Chat Rooms & Pen Pals

[X Man]

Is that a warning or an invitation? Oh, I love these DIA gals.

i'm just a simple, sweet and friendly person but don't try to push me off my limit because surely will blow you off to the universe!

[Soapy Smith]

I suggest the following.

1. While in America get a good unlocked 4 g LTE service cell phone from Amazon for under $150. Make SURE it is GSM network, which would be AT+T. Do NOT buy Verizon network cp. 4 gLTE works good for Grab app without WiFi. Buy at least 8 gb cp and you can add a memory card to it.

This has worked well for me. Also consider a phone with dual sim slots. This way you can maintain a stateside sim and a Smart or Globe sim in the Philippines without switching out sim cards. Just remember to switch the phone to the appropriate sim for each country. Make sure the phone from Amazon is specifically "unlocked" and "GSM. " The Smart and Globe stands in the Philippine airport will switch out sim cards for you if you only have a single slot, but then you have the hassle of carrying your little stateside sim around without losing it--and vice versa with the Phils sim when you get back to the states. BTW, GSM phones work in most other countries.

Stateside providers that offer service for unlocked GSM phones include AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, and Tracfone.

[Goferring]

Indeed. That's why I ended up buying one at $188 instead of half that amount. So far it's been fine..

I paid about the same and luckily it came with fast charging. A very handy feature for a travel phone so you can grab quick top ups between flights and taxis.

[Simmer]

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

Indeed. That's why I ended up buying one at $188 instead of half that amount. So far it's been fine.

2. Download your apps in USA with your better WiFi. Download all apps to your memory card so it doesn't slow down your cp.

I would just add offline maps to that. It's been invaluable in Mexico and the Philippines when my roaming access has been less than ideal and I'm checking where I am / going to (eg in taxi).

[Bushes]

Adding to others. Better if phone has LTE Band 28. Google is your friend. LTE Bands 5,3,1 are listed but I am not sure. So 2 GB+ memory and 16 GB+ internal storage is better. I like 2 sims but that jacks the price up.

Motorolas are cheaper than Samsung and are great phones but poor camera. Depends on your budget. Some go on sale for under USD100 but you need to keep an eye. Motorola G4 for USD130 on their website.

Amazon label phones are ad sponsored and cannot be rooted. If you want something to last and keep, get a OnePlus. If you are tech challenged, just a G4 and above Motorola or a OnePlus. Cannot go wrong.

I am waiting for 5 G to role out and then pick up some 4 G give away phones on sale.

My plan upon arrival from states is to stop in a local store in manila and buy a phone, get local number, load GRAB, and load viber. Comments on this plan please? Am I missing anything? How much will a phone set me back? Thanks.

I bought a Galaxy J1 at the same time I had a Galaxy S5.

1. While in America get a good unlocked 4 g LTE service cell phone from Amazon for under $150. Make SURE it is GSM network, which would beAT+T. Do NOT buy Verizon network cp. 4 gLTE works good for Grab app without WiFi. Buy at least 8 gb cp and you can add a memory card to it.

2. Download your apps in USA with your better WiFi. Download all apps to your memory card so it doesn't slow down your cp.

3. At the airport you can buy your SIM card and load. Ask the girl to install the SIM card for you if you are cp challenged. I suggest you get a Smart brand SIM card..

A83 set me back about US $188. Can't remember the piso price but probably Php9,999. Does the job, no point spending $750-1000 on a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone anymore, it seems. Plenty of new smartphones at half that price also, might have a few less features.

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

I bought a cheap phone with 1 GB of rom which turned out to be essentially useless. $100 should get you some thing with 4 GB which will do everything you need.

[Dg8787]

My plan upon arrival from states is to stop in a local store in manila and buy a phone, get local number, load GRAB, and load viber. Comments on this plan please? Am I missing anything? How much will a phone set me back? Thanks.

Your plan is ok if you want a cheap phone and poor service.

I suggest the following.

