cheap sim free tri band phone

test_pilot

Hello All. As titled am looking for the cheapest sim free tri band phone. I would rather buy new to avoid scams / poorly recondition units etc. Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

If you are aware of an existing thread - apologies - I couldnt find it - please post a link don't shout at me

corf999

Which three bands you do require? There are now lots of bands in use across 2g,3g and 4g. In the UK we are now using 4 bands and a 5th yet to be implemented by their spectrum owners.

Most phones for sale in the EU are World phones that work on a large number of bands. Which countries/bands do you need?

grumbler

Come one...
'Cheap' is obviously not 4g.
And it's incorrect that most phones in EU are "World phones". Many are 2-band and don't work in USA, especially cheap basic 2g handsets.
2g bands are 850 and 1900 in USA, but 900 and 1800 in UK.
Normally tri-band means 900, 1800 and one of 850/1900.

I think basic Android smartphones are the cheapest tri-band phones now and can be bought for ~£30.

corf999

Fair point about 4g and cheap, but can you really classify the few remaining 2g dual band phones for sale as many.

I'd assume the user would want 900mhz, 1800mhz and one other band for whichever country he wants to go probably 850mhz, but ultimately I have no idea due to my impression that the term triband is long obsolete.

grumbler

Few? In fact it's a big proportion of *cheap* handsets.

CPW/p4u:
Nokia 220, 206, 100, 105, 108, 113, Asha 210
Samsung E1190, E1200, E1270, E2121

Excluding 'proper' smartphones, at CPW only Nokia 301 and Asha 503, Samung Chat 357 for £50 are tri-band

@OP
All PAYG phones at CPW are not locked and normally are cheaper than sim-free.
PAYG upgrades are even cheaper if you can qualify for it.

test_pilot

Thanks for the feedback all... I need Europe wide and US coverage.

Not aware of the specific frequencies I'm afraid.

Don't need or want smart phone as simply want lightweight no frills emergency comms (I compete in endurance races and am looking for a 'get out of jail free card'.

Any further thoughts appreciated!

test_pilot

grumbler wrote: »

Few? In fact it's a big proportion of *cheap* handsets.

CPW/p4u:
Nokia 220, 206, 100, 105, 108, 113, Asha 210
Samsung E1190, E1200, E1270, E2121

Excluding 'proper' smartphones, at CPW only Nokia 301 and Asha 503, Samung Chat 357 for £50 are tri-band

@OP
All PAYG phones at CPW are not locked and normally are cheaper than sim-free.
PAYG upgrades are even cheaper if you can qualify for it.

@ Grumbler - just to clarify ALL PAYG phones at CPW are not locked?Sounds ideal!

grumbler

Yes.........