What is the Best Non-Smart Phone for 3G?

[cigar7]

I being forced to go to 3g, and I just want to purchase a good quality, reliable, long battery life, 3G phone just for SMS and phone calls, can take a decent photo. It should have all of the frequencies and be unlocked so I can use it in most countries. I'm located in Pattaya is it would be nice if the vendor was in Pattaya, but I'm willing to travel to Bangkok to but the phone too.

Do you have any recommendations for a make, model and a vendor?

Edited December 24, 2015 by cigar7

[cigar7]

Anybody know where I can get a Blackberry Bold 9900,good condition used or new

[RichCor]

...have you even tried looking in the local phone shops?

Online shopping sites, search linked for Blackberry Bold 9900:

Lazada

AliExpress

[Moonsterk]

I just got notified by AIS the 3 g is going down, all phones using it will stop working in the next few days You can go and trade in for a new phone that uses 2100 mg

[cigar7]

I just got notified by AIS the 3 g is going down, all phones using it will stop working in the next few days You can go and trade in for a new phone that uses 2100 mg

I think you mean 2g is going down and need to switch to 3g. But with AIS I had to get a new 3g sim card, and service is not available for 3 to 5 days while they switch the phone number from 2g to 3g.

[cigar7]

...have you even tried looking in the local phone shops?

Online shopping sites, search linked for Blackberry Bold 9900:

Lazada

AliExpress

Nothing in Tukcow, Lazada has a supplier but but location is "international" may take up to 30 days to deliver, no warranty.

Aliexpress has too many Chinese replicas - I can't tell if they are genuine and authentic - it will be too expensive to return - even the "new" does not have an authentic Blackberry battery based on photos.

Edited December 25, 2015 by cigar7

[RichCor]

I just got notified by AIS the 3 g is going down, all phones using it will stop working in the next few days You can go and trade in for a new phone that uses 2100 mg

I think you mean 2g is going down and need to switch to 3g. But with AIS I had to get a new 3g sim card, and service is not available for 3 to 5 days while they switch the phone number from 2g to 3g.

Interesting AIS 2G Current Service article posted here on ThaiVisa today via The Nation

AIS has plans in place to keep 2G-900MHz subscribers from straying

Started by Jonathan Fairfield, Today, 07:45

Jobs, economy, banking, business, investments Forum

Of AIS's 38 million subscribers, 11 million use its second-generation 900MHz service. Of those 11 million, 1 million are still in its 900MHz network and 10 million on the wireless broadband network of its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) but they still roam with AIS's 2G network.

Jasmine Mobile Broadband of Jasmine International and True Move H Universal Communication of True Corp each won a 900MHz licence last week. Once either of them pays the first installment of the licence upfront fee to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, AIS will have to shut down its 900MHz service.

Got to wonder what conditions cause those 10 millions AWN 3G subscribers to roam on the old 2G 900 network. Is it imposed by lack of adequately available 3G signal, or possible because the 3G subscribers are still using 2G equipment?

[cigar7]

I just got notified by AIS the 3 g is going down, all phones using it will stop working in the next few days You can go and trade in for a new phone that uses 2100 mg

I think you mean 2g is going down and need to switch to 3g. But with AIS I had to get a new 3g sim card, and service is not available for 3 to 5 days while they switch the phone number from 2g to 3g.

Interesting AIS 2G Current Service article posted here on ThaiVisa today via The Nation

AIS has plans in place to keep 2G-900MHz subscribers from straying

Started by Jonathan Fairfield, Today, 07:45

Jobs, economy, banking, business, investments Forum

Of AIS's 38 million subscribers, 11 million use its second-generation 900MHz service. Of those 11 million, 1 million are still in its 900MHz network and 10 million on the wireless broadband network of its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) but they still roam with AIS's 2G network.

Jasmine Mobile Broadband of Jasmine International and True Move H Universal Communication of True Corp each won a 900MHz licence last week. Once either of them pays the first installment of the licence upfront fee to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, AIS will have to shut down its 900MHz service.

Got to wonder what conditions cause those 10 millions AWN 3G subscribers to roam on the old 2G 900 network. Is it imposed by lack of adequately available 3G signal, or possible because the 3G subscribers are still using 2G equipment?

I had a 2g sim in my phone, for many years, started using it before 3g existed in Thailand. I was a very long time customer of AIS, but no more. The old AIS sim dictated the band. AIS insisted on changing the SIM.

[RichCor]

Yes, many of the old 2G network SIMs are too old to be rewritten with new network information. Easier, quicker, and cheaper for the carrier to just swap them out and assign the new one to your current account.

My LTE phone is using my old 2011 AIS 3G SIM, but it's not current with the new 3G/LTE network being currently built. I'll have to go in and have it swapped out soon.

[xylophone]

Yes, many of the old 2G network SIMs are too old to be rewritten with new network information. Easier, quicker, and cheaper for the carrier to just swap them out and assign the new one to your current account.

My LTE phone is using my old 2011 AIS 3G SIM, but it's not current with the new 3G/LTE network being currently built. I'll have to go in and have it swapped out soon.

