I was wondering, for those of you from the US, do you have any recommendations for a smart phone that can be used abroad in Asia?  I'm looking to get a new phone, and i'd like to be able to get one that would be easy to just pop a SIM card into and be good to go.  Right now I'm using an iPhone 3G (yes I know, old... but free and i have no contract obligations!), which last time I was in HK did not work.

Also, if you buy a SIM card, does your number show up, or is it blocked?  Obviously, having it be blocked is problematic when trying to contact the MMS or PPS.

Thanks!  (Mods, I wasn't sure if this topic is appropriate for here or the veggie cafe, since it does relate to trying to contact agents, but is also basically a question about phones.  Please delete if not appropriate).

Aren't all smart phones now able to be used all around the world? Other than iphones, most smart phones just use standard sim cards. If you buy phones from phone companies, they sometimes lock their phones so you can only use theyre own network so you can't use other sim cards. So you have to get it unlocked before travelling. And usually there is an option in your smart phone whether to show or block your number.

But if you are looking for good smart phones, the galaxy s2, galaxy nexus are solid phones. Kind of biased though because I use the galaxy s2 and I love it

the reason your iPhone didn't work last time was because it is network locked. as a consequence of getting it through your service provider (cheap, as you say), it will only work on their network. if you can get it unlocked cheaply, then do it and you can pop in any SIM card and it will work.

on your other question if you buy a HK SIM card, the number will show up

That's just the information that I was looking for. Thanks guys!

There are a few thing you need in order to pop a sim card to work.

1st. The phone has to be a world phone. It must be at least a tri-band phone.
2nd. Needs to be a GSM for China, Macau and HK. At&t and T-Mobile are GSM.
      I think one or two carries in HK might use CDMA but I'm not sure.
      You can't use Verizon, Sprint and Metro phones in "China" because there are CDMA.
       China use GSM and not CDMA. So only ATT and T-Mobile compatible phones for China.
3rd. The phone needs to be unlocked. Unlocked mean it's not tied to a carrier like ATT.

4th. You new sim card needs to be cut smaller to fit in Iphones.


Note:

My phone and my sister's phone from AT&T was unlocked for free by AT&T. If you have the phone for about 1 year, they will unlock it for free. You call them and it's done remotely.

[ Last edited by  Weelock at 21-2-2012 12:53 ]

You can use an iPhone, as Weelock mentioned. Just make sure
1. It's not network locked
2. You can easily buy a pre-paid SIM card in HK, China or wherever
3. Ask the shop to help you cut into a micro-sim, or purchase a cutter yourself. It's cheap.

If you are thinking of buying an Android phone
1. Make sure it's not CDMA, but GSM technology. That is it uses a SIM
2. Some Android phones (for example the Sony Ericsson's) also use microsim, if so just cut it.

Please note that there is quite extensive coverage on this topic the last few pages of the Idle chat thread. Just about all OP needs to know about subject.

http://forum.sex141.com/eforum/v ... extra=&page=168

Also, why haven't this thread been moved to the Veggie cafe section?
SEAJ

Damn, i can't edit my old post to add more information. The time ran out....


Basically, the best option is to buy a trid band or quad band phone, from ATT or T-mobile, and unlocked for Asian.

I have a phone that uses regular sim.  Are regular sims regularly available in HONG KONG/ KOWLOON?  I've been meaning to get a sim w/ CALL + DATA, primarily data.

Definitely standard SIMs are available. You can refer to info I wrote in my report (excuse shameless plug on my own thread ), where I went with the HKD 48 pre-paid PCCW 3G SIM from 7-11 at the airport that can be for smart phones taking standard SIM or microSIM.

As mentioned in my report, my original plan in HK was to get Three's HSDPA pre-paid because of the daily capped of costs for 3G data usage (max HKD 28/day). Whether or not this would suit your needs depends on how long you intend to be in HK. For my purposes, it was not suitable due to cost for microSIM, short stopover duration and lack of microSIM cutter (see report). You might also consider buying a microSIM cutter to use on their standard SIM. However, as someone mentioned in the Idle chat thread, you may need to pack this cutter into checked in luggage with the nail clippers - so this would have been useless in my situation unless I was willing to ask the airline to not automatically transfer my baggage to my outbound flight (and then I'd have the hassle of checking my luggage in again just for the microSIM cutter).

My sources if you want to verify my info
- PCCW website
- Three's website

[ Last edited by  yyy111 at 22-2-2012 18:24 ]

Noticed international sim cards can be bouught on line from Amazon. Never tried it but worth checking out. Prices seem a bit high compared to what you get in HK. I get mine at cirle K when I get there

Just buy any unlocked quad band gsm phone from amazon or ebay (USD 50+) and you are good to go.
once you arrive HK, buy prepaid sim (50HKD+) and you are set for a week of punting.

I get mine at 7-11. Just be sure you get the correct size. Last time the clerk was about to sell me a micro SIM card.

Thanks again for all of the info guys.  I have one more question about this topic, and I couldn't find the answer looking in the last few sections of the link in this thread.  If you buy a sim card in HK, does that same sim card work in macau, or do you need to buy another one in macau?  I've been looking for the answer on the internet, but i'm reading both yes's and no's.  I'm hoping that someone with experience can chime in.  Thanks!

The answer is really usually yes  no prob butsometimes no. I remember when I first went to Macau a few years back I had prepaid three sim from hk that didn't work. But my friends sim from three did work. I haven't had problems with unicom or china mobile.

From my experience, they each work in the other city, but I think you will be using up more credits if you're making calls to Macau while you're in Macau and using a HK SIM card.

Unless you take a sim locked on locals calls only, all others sims will be working in Macau, usuallly as roaming, so the cost by minute will be higher.

If you need to stay in Macau for a long time, and that you will make and receive lots of calls, some carriers, like China mobile, offer some 1-card- multi-number sim cards, as well as some prepaid plans with better rates while in HK, macau and china.

I have an iPhone and got it for $0 as a result of a contract. I pay an amount each month for unlimited calls, sms, data & substantial browsing in my domestic market. I pay this amount whether I use the phone or not so my provider (Vodafone) was happy to unlock my phone for me at no charge. This means when I am travelling I can just use a "local" SIM. Sure i am still paying a monthly fee to my regular domestic provider but at least I am not paying crazy roaming charges.

I have a BB Bold from T-Immobile which i'm going to retire soon. RIM software blows, and it's approaching obsolete. I'd like an iPhone, but my carrier doesn't carry it. Anyway...

I am planning on coming over end of June, and spend 4-6 weeks over in Asia, probably be based in BKK, but also visit HKG, SIN and possibly MNL.

I would like to be able to run my business off my phone, but I'm not going to pay T-Immo's extortionate international roaming rates, especially for data. . I mean, I could be spending $100 USD on the phone per day, so that's not happening.

So, am I looking at one SIM card for each country, or can I get something in Asia which will work reasonably well throughout Asia and not cost an arm and a leg? If push comes to shove, I'd probably just settle for a TH and HK SIM card.

This was the PREPAID SIMCARD i bought at 7-11 Convenient Store located at the corner of Mody Road and Chatam Road at TST last Dec 2011 w/c i used to inquire about Hotel girls and Walk in girls while in HK and also used to call and txt my friends in Manila, Phillipines while i was in Macau.