Cell Phone Question: One that Works in Japan and Europe?

[yosuke188]

My dad is going to be traveling between Japan, Czech, and here. So he needs a cell phone that works in those three places.

Now I'm terrible with these cell phone technologies, but after a bit of research, it seems that Japan and Europe uses different frequencies or something. It says they use UMTS 2100.

I have no idea what this means. Please explain in plain words how my dad would go about getting a cell phone that works in those 3 places. Please include information about which companies, service plans on top of the cell phone of your pick.

 

[DeviousTrap]

Look for a quad-band GSM phone.

UMTS is wireless internet frequency.

 

[intogamer]

Unlocked Quad-Band GSM then buy Prepaid Simcards

 

[FrustratedUser]

Not sure if it'd been said before nut a Quad band GSM will work in Europe.

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: yosuke188
My dad is going to be traveling between Japan, Czech, and here. So he needs a cell phone that works in those three places.

Now I'm terrible with these cell phone technologies, but after a bit of research, it seems that Japan and Europe uses different frequencies or something. It says they use UMTS 2100.

I have no idea what this means. Please explain in plain words how my dad would go about getting a cell phone that works in those 3 places. Please include information about which companies, service plans on top of the cell phone of your pick.

As others have said, you will need a quad-band GSM phone. The 2 major carriers in the US to offer GSM-based service are Cingular and T-Mobile. So that's your starting point. I would recommend that your father either buy a GSM phone and then have it unlocked, or purchased an unlocked phone from a good vendor. Some light reading here.

 

[yosuke188]

I see that quad-band GSM will work in Europe, but what about Japan?

I just research and found this article Text

While many countries have begun using a single standard -- whose name, Global Standard Mobile (GSM), shows that is intended for use world wide -- Japan still uses its own.

If you want to use a cell phone in Japan, you will have to rent one, or buy one and contract for services from a Japanese company.

Is this true or maybe there's another way?

 

[bmacd]

I thought Japan operated on it's own network seperate from the world?

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: yosuke188
I see that quad-band GSM will work in Europe, but what about Japan?

I just research and found this article Text

While many countries have begun using a single standard -- whose name, Global Standard Mobile (GSM), shows that is intended for use world wide -- Japan still uses its own.

If you want to use a cell phone in Japan, you will have to rent one, or buy one and contract for services from a Japanese company.

Is this true or maybe there's another way?

Yup, they sell dual system phones that work on the Japanese system and GSM, but they are only sold in Japan.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: yosuke188
I see that quad-band GSM will work in Europe, but what about Japan?

I just research and found this article Text

While many countries have begun using a single standard -- whose name, Global Standard Mobile (GSM), shows that is intended for use world wide -- Japan still uses its own.

If you want to use a cell phone in Japan, you will have to rent one, or buy one and contract for services from a Japanese company.

Is this true or maybe there's another way?

Yup, they sell dual system phones that work on the Japanese system and GSM, but they are only sold in Japan.

I have one if you want it (Japanese one). Don't think it's unlocked, but I can't use it here anyway because there's no ESN (think that's it). It's called a Global Passport, and I used it in Japan, China, Korea, and the US. Never tried in Europe, but it works there, too. You just set the country or region you're in, and it works -- pretty nifty. It's not a prepaid though.

I can't bring myself to throw it away because even though it's three years old already, it's still more advanced than most of the phones in use in the US, including my current one!