Phone question

Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
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Ok I just brought back a LG VX8300 flip phone from the US (my mom's old phone). It does not appear to have a sim card slot. It is still possible to use it here with claro? I know it has to be unlocked.
Thanks

Bob K
 

ray718

New member
May 28, 2010
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48
you should not have a problem connecting the phone. just look around a you'll dominicans with nextel, tmobile, sprint, and verizon phones. none of these companies are in d.r.-sim or no sim card its not a problem
 

DRExplorer

New member
Jan 1, 2007
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What? I was given the impression that it has to be a Quadband cellphone in order to work in DR.
I have a quadband cellphone from Sony and it works in DR, just get a local SIM card.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,747
1,343
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A little history...

What? I was given the impression that it has to be a Quadband cellphone in order to work in DR.
I have a quadband cellphone from Sony and it works in DR, just get a local SIM card.

Claro formerly Verizon Dominicana and going way back, Codetel runs on both CDMA and GSM networks currently. They used to be only CDMA, and are now phasing out new activations on CDMA.

It depends on where ya' go, & who you know @ the phone store you can still use CDMA phones on Claro. MOST Claro activations, not all are GSM now, ya' know the kind with a SIM card!
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Your phone is CDMA and its already suitable for DR frequencies (I have checked the specs). Claro does cater to CDMA phones but they rather have you convert to GSM network. Tricom does CDMA too and gives out lots of free minutes if you activate with them but too bad, you won't be able to enjoy the free minutes as their service sucks. You would be lucky to make or receive a call from their lines. Hahahaha
So you can activate it through CLARO and use only the CDMA system. I think "Viva" also uses CDMA system but I am not too sure at the moment.
The phone could be unlocked for around 300 pesos and programmed for the claro company by an authorized dealer (private store).
I hope this answers your question.
AZB
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
Ok I just brought back a LG VX8300 flip phone from the US (my mom's old phone). It does not appear to have a sim card slot. It is still possible to use it here with claro? I know it has to be unlocked.
Thanks

Bob K

What part of the DR are you in?
 

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
1,952
288
83
Go to Plaza Colonial ( Sosua) the cell phone guru will be able to help. His shop is on the first floor in the back, can't remember store name. Good luck.
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,898
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My experience with CDMA phones and Claro...

was that they indicated they are no longer activating CDMA phones, are slowly phasing out the ones they have on their network, and I was directed to VIVA. Don't know where you are, but I think it matters little as VIVA does not have the coverage area of Claro.

Orange is strictly GSM (think Sim chip). Not sure about Tricom (used to be CDMA), but I had such bad experiences with their service, or lack thereof, and coverage area, that I could not/would not recommend them.

GSM now seems to be the favored network in the DR, but that could change if Apple does start making a CDMA Iphone for Verizon (rumor has it that the CDMA Iphone for Verizon will be out in late January 2011 and that 50% of GSM Iphone customers at ATT/Tmobile could defect to Verizon (Verizon has far better coverage).

Unless and until that happens, the most popular phones these days, at least the dealers in the DR I ship phones to, continue to be the any versions of the Iphone and the Blackberry's.

For the foreseeable future, I will echo what has been said many times here before. Buy a quad band GSM phone and gift/sell the CDMA ones.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2




Ok I just brought back a LG VX8300 flip phone from the US (my mom's old phone). It does not appear to have a sim card slot. It is still possible to use it here with claro? I know it has to be unlocked.
Thanks

Bob K
 

augustus

New member
Dec 19, 2007
363
53
0
I had a Verizon and Claro phone and had difficulty getting a call through to USA or DR, when there and had to use my US-At&t iPhone ( Viva ) to get through.

So which has the best air connection ?
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,898
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Update on Apple/Verizon Iphone

The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Apple will begin selling a CDMA version of the Iphone by year end.

As I posted earlier, studies show about 50% of the current GSM iphone users in the US could defect to Verizon.

This could have multiple effects on the DR. The first being there may be lots of used GSM iphones coming into the country.

The second might be for Claro to rethink their phase out of CDMA, but this announcement may also help revive the prospects of CDMA at those smaller companies in the DR still using/offering it.

Normally a new phone would not generate this kind of optimism, but Apple is intent on keeping control of the Smartphone market, even in CDMA....and they currently have the innovative edge on the other companies in this space.



Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
5,823
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AT&T Has better coverage than Verizon (Claro) in a lot of places in The DR as they are aligned with Orange. It really depends on where you will be. In larger cities it typically doesn't matter as all of them have good service, but in smaller cities Orange does better in my experience.

Playa: The I-phone used to be the best, but not anymore as Android based phones have now surpassed it. You should see my new Evo...it is absolutely awesome.
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,898
2,226
113
AT&T Has better coverage than Verizon (Claro) in a lot of places in The DR as they are aligned with Orange. It really depends on where you will be. In larger cities it typically doesn't matter as all of them have good service, but in smaller cities Orange does better in my experience.

Playa: The I-phone used to be the best, but not anymore as Android based phones have now surpassed it. You should see my new Evo...it is absolutely awesome.


I have a few friends who have switched to the DROID just to see for themselves if it merits a sea change in Smartphones/Smartphones technology. They have all had Iphones/Blackberry's etc. before, so I will await their personal reviews.

The dealers who I ship phones to in the DR currently favor the Iphones over Blackberry's. Whether the DROID muscles its way into the DR is still an unanswered question.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
5,823
290
0
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I have a few friends who have switched to the DROID just to see for themselves if it merits a sea change in Smartphones/Smartphones technology. They have all had Iphones/Blackberry's etc. before, so I will await their personal reviews.

The dealers who I ship phones to in the DR currently favor the Iphones over Blackberry's. Whether the DROID muscles its way into the DR is still an unanswered question.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Well it's a matter of personal preferences I guess, but I've had the gamut from old Nokias (probably best regular phones I've had) to I-phone and have also been on all three main networks. Currently my preference is Android based phones and I recently switched to Sprint from Verizon, because Verizon doesn't have good service around where I live and they are way more expensive than Sprint. Not to mention once Sprint has 4G fully deployed it will be 10 times faster than current 3g.

In terms of functionality both Android and I-phones can pretty much do the same, but a lot of Android phones nowadays are equipped with far more cool things than the I-phone and are usually cheaper. I also like the fact that Android is relatively open source so you get a ton of developers creating cool stuff for it and helping you figure out how to do some really cool things with your phone (i.e. use a mouse with your phone).

Android is gaining market share like crazy in The US. Apple hasn't lost much yet and they probably will remain at about the same for a while, unless they can come up with something really awesome that will trump Android. The big loser of course is Windows based phones (my last one was). Microsoft had their opportunity and missed the boat big time on this. They are going to have to come up with a game changer to gain some of that market share back.

When it comes to The DR if you're not going to use the data plans I think your bet bet is just buy a cheapo Alcatel from Orange.