On Mon, 14 May 2012 21:30:24 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

Posted&Mailed because it's been so long since you posted. I was
sick, and then I was looking for this url, which I found, lost, and
refound and which might be of interest to archive readers of this
thread.
http://www.ekit.com/ekit/MobileInfo/Guide

On Mon, 14 May 2012 16:51:02 -0400, micky
wrote:

Is there a still active** newsgroup where cell phones are on topic?

alt.cellular.{pick-your-favorite-service-provider}

Ah hah. Yeah, there were 30 goups, some for brands of phone. The
AT&T group isn't real busy. Someone should advertise Usenet. Since no
one makes any money on it, the so inconvenient to use web forums are
taking out business.

You'll also find quite a bit of good info under:
http://www.howardforums.com

Thanks. It looks good.

There's no such thing as an on topic newsgroup unless its moderated.
Your off topic posting to a repair newsgroup is a good example.

If not, let me tell you all that I'm confused about the topic: I see
4-band GSM phones for sale, with these bands: GSM 850/900/1800/1900
(Quadband)

But there are also 2-band phones, which have only iiuc the USA 3G
frequencies, 850./ 1900.

There's no such thing as a 3G frequency. 3G can be deployed on almost
any cellular band.

The bands they don't have, 800 and 1800, were used in 2G phones.

USA uses 850/1900. Europe uses 900/1800. Quad phones have all 4
bands. Dual mode phones will do both GSM and CDMA. 4G phones add 1.7
or 2.1GHz bands for data.

Okay.

Since I'm only getting basic (2G?) service, no internet, do I need
these frequencies that were originallly used by 2G phones?

That depends on where you live and where you are visiting. If you're
in the USA, you only need 850/1900. If you travel to strange and out
of the way places, I suggest quad band and dual mode.

The place I'm most likely to go is Israel.

I wanted to go for a week to Guatamala, which I visited in 1971, to
see if it's changed, but I would have to open an account there,
right?, even if I had a phone. And I really have no one to call
there.

**Or is therer even a non-active ng which might have good archives to
read, because I'm so confused.

Thanks.