Cheap 'burner' mobile phone

[Astraeus]

A group of us are heading to the USA in a few weeks and we're all planning to avoid roaming charges by purchasing cheapo phones with T Mobile pay by the day packages. I used to have a Nokia 100 which cost me £10 from Carphone Warehouse but haven't been able to locate it.

We each need to buy the cheapest possible handsets which will be unlocked for use on any network in the USA - can anyone direct me as to what I should be looking for, either in terms of "unlocking" terminology or simply an offer of which they are aware?

Thanks!

 

[mid_gen]

I have a Nokia 101 as my travel burner. Battery lasts over a week and takes dual SIMs, probably the equivalent of the 100 you had before.

 

[Gruffalogill]

I moved back from the US last year and have an unused US T-Mobile LG Pay As You Go phone - it might even have a few $ of credit on it. You can have it for postage if you're interested.

 

[ljphil78]

Tescos do a Samsung e1200 for £5!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Check the US network GSM bands match the phone you are buying.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands

I use an older quad band phone in US and Canada.

Unlikrly the cheap Tesco phones will work on 1900mz band - UK is 1800mz

Just worth s check before spending

H

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Surely, it should be easier to make sure your own phone is unlocked. 3g data access can be a real life saver in unknown environment, so I wouldn't even contemplate taking basic 2g handset.

 

[Astraeus]

I moved back from the US last year and have an unused US T-Mobile LG Pay As You Go phone - it might even have a few $ of credit on it. You can have it for postage if you're interested.

That would be ideal, thank you. Saves me the worry of falling into a trap as per the below post!

Check the US network GSM bands match the phone you are buying.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands

I use an older quad band phone in US and Canada.

Unlikrly the cheap Tesco phones will work on 1900mz band - UK is 1800mz

Just worth s check before spending

H

Precisely my concern, thanks. As above, reckon it will be easier to not concern myself with checking the bands. Appreciate the link!

Surely, it should be easier to make sure your own phone is unlocked. 3g data access can be a real life saver in unknown environment, so I wouldn't even contemplate taking basic 2g handset.

My phone is unlocked. It will be travelling with me but I most certainly will not be roaming with it owing to the charges.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

My phone is unlocked. It will be travelling with me but I most certainly will not be roaming with it owing to the charges.

why can't you put a local SIM card in it?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

why can't you put a local SIM card in it?

US Sim will fit but not give connection on a UK 900/1900 MHz Bsnd phone

It will need to be an 850/1900 MHz or quad band pjonr

Plenty of cheap quad band phones on EBay

You can get US Sim before you go on there too

 

[LongLensPhotography]

US Sim will fit but not give connection on a UK 900/1900 MHz Bsnd phone

It will need to be an 850/1900 MHz or quad band pjonr

Plenty of cheap quad band phones on EBay

You can get US Sim before you go on there too

Aren't most recent (2-3 years) phones all quad band? My HTC desire and nexus 4 both seem to support it...
I am probably going in July so we shall find out

 

[Dave *]

US Sim will fit but not give connection on a UK 900/1900 MHz Bsnd phone

It will need to be an 850/1900 MHz or quad band pjonr

Plenty of cheap quad band phones on EBay

You can get US Sim before you go on there too

Your advice is years out of date, most decent phones in the last 3-5 years at least, have been quad band, and compatible with the US GSM based networks.

Also to correct your other mistake, UK networks are actually 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz.