Austravel replied:

I'm after the same info. Will eventually look at a sat phone but for now a CDMA with good coverage, cheap no nonsense plan and easy to use is what I'm after.

motherhen replied:

I am planning to get a Nokia CDMA 2280 $129 prepaid tomorrow. Has heaps more features than we'll ever want. For our spasmidic use, pre paid will work out cheaper than on account, even with the Telstra 5% discount for combining home phone and mobile on one account. We've been using digital prepaids - mainly use the text message function for family communication, but digital is pretty useless in the country. We prefer the Nokias as they are so easy to use. Kyocera equivalent is only $99. Where i work we have used a variety of brands, including Kyocera - the only ones we've lost either got wet or were stolen out of cars. We have proper car kits fitted (quite expensive) for better reception and for hands free use (although staff are instructed to pull over to converse).

I would also be interested in anyone else's feedback on how the different models/brands perform in more out of the way places - is the coverage similar?

Are different carriers better/worse then Telstra?

Motherhen

Rod W replied:

Same here, been looking into them. Choice list Kyocera as the best in their sensitivity test (for areas with a weak signal).

I'm currently looking at the Kyocera Phantom KE414c and the LG-1100, both CDMA's.

Pricing on the Phantom is interesting - Telstra $439.00, Phones4Sale (Melb) $289.00, this is buying outright. From there it will be pre-paid.

Crazy John has just set up shop along side the local Telstra Shop so this could be an advantage.

Be interesting to read other peoples responses.

Well 55 replied:

I get excellent coverage on a Kyocera 1135 CDMA. Easy to use and a very good battery life on minimal usege.

Member - Captain (WA) replied:

Hi guys,

I currently have a Nokia 6225 CDMA with full carkit and previously had the Kyrocera 2235 with full car kit.

The Nokia phone itself has MANY more features than the Kyrocera like 1megapixel camera (suprisingly very useful), send text + pic to email address, outlook sync etc.., features I use. Other "cute" features are any pic for phone wallpaper (obligatory shot of kids here), voice activation when in cradle and large memory for photo album (beats the pics in wallet). Then there are the features I don't use like games, internet browsing etc. All in all a very good phone thats not too gimicky (don't like flip phones or rotating heads, need a reliable phone for work).

The Kyrocera was a good phone without any special features (did have web browsing, but no camera or text to email capability). It performed well but one thing that really annoyed me was you could not have the phone ring and vibrate at the same time (vibrate first then ring only). Not good for my work requirements at the time. As far as phone features go, there is no comparison and the Nokia wins hands down in the blink of an eye!

As for performance, the Kyrocera carkit had a proper plug for the antenae on its car kit. When in my garage at home (concrete slab roof and double brick walls) and metal roller door down, the Kyrocera had minimum reception (no "bars" but was connected) when handheld and raising the dicky little antenae on the phone made on diffeence. It went to maximum strength when i put it in the carkit (5.6dBa aerial). The Nokia in the same spot had one bar reception (no antenae on phone) and maximum strength in carkit (6.5 dBa aerial). Note that the Nokia 6225 has a proximity connection antenae on the carkit and I had been advised that it would not be as good as a connector type.

On the road I have not been able to spot any difference between the two phones in general use. I prefer the carkit sound from the Nokia, as do the callers but there is not a lot in it. I was unfortunately not able to compare the phones side by side in the car.

With the Nokia, I recently went on the Holland track and in that time I was only out of range for ~150 kms in total (Holland track starts some 400kms south east of Perth). When we were ~70kms south west of Coolgardie I came back into range whereas another Nokia with carkit (older phone but with proper plug in 6.5dba aerial) took another 20kms closer to Coolgardie before he was in range. That was a considerable difference and one that gave me confidence in the proximity connection for the antenae. On the drive up to Hyden (Holland track start), we were comparing the signal strengths of our phones and the proximity connection was always as good or better based on the "bars" of reception, but neither phone dropped out at all, quite impressive by both really.

I was concerned about the proximity connection of the Nokia 6225 when considering purchasing and hadyet to read a first hand report comparing the two. After my Holland track experience, I am now very happy with the proximity connection. Its only a comparison to one older Nokia, but that particular phone used to be the benchmark for long distance range. Sorry to be long winded, but hopefully the comparison for the proximity connection is useful. I have "heard" of other reports saying proximity isn't that good, but my experience has been very positive with it.

Cheers

Captain

Member - Nick (TAS) replied:

We use a Nokia 6385 CDMA with a Cark126(from memory) hands free kit linked to a external antenna(RFI 5 DB ).Doubles our service down here in Tassie.Got the car kit s/h off e-bay for $100 (normally nearly $400) and the antenna also for $65.

Willykj replied:

Hi Flash,

I have a Hyundai TX 60B CDMA & am very happy with it. I bought this phone ($20 Plan with Telstra) to use it with a Laptop for internet use.

