Question About Internet Access on Cell Phones

[Ro_Laren]

I’m trying to buy a new cell phone, but am unsure which one to buy. Unlike the world of American cell phones, European cell phones use SIM cards (I live in Russia). I was looking at different smartphones, but they said that they do not have WiFi and don’t have 3G. But, I thought these phones had the internet. So, how does a phone have the internet without WiFi or at least 3G? I don’t have to have a smartphone… I really just want a cheap phone that will take pics, videos, and has limited internet capabilities. My problem is that I’m not to cell phone tech savvy and I don’t know enough Russian to have a good conversation with any the salesmen at the stores!

 

[Mr. B]

GSM/EDGE phones have internet access

 

[Canadave]

I thought American phones did use SIM cards? They do up here, and our cell networks are very similar to American ones.

 

[SeerSGB]

I thought American phones did use SIM cards? They do up here, and our cell networks are very similar to American ones.

I think only "pay as you go" / prepaid phones use SIM cards. My Net 10 LG has a SIM card.

 

[RoJoHen]

I thought American phones did use SIM cards? They do up here, and our cell networks are very similar to American ones.

I think only "pay as you go" / prepaid phones use SIM cards. My Net 10 LG has a SIM card.

Depends on the phone provider. AT&T still uses SIM cards. My Blackberry has a SIM card.

 

[Mr. B]

I believe Verizon and T-Mobile USA do as well.

 

[Mike Farley]

My Verizon Droid Charge uses a SIM Card, but none of my previous Verizon phones did.

 

[Amaris]

Same. My LG900 through Net10 uses a SIM Card, and has full internet access (though not 3G).

 

[SeerSGB]

My Verizon Droid Charge uses a SIM Card, but none of my previous Verizon phones did.

That be why I'm thinking not all Verizons use them. We tried to down-convert my wife's phone to a prepaid and their excuse was that it didn't use a SIM and only their prepaids used SIM

 

[Ro_Laren]

I’m trying to buy a new cell phone, but am unsure which one to buy. Unlike the world of American cell phones, European cell phones use SIM cards (I live in Russia). I was looking at different smartphones, but they said that they do not have WiFi and don’t have 3G. But, I thought these phones had the internet. So, how does a phone have the internet without WiFi or at least 3G? I don’t have to have a smartphone… I really just want a cheap phone that will take pics, videos, and has limited internet capabilities. My problem is that I’m not to cell phone tech savvy and I don’t know enough Russian to have a good conversation with any the salesmen at the stores!

After I wrote the e-mail, I thought of the many American phones that have SIM cards. lol. But, I really wanted to know about internet access!! I don't understand the difference between a phone with just WiFi or 3G or EDGE.

 

[Cicero]

A phone with Wi-Fi will only allow internet access within Wi-Fi zones (like a home wireless network or a Starbucks), and then only if you have access to that network. A phone with 3G should allow internet access on the go, so long as you're within range of a cell tower (or other cell transmitter) that is 3G capable.

I think there are some phone services that internet service through the normal phone circuits, but they're akin to dial-up internet connections, i.e. slow and limited.

I don't know what the situation is elsewhere, but in the U.S. AT&T is the only provider that enables simultaneous 3G and voice (i.e. phone) service, though I'm not sure how many phones can use it (iPhones can, from the 3G model onward). Other networks here allow you to use Wi-Fi while talking on the phone, but not 3G. (I have a vague recollection that Sprint is working to correct the deficiency of their network that prevents this, but I could be wrong. Verizon hasn't announced any move to do so that I'm aware of.)

Service details like that are something to consider: even if your phone is fully capable, the network matters.

 

[Marc]

I’m trying to buy a new cell phone, but am unsure which one to buy. Unlike the world of American cell phones, European cell phones use SIM cards (I live in Russia). I was looking at different smartphones, but they said that they do not have WiFi and don’t have 3G. But, I thought these phones had the internet. So, how does a phone have the internet without WiFi or at least 3G? I don’t have to have a smartphone… I really just want a cheap phone that will take pics, videos, and has limited internet capabilities. My problem is that I’m not to cell phone tech savvy and I don’t know enough Russian to have a good conversation with any the salesmen at the stores!

After I wrote the e-mail, I thought of the many American phones that have SIM cards. lol. But, I really wanted to know about internet access!! I don't understand the difference between a phone with just WiFi or 3G or EDGE.

Wifi you can acess in any place that has wireless public Internet access but once you leave there you don't have any net access

3G is the current standard though being superscede by 4g. Provides data speed approaching broadband levels.

Edge was the old data method on 2G and is like using dial up speed wise.

Sim card is simply the means by which the phone identifies it's self to the carriers network. An iPad or iPhone requires a sim card (albeit a micro sim card for the former and the iPhone 4/4s).

