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- From: quodling@stimpy.enet.dec.com
- Subject: Re: [Advise Wanted] importing a cellular phone into Australia
- Message-ID: <1993Jan27.122638.1@stimpy.enet.dec.com>
- Lines: 45
- Sender: usenet@nntpd.lkg.dec.com (USENET News System)
- Organization: SPR Alpha Migration Centre
- References: <C1FHDo.9Jp@bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au>
- Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 17:26:38 GMT
-
- In article <C1FHDo.9Jp@bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au>, ggm@brolga.cc.uq.oz.au (George Michaelson) writes:
- > A friend passing through Hong Kong is considering buying a cheap cellular
- > phone. Could anybody who has experience of this area please advise of the
- > pitfalls?
- >
- > How many flavours of encoding/transmission are there in Australia?
- >
-
- Two and a bit... There is the old original Mobile phone system. Slowly
- disappear, no new registrations allowed. THere is the current aka telecom
- mobilenet etc system, which is based on AMPS, and the soon to be introduced GSM
- systems.
-
- > How is Austel approval worked out for imported units?
-
- It isn't. However, if you have a unit, that is identical to an Australian sold
- and approved unit, and can prove at least 4 months of overseas use, and the
- Australian supplier of said phone is in a good mood, then they can, for a hefty
- fee, validate the phone and pass it to Austel for approval.
- >
- > How does import affect warranty/maintenance inside Australia?
-
- at the discretion of the supplier...
- >
- > Is there any real price advantage?
-
- Given the 4 months foreign use requirement, and probably two months to get it
- through the Australian paperwork, I doubt it. I went through the numbers on
- bringing a Motorola Microtac back from the U.S. with me, after having stayed
- their for the last 3 years, and it was marginal...
-
- >
- > Does anybody have a recommended unit?
- >
- The AUdiovox Microlite is getting good reviews, the Motorola MIcrotac's get
- mixed reviews (people either love em or hate em) I have been using a Fujitsu
- aka telcom 3A and hate it (inconvenient battery life, and poor reception).
-
- --
- Peter Quodling Internet: quodling@stimpy.enet.dec.com
- SPR Alpha Migration Centre UUCP: ...!decwrl!stimpy.enet!quodling
- Sydney, Australia Phone: 61-2-561 7272 _--_|\
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