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andyfff
Rocker
Joined: July 03, 2005
Posts: 685
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
May 19, 2008 - 08:07 AM |
 
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| Post subject: will a Motorola phone purchased in the USA work here? |
Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find a straight answer. If I buy a new Motorola phone in the USA, bring it back to China and pop in my own SIM card, will it work just as my current Motorola phone does here? Somebody in the USA got me a gift of a new Motorola phone, and it is sitting at my Dad's place in NYC waiting for me to go and pick it up. I wonder if it will work for me in China, or if I should just return it.
Thanks for any info.
Andy |
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mmd1227
Ranter
Joined: Nov 14, 2004
Posts: 558
Status: Offline
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May 19, 2008 - 08:19 AM |
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you do have to have it unlocked...if it was purchased thru att, or whatever carrier u use in the usa, it will be locked. I had mine unlocked through ATT...they give you a code to use. |
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canuckian
Ranter
Joined: Aug 12, 2007
Posts: 499
Status: Offline
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May 19, 2008 - 08:25 AM |
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and change the bandwidth setting to 1800/1900. |
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computersolutions
FooJay
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1785
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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May 19, 2008 - 08:40 AM |
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SnappySammy
Board Legend
Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 10189
Status: Offline
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May 20, 2008 - 09:13 AM |
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I have had maybe 50 motorola cell phones and have never had a problem. Not one problem, never needed a repair. I think the first one I bought was in 1987.
Go to a local dealer and he will unlock your phone. you will be able to use it in China with a Chinese sym card and in US with your original card.... |
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Yank My Doodle It's A Dandy |
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andyfff
Rocker
Joined: July 03, 2005
Posts: 685
Status: Offline
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May 20, 2008 - 09:24 AM |
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I have never had any problems with Motorola quality either. I have owned three phones in two years. If I would not leave them in taxis after nights of drinking I would probably still have my first one! |
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yu888
Board Deity
Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 18048
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH
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May 20, 2008 - 10:08 AM |
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Ok andy here is the deal. The US GSM systems typically run using the 850/ 1900 Mhz range. This allowed companies like Motorola to be protected by the masses of otherwise mostly standardized GSM phones at 900/1800 worldwide and continue to build phones with designed obsolesance . Phones purchased in the US sometimes are ONLY 850/1900 and so you need to make sure you get a phone that covers at least one of the other global frequencies (900/1800) for it to work here in China (or much of SE Asia/Aus/Europe)
Even if you DO get one with the right frequencies, the US service providers who distribute the phones "lock" their phones to their system so you need to make sure you get it unlocked. Typically of you purchase a phone outright, the service provider MAY unlock it for you. OR if you are an existing subscriber, you can ask to unlock it for roaming, which essentially unlocks it for use with any system.
And no, no phone is foolproof so drunken taxi losses not covered  |
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Thoughts & updates about Shanghai On my Blog for more details:Random Thoughts about Living in Shanghai...and more |
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