Next G Phone Choice - not a debate on coverage
Submitted: Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 14:57
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Member - Norm C (QLD)
We are about to bite the bullet and change over to Next G. We will probably change both our CDMA and GSM phones to Next G. For our travels, we want phones with the best possible remote area reception. Also, as low to moderate mobile phone users, we are looking at $20 or $30 plans.
I've narrowed the choices to the Samsung A412 ($20 plan) or the LG 550 ($30 plan). We don't use the phone camera or MP3 player capabilities, so differences here are not an issue. We do anticipate using wireless braodband over Next G while travelling, but I suspect we will bet a separate modem for that. That's the next decision once I learn a bit more about it.
Anybody able to offer advice on which of these phones is the most reliable, has the best remote area reception, has the best plug in antenna set up, best car kit, is easiest to use etc?
I'd rather not have debates on whether Next G is any good as a network. I've crossed that bridge. Now just tryinig to select a phone.
Thanks
Norm C
Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 15:26
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 15:26
I swear by the LG tu 500 with external areal, I have 2 and they both work great.
Cheers Steve.
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Follow Up By: Mr Fawlty - Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 09:55
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 09:55
Agree Steve, I have the TU500 and it picks up a better signal without external antenna than SWMBO's Motorola Razor...
I would like it more if I could stop it playing the theme from "Blue Hills" every time it rings.... LOL
Actually that is one feature that I do like is the ability to insert your own unique ring tone without having to pay for it. The TU500 is also fantastic as a modem for Internet connection as
well, the price of a "data pack" is not cheap (
mine was $8/month for 1gb as a "get you hooked" feature) but now it costs heaps.
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Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 15:31
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 15:31
In the same boat - I did note a post here awhile back suggesting someone had an LG that was a real dud - maybe search for that. I stumbled across a post the other day re the A412 somewhere at
http://whirlpool.net.au (some useful info shared there at times - bit like here :-o) - saved me a few hours of pain re a TV tuna for the puta.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Rock Ape - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 16:17
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 16:17
Was told by phone salesman (he had no reason to lie, cause I told him I wasn't buying phones, just info) that the LG is made by Kyocera and I know I couldn't kill my Kyocera CDMA.
I am still hanging off to see if something better arrives on the horizon
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Follow Up By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 17:25
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 17:25
Indeed - its a crime that my Kyocera 3245 is soon to be worthless - its been a top shelf phone.
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Reply By: Mike Harding - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 18:23
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 18:23
Hi Norm
I'm in exactly the same situation - except I expect the phone to act as a modem too.
Have you dismissed the Nokia (6120 is it?). I appreciate Telstra doesn't give it a blue tick (whatever that means!?) but I seriously doubt Nokia would produce a mobile with low end RF capabilities.
Someone posted, on here recently, that Nokia are planning to bring out two or three new Next G phones over the next couple of months - I'm inclined to wait a bit longer.
Mike Harding
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:06
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:06
From my reading, the Nokia 6120 does not have a direct connection to an external antenna or car kit. Connection is by induction. This apparantly is a serious limitation in marginal areas. Hence no blue tick.
The only blue tick phones available on $20 or $30 plans are the ones I've mentioned.
We have previously only used Nokia phones, but from the reports I've read, the 6120 is a good phone, but not in marginal areas.
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:18
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:18
Where did you "read" that Norm?
Connection to an external aerial is by NOTHING at present.
Nokia are still to release a cradle for the 6120 so the type of connection it will be at present is pure conjecture.
And mate, even if it is by a coupler, that doesn't mean it wont be effective.
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Reply By: DesF - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 18:34
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 18:34
Hi, Getting my Nokia 6120 next week , 5 mates already have them and they seem really good, 2 travel to Roxby to work and they reckon that the coverage is as good as CDMA.
I have been waiting to see if Nokia brought out a lesser model , but all the features on the 6120 work great.
Harvy Norman have a special this month, you get a Mioc220 GPS for free,last month you got $200.00 cash in hand , just waiting for more GPs's to arrive.
As yet you cant get a car kit for the Nokia but I have had my Nokia 2280 CDMA 4.5 years and have travelled a lot and never really missed a external antenna,
Cheers Des.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:26
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:26
Des,
There is a car kit to suit the 6120, it just uses a bluetooth connection at present. When the cradle is released you will then have the additional features such as phone charging and external aerial connection, however that may be achieved.
The Nokia Car Kit is the CK-7W.
Works very
well via bluetooth anyway. I like the way it is controlled through the ignition, unlike other generic units that have their own internal battery.
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Follow Up By: swampy66 - Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 at 13:28
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 at 13:28
des,
hows that 6120 going out in the bush?
are you happy with it
cheers,
swampy
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Follow Up By: DesF - Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 at 14:14
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 at 14:14
Hi Swampy, Have not been real bush bush as yet, but so far it is a good if not better than the CDMA. now I have set it up as I want , it is a great phone , the buttons are a bit small but will get used to it. we are going riding along
the beach this Sunday so that will be the test, there was a couple of stretches down by
Balgowan that you could only send SMS's , not talk , so we will see.
As the 6120 works on 3g coverage and only goes to NextG when the 3g drops out. the city coverage is always a full
grid as with my CDMA I sometimes only had half in town.
more than pleased so far.
Actually I got a Tom Tom One V3 GPS with
mine as they had run out of Mio's, but seems a good basic unit ( no dirt maps as yet.)
Will update next week Cheers Des.
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Reply By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:22
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:22
I had 3 LG's (not sure of the model) for a few of our blokes and withing 6 months none of them are working. One has been away to get fixed 3 times and I am not bothering with the others
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Follow Up By: DesF - Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:55
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:55
Hi, thats why i am sticking with Nokia . 4.5 years and not even a battery, used every day.
You get what you pay for. cheers Des.
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Reply By: Member - Wayne B (QLD) - Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:42
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 19:42
Does not matter what you buy it is dated the minute the package is open and most of the features will be redundant as Telstra yet again change the network.
buy the cheapest
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Muddy doe (SA) - Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:33
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 at 19:33
Well we were getting into testing the range of our LG TU550 with the car kit on Friday night out in the scrub up past
Burra towards
Broken Hill way. It was going real
well until we rolled a skippy and it wiped the antenna off the bullbar!
Was working
well up til that point!
Cheers
Muddy
AnswerID:
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