Mobicecor

How to select a Mobile Phone

When trying to select a phone model make sure it supports the GSM frequency bands used in your country. You can refer to this GSM frequency map 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.

 

Please check the GSM frequencies used in your country and make sure the mobile phone's frequency band matches that used in your country.

GSM (Groupe Special Mobile) = Global System for Mobile communications - most popular standard for mobile phones in the world.

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.
 

GSM World Map - GSM Country List

GSM Bands information by country:

Country / Territory

900 1800 1900 850 Other
Afghanistan        
Albania        
Algeria        
American Samoa        
Andorra        
Angola        
Anguilla        
Antarctica :
 
Mawson and Casey Stations (Australia)
        GSM BTS &
Altobridge Gateway Platform
Antarctica :
 
Marambio Base (Argentina)
        AMPS technology &
Entel Chile GSM tower on King George Island
Antigua and Barbuda        
Argentina        
Armenia         Planned 3G 2100
Aruba        
Australia         3G 2100, 3G 850, 3G 900
Austria         3G 2100, 3G 850
Azerbaijan        
Bahamas        
Bahrain         3G 2100, 3G 850
Bangladesh        
Barbados        
Belarus        
Belgium         3G 2100
Belize        
Benin        
Bermuda        
Bhutan        
Bolivia        
Bosnia and Herzegovina        
Botswana        
Brazil        
British Virgin Islands        
Brunei Darussalam         3G 2100
Bulgaria         3G 2100
Burkina Faso        
Burma (Myanmar)         Planned 900
Burundi        
Cambodia         3G 2100
Cameroon        
Canada        
Cape Verde        
Cayman Islands        
Central African Republic        
Chad        
Chile        
China        
China, Hong Kong (SAR)         3G 2100
China, Macau (SAR)        
Colombia        
Comoros         Planned 900
Congo, Democratic Republic of the        
Congo, Republic of the        
Cook Islands        
Costa Rica        
Cote d'Ivoire        
Croatia         3G 2100
Cuba        
Cyprus         3G 2100
Czech Republic         3G 2100
Denmark         3G 2100
Djibouti        
Dominica        
Dominican Republic        
East Timor (Timor-Leste)        
Ecuador        
Egypt         3G 2100
El Salvador        
Equatorial Guinea        
Eritrea        
Estonia         3G 2100
Ethiopia        
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)        
Faroe Islands        
Fiji        
Finland         3G 2100
France         3G 2100
French Polynesia        
French Guiana (French West Indies)        
French West Indies        
Gabon        
Gambia        
Gaza Strip / West Bank        
Georgia         3G 2100
Germany         3G 2100
Ghana        
Gibraltar        
Greece         3G 2100
Greenland        
Grenada        
Guadeloupe (French West Indies)        
Guam        
Guatemala        
Guernsey         3G 2100
Guinea        
Guinea-Bissau        
Guyana        
Haiti        
Holy See (Vatican City)         3G 2100
Honduras        
Hong Kong         3G 2100
Hungary         3G 2100
Iceland         3G 2100
India        
Indonesia         3G 2100
Iran        
Iraq        
Ireland         3G 2100
Isle of Man         3G 2100
Israel         3G 2100
Italy         3G 2100
Jamaica        
Japan*         3G 2100, 3G 1700
Jersey         3G 2100
Jordan        
Kazakhstan        
Kenya        
Kiribati        
Korea, North        
Korea, South*         3G 2100
Kuwait        
Kyrgyzstan        
Laos        
Latvia         3G 2100
Lebanon        
Lesotho      
Liberia        
Libya        
Liechtenstein        
Lithuania         3G 2100
Luxemburg         3G 2100
Macau (SAR)         3G 2100
Macedonia        
Madagascar        
Malawi        
Malaysia         3G 2100
Maldives         3G 2100
Mali        
Malta        
Martinique (French West Indies)        
Mauritania        
Mauritius         3G 2100
Mayotte        
Mexico         3G 850
Micronesia        
Moldova        
Monaco        
Mongolia        
Montenegro         3G 2100
Montserrat        
Morocco        
Mozambique        
Myanmar (Burma)         Planned 900
Namibia        
Nauru        
Nepal        
Netherlands         3G 2100
Netherlands Antilles        
New Caledonia        
New Zealand         3G 2100
Nicaragua        
Niger        
Nigeria        
Niue        
Norfolk Island        
Northern Mariana Islands        
Norway         3G 2100
Oman        
Pakistan        
Palau        
Panama        
Papua New Guinea        
Paraguay        
Peru        
Philippines         3G 2100
Pitcairn Islands        
Poland         3G 2100
Portugal         3G 2100
Puerto Rico        
Qatar        
Reunion        
Romania         3G 2100
Russia         3G 2100
Rwanda        
Saint Helena        
Saint Kitts and Nevis        
Saint Lucia        
Saint Pierre and Miquelon        
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines        
Samoa        
San Marino        
Sao Tome and Pr'cipe        
Saudi Arabia         Planned 3G 2100
Senegal        
Serbia         3G 2100
Seychelles         3G 2100
Sierra Leone        
Singapore         3G 2100
Slovakia         3G 2100
Slovenia         3G 2100
Solomon Islands        
Somalia        
South Africa         3G 2100
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands        
Spain         3G 2100
Sri Lanka         3G 2100
Sudan         3G 2100
Suriname        
Swaziland        
Sweden         3G 2100
Switzerland         3G 2100
Syria        
Taiwan         3G 2100
Tajikistan         3G 2100
Tanzania         400
Thailand        
Timor-Leste (East Timor)        
Togo        
Tokelau        
Tonga        
Trinidad and Tobago        
Tunisia        
Turkey        
Turkmenistan        
Turks and Caicos Islands        
Tuvalu        
Uganda         3G 2100
Ukraine         3G 2100
United Arab Emirates         3G 2100
United Kingdom         3G 2100
U S A         3G 850
Uruguay        
Uzbekistan         Planned 3G 2100
Vanuatu        
Venezuela        
Vietnam        
Virgin Islands (USA)        
Wallis and Futuna        
West Bank / Gaza Strip        
Western Sahara        
Yemen        
Zambia        
Zimbabwe        

Country / Territory

900 1800 1900 850 Other
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Lincoln Graham