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  #1  
Old 02-11-2003, 10:00 PM
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Tri-band or Iridium

Would you go with a tri-band cell phone or an Iridium Motorola if you traveled all around the world on a frequent basis?

Iridium is a lot more expensive but I don't know anyone who owns or who knows anything about them.

If I go with the tri-band do I have to go with a service provider or can I just go with the prepayed Sim cards? If I don't have a provider will I have a phone number for the phone?

Silly questions I know, but I'm technologically challenged

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Old 02-12-2003, 08:48 AM
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i would think it really depends on your requirements. the satphone (iridium) will guarantee you access where no cell coverage is available. the rates,however, are triple the normal cost. i think that in general, a triband GSM phone works best for travel. if you use your US sim card abroad, the airtime costs are too prohibitive, ranging from $1 to $5 / min.

tmobile international rates

the prepaid sim cards are your best bet abroad. the phone's "identity" is all contained in the sim card - including the phone number. when you swap out your US sim card and replace it with the prepaid one then the phone receives calls on the prepaid sim card's phone number. the downside is that you will have two different phone numbers - one for US and one for abroad. in the US, it is more practical for you to get a $20 or $30 plan from T-mobile because the prepaid sim cards here are expensive and the prepaid minutes expire monthly. i once tried to purchase a sim card for prepaid use and they just didn't understand what i wanted to do. also, don't forget that you need an unlocked phone to do the multi-sim approach.

of course, if your company is paying for it, go for the satphone!
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Last edited by jsmith; 02-12-2003 at 09:41 AM.
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Old 02-12-2003, 11:04 AM
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the only thing you have to remember is that tri-band phones do NOT work in japan. My dad has a nokia 8890 that's a tri band, and he also has a seperate do-co-mo phone for japan because it's a totally different frequency. With the do-co-mo one he can buy chargable cards whenever he goes there, probably the best idea.
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Old 02-12-2003, 12:29 PM
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satphones are $400 and up, and you can rent them. the plans are not as prohibitive as i thought, i checked and found this:

globalstar

they should work in japan since the entire globe is covered...
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Old 02-12-2003, 12:45 PM
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Quote:
Globalstar handsets can be used in Globalstar satellite mode as well as either AMPS, CDMA or GSM cellular modes.
that was from the website, and I think it uses the sattelite mode for japan, since it doesn't list the japanese system (PHS, Do-Co-Mo i-mode, etc.) and it would be cheaper to buy a Do-Co-Mo phone and get a pre-paid card.

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