This has become a little confusing........... last week my AIS signal disappeared and the folks at the AIS helpdesk said my Nokia phone could only work on a 2G network and did not support the 3G network which was supposedly being phased in on that day. So my phone was in fact deemed useless from that particular time, on according to these people.

I don't need an iPhone or any phone other than a small one which has keys on it so that I can type a message using the alphabetical format rather than the QWERTY format, and that's really it, so I bought an i-Mobile model that was 3G and in which I could use my Sim card – – the same one that I have used for years. And it worked, the only problem being that it is a bit cumbersome and the battery life is extremely short, so I am not overly happy with it.

Imagine my surprise when the next day I tried my old Nokia phone with the same Sim card and the signal was up again!!!! From what I can gather this is just a short-term thing and eventually all 2G networks will be closed down, so I will need a 3G capable phone by all accounts.

I have not been able to find a phone similar to my old Nokia (small, non-android, alphabetical keys, dual Sim etc) which supports 3G and is not tied to a particular company (I saw a very similar phone by True, however the lady informed me that both my local Sim card and my NZ Sim card would not work in it because both Sim cards had to be tied to True?).

I'm hoping that either online or back in NZ (on a forthcoming trip) I can find a similar phone, however it would be helpful if I could find one here, so any suggestions would be most welcome. Not only that, I'm living in constant "fear" that my current AIS signal may disappear at any time and I don't really want to go back to using the clunky i-mobile phone that I have just bought!!!

Help/advice would be much appreciated!

[steve187]

Smart phones can be operated in dumb user mode.

[xylophone]

Smart phones can be operated in dumb user mode.

With keys and an alphabetical input rather than qwerty or was that an insult!!!!!

[RichCor]

There are many 'Basic Phones' (non-smartphones) that are capable of 3G.

The alpha-numeric keyboard you are referring to is called T9. (where letters can be tapped out with multiple key presses). I hate it, and prefer a touchscreen keyboard. But touchscreens eat batteries.

Many phone shops carry Basic 3G phones. You just have to know what to look for.

If you want the phone to work in Thailand and OZ, then you'll also need to know what Frequencies (bands) and Networks (UMTS/W-CDMA, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE) are in use in both countries and buy a handset that covers them.

Legend:

2G GSM / GPRS / EDGE

3G UMTS/W-CDMA, HSPA, HSPA+ DC-HSPA+ (Dual Carrier, combined for higher speeds)

4G generally means: LTE

Frequency vs 'band' label

700 (band 28); 850 (band 5); 900 (band 8); 1800 (band 3); 2100 (band 1); 2300 (band 40); 2600 (band 7)

Thailand's big three

AIS 2G- 900, deactivating

3G- 2100 (15 MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (15MHz bandwidth, currently Test/Trial in select areas)

DTAC 2G- 1800 ( 5MHz bandwidth)

3G- 850, 2100 (10MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (10MHz bandwidth), 2100 ( 5MHz bandwidth)

TrueMove 2G- 1800 ( 5MHz bandwidth for legacy 2G devices)

3G- 850, 2100 ( 5 MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (10MHz, of 15Mhz), 2100 (10MHz bandwidth)

For Australia's big three (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone), take a look here:

All The Mobile Phone Frequencies Used In Australia (2015 Edition)

LifeHacker | ALEX KIDMAN 16 FEBRUARY 2015

Lazada carries 3G-capable Basic Phones

[xylophone]

There are many 'Basic Phones' (non-smartphones) that are capable of 3G.

The alpha-numeric keyboard you are referring to is called T9. (where letters can be tapped out with multiple key presses). I hate it, and prefer a touchscreen keyboard. But touchscreens eat batteries.

Many phone shops carry Basic 3G phones. You just have to know what to look for.

If you want the phone to work in Thailand and OZ, then you'll also need to know what Frequencies (bands) and Networks (UMTS/W-CDMA, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE) are in use in both countries and buy a handset that covers them.

Legend:

2G GSM / GPRS / EDGE

3G UMTS/W-CDMA, HSPA, HSPA+ DC-HSPA+ (Dual Carrier, combined for higher speeds)

4G generally means: LTE

Frequency vs 'band' label

700 (band 28); 850 (band 5); 900 (band 8); 1800 (band 3); 2100 (band 1); 2300 (band 40); 2600 (band 7)

Thailand's big three

AIS 2G- 900, deactivating

3G- 2100 (15 MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (15MHz bandwidth, currently Test/Trial in select areas)

DTAC 2G- 1800 ( 5MHz bandwidth)

3G- 850, 2100 (10MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (10MHz bandwidth), 2100 ( 5MHz bandwidth)

TrueMove 2G- 1800 ( 5MHz bandwidth for legacy 2G devices)

3G- 850, 2100 ( 5 MHz bandwidth)

4G- 1800 (10MHz, of 15Mhz), 2100 (10MHz bandwidth)

For Australia's big three (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone), take a look here:

All The Mobile Phone Frequencies Used In Australia (2015 Edition)

LifeHacker | ALEX KIDMAN 16 FEBRUARY 2015

Lazada carries 3G-capable Basic Phones

Wow, RichCor, thank you so much for taking the time to research and post this.........you are a lifesaver and your post is much appreciated.

Xylophone