Travel Technology - A Warning About Cheap Chinese Phones

There are post emerging on other threads that Vodafone has started to blacklist the cheap Chinese phones that many of us are buying (e.g. the dual SIM jobs, etc). Apparently they all use the same IMEI. If there is one stolen, all of them back blacklisted.

You learned it the hard way...

Was about to make the same mistake, but I was lucky that I had "glue" in my pocket that afternoon... ;)

The only reasonable quality phone maker in China, in my eyes, is Huaewi... They make mostly 3G usb-modems, bus also a few phones!

Dual sim... Do like me - carry a white iPhone and a white HTC Magic/Sapphire ;)

Very timely. Thanks.

I was getting very intrigued by a dual sim phone no matter how cheesy but I guess they're not worth it.

Jim

Vodafone where?? I have not heard any such thing and have a great dual SIM cheapy phone that I have used in a half dozen Voda countries in the recent future and found no such "block". Then again I suppose it might also apply to which Chionese makes you are speaking of.

It would be nice if some of the mainstream makers would produce dual SIM phones.

It would be nice if some of the mainstream makers would produce dual SIM phones.

The feature is unlikely to be available on the phones marketed in the U.S. Anything that allows you to use another provider's services is a No No

The feature is unlikely to be available on the phones marketed in the U.S. Anything that allows you to use another provider's services is a No No

Well, I certainly wouldn't expect a provider to sell/subsidize it, but it would be nice to be able to buy an unlocked, unbranded, quad-band GSM dual-SIM phone from a reputable manufacturer.

Samsung sell several dual-SIM phones.

Fortunately I use no cheap Chinese phones - just expensive Canadian ones. :)

You can now get the Samsung models from $200 and change.

Samsung sell several dual-SIM phones.

You can now get the Samsung models from $200 and change.

Didn't know that. Thanks to both of you for pointing it out. Hopefully more options will come down the pipe in the next year or so.

Didn't know that. Thanks to both of you for pointing it out. Hopefully more options will come down the pipe in the next year or so.

This is becoming must have feature in several markets (Russia, INdia) where they use one for SMS one for voice (cost optimised), or one personal, one business (lifestyle optimised)

Expect to see many more phones from others hit those markets.

However, unlikely to hit mainstay europe/US for subsidized operator sales for obvious reasons.

This is becoming must have feature in several markets (Russia, INdia) where they use one for SMS one for voice (cost optimised), or one personal, one business (lifestyle optimised)

Expect to see many more phones from others hit those markets.

What I'd like is a Nokia E63 or E71 style phone with dual SIM support so I can use one SIM for voice and one SIM for data. Can you arrange that in Tampere? :D

Well, I certainly wouldn't expect a provider to sell/subsidize it, but it would be nice to be able to buy an unlocked, unbranded, quad-band GSM dual-SIM phone from a reputable manufacturer.

I am with you. I would rather buy my own phone. The current state of affairs in the U.S. where operators subsidise cost of the phone is anti consumer. Once the subsidy is realised by the operator over two years of the contract, the monthly plan rate should come down as the operator has recovered the subsidy cost.

What I'd like is a Nokia E63 or E71 style phone with dual SIM support so I can use one SIM for voice and one SIM for data. Can you arrange that in Tampere? :D

I'd like the same thing, but perhaps if the OP was in Espoo he might have better luck ;)

Didn't know that. Thanks to both of you for pointing it out. Hopefully more options will come down the pipe in the next year or so.

There is one even with 3G support for one of thr two SIM slots.

Acer DX 900
2G Network
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - SIM 1
GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 2

I'd like the same thing, but perhaps if the OP was in Espoo he might have better luck ;)

cressers works for Nokia.

There's a big Nokia factory there. It's where my E63 was made.

Here is one post on the problem on a Voda forum:

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20190

Here a couple of additional links:

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.telecom.mobile/browse_thread/thread/2da12642f3d4c909?pli=1

http://www.avforums.com/forums/mobile-phones-pdas/746467-chinese-5610-dual-sim-02-problem.html

and a generally interesting article on Chinese knock-off phones:

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090428/ZNYT05/904283007?Title=In-China-Knockoff-Cellphones-Are-a-Hit

I confess to owning a dual sim one.

Here is one post on the problem on a Voda forum:

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=20190

Here a couple of additional links:

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.telecom.mobile/browse_thread/thread/2da12642f3d4c909?pli=1

http://www.avforums.com/forums/mobile-phones-pdas/746467-chinese-5610-dual-sim-02-problem.html

and a generally interesting article on Chinese knock-off phones:

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090428/ZNYT05/904283007?Title=In-China-Knockoff-Cellphones-Are-a-Hit

I confess to owning a dual sim one.
I wasn't sure if I remembered correct. I was skeptical, that's why I had asked you. The stories revolve around the same two incidents and one article in NYT. I still haven't bought mine, but will. I had ordered one and then cancelled it within a few hours. I got a refund promptly, unlike buy.com who had to be poked and prodded to get refund for an order cancelled within the time alllowed for cancellation.

I'd like the same thing, but perhaps if the OP was in Espoo he might have better luck ;)

LOL, indeed I am a "doer" rather than one who decides what is done.

Can't comment on what is coming, but as I said, my opinion would be that the subsidy based markets will not allow this, but you never know.

cressers works for Nokia.

There's a big Nokia factory there. It's where my E63 was made.

