GSM Cell Phones in India --- explained

A thread on cell phones where I will try to answer most queries about " I am travelling to india I have a XXX cell phone with XXX carrier will it work in india ,,, etc etc etc "




Cell Phones are of 2 types CDMA and GSM

GSM cell phones use a SIM card.. something like a memory card which this your phone to a particular service provider

CDMA uses the phones internal serial number called IMIE number to tie the phone to a particular provider.


India has both GSM and CDMA service providers.

Most GSM phones available in europe and NA are locked by the provider to only accept their SIM card. Also the frequencies at which different operators in different countries operate are different.


In INDIA all carriers Use 900 or 1800



INDIA

Aircel Cellular Ltd. (Aircel Cellular Ltd. - City of Madras)
GSM 900

Aircel Digilink India Ltd (Hutch-Haryana - Haryana)
GSM 900

Aircel Digilink India Ltd (Hutch-Rajasthan - Rajasthan)
GSM 900

Aircel Digilink India Ltd (Hutch-UP East - UP East)
GSM 900

Aircel Limited (AIRCEL - Tamilandu Circle)
GSM 900

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (CellOne A&N)
GSM 900

Bharti Hexacom Ltd (AIRTEL - Rajasthan, India)
GSM 900

Bharti Hexacom Ltd (AIRTEL - North East Circle, India)
GSM 900


Bharti Televentures Limited (AirTel)
GSM 900

Bharti Televentures Limited (Airtel - Assam, INDIA)
GSM 900

BPL Cellular Limited (BPL USWEST Cellular (Maharastra) - Maharashtra Circle)
GSM 900

BPL Cellular Limited (BPL USWEST Cellular (Kerala) - Kerala)
GSM 900

BPL Cellular Limited (BPL USWEST Cellular (Tamil Nadu) - Tamil Nadu)
GSM 900

BPL Mobile Communications Ltd (BPL MOBILE - City of Bombay)
GSM 900

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - West Bengal, India)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - Assam)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - North East, INDIA)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - Orissa, INDIA)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - Himachal Pradesh, INDIA)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - Jammu & Kashmir INDIA)
GSM 900/1800

Dishnet Wireless Limited (Aircel - Bihar, INDIA)
GSM 900/1800

Fascel Limited (Hutch-Gujarat - Gujarat Circle)
GSM 900

Hutchison Essar Mobile Services Limited (Hutch-Delhi - City of Delhi)
GSM 900/1800

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch-Andhra Pradesh - Andhra Pradesh)
GSM 1800

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch-Chennai - Chennai)
GSM 1800

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch-Karnataka - Karnataka)
GSM 1800

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch-Punjab - Punjab)
GSM 1800

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch- UP West - INDIA)
GSM 900

Hutchison Essar South Limited (Hutch - West Bengal)
GSM 900

Hutchison Max Telecom Ltd (Orange - City of Bombay)
GSM 900/1800

Hutchison Telecom East Limited (Hutch-Kolkata - City of Calcutta)
GSM 900

IDEA Cellular Limited (IDEA Cellular Limited - Gujarat - Gujarat Circle)
GSM 900

IDEA Cellular Limited (IDEA Cellular Limited - Andhra Pradesh - Andhra Pradesh Circle)
GSM 900

IDEA Cellular Limited (IDEA Cellular Limited - Maharashtra - Maharashtra Circle)
GSM 900

IDEA Cellular Limited (IDEA CELLULAR LIMITED - Delhi - Delhi Circle)
GSM 1800

IDEA Cellular Limited (IDEA Cellular Limited - Madhya Pradesh)
GSM 900

Idea Mobile Communications (Idea (Escotel) Haryana - Escotel Haryana)
GSM 900

Idea Mobile Communications (Idea (Escotel) UP West - Escotel UP (West))
GSM 900

Idea Mobile Communications (Idea (Escotel) Kerala - Escotel Kerala)
GSM 900

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd
GSM 900

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd
GSM 900

Reliance Telecom Private Ltd (Reliance Telecom Private Ltd - North East)
GSM 900

Spice Communications Limited (Spice Telecom - Punjab)
GSM 900

Spice Communications Limited (Spice Telecom - Karnataka)
GSM 900



Australia
Hutchison 3G Australia Pty Limited
3G

Singtel Optus Limited (YES OPTUS)
GSM 900
Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra MobileNet)
GSM 900/1800
Vodafone Pacific Limited
GSM 900/1800



