FAQ – Mobile Phones
What is GSM?
GSM is the world's most famous mobile phone standard; it was first adopted in Europe and has been spreading throughout Asia, Africa and the Pacific. GSM enables mobile phones to work in any of the networks internationally. The United States of America is not on the same GSM network as the rest of the world. Only recently has the US embraced the GSM technology.
Carriers such as Cingular, T-Mobile, and AT&T are not providing GSM service in the majority of the markets that they serve. However, the GSM technology that we use in the US and Canada is not always compatible overseas. This explains why many US travelers have major difficulty getting wireless coverage overseas without paying a ridiculous amount.
What is a SIM card?
The SIM card is the brain of the phone, providing cellular service along with other functions including call log, voice mail, and SMS. The smart chip is embedded with circuitry and when inserted into a GSM mobile phone provides wireless service on a particular GSM network. These cards are usually available prepaid or on a contractual basis.
Is this not a similar to a calling card?
No. You cannot receive a telephone call with a calling card. Calling cards are risky and often provide horrible customer service. With the increasing popularity of mobile phones, it is not uncommon to find
I currently have a GSM phone. Will it work overseas?
This may be possible; however it is rare that your current US GSM cell phone will work overseas. Most GSM phones sold in the US are only compatible with nation-wide operating frequency of 1900 MHZ. The overseas services use 900 and/or the 1800 MHZ frequency standards. Our
Company only carries "unlocked" phones that can be worked with those frequencies. The phones that are purchased in the United States with companies such as T-Mobile, Cingular, etc, may have the tri band feature, but they are "locked". This can be a major disadvantage, because once you are abroad, you can use these phones but with only with their services at a premium cost. All GSM phones that we sell are unlocked and ready to use on all GSM networks with the local phone companies at a fraction of the cost.
What are Pin numbers?
Some of the prepaid SIM cards internationally have a security mechanism in place that requires the customer to enter a PIN code every time the mobile phone is turned on. When a PIN code has been assigned to your phone, it is very important not to forget this code. If you enter the code incorrectly three times in a row, then your mobile phone may display a blocked message on its display.
Can I use your cell phone in the United States?
This depends on what company you are currently with. Also it depends if you are buying a TRI-BAND phone that can be used with the 800/900/1800 MGz technology. Some of the phones we sell on the website are only dual band, which means that it can be used only overseas. We clearly have this marked on every mobile phone. All of our phones will only work with networks that offer the GSM technology.
The phone companies that our phones WILL NOT work with are:
-Sprint and Nextel.
The phone companies that it WILL WORK with are:
-T-Mobile
The phone companies that it COULD work with:
-Cingular & AT&T and Verizon
Here in the US, our tri-band phones work on the 1900 MHZ GSM band, which is the predominant GSM band in the US. Only T-Mobile operates on this frequency right now.
Will my phone come with an international charger?
Yes. All of our mobile phones come with a voltage travel charger for the 220V that is used outside of the United States.
What will be my mobile number abroad?
Your new mobile number is a local number for the country that you are visiting.
Will I have voicemail abroad?
Most GSM phones have the voicemail feature, but it depends on the services that are available through the local provider. In most cases voicemail is included with your basic service.
What about email and internet?
These options depend on the local service provider and the hardware on the mobile that is being used. GPRS- enabled phones can access the internet when used with the SIM card from the company they choose. For example, while your phone may have the access to the internet, you may need to include this in your plan. Rates ands services offered vary and are pre determined by the carrier whose SIM is being used in the mobile at the time.
Can I use multiple phone companies with my phone card?
At Mobile GSM Store, we only offer unlocked phones, and you can swap SIM cards if needed. However, keep in that if you want to use in the United States, to purchase a TRI-Band Phone.
FAQ – Adapters
How do I know how many watts of power I need for my item?
You need to check how many Watts your appliance operates on (You can find this information on a label on the bottom or back of your equipment, or in the manual). If you cannot find this information, you can try to find information on amperage (AMPS) of your appliance and multiply it by input voltage (110V or 220V) to arrive at the total wattage.
Volts x Amps = Watts (i.e 110V x 0.5 AMPS = 55W). Please make sure not to run any appliance with higher wattage then voltage transformer's wattage. This can damage your item and the adapter.
How do I make sure not to burn out a product?
Making sure that your product stays well below the limit is a good idea. For example, if your items power is 95 watts, getting a 200 watt adapter is safer than sticking to a 100 watt adapter. The power frequency goes up and down, and therefore is safer to stay a little over.
What is the difference between step up and down, and only step up?
Step up/Down Converters will be able to change 110Volts/200-240Volts, as well as 200-240Volts/110 Volts. This adapter can be used to convert items from overseas, as well using this adapter overseas to convert items from the United States.
Step Up will adapters will only convert items from 110volts to 200-240volts. This adapter is only going to work overseas.
What is the difference between and voltage converter and a voltage regulator?
A voltage regulator functions as a voltage converter as well as a voltage stabilizer. A voltage stabilizer will stabilize the electricity to a fixed current.
This unit is usually used in countries where the voltage currency is not stable.
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