covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert 03-Jan-1991 2151) (01/04/91)
Jim Rees asks if he could buy a cellular phone in Hong Kong and use it in North America. Since he seems to be at U.Mich., I'm not sure why he would want to. Cellular phone equipment prices in Hong Kong were much, much higher (about US$1000 higher) than in the U.S. when I was there in November 1989. Service, however, is very cheap. Hong Kong has both TACS (compatible with England) and AMPS (compatible with the U.S.) systems. Three companies run TACS (or ETACS) sytems, one of those runs the world's only combined TACS/AMPS system. A U.S. or Canadian subscriber may sign up with Hutchison Telephone to obtain service while in Hong Kong; a Hutchison Telephone subscriber with AMPS equipment may sign up to roam while visiting the U.S. or Canada. Credit card signup is required, and, of course, when coming to the U.S. from Hong Kong, signup is required with each separate system you plan to visit. TACS roaming between the U.K. and Hong Kong is provided only between Racal Vodafone (in the U.K.) and Hong Kong Telephone/CSL. U.K. Cellnet subscribers cannot roam in Hong Kong, and Hutchison and Pacific Link subscribers cannot roam in the U.K. (At least as of last summer.) The only information I have on Singapore is that they have an AMPS system there, which would be compatible with the U.S. Whether roaming is possible or not, I can't say. I'm also not familiar with equipment prices. john