USA

Advantage Cellular Systems Inc
GSM 850

Airadigm Communications
GSM 1900
Alaska Wireless Communications, LLC (Dutch Harbor)
GSM 850


Alaska Digitel, LLC
GSM 1900

Amarillo License, L.P (Cellular One of Amarillo)
GSM 850
AT&T Wireless PCS LLC (Cingular Wireless)
GSM 850/1900
C T Cube, LP
GSM 850
Caprock Cellular Limited Partnership
GSM 850
Cellular Properties, Inc (Cellular One of East Central Illinois)
GSM 850
Centennial Communications
GSM 850
CGKC&H No. 2 Rural Cellular LP (CGKC&H No. 2 Rural Cellular 2 LP)
GSM 850
Chariton Valley Communications Corporation Inc
GSM 1900
Choice Wireless LC (AmeriLink PCS)
GSM 1900
Cincinnati Bell Wireless (Cincinnati Bell Wireless - Cincinnati, OH)
GSM 1900
Cingular Wireless
GSM 1900
Coleman County Telecommunications Inc (Coleman County Telecommunications Inc - Brownwood, Texas)
GSM 1900
Commnet Wireless, LLC
GSM 850/1900
Concho Cellular Telephone Co., Inc.
GSM 1900
Corr Wireless Communications
GSM 1900
Cross Telephone Company (MBO Wireless - Muskogee & McAlester: Oklahoma)
GSM 1900
Dobson Communications Corporation (Dobson MI - Petoskey, MI)
GSM 1900
Dobson Communications Corporation (Dobson MI - Traverse City, MI)
GSM 1900
Dobson Communications Corporation
GSM 850
E.N.M.R. Telephone Cooperative (Plateau Wireless - New Mexico RSA 2 and New Mexico RSA 6-II)
GSM 850
Easterbrooke Cellular Corporation
GSM 850
Edge Wireless
GSM 1900
Endless Mountains Wireless, LLC
GSM 850
Epic Touch Co (Elkhart Telephone Co Inc - Liberal, KS)
GSM 1900
Farmers Cellular Telephone Inc
GSM 850/1900
High Plains Midwest LLC (Westlink Communications)
GSM 1900
High Plains Wireless, L.P
GSM 1900
Highland Cellular, Inc
GSM 850
Indigo Wireless, Inc
GSM 1900
Iowa Wireless Services, LP
GSM 1900
Kaplan Telephone Company,Inc (PACE - UNITED STATES)
GSM 850
Key Communications, LLC (West Virginia Wireless)
GSM 1900
Keystone Wireless LLC (Immix Wireless - Pottsville, PA)
GSM 1900
Lamar County Cellular, Inc
GSM 850
MBO Wireless Inc (MBO Wireless - Stillwater, Musogee & McAlester: OK)
GSM 1900
Mid-Tex Cellular, Ltd.
GSM 850/1900
Missouri RSA No 5 Partnership
GSM 850
New Dimension Wireless Ltd
GSM 1900
New Mexico RSA 4 East Ltd Partnership (Plateau Wireless - New Mexico RSA 4 East)
GSM 850
North East Colorado Cellular, Inc (NECCI)
GSM 850
Oklahoma Western Telephone Company (Oklahoma Western Telephone Company - Oklahoma)
GSM 1900
Panhandle Telecommunication Systems Inc.
GSM 1900
Petrocom LLC
GSM 850
Pine Telephone Company (Pine Cellular)
GSM 850
Pinpoint Wireless Inc
GSM 1900
Poka Lambro Telecommunications, Ltd. (Poka Lambro Telcomm. Ltd. d/b/a Digital Cellular - Texas)
GSM 850
Public Service Cellular, Inc (PSC Wireless)
GSM 850
Quantum Communications Group Inc (Quantum Communications Group Inc - Jacksonville, IL)
GSM 1900
Siouxland PCS, Inc.
GSM 1900
SLO Cellular, Inc (DBA,Cellular One of San Luis Obispo)and Entertainment Ltd.
GSM 850
Smith Bagley, Inc.
GSM 850/1900
Southern Illinois RSA Partnership (FC)
GSM 850
T-Mobile USA, Inc
GSM 1900
Taylor Telecommunications, LTD (Texas Cellular)
GSM 850
Texas RSA 3 Ltd Partnership (Plateau Wireless - Texas RSA 3)
GSM 850
TMP Corp (TMP Corp - Quincy, IL- Hannibal, MO)
GSM 1900
Tracy Corporation II (TELEMETRIX)
GSM 1900
Triton PCS License Company LLC (SunCom AT&T - Knoxville)
GSM 1900
Triton PCS License Company LLC (SunCom AT&T - Richmond-Norfolk)
GSM 1900
Triton PCS License Company LLC (SunCom AT&T - Atlanta)
GSM 1900
Triton PCS License Company LLC (SunCom AT&T - Washington-Baltimore)
GSM 1900
Triton PCS License Company LLC (SunCom AT&T - Charlotte-Greensboro-Greenvill)
GSM 1900
Union Telephone Company
GSM 850/1900
Western Wireless Corporation (Cellular One)
GSM 850/1900
Wilkes Cellular Inc
GSM 850
Wireless Alliance
GSM 1900
XIT Wireless (Texas RSA 1 Ltd Partnership DBA XIT Cell)
GSM 850


