Eurotrip

I am thinking about getting a Sony Ericsson K790a, which supports the GMS frequencies, 850/1800/1900 MHz. I am going to Bulgaria and am wondering if the 1800 frequency will give me enough coverage. I read that the 900 MHz is the best in Europe, so I am unsure what to do.

[sakr]

If you're going to stay ONLY in the biggest cities in Bulgaria - probably 1800 MHz band phone will be ok. If you're going to travel through the country or stay in small cities I STRONGLY recommend you to get a 900MHz band phone.
In Europe we GENERALLY use 900 MHz band, and then the 1800 MHz is used as a supplement of networks capacity. Admittedly there are some 1800MHz only networks, but not in Bulgaria I think.

[DRNewcomb]

It's hard to say. GSMWorld (http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_bg.shtml) shows carriers as 900/1800 but the maps don't show where there is just 900 or a combination. You'll probably have 1800 in larger towns but I might not count on it in the countryside.

[MATHA531]

Is the phone for roaming with your US carrier or is it for buying a local sim...chances are if it's the former, they will be able to find a network to roam on however if you buy a local sim, and I have seen people get burned very badly by this, you have to be aware what frequency the local sims predominate on...I read of somebody who had such a 900 deficient phone for use in Croatia who bought a Croatian prepaid sim and when it didn't work, she was told by know nothings that was because the phone was locked (it wasn't) it simply was unable to register on a network that used 900 almost exclusively in Croatia.

Such are the problems we Americans face because of the American refusal (albeit perhaps logically so) to standardize on the same technologies and frequencies as most of the rest of the world.

And to further complicate matters for us, T Mobile which once upon a time used to sell tri bands with 900/1800/1900 as it is an international carrier and uses only 1900 in the USA, now sells its tri bands as 850/1800/1900 as it has several roaming partners in the USA who use 850...and not only that, especially in the case of nokias, you have no way of knowing you're getting these phones as Nokia uses the same model number for the real world phones it makes and the ones it is forced to adapt to American networks (except for the letter b at the end of the model which many sellers don't tell you about either deliberately or because they don't know).

[snaimon]

Ziggy:

I think the first question should be: Why do you want a Sony Ericsson K790a? THEN I would ask: Is it going to be NEW or USED? If NEW, what carrier? When are you going and can you have it UNLOCKED in time?

Seems to be a RISK if you want to use this first and foremost for overseas. I would agree that you are better off with 900 coverage in Europe so -- AGAIN -- why the Sony Ericsson K790a?

IF the phone primarily is for US use, then why not a SECOND inexpensive 900 phone for Europe instead of the Sony Ericsson K790a?

Stan

[Effendi]

It's much better if you get a GSM 900/1800 capable handset if you go to Bulgaria. It would be different for Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, UK... all countries with 1800-only operators, but not Bulgaria and Eastern Europe in general...

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by Effendi

It's much better if you get a GSM 900/1800 capable handset if you go to Bulgaria. It would be different for Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, UK... all countries with 1800-only operators, but not Bulgaria and Eastern Europe in general...

Moreover, if the specific network is 900/1800 but its "preferred band" is 900, then the 1800-without-900 handset may not work at all. Generally speaking, no-900 handsets are of limited usability :whistle:

[petar258]

Originally Posted by ziggy777

I am thinking about getting a Sony Ericsson K790a, which supports the GMS frequencies, 850/1800/1900 MHz. I am going to Bulgaria and am wondering if the 1800 frequency will give me enough coverage. I read that the 900 MHz is the best in Europe, so I am unsure what to do.

In Bulgaria 900 mhz works in all teritory, 1800 mhz works in big cities outside of buildings, and 3G works in most big cities. Quality of coverage in 3G is not so good and in some buildings you can not use it. 1800 mhz and 3G works together with 900 mhz. 3G for now works only in network of Mobiltel(Mtel, 284-01). All tree operators in Bulgaria(Mobiltel, Globul, Vivatel) used 900 and 1800 mhz, but coverage of 1800 mhz is not same for all operators. You can use 3G, or GPRS and EDGE.
Generally dont count for coverage on 1800 mhz, because it is only for addition of 900 mhz.
And if you are with new, fashion, expensive phone, keep it close to you because some people can steal it from you. One of ways for stealing is from baggage in airport.