Will this work outside of the usa??

[adamman41]

Will the droid work if i go traveling to other countries? Does it have a sim card?

 

[Headsong]

I'm guessing no. It's CDMA...but you have Int'l turned on with Verizon and you're good to go at .99 per minute. Texts are MUCH cheaper! And with broadband/wifi, email would be the cheap option.

 

[billd]

Provided you're traveling to a place that even has CDMA.

 

[adamman41]

cant some verizon phones work in europe though also in non CDMA areas and they switch to GSM? Will that not be the case for the droid? If it has a sim card doesnt it work on GSM? or does it not have a sim?

 

[billd]

I've never heard of a CDMA phone having a SIM card. CDMA phones also won't do GSM. It's an entirely different technology. They may be able to roam on other CDMA networks in other countries. That's not the same thing.

There's not much CDMA in Europe anyway. It's mostly in the Americas (especially North America) and some in Asia. If you do a lot of international travel, then you're probably better off with GSM, though there are different GSM variations (frequency ranges and the like) that can make it hard to move some GSM phones between certain countries even if the phone is not SIM-locked.

I suppose if there is a CDMA with a SIM card, it'd be in Europe. I vaguely remember hearing that some countries there had laws there requiring phone manufacturers to make it so that their phones could be switched between carriers but I could be remembering that wrong. It may be that countries with such laws simply don't have any CDMA.

If the Droid sells well, I wouldn't be too surprised to see a GSM version released.

 

[billd]

You cant be more wrong with your info. I own a Blackberry Storm ....it's a CDMA phone WITH a sim card. Used it over seas this past summer. The Tour also has a sim card along with the world edition...

The Blackberry Storm is available in a CDMA/GSM hybrid version. That means that it has both CDMA and GSM communications modules built into the same handset. I suspect that's what you have. I also suspect that the SIM card is only used on GSM networks. Most phones are not CDMA/GSM hybrids (because that tends to increase manufacturing costs).The ones that are would be handy for world travelers though.

What you have is probably more accurately described as a GSM phone that uses a SIM card and a CDMA phone that does not, both packaged within the same handset.

I haven't seen anything about the Droid being a hybrid, though details have been sketchy so far, and I may have missed something, so I suppose it's a possibility.

With some research, I found that there's a standard called R-UIM that is used with CDMA in China, India, Thailand and Japan. It provides similar capability to a SIM card except on CDMA, and it's apparently not used in the U.S. and so probably not seen in the phones sold here.

 

[billd]

With a little Googling, I found an article claiming that Motorola has apparently sent a GSM Droid/Sholes to the FCC for testing, on European frequencies. So Europe may not be waiting all that much longer than the U.S.

 

[billd]

Dude are you just posting to read your own words? I even had to reg. to this site due to the fact what you are saying is a bunch of poo...sorry..ALL Verizon phones are CDMA...that is what the network is.

You claimed there was no such thing as a CDMA phone that also have sim cards..

You're delusional. I never said that. I said I had never heard of a CDMA phone having a SIM card, and I still haven't. The hybrid Storm contains two phones in the same package. The SIM card is not part of the CDMA operation. It is a part of the GSM operation. Being in the same package does not make it a CDMA phone with a SIM card. The CDMA and the SIM card are not related to each other.

I also said that CDMA phones won't work on a GSM network. A hybrid phone is a GSM phone (as well as a CDMA phone), which is why it works on a GSM network. You've said nothing to refute that.

SIM cards need to be supported by the network. I'm pretty sure that Verizon's CDMA network does not support them.

Apparently your reading comprehension is as bad as your writing skills (very poor).

 

[celios]

With a little Googling, I found an article claiming that Motorola has apparently sent a GSM Droid/Sholes to the FCC for testing, on European frequencies. So Europe may not be waiting all that much longer than the U.S.

Yes, this very website reported a GSM version getting FCC approval a few weeks ago:

Motorola Sholes/Droid Headed To Europe? | Android Phone Fans

I can't imagine a phone as big as the Droid appears to be (it's certainly a big release for Motorola - this is their sink or swim moment) not being released outside the US.

Most likely CDMA version for the US first and then a GSM version (with bands for Europe) in the following months.

 

[randydandy]

Dude are you just posting to read your own words? I even had to reg. to this site due to the fact what you are saying is a bunch of poo...sorry..ALL Verizon phones are CDMA...that is what the network is. You claimed there was no such thing as a CDMA phone that also have sim cards..and there is
...not a hybrid...but radios.....some phones just have more than others.

And no..the Droid will only have a CDMA radio so it will not work over seas no matter what country you are in because OUR CDMA network runs a diffrent Frequency

This guy makes all VZW employees look like idiots. The BB Storm is a Global phone available from Verizon. The "Global Phones" are both CDMA and GSM. CDMA does not use a sim card (that's replaced by the ESN). Most CDMA phones will work in many countries that have CDMA carriers and have roaming agreements with VZW. Unfortunately, European countries do not meet those specifications therefore requiring a "Global Phone."

I would like to apologize for the confusion. Verizon employees (which I am one) especially the longtime reps, have been brainwashed to always think "VZW Best." What's sad is that it really is the best carrier in alot of areas but most reps. are not educated on the Technology.

 

[billd]

I missed the part where he claimed to be a Verizon Wireless employee. If he is, that's sad.

