Why Are International Phones Cheaper
Given the policies of the various telecommunications service providers, it is barely possible to integrate an international phone with the local networks. And what exactly do they mean when they say international phones? In simple terms, international phones refer to the type of devices that were not made for use in the US market.
Some, however, do work with a few of the compatible networks, and that is the reason why before purchasing any of the international phones, one must ensure that they are compatible with the network that they intend to use them on. The above then brings us to the next question, why are international phones cheaper?
International phones are cheap because they have been brought in from a different market that operates with a different price point.
Pros of using international phones
International phones unlike the regular phones attract a small bill, users will, therefore, pay way less for the incoming texts and calls. For example receiving texts messages on your international phone is relatively free, and sending will cost about 20 cents, but try that with a regular phone and you will be slapped with a four-figure cell phone bill.
The phones normally come incorporated with either the GSM or dual-band technology, which then means that you can take the phone to any corner of the world and you will still be able to communicate with your loved ones. And just so that you know how important it is to have an international phone is that there are companies specifically set up to sell, or rent the global prepaid cell phones.
Cons of investing in the international phones
Before placing and paying for an international phone in one of the e-commerce stores, ensure that the country from where you are importing from does not have any restrictions especially from the government. For example, unlocked phones from the Middle East don’t come equipped with the face time feature, thanks to the government restrictions, the above then means that even if you bring the phone to your country the face time feature will still not work.
There might also be disparities as regards the frequencies, which will make the phone useless as soon as it arrives. For the above, you must check the carrier that the phone supports. And since you will be buying online, you will also want to verify the e-commerce store to be sure that you are not getting duped; in the sense that they might send you a knock off or a refurbished phone at the price of a new one.
Care should also be taken to avoid ending up with a locked or stolen phone; the international phone users must also know that they won’t be getting the region-specific applications or the updates on their devices.
Best international phones
Most people would go for the international phones when they want to tour the world because apart from retailing rather cheaply they also offer cheap services. Other features that make the international phones more attractive are the battery and storage capacity.
And while resistance to water might be top on the list for your international phone, it would be a surprise to find one, given that we are also working with a budget that would probably exclude some of the best functional features. So, as you plan to travel the world below is a list of some of the smartphones that have a good battery capacity that will keep you connected for at least 15 hours up to the next charge.
Model |
Features |
Price |
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 |
Battery capacity 3000mAh offers up to 22h talk time on 3G and 64 hours music play |
|
Motorola G Power |
Battery capacity 5000mAh, Internal memory 64GB, |
|
BlackBerry Classic
|
Talk time 11h 40 minutes 2G and 17h 10min 3G, battery capacity 2515 |
|
Kyocera Brigadier
|
Battery capacity 3100mAh, Talk time up to 26hours, and standby up to 370hours |
Conclusion
When opting for international phones it really doesn’t make any financial sense to get a unit that performs half the functions of the standard smartphone. The idea, therefore, is to get a device that offers at least the basic features, such as a high battery capacity, is robust
FAQ’s
- Which country sells the cheapest phones?
Japan leads in selling the cheapest phones, followed by Australia then South Korea.
- Can I use the international phones in the US?
Most of the international phones use the GSM technology, and in the US some carriers use either GSM or CDMA or both, thus the international will work on one of the networks.