Take away the sim card option and the phone becomes permanent locked to a carrier and that's a good way to piss customers off and makes things a bit more complex for the manufacturer.

 

[sojourner]

U.S. phones have sim cards. The difference between Europe and the U.S. in this regard is that most carriers (i.e. the big 3) require you to buy a contract that incidentally comes with a phone. the phone in this case will be "locked" and cannot be switched to another carrier by just switching out the sims. You have to actively request the original carrier to unlock the phone. In Europe all phones are by default unlocked and in most cases you buy the phone then go shopping for a carrier from which to acquire a sim.

The benefits being that in the US the price of the phone is usually amortized into the contract quite a bit but are limited to phones that carrier, ahem, carries. While in Europe you can have any phone with any carrier you just have to pay for it.

 

[Marten]

I’m trying to buy a new cell phone, but am unsure which one to buy. Unlike the world of American cell phones, European cell phones use SIM cards (I live in Russia). I was looking at different smartphones, but they said that they do not have WiFi and don’t have 3G. But, I thought these phones had the internet. So, how does a phone have the internet without WiFi or at least 3G? I don’t have to have a smartphone… I really just want a cheap phone that will take pics, videos, and has limited internet capabilities. My problem is that I’m not to cell phone tech savvy and I don’t know enough Russian to have a good conversation with any the salesmen at the stores!

If is has neither Wifi nor 3G, it will be incredibly slow when accessing the internet. What kind of phone is it?I thought all new phones ha 3G by now.

 

[Ro_Laren]

I’m trying to buy a new cell phone, but am unsure which one to buy. Unlike the world of American cell phones, European cell phones use SIM cards (I live in Russia). I was looking at different smartphones, but they said that they do not have WiFi and don’t have 3G. But, I thought these phones had the internet. So, how does a phone have the internet without WiFi or at least 3G? I don’t have to have a smartphone… I really just want a cheap phone that will take pics, videos, and has limited internet capabilities. My problem is that I’m not to cell phone tech savvy and I don’t know enough Russian to have a good conversation with any the salesmen at the stores!

If is has neither Wifi nor 3G, it will be incredibly slow when accessing the internet. What kind of phone is it?I thought all new phones ha 3G by now.

^ It seems like most of the phones that I have run across in Russia don't have 3G or WiFi. Most have Edge or WAP (??I can't remember what it is called). For example, if the literature I'm looking at is correct, the Nokia 5228 (a Smartphone) doesn't have 3G or the internet and it is like $160 U.S. Russia also sells a number of LG models without 3G or WiFi. I'm hoping to buy a quad based dual sim card phone with 3G (and hopefully WiFi) all for under $150. But, that is difficult to do in Russia... especially since it can be hard to narrow down search results on the web-site of the Russian phone carriers!

Thanks everyone for your answers so far!!

 

[Arrqh]

My Verizon Droid Charge uses a SIM Card, but none of my previous Verizon phones did.

That be why I'm thinking not all Verizons use them. We tried to down-convert my wife's phone to a prepaid and their excuse was that it didn't use a SIM and only their prepaids used SIM

That doesn't make sense on Verizon. The only Verizon phones that have SIM cards are the newest LTE/4G phones (and these won't work on GSM networks) or phones that are "world phones" (which have a SIM slot to use when you travel). Everything else on Verizon does not use a SIM. Same with Sprint. AT&T and T-Mobile use SIM cards, but when you get phones from them they are almost always locked.

 

[Marc]

My Verizon Droid Charge uses a SIM Card, but none of my previous Verizon phones did.

That be why I'm thinking not all Verizons use them. We tried to down-convert my wife's phone to a prepaid and their excuse was that it didn't use a SIM and only their prepaids used SIM

That doesn't make sense on Verizon. The only Verizon phones that have SIM cards are the newest LTE/4G phones (and these won't work on GSM networks) or phones that are "world phones" (which have a SIM slot to use when you travel). Everything else on Verizon does not use a SIM. Same with Sprint. AT&T and T-Mobile use SIM cards, but when you get phones from them they are almost always locked.

But that's often done through the phone's software than the hardware to allow people to change carriers ( in Australia at least you simply call the carrier tell them you want it unlock and once any contractual obligations are meet they do their magic remotely and that's - did it with my iPhone 3)

 

[Arrqh]

But that's often done through the phone's software than the hardware to allow people to change carriers ( in Australia at least you simply call the carrier tell them you want it unlock and once any contractual obligations are meet they do their magic remotely and that's - did it with my iPhone 3)

In the US, it really depends on the carrier if you're able to get it unlocked. For instance, under no circumstances will AT&T ever unlock an iPhone regardless of contract status despite the fact that it is of course physically possible.