So mostly 850 and 1900


UK


Hutchison 3G UK Ltd
3G

O2 (UK) Limited
GSM 900/1800

O2 (UK) Limited
3G

Orange PCS Ltd
GSM 1800

Orange PCS Ltd
3G

T-Mobile (UK) Limited
GSM 1800

VODAFONE Ltd
GSM 900/1800

VODAFONE Ltd
3G



If you need infor about your county / carrier just post it here and I will reply with the information


For your cell to work in INDIA it should work in the MHZ range mentioned for India and should not be LOCKED by the provider. The easiest alternative is to buy a cheap cell in india . should cost between $25-45 and will assure you that it will work.

You can buy a sim card in india from Hutch or Airtel or any other provider. The Sim cards are available in various denominations and you can recharge them easily from anywhere. Incoming calls are free on Hutch and airtel.,



If I missed out anything just ask



Hope this helps

HOLA ..........
Now thats one Big explanation and I didnt bother to go through the complete list but it sure will help others...

FreeBirD

Chaged the format a lil .. is that better ?

The list of companies in yellow is very hard to read on the white background.

A language clarrification...

In UK recharge means the topping up the phone's battery. Putting more money on a prepaid SIM is known as topping up

In India recharge means topping up a prepaid service with more money.

A difference that confused me a lot at first.

(Recharging the battery is known as ...well, recharging, I suppose )

with that LOUD font, one won't even need a cell phone.

Are you sure that incoming calls are free for Airtel and Hutch. It used to be so that when you changed e.g. from Rajasthan to Goa you had to pay roaming charge for incoming call.

Incoming calls are free only in your local calling area. When you move out of your local area you are charged for all incoming calls.

I excuse myself because i already posted this on anothr thread just 2 days ago, but i recently found this one just seems more apropriate. I need to have informations about a convenient mobile plan... I will relocate to Mumbay on March for work and i'll need to have access to emails very frequently each day, i'll use the phone pretty much (i'm a sales agent), a few times a day with italian numbers as well. I sometimes also will need to surf on the web and i will travel pretty much around India.
I have a Sony Ericsson k 800i mobile. For which mobile plan should i go with this needs? Will i be email supported with my my mobile device? How much money should i expect to pay monthly? Could you give me some simple directions/suggestions, that could make my life easier when i'll deal for my mobile plan with an indian telephone Company? Thanks for your precious suggestions Max

Does anyone know if the 900/1800 frequency stuff still applies. Does EDGE or 3G cancel that? I'm just a little unsure here.

900/1800 MHz still applies. 3G operators use the 2100 MHz band.

This might change in the upcoming Spectrum Auction scheduled for Nov'12.

Edit: Just for completeness, CDMA works on 800 MHz and 4G on 2300MHz

Now to check my phones..