Cellphone use in Europe

I'm American and I have what my cellphone users manual calls a "travel
adapter", but of course it has a plug for American 110 outlets. I'm
going to Ukraine for 10 days and I have a GSM phone and I've purchased a
Ukraine SIM, but I would like to be able to recharge by phone from their
220 outlets. I've done a google search on "travel adapter converter" and
only came back with a place the sells plug adaptors which presumably
would have no effect on the change current being received by the travel
adapter.

So here is the question. Has anyone here tried to recharge their
cellphone in Europe with an American travel adapter plugged directly
into European outlets? Wouldn't the change in current harm the
cellphone? If it makes a difference I currently have a Cingular 1300i
and will soon be getting a Motorola v66 as backup.

Lexx Luthar <superpic25@hotmail.com> wrote:
> So here is the question. Has anyone here tried to recharge their
> cellphone in Europe with an American travel adapter plugged directly
> into European outlets? Wouldn't the change in current harm the
> cellphone? If it makes a difference I currently have a Cingular 1300i
> and will soon be getting a Motorola v66 as backup.

I don't think I've ever seen a cell phone charger that didn't work on
both 110 and 220. But why not just check? The input voltage range will be
listed on the charger, either on a label or molded directly into the plastic
shell. If it says something like "INPUT: 100-240VAC" then it will not harm your
phone no matter where you plug it in. On the other hand if it says "100-120"
or so, then you will need a new charger. I would expect you could find one
in Ukraine without difficulty.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 36 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Queens Day in Amsterdam; the Grand Canyon; Amman, Jordan

Lexx Luthar <superpic25@hotmail.com> wrote:

> I'm American and I have what my cellphone users manual calls a
> "travel adapter", but of course it has a plug for American 110
> outlets. I'm going to Ukraine for 10 days and I have a GSM phone
> and I've purchased a Ukraine SIM, but I would like to be able to
> recharge by phone from their 220 outlets.

As Miguel said: Chances are 99.9% that you charger can handle
220/230 volts. Btw, does your phone support 900/1800 bands?

M.

Thanks Miguel Cruz and Michael Pronay for taking the time to answer my
post. I've since looked closely at my adaptor and it does indicate input
for 100-240V, so I guess you're right and I'm OK to plug in in Europe.

thanks again.

"Lexx Luthar" <superpic25@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks Miguel Cruz and Michael Pronay for taking the time to answer my
> post. I've since looked closely at my adaptor and it does indicate
> input
> for 100-240V, so I guess you're right and I'm OK to plug in in Europe.

But you still need a plug adapter though.

Rudy

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005, at 23:39:25 [GMT GMT] (09:39:25 Thursday, 4 August 2005
where I live) "Lexx Luthar" wrote:

> Thanks Miguel Cruz and Michael Pronay for taking the time to answer my
> post. I've since looked closely at my adaptor and it does indicate input
> for 100-240V, so I guess you're right and I'm OK to plug in in Europe.

Not much use however if your phone douse not have GSM900 or 1800.

See http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_ua.shtml

--
PCMCIA = People Can't Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms

Joseph wrote:

> Well, it would be pretty silly to provide a charger that was
> capable of 240V if they couldn't use it in a country that used
> 240V now wouldn't it?!

On the contrary. Why make different chargers for 900/1800 and
850/1900 mHz phone models?

John

Joseph wrote:

> Cost? Perhaps it costs more money to make a charger that can
> do both 120 and 240 vs either made just for 120 or just for
> 240.
> Nokia provides ACP7 chargers for their country specific needs.
> For North America they provide a charger with flat blades and
> rated at 120V 60 Hz. while for Europe they provide ACP7
> chargers with round pin plugs rated at 240V 50 Hz. It's meant
> for those specific needs.

Maybe I should have covered that aspect. A switch-mode power
supply can easily be designed to operate on the wider voltage
range, and then manufactured in greater quantity because of its
flexibility. Attaching a country-specific plug as the last
stage in manufacture should be straightforward.

If the economics are different or some reason, then so be it.

John

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005, at 08:43:30 [GMT -0700] (01:43:30 Sunday, 7 August 2005
where I live) "Joseph" wrote:

> Well, it would be pretty silly to provide a charger that was capable
> of 240V if they couldn't use it in a country that used 240V now
> wouldn't it?!

Not really. Cheaper to manufacture a dual voltage charger for sale
throughout the world than have specific chargers for each country.

--
You'll get what's coming to you ... Unless mailed

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005, at 20:01:40 [GMT -0700] (13:01:40 Thursday, 4 August
2005 where I live) "Joseph" wrote:

> If it's a "world" phone more than likely it has a charger that can be
> used with North American or Euro/Asian electric current.

Not necessarily correct. Dual band Nokia phones sold in Australia, which
will not work in USA, all have universal voltage chargers - reason? - refer
my other post.

--
Conservative: One who admires old, dead liberals.

"Joseph" <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 10:30:02 +1000, John Phillips wrote:
>>
>>Not really. Cheaper to manufacture a dual voltage charger for sale
>>throughout the world than have specific chargers for each country.
>
> Are you privy to the costs? If not it's just your speculation.

Why, are you? Lacking of that, what John wrote makes more economic
sense than what you what you insist on.

R. P.

On Mon, 08 Aug 2005, at 07:35:40 [GMT -0700] (00:35:40 Tuesday, 9 August
2005 where I live) "Joseph" wrote:

> OK. Show proof then!

Simple logic = proof?

--
*I* didn't do it, the *computer* did it!

"John Phillips" <flatulantdingo@deadspam.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 08 Aug 2005, at 07:35:40 [GMT -0700] (00:35:40 Tuesday, 9
> August
> 2005 where I live) "Joseph" wrote:
>
>> OK. Show proof then!
>
> Simple logic = proof?
>
> --
> *I* didn't do it, the *computer* did it!

I don't think that works for him.

R. P.

John Phillips <flatulantdingo@deadspam.com> wrote:
> "Joseph" wrote:
>> Well, it would be pretty silly to provide a charger that was capable
>> of 240V if they couldn't use it in a country that used 240V now
>> wouldn't it?!
>
> Not really. Cheaper to manufacture a dual voltage charger for sale
> throughout the world than have specific chargers for each country.

They still need different plugs.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 36 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Queens Day in Amsterdam; the Grand Canyon; Amman, Jordan

John Phillips <flatulantdingo@deadspam.com> wrote:
> Not necessarily correct. Dual band Nokia phones sold in Australia, which
> will not work in USA, all have universal voltage chargers - reason? - refer
> my other post.

They may also be handy in 110-volt locales such as parts of Indonesia and
the middle east which use the same GSM frequencies as Australia.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 36 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Queens Day in Amsterdam; the Grand Canyon; Amman, Jordan