FOAK 4G phone question

[Nick Odell]

The Question: will any 4G phone work anywhere on any 4G network or do
you still have to sort out frequency bands and the like?

The Background: I have a simple 2G quad band phone that I can use
everywhere I've been (so far). But Argentina is about to decommission
it's 2G service and other countries which I haven't visited for a
while already have. I only really use the phone for SMS and 2FA
purposes and don't want to pay a lot of money for a smartphone when it
appears that a £16[1] 4G Nokia 110 will do the job.

Any advice?

Thanks

Nick
[1]£26 including £10 phone credit in Asda last night

[Chris Elvidge]

Phone - it is supposed to work worldwide 3G or 4G.
SIM - may or may not work in abroad. depends on your service provider.
"foreign" SIM - may not work. depends whether handset is locked to SP.

--
Chris Elvidge
England

[Tease'n'Seize]

Nick Odell wrote:

> The Question: will any 4G phone work anywhere on any 4G network or do
> you still have to sort out frequency bands and the like?

Frequencies still matter, in the youkay for 4G the various providers use
800, 1400, 1800, 2100, 2300 and 2600 MHz

For 5G they've got 3400 and 3600 in use, with the 700 MHz previous TV channel
auctions done and dusted.

and OFCOM have basically said forget having to use specific "G" types of phones
on specific frequencies, if they own the spectrum they can run whatever
technology they like on it, hence coverage for 2G and 3G getting worserer in
some areas.

> The Background: I have a simple 2G quad band phone that I can use
> everywhere I've been (so far). But Argentina is about to decommission
> it's 2G service and other countries which I haven't visited for a
> while already have. I only really use the phone for SMS and 2FA
> purposes and don't want to pay a lot of money for a smartphone when it
> appears that a £16[1] 4G Nokia 110 will do the job.

I suspect you'll see 4G re-using the old 2G frequencies?
Probably you'll encounter 900 and 1900 MHz more than 800 and 1800 in downleftpondia?

> Any advice?

[Nick Odell]

Thank you both! At sixteen zu I think it is probably worth having a
punt at the Asda one. The phone is tied to the notwork that I
currently use and when abroad I get my services from them without any
bother via their local partners such as Rogers in Canada and Claro in
Argentina.

Nick