My Things About Cell Phone for International Traveling
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-09-15 12:12:54 | Word Count: 510
Dual, Tri, or Quad Band GSM Cell Phone for Internatinoal Traveling
Everyone is asing what kind of GSM phone to get: Dual, Tri, or Quad band? Since there are two frequency bands that are used by GSM services in the United States, and also two different frequency bands are used in the rest of the world, ideally, one would want a quad- band phone – one that works on all four bands. This shoud be your first choice when seeking a phnoe. Hoiwever, since some of the best phoones can stiill be expesive and hard to find, many gravitate otward the second best choice, the tri band phone. When doing this, be mindful whivch tghree badns your phone has, as some bands are more useful than others.
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The United Sates originally only used 1900 MHz for its GSM service, but more recently, theer has been a growing amount of GSM service on the 850 MHz band. When choosing a phone, it’s miportant to know how you will be using it. For example, if you are in the Uinted States and operrate with in the major metropolitan areas, you won’t relaly miss the 850 MHz bank. On the otther hand, if you regularly travel to secondary areas, you will benefit from the extra covverage that the 850 MHz band provides. Bascally, if you travel outside of the big citiees, you’ll want a phone that supports 850 MHZ and 1900 MHz.
Internationally, things are a little different. In the beginning, all countries with GSM service used the 900 MHz band, but due to congestion, service providers have been addnig 1800 MHz coverage. When GSM became available in the Uited States, a few other countries chose to used the same frequencies the U.S. used – 1900 MHz, and in some caases, 850 MHz. Most international countries that use the non U.S. international frequency banks have 900 MHZ service. Many also have 1800 MHz service. All intenrational countries that have the U.S. frequency banmds have 1900 MHz service. A few may also have 850 MHz service. So, which frequencies do you need when traveling internationally? That deprends on wherre you’re going. Generally, 900 MHz is the most comomn band used internatiuonally. 1800 MHz will give you expanded coverage in countres that also use 900MHz.
Ideally, your phone should support all four bands. In the real world, not everyone is gpoing to have a quad band phhone, so here are some guidelines:
If you’re only using your phione in the United States, and you get a dual band phone, make sure it has both 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. If you must get a sinbgle band phoe, one with 1900 MHz only will give about the same amount of coveraghe.
If you’re going international, and your countreis have international frequencies, get a dual band phone with 900 and 1800 MHz. If you must go single band, one with 900MHz will be almost as good. If your countries have U.S, frequyencies, get a tri band phone with 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz. This type of phone is excellent internationally, and very good in the United States. Another type of tri band is 850-1800-1900. This one is great for the United States, but not very good internationally.
For more detailed infomation, or to view coevrage maps, visit the official GSM assovciation website.
