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GSM world phones
Kent German
Senior editor August 2, 2010
If your travel plans involve frequent stamps on your passport, you'll need a world phone for keeping in touch around the globe. With a much bigger footprint than CDMA, GSM (think AT&T and T-Mobile) technology will be your best bet. Also, keep in mind that your handset should support the 900 and 1,800 GSM bands to work outside of North America. Quad-band phones, which have support for all four GSM bands, are the most ideal since they'll get you service both at home and abroad. We're happy to offer a list of some of our favorite world phones, but we also invite you to check out CNET's quick guide to world phones. There you will find all the information you'll need for taking your phone on a trip.
To help pass the time on long plane flights, a handset with an MP3 player can be a great diversion. The Apple iPhone 4 is a quad-band GSM phone that you can use for making calls, and playing music and videos, plus it has GPS. If you're partial to Android, T-Mobile's new Samsung Vibrant offers both calling and multimedia features in a snazzy design. For an unlocked device, you can pick up the Duet D888. Not only can you use it with any GSM carrier, but it also has two SIM card slots so you'll be able to use two carriers at once.
If you're a Verizon or Sprint customer, however, you're not out of luck. The Verizon Wireless Escapade is one of the most affordable world phones available for less than $30. It is a dual-mode CDMA/GSM (quad-band) phone that will work on the Verizon Wireless network in the U.S. and switch over to the included SIM chip when abroad. The same is true with the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650, and you can unlock the GSM portion of the phone so you can use it with any carrier. Sprint has a similar deal with the HTC Touch Pro2. It's one of the better Sprint smartphones and you can take it anywhere.
| Product name | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $514.51 | $239.18 | Check Prices | $109.99 to $154.95 | $399.99 |
| CNET editors' rating | |||||
| Average user rating | |||||
| Release date | July 21, 2010 | July 21, 2009 | |||
| The Bottom Line | With the iPhone 4, Apple again shows that it is a powerful player in the smartphone wars. It won't be for everyone, the call quality and reception vary if you don't use a case, and AT&T's network remains a sticking point, but the handset's striking design, loaded feature set, and generally agreeable performance make it the best iPhone yet. | Sleek and fast, the Samsung Vibrant is one of T-Mobile's top smartphones for entertainment, but its feature set takes a toll on the battery life. | The Verizon Wireless Escapade is ideal for globe-trotting Verizon customers who just want a simple camera phone. | Verizon customers looking for a messaging smartphone with world roaming capabilities have a solid choice in the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9650. | Despite the jaw-dropping price tag, the HTC Touch Pro2 is a powerful smartphone that delivers in performance and features to make it one of the best devices for Sprint's business customers. |
| Features | |||||
| Cellular technology | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | CDMA | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | CDMA2000 1X |
| Weight | 4.8 oz | 4.2 oz | 0.2 lbs | 4.8 oz | 6.3 oz |
| Talk time | Up to 840 min (2G) Up to 420 min (3G) | Up to 390 min | Up to 226 min | Up to 300 min | Info unavailable |
| Wireless Interface | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth 3.0 IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
| Service Provider | AT&T | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless | Verizon Wireless | Sprint Nextel |
| Band / mode | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800/850/1800/1900 (Quadband) | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
| Buying choices | |||||
