[John Z]

Last week I lost my mobile phone (very stupid, I know) and decided to buy a new one that's also suitable for NZ. The first (general) shop said I only needed a 3-band (not a 4-band). But then, this is what I heard from the local VODAFONE shop:

1. "You only need dual-band in NZ" (he showed a global map with all different systems, including UMTS).
2. "You cannot switch SIM-cards, they do not fit, not even from Vodafone".

But, when we were in NZ (last summer) even our 3-band hardly worked in NZ.

I always thought a SIM-card's a SIM-card and they should all be the same size and/or should have the same connectors etc.. The salesman gave me the advice to buy a new mobile-phone while on our way through the States or from Japan if we choose that route ("very cheap" he said).

In several threads I read about people switching their UK SIM-cards for NZ SIM-cards. I don't expect NL SIM-cards to be different, do they?

Thanks, John Z

[kanatakiwi]

hmmn. perplexing. the vodafone sim card fits fine in my tri band phone from north america.

[anna_c]

Doesn't sound right to me. I've used a nz vodafone sim card in a uk phone, a uk sim card in an nz phone and a german sim card in both.

Of course, the netherlands could have a completely different system, but I doubt it.

[IanW99]

1. "You only need dual-band in NZ" (he showed a global map with all different systems, including UMTS).
2. "You cannot switch SIM-cards, they do not fit, not even from Vodafone".

For 1. He is correct i.e. Vodaphone in NZ uses GSM 900Mhz so any European Dual-band phone will do.

For 2. Could this be a mis-interpretation?

All GSM phones must take a SIM card (its a standard for them). The SIM card comes in two sizes: Standard (same size as a credit card) and the more popular Mini size (25mm long). I would assume that the phones you are talking about take the mini size (I've not even seen the Standard ones).

But, a lot of mobile phones are locked to a specific network / SIM card and will not work with another SIM card unless they have been unlocked. So you will need to ensure that you either buy an unlocked mobile phone or have the phone unlocked.

Ian

[slw]

I thought I'd pass this info along for those bringing GSM phones over.

I recently moved to Wellington but ended up renting in Paraparaumu. I'd brought an old Motorola GSM phone from the USA and bought a prepaid Vodafone SIM card for it. It worked perfectly while in Wellington, but at home in Paraparaumu, I had no signal.

This is the story the Vodafone shop gave me: Wellington uses 900 MHz but Paraparaumu uses 1800 MHz. The GSM phone I'd brought from the USA uses 900/1900 MHz, which is why it worked great only in the city.

So guess who got a new phone?

As for the SIM card, I don't see why it wouldn't be compatible as Ian said there are only two kinds.

[jess]

posted twice somehow... sorry see below:

[jess]

I recently moved to Wellington but ended up renting in Paraparaumu. I'd brought an old Motorola GSM phone from the USA and bought a prepaid Vodafone SIM card for it. It worked perfectly while in Wellington, but at home in Paraparaumu, I had no signal.

This is the story the Vodafone shop gave me: Wellington uses 900 MHz but Paraparaumu uses 1800 MHz. The GSM phone I'd brought from the USA uses 900/1900 MHz, which is why it worked great only in the city. That's odd... we brought our US Samsung (SGH-C225) phone that had been on T-mobile stateside. After unlocking it using internet code help and putting in the prepaid Vodafone sim card it works fine. I live just north of Paraparaumu. Maybe it's the newer phone? (The specs say it's 900/1900 MHz GSM phone.) I don't know a thing about that stuff, but at least it's possible to bring this US phone and have it work in Kapiti.

[Chiba]

If you want the simplest possible no-frills phone, then one of these (http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/motofone/) will cost you 25 quid in the UK (http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/13330.htm), SIM free, and has dual band (900/1800)...

[gpbenton]

2. "You cannot switch SIM-cards, they do not fit, not even from Vodafone".


This may be referring to the fact that Telecomm New Zealand does not use GSM, so you cannot switch SIM cards with Telecomm phones.

You can switch sim cards between any phones bought from Vodafone.

