Gprs - What Is The Best Phone Right Now To Buy

[Nam Kao]

New phones are popping up all the time.

What the best right now for GPRS and how much will it cost?

Thanks, appreciate

nam

[youngkiwi]

Most of the modern phones on the market will give you roughly the same GPRS speed. Look into the other features you need in a phone and then you can make an informed decision. There are many great phones available now at a low cost.

I use the Imate Jasjar (also sold here as the Dopod 900). It's a great PDA phone based on Windows Mobile 5, has a build-in keyboard, push email functionality and many other features. It is selling for around 42000 baht currently, but if you shop around you can get it for around 32000 baht.

The Imate Jasjam has also just been released which boasts a smaller profile phone but lacks the functionality of a larger keyboard. If you are not intending to use your phone for sending email on a regular basis, one of the smaller PDA phones may be the way to go.

Edited October 28, 2006 by youngkiwi

[udon]

Have a look at the Nokia range and the 6320i

Flexible connectivity: features Bluetooth technology, infrared, USB port, Pop-Port™, and GPRS/EDGE

No need to spend $1000 on a phone.. <deleted>

[Gary A]

I use a Nokia 6230. I thnk it has been discontinued but there are still some new ones available in a few shops. It works great and since it is an old model you should be able to get one for about 6,000 baht. The 6230i has a higher resolution camera. The Bluetooth works really well.

[Nam Kao]

OK. thanks guys,

i just need something basic, i'd hate to pay alot and have it stolen

-nam

[tjo o tjim]

I'm always a fan of the phones that connect with a standard mini-usb cable (most Motorola phones, and many of the Windows Mobile devices).

[udon]

Correction: Thanks Gary.

It the 6230 & 6230i

If not bothered abt the camera, go for the 6230 @ 6000 bt

[lomatopo]

I use a Nokia 6070 via an IR link to my Thinkpad T41. The Nokia 6070 is priced at 4,710 baht at Jaymart, so maybe closer to 4,500 baht at a counter shop in MBK? It's also tri-band, GSM900/1800/1900, so I can use it in the U.S.A. (T-Mobile/Cingular).

[tslau]

I use a Nokia 6070 via an IR link to my Thinkpad T41. The Nokia 6070 is priced at 4,710 baht at Jaymart, so maybe closer to 4,500 baht at a counter shop in MBK? It's also tri-band, GSM900/1800/1900, so I can use it in the U.S.A. (T-Mobile/Cingular).

Use a mobile phone with EDGE capability, not GRPS. It has three times faster speed than GPRS.

Get a motorola V360 which is cheap and fast.

Or a nokia 3230, cheap too.

Most Thai phone seller don't know about EDGE, so make sure you ask for what you want.

to find out which phone has EDGE, go to www.gsmarena.com.

[lomatopo]

I use a Nokia 6070 via an IR link to my Thinkpad T41. The Nokia 6070 is priced at 4,710 baht at Jaymart, so maybe closer to 4,500 baht at a counter shop in MBK? It's also tri-band, GSM900/1800/1900, so I can use it in the U.S.A. (T-Mobile/Cingular).

Use a mobile phone with EDGE capability, not GRPS. It has three times faster speed than GPRS.

Get a motorola V360 which is cheap and fast.

Or a nokia 3230, cheap too.

Most Thai phone seller don't know about EDGE, so make sure you ask for what you want.

to find out which phone has EDGE, go to www.gsmarena.com.

The Nokia 6070 support EDGE, data transfer specs are:

# EDGE multislot class 6, up to 177.6 kbps

# GPRS multislot class 10, up to 80 kbps

# HSCSD (High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data) transfer up to 43.2 kbps in HSCSD networks

I beleive the Nokia 3230 only supports EDGE rates up to 118.4 kbp/s, and it is priced closer to 8,500 baht.

Having said that can you tell us which service providers offer EDGE, and what the respective coverage areas are? I have 1-2-Call Pre-paid GPRS (25 hours for 107 baht), am in Bangkok, and cannot get EDGE speeds.

[Gary A]

My 6230 has Edge, Bluetooth, infra red and a port for a cable. I'd have to say that from my experience the infra red is slowest and also a pain in the ass keeping the beam aligned. The cable seems slower than Bluetooth. Bluetooth is great and easy to connect. I can take a phone call and still stay connected to the Internet. I can use Bluetooth with my old laptop and my desktop using a USB dongle. My new laptop has Bluetooth built in.

