Cell Phones WITH 2m/440 transceivers built in?

[DeepBlue]

So it's been a few years now that some makers have been building Cell Phones WITH 2m and 440 transceivers built in. There aren't many out there but you can still search for them online. Has anyone actually used one and how well are these units supported (if at all) with upgrades to the Android system? Can you get apps from the Google Play store? How easy are they to operate? How long has yours lasted?

I am way over due for a new cell and am thinking about one of these if they aren't crazy expensive and are supported. I am on Verizon right now so Verizon support is currently necessary.

Thanks,
S.

 

[uli2000]

Don't bother. There's currently no dual band phone/radio units, only single band. The Runbo based radios, including the ones RFinder sells with their database built in, are based off of phones from about 5 years ago and are Android 6.0 Marshmello based. None of the Runbo phones will work with Verizon. The Hytera PDC760, also single band, will work somewhat with Verizon, but it doesnt support Band 13 which is Verizon's main LTE band. There's not alot of phone specs on the info sheet but it's running a custom version of Android 7.0 so don't ever expect a security update. It's also north of $2k as well. Spec Sheet

Like they say, a jack of all is a master of none. You're gonna be better off carrying a radio and phone.

 

[DeepBlue]

Check the Ulefone Armor 3T, Prueba Blackview BV9500 Pro and DooGee S80.
Yes, these are 400-470 MHz single banders but that's fine with me. There are others that are 2m capable as well. What's actually interesting is looking at the setup videos on the Ulefone Armor 3T, it's DMR and analog!

Folks might want to take a look around again. There are more options now that are available than some might think. Those 3 units keep popping up in my searches. Check the specs too. The Ulefone is running Android 8.1. Also, it's 2 watts output. Not terrible, plus it has a Sony 21megapixel rear camera.

Also, not working with Verizon is not a deal breaker. If I can get on with a prepaid system someplace that's fine, or another carrier. It's about time for me to give Verizon the boot anyway. Carrier isn't terribly important these days for me. I don't travel a lot and preplan if I do.

S.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Prepaid systems are piggybacked onto the big carriers by resellers. You might end up with Verizon anyway unless you read the fine print.

 

[bill4long]

Prepaid systems are piggybacked onto the big carriers by resellers. You might end up with Verizon anyway unless you read the fine print.

Walmart's is back-ended by TMobile.

 

[jaspence]

The price is high, but no where above $1,000 unless you buy all the accessories. RFinder T-Mobile and AT&T both work and it also can use wifi for the database functions. The phones work with the PTT services such as Zello. I talked to the Rfinder people at Hamvention, and they are working on a dual band model. I have had mine for several months, and the only gripe is with database errors. It s great for traveling as the database function works for all of the common ham bands. The K1 has dual sim slots so you could have one service for data only if it fits your budget.

 

[DeepBlue]

Look at the units I posted above. You can find some of them for under $300.

S.

 

[fourwd1]

Don't bother. There's currently no dual band phone/radio units, only single band. T

Except for this one
dual band and DMR/analog FM

 

[uli2000]

Except for this one
dual band and DMR/analog FM

Sure, when it's tentatively release sometime this month. Still has no band 13 so it's crippled for Verizon. MIght be OK for AT&T, but no band 12 which is their primary LTE data band. Good luck with T-mobile, especially in rural areas where almost all of their LTE is bands 66 and soon 71. Sprint, lol. A 2500mAh battery in a modern phone is a joke, hope you plan on keeping it plugged in. It's got a mediatek SOC that benchmarks lower than a 4 year old mid range Qualcomm chipset. And I'm sure it comes preloaded with Chinese spyware. All for the low, low price of $1000. For that, I can buy a new Motorola Z or G series phone (that will get security updates for two years), TWO Anytone 878's (or better yet, two single band Motorola or Hytera portables on the used market), and still have enough to buy a decent meal for two.

 

[JASII]

Check the Ulefone Armor 3T, Prueba Blackview BV9500 Pro and DooGee S80.
Yes, these are 400-470 MHz single banders but that's fine with me. There are others that are 2m capable as well. What's actually interesting is looking at the setup videos on the Ulefone Armor 3T, it's DMR and analog!

Folks might want to take a look around again. There are more options now that are available than some might think. Those 3 units keep popping up in my searches. Check the specs too. The Ulefone is running Android 8.1. Also, it's 2 watts output. Not terrible, plus it has a Sony 21megapixel rear camera.

