Phone machine bought from US but it cannot be used in Australia. Why can't I use it?
2007-01-11 15:37:09 · 6 answers · asked by paul 1 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Land Phones
I lived in Oz (Australia) and in the USA.
For land line phone here are the main differences between Australian and the US system
1. If your phone uses power, Australians use 240V where as in the USA it is 110V.
2. Power plug is different too.
3. Phone jack is slightly different too - the jack that goes in the wall.
If you are referring to cell phone:-
1. Australia uses GSM where as in the USA we use CDMA, TDMA and GSM.
2. Even GSM cell phone purchased in the USA may not work in OZ as in the USA GSM operates at 1900MHZ
Your options:-
1. For land line phone:- Buy a new power adapter in Australia and you should be fine.
2. For Cell phone:- Buy 4 band GSM phone.
2007-01-12 05:00:10 · answer #1 · answered by A Stranger 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have a LAND LINE phone or answering machine, there should be no problems as the technically the networks are the same. It is remotely possible that tone dialing may not work in some parts of Australia, although Telstra has completed a 100% upgrade in recent years so that should not be an issue.
Caller ID will work in AU, but only if you pay extra to your phone provider to access that feature on a land line.
If using a cordless phone, the plug pack that goes in your power outlet MUST be changed!! Australian home voltage is twice that of the USA (240volts compared to 120volts) and you risk destroying the plug pack, the phone and even risking fire if you do not change the plugpack or get a step down transformer to allow the lower voltage US equipment to be used. Take the US plug pack to an aussie electronics retailer so they can exactly match the output voltgae, current, connector and polarity.
If your question relates to using a CELL phone, the short answer is its is basically near impossible unless you purchase a "global" type cell phone. Despite similar or identical outward appearances, the technologies and communication frequencies of the phones in the US and AU are quite different, and I recommend getting a phone in AU and keeping the one in the US for US only.
2007-01-11 23:29:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Does it plug into the mains? You'll need a voltage adapter to bring the voltage down to the US 120 volts. As long as you have a modern RJ-11 jack, it should be the same and work fine, it's just the electricity that's different. There are adapters that go to the new RJ-11 standard if need be.
2007-01-11 15:52:41 · answer #3 · answered by Geoff S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Richard basically said it all, the only thing I can add is if it is a cordless and you get it working. Make sure it doesn't interfere with any other frequencies. Some phones made in the US interfere with foriegn countries emergency signals.
2007-01-12 03:37:56 · answer #4 · answered by striderknight2000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The phone can not opperate in the The Australian network...the devise has a chip in it which recognizes the network it is in. There are some phones that are more of a global phone but they are very expensive.
2007-01-11 15:49:37 · answer #5 · answered by Jonathan O 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
maybe cuz of the plug and cuz of the system!!!!!
2007-01-11 15:44:20 · answer #6 · answered by Hally berry 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