Mobile Phone Use
 

I have just upgraded to a Samsung SGH-A701 mobile phone on Teltra's 3G network. Does anyone know if this phone will work in Japan? Telstra say yes and Samsung say no. Do 3G phones work on the 2100MHz in Japan or do I need a quad band phone? Or is 3G the same as quad band? The phone is described as 850MHz 3G UMTS/HSDPA. Hope someone can help as I am very confused with all these technological terms at the moment!!!

jt4, I can't help, sorry. But I can tell you that 3G (3rd generation) and quad band are not the same thing. Quad band describes a GSM (2nd generation) phone that works on both the international 900 and 1800 Megahertz frequencies and the American 850 and 1900 Mhz bands. GSM doesn't work in Japan. I'd keep hassling Telstra if I were you.

If your phone is UMTS it should work. However, unless you have roaming capability with your home carrier you will not be able to get service in Japan without having an account in Japan, which requires some forms and so on...overall, neither simple nor straightforward if you are not a resident here.

So, probably you can use it if and only if you use the roaming service provided by your carrier.

i can just say what didn't work - my verizon phone did not.

Neither did my t-mobile blackberry that my work had set up for international communication .... i did get to carry it around japan for 2 weeks. thanks work :)!

According to the roaming section of <www.gsmworld.com>, you'll need a 3G phone at 2100 mhz in Japan.

Thanks for your replies. I am going back to Telstra today to try and sort this out.