Cheap 3G unlocked mobile phone?

bobsi18 on 02/02/2011 - 19:34

Hey all,
Looking for a super cheap (hoping for something at the $40-$50 price range) mobile phone - doesn't need to be able to do anything but call and sms.

My sister has had a heap of bad luck with phones - first was stolen, second was lost, third went through the wash. She's still got 1 year left on her contract with 3, and so needs a phone that will work on 3 to continue… There's plenty of cheap mobiles out there, but all appear to be GSM. It needs to either be unlocked, or locked to 3 (which seems to be impossible these days, with the merge stores such as DSE are no longer selling '3' mobile phones).

I have already seen the 2 prepaid mobiles locked to 3 that DSE is selling on their website - went instore, and they told me that no, no one has stock of them anymore.

Any suggestions?

Find Me A Bargain

Comments

  • ESEMCE on 03/02/2011 - 08:42

    Have you checked if Vodafone locked devices reject a 3 sim or not?
    There was a Nokia E63 here yesterday for $1

    The other option is used, almost without doubt you'll know people that have old 3G phones that still work OK..

    • bobsi18 on 03/02/2011 - 10:26

      According to the guy I spoke to at DSE (and he seemed to know what he was talking about - said his mate worked at the 3 store), no, you can't put a 3 sim in a Vodafone phone. I did ask at 3 about changing my sister over to a Vodafone plan, and they said it wasn't recommended, due to where she lives.

      Unfortunately there are no old 3g phones lying around - plenty of GSM ones, but we've exhausted our supply of 3g ones! Am keeping an eye on ebay, hopefully something comes up.

      • ESEMCE on 03/02/2011 - 13:17

        "wasn’t recommended, due to where she lives."
        Don't 3 and Voda now share networks?
        Or is it just 3 that has expanded to use Voda's network?

        • Deebs on 03/02/2011 - 14:01

          nahh mate while 3 and vodafone are currently the same company but they can't interchange their sim cards as each company has different satellites which the sim cards are connected to. Meaning if for instance you have a vodafone phone you can use a just prepaid sim as they are a sub company and use the same satellites but for 3 and vodafone you can't.

        • bobsi18 on 03/02/2011 - 14:41

          To be honest, I'm not really sure what the merge means (didn't even know about it till I went in to try and sort this out, I'm with Telstra) - presumably no, they don't share networks, they're just the same company…

  • Deebs on 03/02/2011 - 16:21

    Yeah I'm pretty lost on what changed when they merged too. They still offer the exact services they used to pretty much, didn't see much change except for the free voda to 3 and vice versa that and theres a vodafone ad on the 3 site. Another thing is that 3 has the desire hd cheap per month than vodafone which is pretty strange since they're are the same company.

  • POWERevolution on 03/02/2011 - 18:27
    +1

    Want my unwanted gift Nokia 2730 brand new & sealed locked with 3 for $75 w express postage?

    • bobsi18 on 04/02/2011 - 08:58

      No thanks, really looking at the $30-$40 price range, chances are it's just going to get lost again…

    • twodollah on 09/02/2011 - 02:51

      This handset is sold outright with 3 for $69 now, but no stores have them in stock.

    • bobsi18 on 09/02/2011 - 12:19

      Brilliant, I missed those. Have passed them onto my sister :)

  • twodollah on 09/02/2011 - 02:51

    Vodafone and 3 hutchinson have merged to be one company on the stock exchange etc. But on the operations front it's almost two completely seperate brands, handsets are locked to their respective networks and networks aren't shared apart from 3 being able to use Vodafone's 2.5G network in preference of roaming onto Telstra.

  • bobsi18 on 11/02/2011 - 08:50

    My sister's managed to pick one up off ebay, thanks for the help all.

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