Cheap "Dumb Phone" with Only 3G or Small Screen?

Anyone know of any good deals on a cheap dumb phone? Something too slow or without the screen for social media.

I want a phone I can take to work that I can just call/text from if needed.

Comments

  • +3

    Sometimes worth checking in store if you're going past Coles or Woolies, quite a few times I've seen a $20 phone on clearance that they just try to get rid of.

    • Cheers, will do :)

    • +1

      -this

      Phones on clearance cheap. Also every 2nd week they coles/woolworths have phones in catalogue specials, 50% off regularly.
      Be sure to check if it is locked to network If locked to telstra, and your with another network, wiol probably cost $50 to unlock.

      Re "dumb phone" the ones with no screen, cost more than basic smart phone these days. Also, texting would be hard if phone has no screen at all, unless you buy used phone, 1 of the old models with small keyboard, old blackberry perhaps.

      Would be good to post a price range, for recommendations, you can get a phone for $20, but if your open to spending a bit more, your options open up considerably.

      For about $50 , you can get an samsung s3 mini or maybe s4 mini, in ebay auctions (used) . Being former flagships, the former top model, I would expect call quality and everything to be much better than a $20 clearance phone at coles.

      • Thanks for this.
        I suppose as cheap as possible. I have a Huawei mate 10 pro but I want a phone so useless that I don't want to use-but can if I need to in an emergency/contact partner about something important.
        Thought it might help me reduce my "screen hours", when good old self control fails.

        • +1

          Thought it might help me reduce my "screen hours", when good old self control fails.

          If you shall be having a seperate sim for this spare phone, then could get something without data (or very little data, and run it down at start of every month deliberately) . Then you a sim that can only text or call, and can't use FB or anything else cos the sim has zero data attached :).

          If you won't be getting new sim for this extra phone (if using existing sim and changing from 1 phone to other all time) then maybe the $20 option would be best, would be a peice of crap, so less enticing to use I guess. Maybe crack screen as an extra incentive not to use lol. Could get the most ugly phone you can find also, so you will feel embarrassed to pick it up and hold it .

          • @[Deactivated]: hahaa that's a pretty good idea, however, work has wifi which I use anyway :(

            • +1

              @clownfish: In that case, I would either get something ugly and crap from coles/woolies for $20…. or even better , an old blackberry bold, from ebay, so old that the OS probably has zero support, no FB app, just does calls and texts very well (has physical keyboard so great for texts).
              Or get an ancient phone like the original samsung galaxy , galaxy nexus, somthing that old will run soooo slow and most apps wont work on such an old phone.
              Something old asf, should run slower than the new $20 phone. Because the new crappy $20 phone, will still have modern apps, and the app will be optimized for the specs of that new $20 crappy phone, so might not be that slow. Something super old won't even run the apps. Especially the old blackberry bold era phones, but if texting is an issue, well the blackberries make it too easy to text.

              • +1

                @[Deactivated]: Thanks Chewybacca :)
                Texting isn't a problem, since everyone seems to use imessage or whatsapp now haha

    • Yep. I've been waiting for them to come on sale :)

  • +4

    I've got a Nokia 3110 as a backup emergency phone but the call quality on it is terrible I much preferred the Zte dum phone I used to have but lost unfortunately during a hike in the mountains.

    • +2

      Can confirm poor call quality (on a Telstra 4G SIM).

    • Can confirm, Nokia 3310 3G call quality is trash.

      My Nokia 8110 4G review is up.

      Spoiler: You can make calls on it and still be understood.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/433511

      Perhaps OP would like it?

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