Why do US cell phones suck?

torifile · April 15, 2003 2:09PM

[rant]

The title says it all. I'm trying to find something to replace my cell and I'd like BT and some sort of decent data plan. But there are two phones out there that have BT that I can use and only one of them is available now (the T68 - which is getting phased out and I hear sucks in terms of reception). The BT thing notwithstanding, the phones that my current provider (cingular) offers all suck too. WTF is up with that?

[/rant]

ast3r3x · April 15, 2003 2:43PM

<japan voice>

but you american have suck big cock that you have no need for such a lavish phone, how could we ever compete with with big cock between ur legs?

</japan voice>

haha little bit of southpark there, uh to tell u the truth i have no idea, i'd assume the price isn't feasible to have it made in mass quantities there and shipped here that people would be willin to pay

then again with absolutly NO knowledge of cell phones (as far as why u need it to do more hten make phone calls) i'm not sure i could be much assistance

kenneth · April 15, 2003 6:39PM

You should go ask FCC!

Mobile phones in here is simply nothing...

I'm sure you can get those tri-band phones from Asia or Europe and use it in the States.

The Nokia 3650 has BT on it with the weird keypad on it anyway. I'm sure I'll get the Nokia 3650 within this week or next. The Nokia 7250i is coming, but no BT support... what a bummer.

There are some nice Sony Ericsson phones with BT supports (eg P800) or you can wait for the T610, supposed to be scheduled for May.

torifile · April 15, 2003 7:00PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ast3r3x

then again with absolutly NO knowledge of cell phones (as far as why u need it to do more hten make phone calls) i'm not sure i could be much assistance

I used to be in your camp (just use the phone to make phone calls), but I'm just getting used to how easy things can be with BT installed. I've got a TT and my mini-pb and I'd like my phone to be as integrated as possible. But it looks like I have to wait for cell phone tech to catch up with the rest of the world.

ast3r3x · April 15, 2003 7:16PM

well i'm just wondering because, i mean the phone really besides calling doesn't have that much use, perhaps if u wanted to sync ur address book onto it tht would be an extremely nice feature but not necessary, i mean i assume for most people you have a contact for you'd know their number or not use it enough to need it on ur phone wasting space. If u have a 'book then i would think that it could work as everything else you'd need including an adress book and organizer

...but hey, whatever is easier on u

torifile · April 15, 2003 7:47PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ast3r3x

well i'm just wondering because, i mean the phone really besides calling doesn't have that much use, perhaps if u wanted to sync ur address book onto it tht would be an extremely nice feature but not necessary, i mean i assume for most people you have a contact for you'd know their number or not use it enough to need it on ur phone wasting space. If u have a 'book then i would think that it could work as everything else you'd need including an adress book and organizer

...but hey, whatever is easier on u

I wish that were true. I have so many numbers to remember, so many addresses to keep track of, it's not even funny. They're things I don't need all the time, but if an emergency comes up (suicidal client or something), I need to have all that information someplace readily accessible.

It's a fact of the working world, I guess.

And the usefulness is exactly what you mentioned: having it in all places without having to do it myself. (I'm lazy. What can I say??)

mavster · April 15, 2003 8:33PM

since you're using cingular (therefore gsm), i'd suggest finding an ericsson t39 or r520m, or a sony ericsson t68i, probably in that order... One flip phone, one thin and long and one stubby... They've all got bluetooth, work with iSync and I'd say the best menu navigation around.. I've had a t39 for about two years (on t-mobile) and love this phone.. Make sure you get an unlocked phone or one that is locked to cingular since that's your carrier...

if cost is a factor, the r520m is probably the cheapest find, followed by the t39 and the 68i...

thunderpoit · April 15, 2003 9:25PM

the nokia 6310i isnt that bad of a phone, and has built in BT

splinemodel · April 15, 2003 9:49PM

European phones suck. Don't get me started about why GSM/GPRS is crap compared to 3G-WCDMA. The fact that europe still uses GSM is very indicative of the subsidy-rich economic atmosphere there.

