment (the 32Gb works out considerably cheaper than in the UK) and the area I live in (in the UK) hasn't got 4G (and probably won't have for a while), whether or not to purchase one and then wait for a radio change, but if thats not possible I'll have to go with the expensive UK version
thanks for you help
There are two Nexus 5 models, the D820 (for the U.S) & D821 (for the rest of the world. According to this article by Android Central, it seems that there is a physical difference between the radios installed in each model. So I don't think you would have the option of flashing a radio from a D821 on to a D820 and suddenly have access to UK/European LTE bands. I'm no expert though so maybe others could confirm/deny this.
I too would like to know the same thing (hoping to take advantage of relatives in the US )
However reading around a bit I think it's a hardware limitation. They use the same software on the phones, but they enable the different LTE bands built into the hardware.
Pretty sure no amount of flashing radios will enable the different LTE bands...I'd love to be wrong though.
Shame, even after sales tax the saving would have been worth it. Might have to bite the bullet and buy UK price £££££££££