Had a couple of months at Cape York recently & I was surprised as to how often I had reception. Don't use car kit or antenna,

Willy

Member - Jeff M (WA) replied:

I purchased a Motorlla T730 with a car kit from Telstra. $50 plan and the phone was free ( no repayments ) and the car kit was $49 on the first bill. It's the genuine Motorolla Car kit too. It came with a glass mount arial, I went to Dick Smith and bought a 6db Spring based antenna for the nudge bar and it works a treat. You can talk on it on the highway in the middle of nowhere and people thick your sitting on the couch at home.
Be careful with other phones because a lot of them now do not allow you to connect an external arial. Kyocera are supposed to be a good brand for CDMA as well.

Member - Alan S (NSW) replied:

Hi,

We have just got set up with a CDMA phone, I bought a second hand one on ebay (Nokia 6385) and also a car kit (cark-91). I have also installed a dual band (GSM / CDMA) bull bar mount antenna that connects directly into the phone. (The antenna type is CD 1795 from RFI). This is my preference as the phone is connected directly to the extrenal antenna.

The reason we went for this set up is because I have a GSM work phone. I have just bought a GSM phone that is compatible with this car kit (many many available, also on ebay) and have transferred my work SIM to this phone.

So now I can have hands free operation with my work phone in the Landcruiser and handsfree operation with CDMA using the same car lit. Two birds with one stone if you see what I mean and with a high gain antenna for extra coverage in the bush.

This is a reasonably low cost solution compared to what you can do, i.e. blue tooth car kits etc and it works really well.

As for what CDMA carrier, Hutch have a dedicated CDMA network in a few of the big cities but roam onto Telstra when out of range. Optus resell Telstra's network so if you are looking at plans or prepaids then go for the best deal because out in the bush its all the one network.

I hope this helps,

ginga replied:

A word of warning on the Nokia 6385 model.

Mine is connected to Optus (uses Telstra network) & I'm not sure if this is part of the problem as I subjectively believe that the coverage isn't as good as had using an LG phone on Telstra.

I have had my Nokia 6385 since August 2003 & it has been replaced 3 times by the Bokia care centre!!!

fourplayfull replied:

Hi Everyone ,
This is the go -- whatever CDMA you have , use a fixed car kit with remote Laser antena . Service can be increased up to 8 times by fitting Quantel booster bet. ant. & aerial see www.quantel.co.nz Nokia 6385 works well for normal comms. no pictures tho .
Cheers John

motherhen replied:

The Nokia 2280 i mentioned above is now down to $99 - new model is coming. Can anyone explain advantages of band - i don't understand why some show band as 800, others 800, 1900. Also saw band 1x. What is GSM?

Member - 'Lucy' replied:

If You are in Melbourne, Sydney and I think Brisbane, check out the ORANGE deals.

We are on a $27.00 a month deal for 2 CDMA phones and where I work there are a number of others on the same deal.

Yep thats $27.00 a month for 2 phones. You get 5min free ORANGE to ORANGE phone calls and I use it all the time between the wife and two daughters who also are on the same deal.

We only breach the $27.00 limit when out of ORANGE range on a trip and roaming on the Telstra network.

They also provide a selction of brands to choose from.

One of the girls where I work, her phone and that of her partner fell to bits after 12months (kyocera sliders). They contacted ORANGE who replaced the phones with the new Nokia camera CDMA phone at their request on the proviso that they sign up for another 24mths on the same deal as before. She & he couldn't do it quick enough.

Have a nice day

Ken Robinson

PS

Quick tip if you decide buy one from ORANGE - only buy from an ORANGE shop and then you will not have a problem.

Croozer replied:

As Ken mentioned,
if in Sydney or Melb check out the Orange deals, especially if you want 1 for you and 1 for the wife, very well priced plans for 2 phones (has halved my mobile bill) and uses the Telstra cdma network when out of Orange network range. The only downside is when roaming on telstra the call charges are greater, but not really a big deal if your in town most of the time.
Cheers,
Stu

bruce replied:

I believe that Telstra still have the free hour option going..we have the Hyundai 360b on a $20 plan and get the free hour each day..talk for 20mins at a time in that hour that you nominate and no charge...and $10 worth of calls included ....probably could not get a better deal than that..

motherhen replied:

Flash - I got the Nokia 2280 CDMA prepaid today for $99 - my son will be spitting chips when he finds out - he bought one for $129 last week.

andysgu replied:

Have had a Kyrocea 4321 or something cdma for just under a year 3 days short and the microphone packed up Telstra are fixing it .They gave us a replacement phone a Samsung flip phone easy to use can read the screen easy in any light and the buttons are bigger so you dont end up dialing wrong numbers and have to pay for it. It also works close to the floor where the Kyrocea lost the signal.
Andy.

bruce replied:

I just recently purchased an aging Acer laptop (5yr old) hooked up my Hyudai tx60 to it went on the net during my free hour...no problems..have just got my latest Telstra account..0198 number is no charge...stay with the free hour option if you can , internet calls are free despite what they may tell you in the Telstra office....WELL...mine are