cell phone - 850 mhz? (coverage, AT&T, buy, work)

[jess1803]

looking for new cell phones and found one with a disclaimer of will not work on 850 mhz. i have att and dont know what 850 mhz means. can i buy the phone?

[pcity]

I wouldn't buy it.

AT&T uses the 850 MHz spectrum in many areas. There's too much of a chance you won't get coverage.

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by jess1803

looking for new cell phones and found one with a disclaimer of will not work on 850 mhz. i have att and dont know what 850 mhz means. can i buy the phone?

In some cases and in some locations the phone could work. However, it needs to at least work on 1900 MHz, and if it doesn't say it, it could be a foreign 900/1800 MHz model, which won't work in the US at all.

If you can determine that it does work at 1900 MHz, consult This Map to see if you will be using it in a market where AT&T uses 1900 MHz. Even then, you'll be treadinig on thin ice as AT&T does not have complete 1900 MHz coverage in markets where they have both frequencies.

Contributors to other cellular forums never come back to say, "It works...you were wrong," therefore I will assume they slink sheepishly away and eventually buy a phone with 850 MHz capability.

[gvillager]

Originally Posted by pcity

I wouldn't buy it.

AT&T uses the 850 MHz spectrum in many areas. There's too much of a chance you won't get coverage.

I second this. You need a phone that has 850 MHz.