[John Z]

This may be referring to the fact that Telecomm New Zealand does not use GSM, so you cannot switch SIM cards with Telecomm phones.

You can switch sim cards between any phones bought from Vodafone.

I'm learning, I'm learning. I didn't know NZ doesn't use GSM (yet) so I did some more research in that direction.

This announce was made in september 2006:

Telecom New Zealand has announced that it will provide a global roaming solution with the launch of a WorldMode CDMA/GSM mobile phone.

In a deal with mobile phone manufacturer Samsung, Telecom will offer customers a phone with the ability to use CDMA domestically but roam on either CDMA or GSM networks when travelling overseas.

While in New Zealand the mobile will operate solely on Telecom’s CDMA network, making use of Telecom’s T3G services, and when abroad the phone will switch to GSM reception in markets where CDMA is not available.

The mobile operator says the new handset can potentially give New Zealanders the ability to seamlessly communicate across over 300 networks worldwide.

According to Telecom’s General Manager Consumer Marketing, Kevin Bowler, the phone will offer Telecom customers first class roaming capability around the world. He also confirmed the launch of the company's CDMA EV-DO Rev A upgrade will start before Christmas 2006.

Telecom is targeting early 2007 for release of phase one of the WorldMode phone following testing that is underway currently. This will be the first of a range of WorldMode phones to be progressively released over the course of 2007.

[John Z]

And here's more recent good "news":

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10442621

And here they say Vodafone NZ already operates a GSM system...:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodafone_New_Zealand

And this finally is from GSMworld.com:

New Zealand

The following networks operate in this country/area:

Northelia Holdings Limited

GSM 1800

Planned

Network Information Roaming Partners Services


Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited

GSM 900

Live

Network Information Roaming Partners Services Coverage Map

Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited

GSM 1800

Live

Network Information Roaming Partners Services

Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited

3G 2100

Live

Network Information Roaming Partners Services

[Park City Partner]

When I first came here I had my Tmobile Samsung phone unlocked and it worked really well. Then when I was Stateside in May, I dropped it one too many times and got a new Samsung phone...the basic one...had it unlocked and brought it back to NZ. It works fine in Auckland but I have issues outside of Auckland..even in Tauranga. The Vodafone guy I talked to said Samsung phones don't work well here....who knows...

[slw]

That's odd... we brought our US Samsung (SGH-C225) phone that had been on T-mobile stateside. After unlocking it using internet code help and putting in the prepaid Vodafone sim card it works fine. I live just north of Paraparaumu. Maybe it's the newer phone? (The specs say it's 900/1900 MHz GSM phone.) I don't know a thing about that stuff, but at least it's possible to bring this US phone and have it work in Kapiti.

Hmm...after some research I may have the frequencies / locations turned around in my first post, but bottom line:

The phone I brought over is a Motorola MPx200, which specifications say is GSM 1800 / 1900. Therefore it didn't work in the 900MHz parts of NZ. :)

Definitely GSM from the USA can and do work here but my advice is to verify what frequencies the phone uses by looking up the specs. Before this, I thought all GSM phones were created equal. :o

[jdbob]

I finally got a cell phone last week. To make matters even worse the local cell company uses 850Mhz so I bought a quad band unlocked phone just to be sure!

I bought a T-Mobile SIM card from a company in San Diego to use in the states. They have SIM cards for like a hundred different countries so I went ahead and bought a Vodafone NZ SIM card while I was at it so I would have it as soon as I get down to NZ in February.

[jess]

Definitely GSM from the USA can and do work here but my advice is to verify what frequencies the phone uses by looking up the specs. Before this, I thought all GSM phones were created equal. :oThanks for clarifying slw. I really did just luck out! :) We brought the Samsung phone we already had on a lark in case it worked. It was a good thing that it handles 900 MHz. (The Vodafone site has a page for international visitors called Will My Mobile Phone Work in NZ? (http://www.vodafone.co.nz/personal/coverage-and-roaming/visiting-nz/will-mobile-work-nz.jsp), which says 900 MHz phone work best.)

[John Z]

Thanks guys, for the great help/info!

John Z