Close, Salo
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=salo,+finland&sll=61.498023,23.764859&sspn=0.809997,2.90863&ie=UTF8&z=11&iwloc=A

Not that I am endorsing the use of trademarks, but the "Nokia N98+" is an aweseome Dual SIM phone, TV, everything, that is touchscreen, bulletproof and generally retails for about $80 in China. It is also sold under other original names....

I almost bought a dual sim, iphone, 32gb latest model in the silk market in Beijing a couple of hours ago. They started at $185 and were running after me offering it to me for $70 a few minutes after I left the stall. I almost put my AT&T SIM in it to see if it would work...but somehow, I thought it would end up being a $70 dollar paperweight. I figured that I wouldn't be likely to get it to work with my company email.

Hi

I live in Canada and have a company issued BlackBerry on Rogers.

I am travelling to China (for the first time) in 3 weeks. I want to call home about twice a day for the 2 weeks I am there.

I assume BlackBerry use would be prohibitively expensive.

Can I buy a cheap Chinese phone, and maybe a phone credit card, and make calls home that way?

I am quite a neophyte at these matters. Thank you for any help you can suggest.

Hi

I live in Canada and have a company issued BlackBerry on Rogers.

I am travelling to China (for the first time) in 3 weeks. I want to call home about twice a day for the 2 weeks I am there.

I assume BlackBerry use would be prohibitively expensive.

Can I buy a cheap Chinese phone, and maybe a phone credit card, and make calls home that way?

I am quite a neophyte at these matters. Thank you for any help you can suggest.

How about installing Skype either on your Blackberry or PC?

I use Skype on my UK iPhone while I'm working in the US. It's saved me a fortune. I can make a 1 hour call for less than £1.

You need to have Wifi access however...

Cheers,
Rick

There are post emerging on other threads that Vodafone has started to blacklist the cheap Chinese phones that many of us are buying (e.g. the dual SIM jobs, etc). Apparently they all use the same IMEI. If there is one stolen, all of them back blacklisted.

I know 20 years ago, cell companies black listed IMEIs if a bill was owed on them , and I guess if they were stolen ,

But I have not heard of that in years , are there any USA companies doing this ?

That would really make me think twice about buying used phones on Ebay and Craigslist ,

Because how many people lose their phones but think they were stolen ?

Rally

We have several china made phones - one is not a knock off but merely a local brand that has good chinese language software for writing chinese, etc. Single sim, excellent camera and video, about 3 yrs old already. Only problem is it' s a power sucker - battery last's only 12-14 hrs so need to carry a couple of spares. About US$100 back when I bought it.

Just bought a dual sim knockoff mini-iPhone. Good for receiving calls and sms, also ok if you dial from the keyboard. Any and everything else takes multiple steps....this one less than US$100.

How about installing Skype either on your Blackberry or PC?

I use Skype on my UK iPhone while I'm working in the US. It's saved me a fortune. I can make a 1 hour call for less than £1.

You need to have Wifi access however...

Cheers,
Rick

+1

Skype is your best low-cost solution. Of course, wifi isn't essential if you're running off a laptop.

I've owned one of those cheap dual sim phones. Really useful to have and never had any problems. sucks that some carriers might crack down on them.

I've owned one of those cheap dual sim phones. Really useful to have and never had any problems. sucks that some carriers might crack down on them.

FWIW, i never put my USA TMO card in any knock-off --always in either my BB or iPhone.

I use only local post and prepaids. For instance, when shopping in Sz or Canton, usually have both my HK and China numbers on the dual sim phone :)

Anybody have on-hand experience with a something like this: Dual Sim Card Holder (http://www.simore.ch/en/two_sim_cards_in_one_mobile/dual_sim_card_silver_1.php)

The problem is these Chinese phones are primarily made for the Chinese market where hybrid GSM/CDMA networks are common and share a common "SIM" card making the IMEI, ESN or MEID of a given device irrelevant in favour of the ICCID of the "SIM" so instead of wasting the finite number of IMEI's these phones are given a nonsense or common IMEI that serves only to identify the model number.

I call these "SIM" cards because they are really a cross compatible card known as R-UIM.

I've used a similar device in the past in it functioned fine. The difference between these devices and the dual SIM phones is that the dual SIM phones have two radios and both numbers can be live at the same time. With these devices, you need to toggle between the two phone numbers.

FYI, when recently in the states I did find that my Dual SIM phone would not work with a US SIM (but would with one of two foreign SIMS tried) so it would in fact seem that there is some IMEI blocking going on in the US.

Fortunately I use no cheap Chinese phones - just expensive Canadian ones. :)

...made in china

I am certain there is no IMEI blocking here in the US. I have a dual-sim phone that is quadband and I have tested it with both my tmobile and AT&T sims without problems. May be your dual sim phone was a triband and you were using an AT&T sim or so. Exactly what do you mean by "It did not work"

My dual SIM phone is quad band, I have used it successfully in at least ten countries and in the US as recently as a month ago. Last week it would not work with my T-Mobile card "emergency calls only" or "no service" were the messages given. I am back in Europe now and it works fine. As you may have noted, at the beginning of this thread I basically called this poppycock, as I still do as I recently used it with a Voda SIM in the UK and Turkey with no problem (which was what the OP was on about) however I have come back to say that yes I did experience this problem in the US with T-Mobile.

...made in china

Some are made in Canada, most are made in Mexico.