Bringing my cellphone to Finland

aic18 · Post by **aic18** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:45 am

Is it possible to bring my existing cellphone to Finland and change the sim card to a Finnish one or do I have to buy a new phone altogether? For reference, I have an LG OPTIMUS ONE (P504) (it's discontinued nowadays). Thanks everyone

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Jukka Aho · Post by **Jukka Aho** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:48 am

aic18 wrote:Is it possible to bring my existing cellphone to Finland and change the sim card to a Finnish one or do I have to buy a new phone altogether? For reference, I have an LG OPTIMUS ONE (P504) (it's discontinued nowadays). Thanks everyone :)

Finnish cellphone frequencies:

900 MHz: GSM, UMTS (sparsely populated areas)
1800 MHz: GSM (DCS) (densely populated areas)
2100 MHz: UMTS (densely populated areas)

If you want good 3G connectivity, your phone needs to support at least both the 900 MHz and the 2100 MHz band. Make sure the model you’ve bought actually does, especially if it has been customized for a particular US carrier. It needs to be unlocked as well, of course, so you can change the SIM card.

Should you need a new phone, the UK version of the Motorola Moto G is a relative bargain and runs KitKat (Android 4.4) now:

http://www.expansys.fi/motorola-moto-g- ... ck-255927/

Honest · Post by **Honest** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:36 pm

If your phone is not sim-locked you don't need to buy a new phone. you can just replace the sim card.

Phones are not network specific in Finland as they are e.g. in the US

riku2 · Post by **riku2** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:59 pm

aic18 wrote:I have an LG OPTIMUS ONE (P504) (it's discontinued nowadays). Thanks everyone

Telling the model number doesn't really help since manufacturers make different versions of the same model for different markets with slightly different bands covered. The phone might cover all the finnish bands or just some of them. I think all the finnish networks use all three bands listed earlier in this thread (eg elisa is not just 2100MHz but use all three).

As others pointed out what is more important is whether your phone is locked to your existing network. since then no other operators sim will work. This is done if the operator subsidizes the phone (eg "free phone, 20 pounds/month deal that is common in the UK"). Your previous operator can unlock it if you've paid enough of the monthly subscription already. I think the only way to know if it's sim locked is put another operator's sim in and see if it connects to the network.

In Finland people are more used to the concept that a phone actually costs money and shops do quote the price of the phone in addition to a deal with a subscription + phone (and since this is more expensive than sim only then it's obvious in finland that a "free" phone just means paying more per month for your subscription). In the UK you would probably struggle to find the "sim free" price of phones in many shops, so obsessed are they to promote "free" phones.

aic18 · Post by **aic18** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 1:04 am

Hmm interesting...

When I moved from NZ to Australia I just changed the sim to an Australian one and it works perfectly so I guess I can do that in Finland as well

Thanks for the information everyone!

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:57 pm

Yeah, USA is the "odd one out", so an asian model should work. There are a few of PAYG operators, but check on the data allowances (as you'll be probably skyping home). To get a "contract" as you don't have any credit history they'll ask a hefty deposit.

aic18 · Post by **aic18** » Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:17 am

Can't I just buy a 'voucher' and type in the code so the money goes on my phone? That's what I do here...just buy a $20 top up and then type in the code and then I have $20 credit on the phone

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