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Looking at the answers here, why is it so hard to get a cheap phone in the US? Last week in Europe I got an unlocked Nokia 105 Dual Sim for $12. It's the dumbe
by TheChaplain 8y ago
Looking at the answers here, why is it so hard to get a cheap phone in the US?
Last week in Europe I got an unlocked Nokia 105 Dual Sim for $12. It's the dumbest phone but with 30(!) days stand-by time on a single charge.
edit: added "unlocked"
- fyfy18 8y agoI believe US carriers have began to shutdown their 2G network, so 3G is a requirement. Most of these dumb phones only have 2G hardware though. I’m not sure why the EU hasn’t done the same though.
- tinus_hn 8y agoThere's a lot of IoT devices using the 2G network. I've seen providers announcing they are going to shut down the 3G network and keeping 2G.
- AnssiH 8y agoThere are way too many M2M users of 2G to close it down, at least in the Nordics. E.g. electricity meters in Finland commonly use GPRS. 3G will probably be closed before 2G.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- TomMarius 8y agoThe 3G network will be discontinued soon in the Czech Republic, but 2G stays because of IoT, car and home alarms, coverage of remote areas etc.
- vertex-four 8y agoBecause since the cost of a phone has traditionally bundled into your contract, and prepaid plans just aren't a thing, even the most expensive phones look "cheap" month-on-month - so nearly everyone with just a little disposable income has a flagship Android phone or an iPhone because they can mostly afford it. Americans think of things as costing a certain amount of their budget per month, rather than pricing their total costs, due in part to the relatively easy (and normalised) accessibility of credit.
- stuaxo 8y agoTrue, but in the UK, last time I wanted something like this I was able to get one new for £7(!) on a month-by-month contract (e.g. - you can stop paying at any time).