Job Discussion Forums

The Purple Rose · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 8

Does anyone know of a good roaming cell phone that I can buy and that I can use here in Korea as well as in Australia, NZ , the UK and South America? Or at least, be able to contact these countries form here? I may be asking for the sky here (I'm not a cell phone buff) but as I have hopped round the place so much, I am hoping that there is a miracle phone out there that serves most of the world so that the next time I move country I don't have to buy yet another cell phone to call overseas. I have relatives and friends in all of the above mentioned countries and would like to be able to contact them when necesary without having to run round looking for an international phone box that works and then not be able to use it for long because there is a queue of people wanting to use the phone.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Have you asked the local cellphone companies yet? They probably have better information on what services and products they sell than we do.

The Purple Rose · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 8

.... and got very concerned looks and was told that roaming phones are �very expensive�. I said that, yes, I realise this, but I am prepared to spend the money. Which ones are roaming phones? Please point. This one? That one? A series of nods. Yes, yes, roaming phones are very expensive. I�ve even had someone translate for me and I still get the same response. Maybe they thought that as a foreigner I would slope off without completing the payments. So, I was wondering if there was anyone out there who had had any luck with buying one and could tell me the make,company, etc.

EnglishBrian · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 189

Hi there,

I'm pretty tech unsavy regarding phones so I could probably learn more here than I can offer, but I wanted to ask. Is it the phone or the SIM card thats the problem?

My phone was about the cheapest I could get with a colour screen but it works in Hong Kong, the Middle East and Europe. However because I used the scratch card refill SIMs bought from newagents and kiosks, I had a different number for each country. They couldn't be used outside their 'home' country. If I'd gone for a contract rather than the scratchcard I believe I would have had "roaming", where I could use the same number from anywhere but the call charges if used outside the home country would be really high.

Is that the problem or is it more technical. I know GSM phones work on different frequencies. Mine is only 900 and 1800. My wife's is 900, 1800 and 1900, as is the father in law's, and he's a merchant seaman so uses his all over the world. If the problem is the phone rather than the SIM card look out for one which works on at least 2, or preferably 3 frequencies (I don't know if there are more). It should say this on the box or the first page of the instructions. The cost shouldn't be particularly higher for this.

If you want to be able to call from literally anywhere on Earth, I think we're talking a satellite phone, about which I know nothing.

Does this make any sense?

The Purple Rose · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 8

I have no idea whether it was the phone, SIM card or the fact that I am a suspcious-looking foreigner. But what you have said certainly does help. I am keen to get a phone that uses a card as I wouldn't need to wory about paying bills as such. A scratch card is more convenient. It doesn't bother me that I'd have to renew the number in each country, as it is easy to email/call people to let them know that for the next x-number of months, my number will be (ABC).

Thanks for the info. I certainly will look into the 900, 1800 and 1900 frequency phones.

counpk39 · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 17 Location: New York State

You can buy sim cards from many countries and unlocked tri-band gsm phones at many reputable dealers online. Just do a google or yahoo search and you'll find what you need.