Also, not working with Verizon is not a deal breaker. If I can get on with a prepaid system someplace that's fine, or another carrier. It's about time for me to give Verizon the boot anyway. Carrier isn't terribly important these days for me. I don't travel a lot and preplan if I do.

S.

I have been eyeing up the Ulefone Armor 3T.

The DMR might be enough for some people using an amateur radio hotspot.

As far as Verizon bands go,

Verizon

CDMA 800, 1900 PCS

2, 4, 5, 13*, 66

The Ulefone 3T does show Bands 2, 4, 5 and 13. I would have to read up a bit more on the Band 66 to see if it it simply a sub-set of Band 4?

I am still looking for more reviews of the Ulefone Armor 3T.

I looked earlier this holiday weekend and some place was selling the Ulefone Armor 3T for $249.99.

I suppose if I were to buy it, I would want to buy it from a place with a good return policy, just in case it DIDN'T work out for me.

I have also been thinking that eventually I will want to get a smartphone with dual SIM capability. Being able to get on BOTH AT&T AND Verizon could be very helpful in some of the remote places I get to when out ATVing, horseback riding, etc. I know that one, or more, Apple iPhone models WILL do dual SIM, one physical and one e-SIM. It doesn't look like any/many Androids meant for use in the United States have dual SIM capability that will work on BOTH AT&T and Verizon.

I would also add that getting a universal, unlocked smartphone, that will work on multiple cell phone carriers, just makes a LOT of sense to me. Right now I do the "poor man's dual carrier smartphone." I carry a Samsung Galaxy S9 On Total Wireless (Verizon MVNO) and, if I am "traveling" keep the AT&T Unite Explore (Netgear AC815S) in my pocket with the $20 per month unlimited data plan. That way, if I can't get through using Verizon or AT&T, I am probably in a "communications challenged" location!

2018 List of universal, unlocked phones that work on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon - Page 5

Universal Unlocked Phones | Coverage Critic

Not all unlocked phones are fully compatible with all networks. Here, I list devices that have near-universal compatibility across U.S. wireless networks.

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Rugged Outdoor Smartphone | Ulefone

Enjoy Ulefone top smartphones including The World's Top Indestructible Rugged Phone Ulefone Armor 7

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[zapman987]

Cant speak directly for 2m, but ATT as part of FirstNet has a few devices that do both radio and cell. I dont know their freqs, but if you are doing legacy analog non-800 (150s range), then it gets close to 2m range.

 

[n1das]

Hytera PDC760:

PDC760

Multi-mode Advanced Radio (DMR-LTE)

www.hytera.us

*Drool*

 

[JASII]

I am not sure if this is the best place to post this, but I will start here. I bought a UleFone Armor 3WT a few weeks ago. It does what it says it will do.

The one thing that eluded me is their so-called "digital intercom" mode. The analog UHF radio works great. Simply enter in the transmit and receive frequencies, and PL/DPL, select power level and good to go. However, on the DMR part, I enter the transmit and receive frequencies, Color Code, and Talkgroup, but I can't for the life of me find the setting for the Time Slots. Has anybody here used a UleFone? Is the setting hidden somewhere? It did use this device with my hot spot and it worked great! Do Time Slots not matter with hot spots and/or simplex?

 

[Spankymedic7]

So it's been a few years now that some makers have been building Cell Phones WITH 2m and 440 transceivers built in. There aren't many out there but you can still search for them online. Has anyone actually used one and how well are these units supported (if at all) with upgrades to the Android system? Can you get apps from the Google Play store? How easy are they to operate? How long has yours lasted?

I am way over due for a new cell and am thinking about one of these if they aren't crazy expensive and are supported. I am on Verizon right now so Verizon support is currently necessary.

Thanks,
S.

I've had 2 of the higher-priced radios. Overall I think the technology (actual RF portion of device) needs more R & D, but overall they're not bad. The one I still have is having issues, so I've stopped using it. My other one I gave away to a friend of mine. You can use it just as you would any other Android device, so Google Play is available, YouTube, etc. As far as ease of use, the makes/models I had were exceptionally easy, there are no codeplugs to program.

FWIW, I'd stick to the "big" names, and avoid the manufacturers with radios having similar features for a fraction of the price.

Hope this helps.