Is Triband used in US? Will my phone work "at home" - I realize I will have to replace the SIM (perhaps even buy a cheap phone to do so). My hunch is they don't -

Is Triband used in US? Will my phone work "at home" - I realize I will have to replace the SIM (perhaps even buy a cheap phone to do so). My hunch is they don't -

Tri-band is a phone capable of 3 of 4 of the world frequencies used.

So depending on where in USA and which carriers are available, you have a good shot. 3 out of 4.

I use a quad band 4 out of 4, so I can get a signal anywhere.

Also you are correct about SIM change, no big deal. Then you can buy prepaid minutes and not be trapped

into one carriers contract, actually you are better off.

Just curious, where do you plan on using in the US? Also, check your phone for which bands.

They should be 850, 900, 1800. They only one you don't have is 1900 Mhz.

Hope that explains it OK.

If you're on the tmobile GSM network in the US, tri-band works fine.

Thanks. No, they have verizon and the area is very monopolized by the company. Sort of a rural coastal region mid-atlantic. The signal is actually pretty weak by their home but when you get out to the main roads its better.

Thanks you guys

If you're on the tmobile GSM network in the US, tri-band works fine.

Good point! I almost forgot. It's cingular or T-mobile only for GSM in the US

Verizon uses the 1900 Mhz CDMA not GSM like the rest of the world.

Thanks. No, they have verizon and the area is very monopolized by the company. Sort of a rural coastal region mid-atlantic. The signal is actually pretty weak by their home but when you get out to the main roads its better.

Thanks you guys

As I have to go to the US later this month I did some more checking.

Bottom line you would prefer t-Mobile over Cingular for reasons so long I won't start.

Check out this site http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/

You just type in the address and it will tell you the rest.

You don't want Verizon and It won't work with your GSM phone period.

Good luck.

Both AT&T [former Cingular] and T-Mobile are total crap by anyone's standards. No customer service, very expensive and crap coverage. The coverage maps are a joke. Don't take them seriously.

I'd recommend AT&T because I had such a bad experience with T-Mobile last time. No or really bad reception in many places in a major population center not to mention the most tech-savy area in the world, the SF bay area. Amazing. Seems like these companies spend way more in advertising than on actual cell towers...