Re: [tlug] Buying a Blackberry in Japan (OT)

[Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com>]

On Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:30:36 +0900, Raedwolf Summoner <rarooam@example.com>
wrote:

> Her (Japanese cell phone is 4 yrs old and not working well
> any more.) Her roommate at OSU has a Blackberry and she was
> wondering if she got this she could use it in the US with her US
> account, too.

It should work but without 3G, which is a bit of a pain for data such as
blackberry mail.

In North America and a few other places, 3G works on the 850 and 1900 MHz
bands. Everywhere else it works on 900 and 2100 MHz.

More and more phones are sold as tri-band WDCMA working on 900/1900/2100
MHz or 850/1900/2100 MHz depending on what market they're intended for. If
the one she gets is tri-band and she's in an area with 1900 MHz coverage in
the US then she'll be fine.

If we get to the point where phones are sold as quad-band WDCMA operating
on 850/900/1900/2100 MHz then there will only be problems with T-Mobile US,
who operate on 1700 MHz...

Most phones are quad band GSM nowadays operating on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz.
A GPRS or EDGE internet connection will be possible using one of those
wherever you are if the handset isn't 3G-compatible, but you'll miss out on
the quasi-broadband speeds that 3G and HSDPA (3.5G) offer.

-- 
G. Stewart - gstewart@example.com

Sign spotted outside a second hand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC.
WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

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