Thread: Telstra CDMA to Next G - free phones

I just got a next G phone as they gave me a GPS street navigation system.

Geez they must be desperate to kick us off the CDMA network!

The people who signed up on contracts for the earlier phones of their own choice must be unimpressed right about now. I know my brother is. He has done nothing but complain about his NextG Motorola since switching from his Nokia 6385 CDMA and here are people getting better ones for free or fancy free gifts.

Originally Posted by Utemad

That's pretty good Reads. They advertise that they will cancel any phone contracts without penalty and write off any money owing on your CDMA phone (so they should since they are cancelling it). But to wipe an entire phone bill is pretty damn good

It's interesting that they are giving away free Nokias. They must be one of the most expensive NextG phones on the list. Your bill would justify such a phone mind you. However I am on a $30 business plan and rarely go over. Maybe they justified my phone on the total business bill?

Well i signed up as soon as the cancelled my bill balance.

But i have a company phone so i don't use my phone that much. The bill was for 2 months and from my last job where the company did pay the phone and i used it for work. But since i changed job i don't use it any more really. Just to recive calls as i make calls on the work mobile

Originally Posted by RonMcGr

I'm waiting for a car kit to be handed out.
My current CDMA has a car kit (Kyocera), would be nice to have another.

Like wise here. They ring every other day and I say I am waiting to see what the others offer.

cheers

Well we tested CDMA phones from Telstra and they were crap, living in Helensburgh we need CDMA, as GSM don't work at the house (well it does at the top of the driveway)

Will be interesting to see if the Nokia phones are any better.

Keep us informed utemad

Baz.

I'm still hanging onto my ageing cdma phone.

I love the nokia, but there isn't any form of car kit for it yet, which is a problem. If you use phones in remoter areas the external aerial makes a HUUUGGGEEE difference.

I'm currently looking at moving to WCDMA (Next G in Telstra-speak or 3.5G) and my research on the phones available at present indicates that the Nokia 6120 is the best of the bunch right now.

Users on the Whirlpool forum (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-threads.cfm?f=123) report good service in rural areas without a car kit. The phone doesn't have an external antenna connector and Nokia have no plans to release a car cradle with a passively coupled antenna for direct connection from the cradle to an external antenna. However Force Technology are about to, or have just released, such a cradle which should be very useful (details at http://www.forcetechnology.com.au/pr...rtno=RC-CR6120, picture at http://www.forcetechnology.com.au/im.../RC-CR6120.jpg) It works with the Nokia CK7W Bluetooth car kit.

The 6120 has the ability to have other applications installed so you can purchase a Bluetooth connected GPS receiver and install navigation software for example.

The 6120 is dual mode WCDMA / GSM and if it can't find a 3.5G network (850MHz / 2100MHz) it will apparently fall back to GSM mode (900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz). It appears to be possible to tell it which mode to use through the menu system as well.


I currently have a Nokia 6310i (GSM) and a Nokia 6385 (CDMA) with a car kit (which fits both) and an RFI dual band (800 / 900 MHz) whip on my bull bar, and I'm quite keen to retain the usefulness of the RFI antenna - the 6120 with Force cradle and CK7W car kit looks like a good solution. Both services are with Telstra, btw.

I'd be keen to see some feedback on how you all find the 6120 to use as a phone. Whilst the Whirlpool forums are interesting, they tend to be populated by, shall we say, geeks who find the accessory features more important that the phone-type features. Even on the Nokia web-site, looking at the phone specs, only a small portion of the info is devoted to how the phone works as a phone, and much is made of the camera, the second camera, and the other bits which I see essentially as toys (cute toys, though).

The only other point to consider is that Nokia are about to launch another model phone with WCDMA / GSM functionality - the e51. When (or even if) Telstra will be making this phone available is a whole new question. It has almost all the functions of the 6120 (except the front mounted 2nd camera for video calls) but may have some added functionality in terms of contacts and office applications and has WiFi. Whether it will have a car cradle (from Nokia or Force) or not I do not know.

6120 features / specs can be found at http://www.forum.nokia.com/devices/6120_classic

e51 features / specs can be found at http://www.forum.nokia.com/devices/E51

Great post Graham.

I'm going to Fraser in early December, and I'll use my CDMA phone then with the antenna. I'll look when I return.

The antenna was great on our trip. You had signal up to 45 minutes before you hit town... great for booking accomodation.