Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

bar phone that works with new 3G?

Aug 16, 2016 4:26PM PDT

I am looking for a simple GSM bar phone (aka feature phone) that works on a 3G network. My provider is Consumer Cellular--they use the AT&T network. 2G is being phased out, and recently the 2G tower stopped working in my area. I bought a Nokia C2-01 bar phone because it advertised that it was 3G, however, it will not work on the new towers. (This is after hours of trouble-shooting: new SIM cards [including a genuine AT&T SIM card], several Nokia phones, and different locations around the city.) The phone will connect with a 2G tower, but not with a 2G-3G tower. Nokia phones were sold to Microsoft a while back, and all Microsoft is concerned with is their Windows phones, so they don't provide any support for simple Nokia phones. I don't want or need a smartphone, and don't even want or need a digital screen. Is there still a simple push-button phone available anymore?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
This sounds like an account provisioning issue to me
Aug 17, 2016 8:03AM PDT

If it's a stock, unlocked (or ATT branded) C2-01 with the standard UMTS frequency bands for North America (850/1900), you should have had no issue connecting to a properly configured ATT cellular site with functioning 3G service in 99.9% of the United States.

You state you tried working SIM cards/phones on other working cellular sites (correct terminology vs 'towers'). This means either the phone settings were incorrect, or they botched your account provisioning. It happens. And CC is probably one of the worst for CS too. Horrid.

Very soon you will need to upgrade the type of phone you prefer for daily use to make your life easier. Otherwise, you hope what you find on fleabay or amazon/overstock.com is going to work properly. Good luck.

- Collapse -
account provisioning?
Aug 17, 2016 9:32AM PDT

How does account provisioning work? Can it be fixed? Who is responsible (service provider or cellular site owner)?

- Collapse -
Call Consumer Cellular
Aug 17, 2016 1:17PM PDT

IME they are one of the worst around if you need anything technical accomplished. Keep in mind that they are an MVNO that leases bandwidth from ATT's network/system.

Also, you *need* to pull out your SIM card and test it out in another working ATT branded phone with the appropriate 3G (UMTS) frequencies to verify that the service you are paying for completely works as it should.

- Collapse -
Answer
I own this cheap.
Aug 16, 2016 4:53PM PDT
- Collapse -
not 3G :-(
Aug 16, 2016 5:14PM PDT

This is the kind of phone that I am looking for, but alas, it is not 3G, so by the end of the year it will not work.

- Collapse -
Odd. Link writes...
Aug 16, 2016 5:26PM PDT
http://www.target.com/p/blu-tank-ii-t192-factory-unlocked-cell-phone-for-gsm-compatible/-/A-16523483

"4G in select markets only; defaults to 3G/other network when not available."

At the office we have fielded a handful of these and they are great backup phones that folk have traveled to Brazil, England and other countries without any issue.

Oh, works here in California, Vancouver, BC, Canada as well.

I'm not sure why you write it's not good enough but let's see what other folks dig up.

--> Yes the Target model is the T192. I can't guess why it would matter but go with that. It's cheap and I get a month on a charge.
- Collapse -
OK, 9.99 bucks.
Aug 16, 2016 5:29PM PDT
- Collapse -
Reviews were not good but it was 10 bucks.
Aug 16, 2016 5:34PM PDT

I can't guess if you were shopping for cheaps.

- Collapse -
still not 3G
Aug 16, 2016 9:56PM PDT

These phones are inexpensive, but if you look up the specs on the specific phone, it looks like they are 2G only. Target has a generic disclamer: "4G in select markets only; defaults to 3G/other network when not available." that they say about every phone they sell.

- Collapse -
Then we'll have to wait and ask ATT
Aug 17, 2016 7:49AM PDT

I have the bar phones at the office and we travel widely so when you reach the time it quits, post back and I can re-check if ours are still working in what ever areas we have traveled at that date.

I see something really crappy about the specs. They are not documenting their product well enough in my book but as I've worked inside the industry (not sales, but engineering of base stations, etc.) the product can undergo a change when a client asks. Suddenly features vanish and new ones are added or enabled. No excuse for their lack of docs but a problem.

Keep asking but since it's not dead yet, keep shopping and for now, that first model works everywhere my fellow engineers travel.

- Collapse -
Answer
4G service
Aug 22, 2016 12:31AM PDT

Hi
He finds the 4G service useless when using his phone. Probably in that context.