American Mobiles?

[naturalblonde]

My mum is going to New York tomorrow and wants to buy a new mobile. Would an American phone work over here?

I said probably not as they tend to be tied to networks, but don't know how it works over there.

Any ideas anyone?

[PuzzleRocks]

Bumping for you.

[CruelAndUnusualParenting]

It's pretty complicated. To work over here, it would need to use the correct protocol.

The main protocols are GSM and CDMA. Europe uses GSM and here in Britain we use the 900 and 1900 MHz bands (GSM 900 and GSM 1900) IIRC. In the US some networks use CDMA and some use GSM. If I have my bands right, a US tri or quad band GSM phone would work over here. A CDMA only phone would not. I believe there are also one or two phones that support both CDMA and GSM.

So the short answer is that some American mobile phones will work over here and some won't.

[scienceteacher]

Why does she want to buy a mobile in the US?

[naturalblonde]

Cos everything's cheaper over there