Both Japan and America have used CDMA-based 2G protocols, and now are supporting 3G standards that are dominated by CDMA methods. Why? (1) Greater security (2) Longer range / better reception and (3) more users per cell.

Any sensible provider will jump at (3).

Lastly, I'll take better reception, greater security, and lower cost over a couple of bells and whistles. Plus you can get Sprint PCS Vision internet on your mac. Not Bluetooth, but at least it's faster and cheaper than anything you'll get on a GPRS network.

torifile · April 15, 2003 10:14PM

I've had some BAD experiences with Sprint PCS. I'd rather go to AT&T than back to Sprint, and that's saying a whole lot (I've also had some bad experiences with AT&T, but not their wireless division). I guess it's the waiting game for me....

vandewaals · April 15, 2003 10:48PM

I have had Sprint PCS since Dec of 1999 and I've never had an issue with them. All my phones with them have been Sanyo's....I started with the SCP-3000, moved to the 4000, and currently have the 6200. They just came out with a Vision enabled successor to the 6200 (the 6400), and if it had BT I would have jumped on it ASAP. Basically, I just want a phone that makes good calls and which I can use as a BT modem for my laptop. My only complaint with Sprint is that they have been so slow to jump on the BT bandwagon. With the 6200 I have Wireless Web, and use that to check email away from home and such, but its the slower 2G version obviously.

And in an interesting aside, Sprint stopped charging for long distance and off network roaming on Monday (CNet News Item)....although the plans including this are NOT the same Free & Clear and Free & Clear w/Vision plans on their website. As of right now, I barely ever roam off network, so its no big deal to me. The plan I currently have is the $45 for 500 min, plus Wireless Web for another $5 a month. I also have free nights/weekends and free calling to other Sprint PCS customers (which is great for me and my gf, she has the same plan).

I have never used a GSM provider, so I have no comparison to base this on...but I just thought I'd toss my 2 cents in the discussion. As you were

eldios · April 15, 2003 11:50PM

God I feel your pain on this one. I use to live in Japan and my phone I had there was wonderful. Moving back to the US and buying a phone was a extremely painful experience (basically because my $250 piece of junk sprint phone would have sold for about 1 penny in Japan). Anyway, just to wet everyone's whistle a bit, check out NTT Docomo and J-phone's web page to see what happening on the other side of the pond. Here is the link:

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/info/new/

http://www.j-phone.com/scripts/japanese/top.jsp

stupider...likeafox · April 16, 2003 5:00AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Splinemodel

European phones suck. Don't get me started about why GSM/GPRS is crap compared to 3G-WCDMA. The fact that europe still uses GSM is very indicative of the subsidy-rich economic atmosphere there.

Funny, I was just about to post and answer the question "Why do US cell phones suck?" by pointing out that the US has more/bigger government mandated monopolies in this area that have kept prices high and service shitty.

GSM/GPRS may "suck" but basically everyone above the age of 6 has a mobile phone in Europe these days. And sometimes life's just a numbers game.

torifile · April 16, 2003 6:34AM

I have no idea what features this phone has, but a quick look has me interested: link. Stupid american cell phone companies. We've got a choice of like 3 good phones over here.

eldios · April 16, 2003 9:07AM

Quote:

Originally posted by torifile

I have no idea what features this phone has, but a quick look has me interested: link. Stupid american cell phone companies. We've got a choice of like 3 good phones over here.

This is Docomo's newest phone. I read an article about this on yahoo japan. Aside from all the regular features of Japanese cell phones (color screen, good internet, and such) this phone has a 1.3 mega pixel digital camera on it. Also, you can save your pictures to a SD card which fits into the side of the camera, copy the pictures to your computer via the card, then print. Now that's a cell phone huh.......almost forgot. Not sure if this is included on this model, but the newest phones have a little touch pad on the bottom that reads your finger print. Everytime you turn on the phone, you have to log in with your finger print. This was implemented for security reasons. Hope this helps. maybe in 5 years this will come out state side.

Why do US cell phones suck?

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