The bottom line is that I wouldn't buy a phone without Bluetooth. The 6070 does NOT have Bluetooth. The cheaper Nokias do NOT have a port for a cable connection. Turn on the Bluetooth in your phone, connect and put the phone back in your pocket.

I have never been able to try Edge.My little Edge icon flickers once in a while but the signal has never been strong enough to use.

ADDED - I had a Solomon modem. It was handy because it was small and plugged directly into the USB port. It DOES need its own SIM card unless you want to be swapping the SIM from your phone to the modem. After getting the Nokia and trying Bluetooth, I gave the Solomon to a Thai friend of mine. The Bluetooth is faster.

Edited October 31, 2006 by Gary A

[udon]

Hi Gary,

just how fast is Bluetooth?

Have you run any tests to the California servers?

[billd766]

I use a Nokia 6070 via an IR link to my Thinkpad T41. The Nokia 6070 is priced at 4,710 baht at Jaymart, so maybe closer to 4,500 baht at a counter shop in MBK? It's also tri-band, GSM900/1800/1900, so I can use it in the U.S.A. (T-Mobile/Cingular).

Use a mobile phone with EDGE capability, not GRPS. It has three times faster speed than GPRS.

Get a motorola V360 which is cheap and fast.

Or a nokia 3230, cheap too.

Most Thai phone seller don't know about EDGE, so make sure you ask for what you want.

to find out which phone has EDGE, go to www.gsmarena.com.

tslau

It will be hard to find a mobile that has EDGE and not GPRS as well. EDGE is fine in the big cities however it does not cover all or even a half of Thailand. If there is no EDGE coverage and you have no GPRS, what are you going to do next?

[Gary A]

Hi Gary,

just how fast is Bluetooth?

Have you run any tests to the California servers?

I just tried the speakeasy Los Angeles site. The speed was 51 and 28 kbps. Quite slow but my point is that Bluetooth is the best way I have found to use the VERY slow GPRS service. That was using AIS. I have found AIS to be much better than it was in the past as far as keeping a connection.

ADDED - That GPRS speed test may not be a good example. Sometimes it is faster and sometimes it is slower. The speed actually is up and down like a roller coaster. I will say it is pretty dependable when I'm in Pattaya or in between Pattaya and Loei. Much more convenient than hunting an Internet cafe.

Edited October 31, 2006 by Gary A

[lomatopo]

In a GPRS application the "short-straw" is the number of time-slots the network grants you. IR, serial/USB and Bluetooth data rates all exceed GPRS/EDGE data rates, and as such are not a limiting factor. Given the Bluetooth-enabled phones still command a premuim, and that the OP was asking about a lower-priced alternative, an IR/Cable solution is still the most cost-effective, for now. Hence I suggested the Nokia 6070.

Further most laptop PC's have built-in IRDA capabilities, and thus you do not have to buy a Bluetooth adapter for the PC.

I agree that Bluetooth is a handier solution, and my next phone (Nokia 6151, Nokia 6233 or Nokia 5500 Sport) will have Bluetooth.

Edited October 31, 2006 by lomatopo

[udon]

Thanks guys, I know NK is reading this.

Jaymarts.com don't list a price for the 6230 any longer, so I presume it's redundant but still obtainable.

A visit to the hucksters at MBK would be worthwhile.

The 6233 looks like the bee's knees with Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, 3G, & a 2MP camera.

[tslau]

I use a Nokia 6070 via an IR link to my Thinkpad T41. The Nokia 6070 is priced at 4,710 baht at Jaymart, so maybe closer to 4,500 baht at a counter shop in MBK? It's also tri-band, GSM900/1800/1900, so I can use it in the U.S.A. (T-Mobile/Cingular).

Use a mobile phone with EDGE capability, not GRPS. It has three times faster speed than GPRS.

Get a motorola V360 which is cheap and fast.

Or a nokia 3230, cheap too.

Most Thai phone seller don't know about EDGE, so make sure you ask for what you want.

to find out which phone has EDGE, go to www.gsmarena.com.

tslau

It will be hard to find a mobile that has EDGE and not GPRS as well. EDGE is fine in the big cities however it does not cover all or even a half of Thailand. If there is no EDGE coverage and you have no GPRS, what are you going to do next?

Hi there,

I am using EDGE in Pattaya, which has very good reception. Yes, it's a problem in other part of THailand. I think the next best option is to use those slot in adaptor card with your SIM card inserted or so call "aircard"?. The last time I visited Orange, they seems to have a good package to offer. Check with DTAC and AIS customer service, they may help you out. They also can determine which part of THailand has EDGE or not.