The cellular phone shopping experience can be a headache. With jargon like unlocked, bluetooth, triband, smartphone, SIM card and OEM (among many others), it's easy to see why so many people are confused. That's where ImportGSM.com comes in. In addition to our FAQ Section, we have created this short yet informative document to better improve your understanding of how this whole process works.
Unlocked : The term 'unlocked' is one you'll see frequently. ImportGSM.com only sells unlocked cell phones. So what does this mean? Locked cell phones can only work on a specific carrier. A carrier is a service provider, like T-mobile, Cingular, or Fido. If you bought your phone from your carrier, and their logo appears on the phone either on the back, front or below the keypad, your phone is locked to that carrier (you can't use it if you switch from Cingular to T-Mobile, for example.) It's their way of keeping the phone they sold you on their network. Think of it this way: If the phone is unlocked, it can be used on any carrier worldwide that supports the frequencies of the phone (we'll get in to that further on).
SIM Card : The little miracle we call a SIM card is the reason getting a phone from ImportGSM is so convenient! If you have a GSM cell phone (meaning you use a carrier such as T-mobile, Cingular, AT&T, Fido etc), underneath your battery is a little electronic "chip" about the size of your thumb nail. This SIM card holds all of your information, such as phone number, service subscription, phone book entries and more. When you easily take this chip out (phones are designed to have the SIM cards removed and inserted with ease) and insert it in to your new phone, that phone now contains your phone number, contacts, and service subscription. If someone were to call your phone number, the new phone would ring! There is no need to even tell your service provider you switched phones, they are only servicing your SIM card!
Frequency (Tri-band, Quad Band, etc) : Much like a radio, cell phones support certain frequencies. Four frequencies exist worldwide, known as 850mhz (sometimes called 800mhz), 900mhz, 1800mhz and 1900mhz. The US uses 850mhz and 1900mhz. The rest of the world uses 900mhz and 1800mhz. If you have a tri-band phone (a combination of the 3 bands above) that supports 900/1800/1900mhz frequencies, and your service provider ONLY supports 850mhz (i.e Cingular in certain areas), you will see no reception and the phone will not function. In the US, there are only compatibility issues with non - 850mhz phones being used on SOME AREAS of the Cingular network. Otherwise, there are no compatibility issues whatsoever.
SMS / MMS (text messaging) : SMS, or as we call it in the US, "text messaging", is a great way to communicate. SMS stands for Short Message Service (short because each message can only contain 160 characters). The great thing about SMS is they can be sent from any phone on any service provider to any other cell phone in the world. There are no set up headaches, compatibility issues, or gimmicks (besides the fee your provider may charge you). MMS, or Multimedia Messaging Service, allows us to send media such as pictures and movies, from one phone to another via your phone's data connection. You must have a MMS enabled phone, and your service provider must support this feature, to utilize this technology.
GPRS / EDGE Internet : All the phones on ImportGSM have GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). GPRS allows a cell phone to transmit data, such as web pages, ringtones, graphics, games and more. If you've ever browsed the web on your phone, you've been using GPRS to do so- unless you have EDGE. EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) is just like GPRS, but 3 times faster. EDGE allows for data rates as high as 177.6 Kbps.
3G / UMTS : 3G, or UMTS, is a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, which takes cellular data transmission to a whole new level. Capable of sending and receiving at up to 2Mbps, UMTS is currently being used in Europe for 2 way video calls, streaming video, high speed internet and more. The USA will not see UMTS, but will be using HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology, which will allow for downloads as high as 14.4 Mbps (and 5.8 Mbps uplink).
Bluetooth : Bluetooth is a rapidly growing technology which allows for wireless data transmission between electronics. This is being used, for example, in wireless computer mice, wireless headsets, digital cameras, computers, cars and more. Bluetooth is a technology making things convenient and more versatile. With a bluetooth headset and voice recognition, you never have to take your phone out of your pocket to place or receive calls. With a bluetooth enabled car, you can speak freely during phone calls without having your phone out, and listen to your converser over your stereo speakers. Bluetooth in cellular phones allows you to print wirelessly to printers, send pictures to other bluetooth devices, control your computer remotely, and much more. Bluetooth has a range of 10 meters (just shy of 33 feet) and has a low power consumption.
+ Want an explanation of something else? Contact Us and let us know!
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