Phone for Telna/Piranha
 

Looking for a reasonably priced unlocked 'smartphone' (under $100 USD) that is preferably quad band, has a keyboard (QWERY or soft ), can do email, texting and is callback compatible for use with my Telna & Piranha SIMs... Curious what existing users have and know works well... Does not have to be new and flashy, looking for something known to work...



Thanks!

Well, it also needs WiFi and a good SIP client for their SIP connectivity. I'd also favor either Android or iOS for the compatibility with Boingo Mobile's app. I've used an iPhone 3GS with good results.

That is an interesting combination. Until a few months ago if you would look up the US rates on Piranha it would show 4 networks. Something in Alaska. AT&T, T-Mobile and Telna. Before they had AT&T the other three were there and Telna and T-Mobile had the same rates. The popular theory [that is, my theory], was that Piranha used Telna's 'network' to work in the USA. Telna has some land lines in Arkansas and that would give it certain abilities a mere MVNO would not be able to have. One or two months ago Telna stopped showing up on the rate searches. Whether something really changed or not I do not know.

If I look up my UK Piranha number here:
http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=...is&sub=phonenr
I get:Original network provider::: Telecom North America Mobile Inc
That's Telna for those who don't see the abbreviation/acronym.
I know of one person's whose US number showed as Telna also.

Of course, one question is just how good of a backup either Telna or Piranha would be for each other. Not sure that there might not be a SPF there.

I'm not sure that debating the carrier is really the focus of the question. I do agree it is a good statement to make, but I am familiar with both companies sharing at least some infrastructure. The reason I mentioned them, is that in the past I have had handsets that had issues with their SIMs. I'm guessing it has to do with the multiple IMSIs or the callback feature... Not real sure. Just know that I've set folks off to South Africa with the Telna SIM only to find out it worked here in the US, but would not work in SA. Phone kept displaying generic error messages although it was locked on a carrier. It would even ring when terminating calls to it, but when they tried to answer all the handset would do is show the generic error message....

My US carrier and Mobal SIMs have never had any issues with any SIM capable handset I put those SIMs into...

Hence the question about what hardware others have had success with Telna/ Piranha.

Interesting question. I've not taken my Telna SIM abroad, myself. I've sent it with friends, who much to my dismay never turned the phone on. What phone did you use that didn't work in ZA?

Don't remember exactly. It was a Samsung clam shell phone. Think it came with a TruePhone SIM... As soon as it came back from SA we sent it off to be recycled.

That would probably make it a E2210 or E2210B. I got both of them when the phones with Truphone SIMs were dumped.

Beside my love for Windows Phone (which is my daily phone os), my Piranha Sim sticks in a Blackberry Q5 I bought last summer as a O2 prepaid bundle in UK for GBP 99.00

When travelling, it is the absolute satisfaction. Everything is designed around the messaging hub where you have all the informations at one sight. With the latest BB OS 10.3.1 it runs also most android apps smooth which gives me the freedom to use all VOIP apps I need (mobileVOIP, and piranha mobile as well as Local Phone through native BRIA app or from the play store)

This mobile could be found quite cheap from ebay UK. As it is a business phone, it brings free goods such as Blackberry Travel etc. along.

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-q5-review