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When trying to select
a phone model make sure it supports the GSM frequency bands used in
your country. You can refer to this
for the frequency bands used in your country.
As a general guide for
choosing the frequency bands, the following shows a brief guideline:
- Dual band: Can be used in
Europe, Asia, Africa and Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia
- Tri band: Can be used in USA,
Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin Americas
- Quad band: Can be used in almost
all the countries in the world except Japan and South
Karea
For example, if you want to
buy a cell phone for use in USA, you will need a Tri-band or
Quad-band cell phone.
The next feature of
the phone you want to consider is the "Dual SIMM dual standby" (see
explanation bellow). Most brand named phones made by Nokia,
Motorola, Samsung, DO NOT support this feature. If you are
interested in high end mobile phones, you may want to look into
these features:
- Microsoft Windows CE based
- WiFi
- GPS
These models of phones normally don't support "Dual
SIM".
The 3rd thing you want to consider is the
external shape of the phone. We offer the following types of phone
shapes and operation modes:
- iPhone like touch screen
- Slide Open Design
- Fold over Design
- Straight
Dual SIMM is a Term used for Phones
that has two SIMM sockets and allow the phone to work with both
SIMMs so a single phone will have two phone numbers.
Single Standby is a Term used for
Phones that supports multiple SIMM sockets and allow the phone to
work with one SIMM at a time and user can select which SIMM to be
active and switch to the selected SIMM so making and answering calls
can be done for the active SIMM.
Dual Standby is a Term used for
Phones that supports multiple SIMM sockets and allow the phone to
work with both SIMMs at the same time. Both SIMMs are active to
receive and make calls. No need to manually switch between SIMMs.
But you can only make and receive call from one SIMM at a time. For
example, when there is a incoming call for one of the SIMMs and you
pick up the call, you will not be able to make or receive calls for
the second SIMM until the call activities are stopped for the first
SIMM. In other words, call making and answering is not duplex.
Dual Receiving is a Term used for
Phones that supports multiple SIMM sockets and allow the phone to
work with both SIMMs at the same time. Both SIMMs are active to
receive and make calls. No need to manually switch between SIMMS.
You can only make and receive call from both SIMM at the same time.
For example, when there is a incoming call for one of the SIMMs and
you pick up the call, you will be able to make or receive calls for
the second SIMM. Call receiving and answering is fully duplex.
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GSM World Coverage Map and GSM Country List
GSM 900 / GSM 1800 MHz
are used in most parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle
East, Africa.
GSM 850 / GSM 1900 MHz are used
in the United States, Canada, Mexico and most countries of S.
America.
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GSM Bands information by country: |
|
Country / Territory
|
900 |
1800 |
1900 |
850 |
Other |
| Afghanistan |
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| Albania |
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| Algeria |
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| American Samoa |
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| Andorra |
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| Angola |
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| Anguilla |
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Antarctica :
Mawson and Casey Stations (Australia)
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|
GSM
BTS &
Altobridge Gateway Platform |
Antarctica :
Marambio Base (Argentina)
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|
AMPS
technology &
Entel Chile GSM tower on King George Island |
| Antigua and Barbuda |
|
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| Argentina |
|
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| Armenia |
|
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|
Planned 3G 2100 |
| Aruba |
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| Australia |
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|
3G
2100, 3G 850, 3G 900 |
| Austria |
|
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|
3G
2100, 3G 850 |
| Azerbaijan |
|
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| Bahamas |
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| Bahrain |
|
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|
3G
2100, 3G 850 |
| Bangladesh |
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| Barbados |
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| Belarus |
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| Belgium |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Belize |
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| Benin |
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| Bermuda |
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| Bhutan |
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| Bolivia |
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| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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| Botswana |
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| Brazil |
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| British Virgin Islands |
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| Brunei Darussalam |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Bulgaria |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Burkina Faso |
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| Burma (Myanmar) |
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|
|
Planned 900 |
| Burundi |
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| Cambodia |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Cameroon |
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| Canada |
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| Cape Verde |
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| Cayman Islands |
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| Central African
Republic |
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| Chad |
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| Chile |
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| China |
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| China, Hong Kong (SAR) |
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|
3G
2100 |
| China, Macau (SAR)
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| Colombia |
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| Comoros |
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|
Planned 900 |
| Congo, Democratic
Republic of the |
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| Congo, Republic of the |
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| Cook Islands |
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| Costa Rica |
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| Cote d'Ivoire |
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| Croatia |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Cuba |
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| Cyprus |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Czech Republic |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Denmark |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Djibouti |
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| Dominica |
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| Dominican Republic |
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| East Timor
(Timor-Leste) |
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| Ecuador |
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| Egypt |
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|
3G
2100 |
| El Salvador |
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| Equatorial Guinea |
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| Eritrea |
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| Estonia |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Ethiopia |
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| Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas) |
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| Faroe Islands |
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| Fiji |
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| Finland |
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|
3G
2100 |
| France |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| French Polynesia |
|
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| French Guiana (French
West Indies) |
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| French West Indies |
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| Gabon |
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| Gambia |
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| Gaza Strip / West Bank |
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| Georgia |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Germany |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Ghana |
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| Gibraltar |
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| Greece |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Greenland |
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| Grenada |
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| Guadeloupe (French West
Indies) |
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| Guam |
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| Guatemala |
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| Guernsey |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Guinea |
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| Guinea-Bissau |
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| Guyana |
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| Haiti |
