GSM Frequencies
Before you take your mobile phone abroad with you, you must make sure that it will work in the countries you are planning to visit.
GSM is the digital standard network frequencies used by network operators. There are four major frequencies used across the world: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz. Operators in the UK use either 900 MHz, 1800 MHz or a combination of the two. For example, Orange and T-Mobile work on GSM 1800, whilst O2 and Vodafone work on both GSM 900 and 1800.
In fact, most countries across the world work on 900/1800 MHz. However, the Americas use 850 MHz and 1900 MHz.
Dual Band phones are designed to work on two frequencies; in the UK, these will be 900/1800 MHz. Tri-band phones will work on three frequencies, and tri-band phones in Europe will be set to work at 900/1800/1900 MHz, which means that they can be used in the Americas. A few countries use a frequency of 850 MHz, in which case you will need to use a quad-band phone, capable of working across all frequencies.
The following table illustrates the type of phone that you will need to take if you are travelling abroad:
| Band | Country |
|---|---|
| Dual Band 900/1800 MHz |
* Africa * Asia (exc. Japan and S. Korea) * Australasia * Cuba * Europe * Greenland * Venezuela |
| Tri-Band or 900/1800/1900 MHz |
All countries covered by Dual-Band PLUS * Canada * Caribbean (exc. those in Quad-Band List) * Central America (exc. those in Quad-Band List) * South America (exc. those in Quad-Band List) * United States |
| Quad-Band or 850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
All countries covered by Tri-Band PLUS * Anguilla * Ecuador * Montserrat * Panama * St. Kitts and Nevis * Turks and Caicos Islands |
| W-CDMA (Non GSM) | Japan |
| CDMA (Non-GSM) | South Korea |
Although your network may have a roaming agreement with Japan and South Korea, both these countries use W-CDMA or CDMA technology, which is not compatible with GSM. Handsets are usually available to rent at the airport when you arrive, which you may be able to use with your SIM card. Check with your network provider before you travel.
