OT will aussie spec mobile work in UK?

Seen a new mobile at good price on eBay.aus of all places. Even allowing for shipping it's still tempting but will it work ok here? It appears to have a slightly different manufacturer code.

Are bands/standards/etc pretty standard around the world these days? Or is this a minefield I would be best avoiding?

TIA

Jim K

Reply to
Jim K
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To good to be true, ebay, mobile phone, walk away...

I don't think the technical stuff (bands, codecs etc) would be aproblem between the Oz and UK markets, different story if it was the US. The minefield is locked to an Oz network, marked as "stolen" and thus possibly blocked, etc.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

er... bought my last 3 phones off ebay mostly new - no problems whatsoever YMMV

true enough but it's for sale from 99% fb Aus. business, new, boxed, unlocked to any net.... approx 1/2 UK price...

Jim K

Reply to
Jim K

Are we talking about GSM here or UMTS (3G)?

Reply to
Andrew May

er both?

"GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) CDMA 800/1900 WCDMA (UMTS)/HSPA 900/2100"

Jim K

Reply to
Jim K

I know that a Uk-spec GSM phone worked fine in Australia, but that was a long time ago. I'd imagine it would be fine, though.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

My UK-sourced Samsung Galaxy S3 worked in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year...

Reply to
F

mmm tempting - spose only other gotcha is potential for import duty - anyone know how to calc? phone is AUS$100 + AUS25 shipping

Cheers Jim K

Reply to
Jim K

That ought to work pretty much anywhere then... so long as its unlocked. Given its Aus the language barrier ought not be too much of a problem ;-) You may find it has subtly different firmware from a UK spec one - however you can always reflash it (google "Wootan server").

FWIW, I have bought a few low end phones on ebay without any problem. I would be less likely to risk going for the latest high end kit if the price seems unexpectedly cheap though.

Reply to
John Rumm

Most of the stuff we ever buy from abroad is only subject to VAT at standard rate. And then only if the cost to us was over £15. However, once the cost is over £15, then the VAT is levied on the sum of the cost and P&P. You will also end up paying £8 or more to the organisation (e.g. P.O.) that does the HMRC clearance process.

Have a look at HMRC site.

Reply to
polygonum

"Unlock, you bastard" button.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

Mine was ordered from a website that I thought was UK, came from Hong Kong and had been intended for the German market. Apart from bookmarks for some German websites that I've not been able to delete you wouldn't know. (Didn't have to pay duty on it either.)

Reply to
Peter Johnson

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