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| Holy See (Vatican City) |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Honduras |
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| Hong Kong |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Hungary |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Iceland |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| India |
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| Indonesia |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Iran |
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| Iraq |
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| Ireland |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Isle of Man |
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|
3G
2100 |
| Israel |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Italy |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Jamaica |
|
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| Japan* |
|
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|
3G
2100, 3G 1700 |
| Jersey |
|
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|
|
3G
2100 |
| Jordan |
|
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| Kazakhstan |
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| Kenya |
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| Kiribati |
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| Korea, North |
|
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| Korea,
South* |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Kuwait |
|
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| Kyrgyzstan |
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| Laos |
|
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| Latvia |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Lebanon |
|
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| Lesotho |
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| Liberia |
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| Libya |
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| Liechtenstein |
|
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| Lithuania |
|
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|
|
3G
2100 |
| Luxemburg |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Macau (SAR) |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Macedonia |
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| Madagascar |
|
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| Malawi |
|
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| Malaysia |
|
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|
|
3G
2100 |
| Maldives |
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Mali |
|
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| Malta |
|
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| Martinique (French West
Indies) |
|
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| Mauritania |
|
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| Mauritius |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Mayotte |
|
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| Mexico |
|
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|
3G
850 |
| Micronesia |
|
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| Moldova |
|
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| Monaco |
|
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| Mongolia |
|
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| Montenegro |
|
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|
|
3G
2100 |
| Montserrat |
|
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| Morocco |
|
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| Mozambique |
|
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|
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| Myanmar (Burma) |
|
|
|
|
Planned 900 |
| Namibia |
|
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| Nauru |
|
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| Nepal |
|
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| Netherlands |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Netherlands Antilles |
|
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| New Caledonia |
|
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| New Zealand |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Nicaragua |
|
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| Niger |
|
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| Nigeria |
|
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| Niue |
|
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| Norfolk Island |
|
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| Northern Mariana
Islands |
|
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| Norway |
|
|
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|
3G
2100 |
| Oman |
|
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| Pakistan |
|
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| Palau |
|
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| Panama |
|
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| Papua New Guinea |
|
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| Paraguay |
|
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| Peru |
|
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| Philippines |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Pitcairn Islands |
|
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| Poland |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Portugal |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Puerto Rico |
|
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| Qatar |
|
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| Reunion |
|
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| Romania |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Russia |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Rwanda |
|
|
|
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| Saint Helena |
|
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| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
|
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| Saint Lucia |
|
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| Saint Pierre and
Miquelon |
|
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| Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines |
|
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| Samoa |
|
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| San Marino |
|
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| Sao Tome and Pr'cipe |
|
|
|
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| Saudi Arabia |
|
|
|
|
Planned 3G 2100 |
| Senegal |
|
|
|
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| Serbia |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Seychelles |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Sierra Leone |
|
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|
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| Singapore |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Slovakia |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Slovenia |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Solomon Islands |
|
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|
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| Somalia |
|
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|
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| South Africa |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| South Georgia and the
South Sandwich Islands |
|
|
|
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| Spain |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Sudan |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Suriname |
|
|
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| Swaziland |
|
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| Sweden |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Switzerland |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Syria |
|
|
|
|
| Taiwan |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Tajikistan |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Tanzania |
|
|
|
|
400 |
| Thailand |
|
|
|
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| Timor-Leste (East
Timor) |
|
|
|
|
| Togo |
|
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| Tokelau |
|
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| Tonga |
|
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| Trinidad and Tobago |
|
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|
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| Tunisia |
|
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| Turkey |
|
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|
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| Turkmenistan |
|
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| Turks and Caicos
Islands |
|
|
|
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| Tuvalu |
|
|
|
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| Uganda |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| Ukraine |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| United Arab Emirates |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
3G
2100 |
| U S A |
|
|
|
|
3G
850 |
| Uruguay |
|
|
|
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| Uzbekistan |
|
|
|
|
Planned 3G 2100 |
| Vanuatu |
|
|
|
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| Venezuela |
|
|
|
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| Vietnam |
|
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|
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| Virgin Islands (USA) |
|
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| Wallis and Futuna |
|
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| West Bank / Gaza Strip |
|
|
|
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| Western Sahara |
|
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|
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| Yemen |
|
|
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| Zambia |
|
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| Zimbabwe |
|
|
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|
Country / Territory
|
900 |
1800 |
1900 |
850 |
Other |
|