Thoughts on the Ivio Indostat Tri-mode phone?

[JamieM]

Hi all,

Has anyone used the Ivio Indostat QWERTY Tri-Mode phone? Link here: http://ponselhandphone.com/harga-ivio-indosat-qwerty-tri-mode-gsmcdmagsm/

I am still trying to decide if I should get a phone before I come to Indo, and smart phones that would work abroad are looking more and more expensive in the U.S. This website says that the Ivio Indostat phone is Rp 999.000, which is a lot cheaper than anything I could find here. So if anyone knows anything about the phone and how well it works - particularly with email and the web - I'd appreciate the insights.

Thanks!

[Mas Fred]

Be a bit careful.
A lot of Chinese phones on the market that are not up to a lot of good. The specs look fine but the user interface is often crap. I had one for a while but it had to go.

[JamieM]

Ok, good to know. Is it fairly easy to get a Blackberry, or other reliable phone there? A few people have recommended I get a phone before I leave the U.S., but it is turning out to be fairly difficult and expensive to find a phone that uses the proper frequencies for GSM and for 3G networks. I'd rather not buy a phone here that won't work once I arrive... And I'd also rather not get price gouged or ripped off when I get there.

Any suggestions? Looks like phones here will cost me around 450 USD.

[simply]

hi dont worry, its easy to get a smart phone in here in indonesia including blackberry. better u buy when u already here

[Mas Fred]

I'm a Nokia fan. Cheap, simple and a good user interface. Sort of depends what you are going to use it for.
Phones of all types are very easy to get out here with at least 1 or 2 phone shops even in the smallest of towns.
The vast majority are unlocked to any network so you just pop whatever sim card you like in there and off you go.

I don't recall the number but the simple Nokia querty phone was about 2 million last time I looked.

[JamieM]

Great. Is that the Nokia e71/2? Phones are ~$300 here, so if good ones are easily available for less than that I will just wait.

Thanks again for the advice!

[Mas Fred]

They started at about that price but last I noticed they were down to 2/3rds of it.
Best to go with a local to make sure you don't get ripped off when you first arrive here.

[simply]

oh ya, my nephew workin in Nokia here, probably i can help by gettin good discount ^_^

[waarmstrong]

Blackberry phones are less expensive in the USA than here in Jakarta. You can get one configured for the Asia/Europe if you wish, but the US model we got works just fine here. Check out phone prices here on one of several buy/sell sites such as Kaskus (http://http://www.kaskus.us) and compare those with US prices on ebay. I think you will find that you can save several 100 dollars buying in the USA.

[Mas Fred]

But make sure it's unlocked to any network to save potential hassle when you arrive.

[ohmdafyd]

Hi all,

Has anyone used the Ivio Indostat QWERTY Tri-Mode phone? Link here: http://ponselhandphone.com/harga-ivio-indosat-qwerty-tri-mode-gsmcdmagsm/

I am still trying to decide if I should get a phone before I come to Indo, and smart phones that would work abroad are looking more and more expensive in the U.S. This website says that the Ivio Indostat phone is Rp 999.000, which is a lot cheaper than anything I could find here. So if anyone knows anything about the phone and how well it works - particularly with email and the web - I'd appreciate the insights.

Thanks!


Is $529 US out of your budget? Nexus 1 {Google Smartphone.}
Install Google Voice, with Nexus 1 or any Unlocked GSM phone and you should be able to recieve free calls from home with a local Indonesian sim card.

[Mas Fred]

Using 'justvoip' from an internet enabled computer will allow free calls to US land lines. (and a load of other countries.
I tried the test calls and it works well.

* you have to add 10 euros credit every 120 days but it sounds like a good deal as the credit is usable to call mobiles and so on.

[JamieM]

Thanks for the help! Leaving day after tomorrow, so it looks like the decision has been made anyways - I'll have to find something there!

[hartap]

try samsung qorby, its qwerty phone, or nexian