Mobile phone suggestions please?

Santa · Guru

Mobile phone suggestions please?

Phil C · Guru

Gday santa, unfortunately there are not many "dumb" phones, that just make phone calls available any more. Most of them have cameras, video etc so just a phone may not exist.

Have a look on the major carriers websites and see what is on offer for low end phones (not smart phones). Maybe a prepaid would suit you.

Telstra is the only company with decent 4G coverage if you are on the road, unfortunately they know that, and charge the premium. In saying that the others are catching up.

Personally I would leave Vodaphone well alone, but Virgin seems to be giving them all a run for their money. Worth research anyway.

Cheers

Santa · Guru

Thanks Phil, your right, not much available in the type of thing I'm looking for, hence the cry for help.

We are and always have been with Telstra, see no reason to change. smile

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Santa, call into a Telstra Shop as they have a phone available for Seniors. Big numbers and easy to operate. I don't think it comes up on the web pages though.

I will add here though that I have a iPhone and find it the best and easiest phone I have had since my big brick days.

Happy Daze · Senior Member

Hi Santa, we've just bought a Samsung GT-C35201 mobile phone as a second phone, it's a flip model and fits easily in a pocket. I also have my main mobile with Testra and I also use an iPad. The Samsung we use with an Amaysim Sim Card as the calls are very inexpensive (I believe Amysim uses the Optus Network) so it's great for day to day use and has quite a few goodies. An alarm, camera, radio, Bluetooth, can take a memory card etc. Our son has had one of these phones for quite a while now and is happy with it's performance. I had trouble accessing one through Dick Smith (although I'm told by staff they do stock them) and a few other stores, so eventually I ordered one on line, and with the cost of delivery included it was just over $100. Nice big buttons and easy to use, so it sounds like the type of mobile phone you're after. All the best.........

Annie

Middo · Veteran Member

I have a Telstra easy touch phone. Good for 4g and is a blue tick one. Also has a port at the back to connect an aerial into. Supposed to be good for seniors to.
Pete

PeterD · Guru

If you travel to the more remote places I recommend you get a blue tick model. If you are not wanting a smart phone or connect the phone as a wireless modem I suggest that 4G is not important.

Santa · Guru

Thanks for the replies people, all grist for the mill. smile

hako · Guru

Just be aware that not all mobiles will work on 3G or 4G - six months ago I bought a Samsung C3520 flip phone from Dick Smiths only to discover it only works on 2G which means once away from most towns you have no reception.
Good Luck.

Baz421 · Guru

Hi Santa

Look here - we have had very reliable Samsung flip phones for years, some over 10 years easy.

http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/samsung-c3520-flip-outright-mobile-phone-charcoal-brsamc3520

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SCH-R270ZKAXAR

I used this one below for about 8 years (my wile has older version still) till I filled it with dirt / bushfire ash etc when I was with Blazaid earlier this year

http://www.samsung.com/au/support/model/GT-C5220LKATEL

Can't go wrong IMHO (famous last words) but get 4G phone. C5220 (above link) has external antenna jack VERY HANDY

deverall11 · Guru

Samsung Prime Core. $169 buy outright from Optus or $249 from Allphones

Bruce and Bev · Guru

use Telstra if you intend to travel out of the main housing/business areas which is usually around the coast the lower coastal areas.

Virgin use Optus - and it still has many reception black spots even in capital cities.

There are 2 types of Telstra shops. One is the standard ones you will find in most shopping malls staffed by kids and the other are called Country Shops. Country shops are also dotted all through capital cities and are represented in all country towns and cities.

Telstra Country shops have staff who should be better trained to advise and they also stock the type of phones that are 4-5G, have patches to attach an external aerial (either a large 3m one for the roo bar or a small one with a magnetic base (which wont stick to the outside of your caravan because its aluminium or fiberglass).

I have a Telstra BOB phone. It is water resistant (you can drop it into a puddle), large keypad, its a smart phone, but is not complicated and looks like an old style phone. We bought the phone, a 2m roo bar aerial, and the holder for the phone so when moving, your phone is being charged by your vehicle. We then just buy pre-paid credit from Telstra. We also have 2 Samsung Galaxy 6 phones on contract with Virgin. We use then in the cities where we can get reception so we're not wasting the monthly fee we have to pay them. Our contracts are nearly expired and we wont be renewing them. We need 2 phones, so will just buy pre-paid credit from Telstra for one of the Galaxies so we get good reception on both phones in the country and remote areas

ballast2 · Guru

G'day. go the Telstra blue tick. they have some of the things you do not need. Depending weather you buy a plan or go prepaid you will not be charged for what you do not use. Agree that you do not get your phone from the young yuppie at most Telstra shops in larger shopping centres. Mine is a Telstra Tough 3. water proof and shock resistant and works where some yuppie phones won't. Not employed with Telstra just a happy traveller.
Cheers

Snail · Senior Member

Hi Santa,

I have 2 phones, an IPhone from work and a personal phone I found at Aldi, paid $15.00 for it. It does not have a camera, it just makes phone calls. I have had it for over a year and it is still going strong. My local Aldi still has them, Wellington Village in Vic.

Snail

Santa · Guru

Thanks again for the replies folks, heading for the smoke next week, will do some shopping with your suggestions in mind. smile

Hydeeeho · Senior Member

Harvey Norman have a phone advertised right now for $10 yes $10 that makes calls and nothing else, a good buy

Kev Pearce · Senior Member

Telstra does have beaut big finger pad phones ideal for seniors; BUT when I went to get one found (or was told at the shop) they are not Bluetooth compatible. I decided that was not ideal for travelling in western Queensland where in the past have been unable to obtain mobile phone coverage.

Bevandy2 · Senior Member

Mine is a Telstra prepaid. The old one died in Ballarat a couple of years ago, I walked into Telstra shop, the kind fella checked the dead one, and sold me a cheap prepaid for 50 bucks. He even changed the SIM card over for me, and ten minutes later I walked out with a phone that works real good without all the bells and whistles which I don't need.

It has good coverage and is just a basic phone. We can manage without coverage on the rare occasions we find ourselves in that situation.

Bevan

Santa · Guru

What a saga! seems I have wasted every-bodies time, the broken phone has been sitting on a bench in pieces since my OP in this thread, time to head to Adelaide to purchase a new one, so assemble old faithful, as a matter of interest plugged the charger in and darned if it don't light up, stick the SIM in, I have a working phone biggrin

That was about a week ago, hasn't missed a beat since, still don't trust it, however while it's working I'm happy, heading to Thailand in a couple of weeks, perhaps I will replace it while I'm up there.

Thanks again to all who have taken the time to reply. smile