Also, isn't ESN being replaced by MEID on Verizon?

 

[Jacqueline]

They've pulled it down, but for the short time it was up last night Motorola's site showed CDMA only for the Droid. Looks like no hybrid gsm for it.

 

[celios]

They've pulled it down, but for the short time it was up last night Motorola's site showed CDMA only for the Droid. Looks like no hybrid gsm for it.

Yes, I think the GSM version will a separate unit. In fact, the one that was shown going through FCC testing was not suitable for AT&T or T-mobile in the US, which does suggest that is destined for sale overseas.

Living in Europe, I have my fingers crossed anyway!

 

[Jacqueline]

Yes, I noticed that too. It is the European frequencies for the 2nd sholes device through the FCC, although I'm not sure why it needs to go through the FCC if it is not for the US. Perhaps it is so when you travel here, you can roam to our edge networks.

 

[celios]

Perhaps it is so when you travel here, you can roam to our edge networks.

I think that's most likely the reason.

 

[randydandy]

I missed the part where he claimed to be a Verizon Wireless employee. If he is, that's sad.

Also, isn't ESN being replaced by MEID on Verizon?

"And no..the Droid will only have a CDMA radio so it will not work over seas no matter what country you are in because OUR CDMA network runs a diffrent Frequency"

He said "OUR" so I just assumed.

 

[EricJay]

I'm new around here, and decided to register so that I could help clear up some information here. I've had several CDMA-only VZW handsets that worked outside the US in CDMA countries.

I've never heard of a CDMA phone having a SIM card. CDMA phones also won't do GSM.

The Blackberry Storm is available in a CDMA/GSM hybrid version...

It might be a bit pedantic to argue that there's no such thing as a CDMA phone with a SIM card or that does GSM. Yes, billd was technically correct to say that so called "World Phones" like the Storm are hybrids... but they're sold by VZW, a CDMA carrier, intended to be used primarily as CDMA phones. So, for all intents and purposes, they're CDMA phones that also do GSM. Unfortunately, it looks like Droid won't be one of these phones.

And no..the Droid will only have a CDMA radio so it will not work over seas no matter what country you are in because OUR CDMA network runs a diffrent Frequency

Sorry, unctarheels, but that information is contrary to both the VZW website and to my personal experience. Most Verizon devices sold over the last few years have been dual-band (CDMA 800/1900 -- same as Droid) and can roam internationally in countries w/ CDMA. The VZW website lists those countries, and I've included the list below. I've personally traveled to three different countries on the list with my CDMA-only Verizon phones and had no trouble using them.

Aruba, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Brazil, Canada, Cayman, Islands, China, Colombia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guam, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Macau, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Korea, St. Croix, St. John, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S., Yemen.

 

[Jacqueline]

Thank you for this. There is a lot of mis-information and FUD going around.

 

[billd]

IIt might be a bit pedantic to argue that there's no such thing as a CDMA phone with a SIM card or that does GSM.

And again: I never said that.

There's a big logical difference between saying you never heard of something and saying that it does not exist. In fact, if you read all of that post, you'll even see me say some stuff to the effect that it could exist elsewhere.

Reading is fundamental.

Yes, billd was technically correct to say that so called "World Phones" like the Storm are hybrids... but they're sold by VZW, a CDMA carrier, intended to be used primarily as CDMA phones. So, for all intents and purposes, they're CDMA phones that also do GSM.

Which is essentially the same thing as what I said. However, having a SIM card in the same package doesn't make it a CDMA phone with a SIM card. The CDMA portion of the phone does not use the SIM card. The GSM portion of the phone does. I could tape a SIM card to any old CDMA phone and it would be just as close to being a CDMA phone with a SIM card as the Storm is.

So to recap, unctarheels badly misinterpreted what I said, and tried to disprove the thing he incorrectly thought I said with a counter-example that isn't really a counter-example. That's not one but two logic failures. Then, you repeated the first logic failure and tried to pretend that the second wasn't really logic failure and that I was being pedantic. I think it's pedantic to say that the Storm is a CDMA phone with a SIM card simply because there's a SIM card in the same package.

 

[CRPercodani]

Ok I think its been explained but just incase anyone is confused. The phones VZW sells as "World Phones" that will run on a GSM network do have SIM card slots, but they come empty. When you travel to another country that doesn't have a CDMA network then you get a SIM card from them and insert it into your "World Phone" then you will be using the GSM radio of that phone. No it won't work in America, or any other country which has a compatible CDMA network as the phone will automatically connect to that. I hope this is simple enough for anyone who didn't already understand.

 

[CRPercodani]

Yea ok so whatever smouch.net is I'm suuuure it is affiliated with Verizon. Maybe your just mad you got a Storm.

 

[billd]

Do not click on the link in unctarheels post. It leads to a site that you can't leave if you have javascript enabled.

 

[CRPercodani]

Whoa how old are we? Dude you must have one hell of a life if your spending the time to rename your link, what is smouch.net supposed to be? A porn site? I have no interest in clicking it, next time people disagree with you try and be a grown up about it, unless you really are a 12 year old.

 

[billd]

unctarheels has been making childish posts from the start.

Hmm. It looks like all of unctarheels posts have been deleted. I approve.

 

[CRPercodani]

Your welcome.