I'm in need of good sound advice next G phones it's confusing

I have a Samsung A411

It works when there is a signal :-)))



Cheers

Hi Andrea

I'll assume you wish a relatively low cost NextG solution.

You cannot beat buying a Nokia 6120 (sub $300) and putting it on pre-paid for value and performance.
It should be mounted in a little mobile phone holder on the dash such that the top of the phone can be seen outside the car. This ensures a reasonable signal.

This phone does not have an external aerial connection , which will improve the range over which you will receive a signal by several km's.

This range increase is of marginal value to some because it requires plugging and unplugging the aerial from the phone each time it is removed from the car.

If you can live with the little hassles then I suggest you buy the Samsung A411 and buy an external antenna kit with it and fit this to the car. This phone is currently $149 at Telstra.

Car kits are available for both of these phones which make the process a little quicker and can make it easier to use them hands free. However these is a trap in that if for example you buy the Nokia its car kit generally mounts lower in the car and the phones range is a little reduced.

If you buy same from Telstra, order, take delivery and pay for the lot as a package and don't take the phone with a promise of the acessories coming along in a few weeks.

Gday Andrea, I have heard that the Telstra ''country'' is up there when it comes to reception,but also when it comes to price.I have recently changed to a ''l g''brand. Not as good as my old Nokia for reception, but $150 cheaper [prepaid] I must be gettin old ,but it seems harder to use than my old Nokia????

Andrea, have the Samsung A411, with a car kit and external aerial, when you clip it inot the car kit holder, it conects to the external aerial. Hope this helps.

Hi Andrea. (Happy Easter to All)

Just to confuse you a bit more. I've just recently brought an Next-G mobile to replace my CDMA Nokia which was great. Telstra have a rating for various phones and their connecting capability in the bush.
Their highest rating is the LG550, as compared to the Telstra and Nokia phones. I've got the LG with car kit and antenna. It works great for my needs. The car kit is a bit pricey though. $329.
I'm on a plan so can't help with the outright phone cost. Hope this helps. Don.

Thanks to all for your help it is very much appreciated.

Happy Easter to you all

Andrea

Andrea, just remember that phone salesmen/women today is what the used car/vacuum salesmen of the 60s and 70s were, some might say still are. They just want yr money and will promise the world ...silverback

Andrea, car kit was pricey at $380.00 or there abouts from Telstra, believe that there is another on the market, much cheaper, not sure of brand and price though, sorry I can't be more helpful. John

Hi Andrea
for car kits and aerials etc, I would have a browse around this site to compare prices.

http://www.forcetechnology.com.au/

cheers
T.R.

Andrea,
I have a Samsung A 412 and my wife has a 411. They are the same phone, but the 411 is the pre paid version.
We have just travelled from Gold Coast to Mt Isa via Longreach, and continue on tomorrow for Borroloola (NT) via Barkly Homestead.

We have a 6.5db high gain antenna on the Hilux which connects to the phones via a patch cord. Antenna was about $100 from Telstra Shop. They didn't have the patch cord in stock at the time, so I got one on line for about $25 (inc postage). We don't have a car kit and with our simple but effective set up, I don't think we need one.

Both phones have worked very well so far and maintain good reception in surprising places. The antenna also helps. One bar on phone generally changes to 3 or 4 with antenna connected.

I currently have the A411 plugged into a laptop via the supplied data cable and am happily working on line via wireless broadband. No modem and no plan. Just a Telstra casual data pack @ $89 per month for 1G (cheaper / smaller plans available). No contract and no extra expence for modem.

Of course others will have different experience and opinions, but IMO in terms of value for money (and so far, performance), I don't think you can do much better than the Samsung A411 /412.

That's my experience anyway.

Norm C

I have an A411 (Well, the wife actually)
I had a ZTE 252 and now have the ZTE 165.

It is the best, by a country mile. DEFINITELY a lot better than the other two for country reception.