1. While in America get a good unlocked 4 g LTE service cell phone from Amazon for under $150. Make SURE it is GSM network, which would be AT+T. Do NOT buy Verizon network cp. 4 gLTE works good for Grab app without WiFi. Buy at least 8 gb cp and you can add a memory card to it.

2. Download your apps in USA with your better WiFi. Download all apps to your memory card so it doesn't slow down your cp.

3. At the airport you can buy your SIM card and load. Ask the girl to install the SIM card for you if you are cp challenged. I suggest you get a Smart brand SIM card.

4. At the hotel with WiFi you can activate your apps with the new cp number.

5. If you don't understand GSM, 8 gb, memory card, nano sim, micro sim and other stuff, just read up on the specs at Amazon.

6. Please report back on your purchase whether in USA or Phil. Also on what your network was and how do your cp performed. Please feel free to write FR’s as you are there.

[Mr Enternational]

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

I bought a cheap phone with 1 GB of rom which turned out to be essentially useless. $100 should get you some thing with 4 GB which will do everything you need.

Exactly. The phones are cheap for a reason. Just because they look the same on the outside does not mean they are the same under the hood. I bought a Galaxy J1 at the same time I had a Galaxy S5. The J1 was so bad that I ended up giving it to my seven year old nephew. You can get those cheap ones in the US and on ebay amd Amazon. You don't have to wait til you get to PI. The same model is usually the same price in different countries and most times even cheaper in the US due to taxes.

[Goferring]

Don't do what I did and get told it'll work in the US, and then find that my telecoms provider doesn't support that phone. No great loss, wasn't in a contract so I just switched providers to one that did.

A83 set me back about US $188. Can't remember the piso price but probably Php9,999. Does the job, no point spending $750-1000 on a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone anymore, it seems. Plenty of new smartphones at half that price also, might have a few less features.

Don't go for the cheapest models as they have so little memory that you will not be able to add many apps which will limit online hook ups.

I bought a cheap phone with 1 GB of rom which turned out to be essentially useless. $100 should get you some thing with 4 GB which will do everything you need.

[Simmer]

My plan upon arrival from states is to stop in a local store in manila and buy a phone, get local number, load GRAB, and load viber. Comments on this plan please? Am I missing anything? How much will a phone set me back? Thanks.

Don't do what I did and get told it'll work in the US, and then find that my telecoms provider doesn't support that phone. No great loss, wasn't in a contract so I just switched providers to one that did.

A83 set me back about US $188. Can't remember the piso price but probably Php9,999. Does the job, no point spending $750-1000 on a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone anymore, it seems. Plenty of new smartphones at half that price also, might have a few less features.

[Member #1088]

Next time you are in Philippines use local number, use another e mail, use altered picture.

I think I found why, I put on "what I look for" "NO LADYBOYS", maybe the programer is a ladyboy and doesn't want to be filtered, LOL.

[ForkTruck]

Next time you are in Philippines use local number,

My plan upon arrival from states is to stop in a local store in manila and buy a phone, get local number, load GRAB, and load viber. Comments on this plan please? Am I missing anything? How much will a phone set me back? Thanks.

[Sammon]

Different picture.

Different email.

Different phone.

Different internet connection.

Maybe they "tatoo" a cookie or something in my register.

Oh well.

Next time you are in Philippines use local number, use another e mail, use altered picture.

[Member #1088]

Use a different picture.

Different picture.

Different email.

Different phone.

Different internet connection.

Maybe they "tatoo" a cookie or something in my register.

Oh well.

[PinaLove]

Good idea, I tried, but same result. I even modify the pic a bit and no luck. I guess no DIA for me;.

Use a different picture.

[Member #1088]

Good idea, I tried, but same result. I even modify the pic a bit and no luck. I guess no DIA for me;.

I think I found a way around it.

You can still do a search in DIA even without an account.

A lot of the times, the spiners put their actual name as the name of the account, I search for them in skype and fb.

And so far I got a few hits, not as good as having an account, but enough to keep the queue going.

In pinalove, also they use their mobile numbers as the account name. Very quick connection.