Nokia C2-01.5 Unlocked GSM Phone with 3.2 MP Camera and Music and Video Player–U.S. Version with Warranty (Black)

The Amazon price was the best available at the time of my purchase. Combine that with free shipping and this is a really great deal for those who want a GSM phone that has a decent camera, is simple to use, and has a reasonably small form factor. I am using mine on the AT&T network currently. I was previously using a Sony Ericsson W518a, which had been giving me a multitude of problems. I wanted a simple, unlocked phone that would work with my voice and text plan, but I didn’t want to go backwards in camera resolution or expandable memory capabilities. Additionally, I did not want to renew my contract with an upgrade from AT&T (Just in case I want to switch carriers in the near future). I don’t have a data plan and pretty much only talk and text from my device. This phone does both very well. The reception and voice clarity are superior to that of my previous Sony Ericsson. The Nokia interface is not as aesthetically refined as the Sony Ericsson was, but it is simple and reliable. I will take functionality over beauty if I have to choose between the two. Some nice extras are the inclusion of a 3.5 mm audio jack and a micro USB port which can be used for charging and data transfers (I hate proprietary jacks!). The only problems I had were in configuring the MMS, Internet, and MEdia Net settings. Since this phone has never been sold by AT&T, they won’t provide any technical support. However, once I found some instructions for the configuration, it was easy to get all features running smoothly. This was a great buy. Here is what you have to do to get the MMS and internet connected:

Menu
-Messaging
–Message settings
—Multimedia messages
Req read reports – No
Allow read report – No
MMS creation mode – Guided
Default slide timing – 00:08
MMS reception – Automatic
Allow adverts – No
—-Configuration settings
Configuration – Personal config.
Account – MEdia Net

-Settings
–Connectivity
—Packet data
Packet data conn. – When needed
—-Packet data settings
Active access point – Access point 1
—–Edit active access pt.
Alias for access point – Access point 1
Packet data acc. pt. – wap.cingular

–Configuration
—Personal config. sett.
Options
-Add new – access point
-Account name – My access point
-Access point settings
-Bearer settings
-Packet data acc. pt. – wap.cingular
-Network type – IPv4
-Authentication type – Secure
-User name – (leave blank)
-Password – (leave blank)

–Configuration
-Default config. sett. – Personal config. (checked)
-Act. def. in all apps. – Yes
-Preferred access point – My access point
-Personal config. sett.
–MEdia Net
-Account Name – MEdia Net
-Server address – […]
-Use pref access point – No
—Access point settings
-Proxy – Enabled
-Proxy address – […]
-Proxy port – 80
—-Bearer settings
-Packet data acc. pt. – wap.cingular
-Network type – IPv4
-Authentication type – Secure
-User name – (leave blank)
-Password – (leave blank)

This phone was just what I was looking for. A basic phone that could also play music. The screen was smallish but clear and bright. The phone had a good solid feel and sharp looks in spite of some plastic parts. It was easy to navigate through the functions. I got this in the US and then took it with me in Sri Lanka where I now live. I dropped in a local sim card and was making calls within a minute. No adjustments needed. I did turn off 3G mode as I do not have a data plan in SL and I think 2g mode uses less juice. Data plans are offered and I presume this phone would work with them, as it has 3G. I just don’t need that now

What was great was when I connected it to my computer to install music into the 16gb microSD card that I also purchased, windows media player quickly recognized it and allowed me to drag and drop music files within windows media player. It synced quickly and I was out the door with a full set of music. Best of all, I did not have to use iTunes, which is so cumbersome by comparison.

So…great simple candybar phone that sounds clear and has extra functions if you need them. In 2g mode battery lasts for days. Sadly someone recently stole it from me in Delhi so now I’m back to my 5 year old Motorola, which still works like new.

I’m going to try to post the same review for two different Nokia “feature” phones, both of which I’ve bought through Amazon. First some context: I’m a geezer who likes dumb phones. I want a phone that will allow me to make and receive voice calls, and send and receive occasional text messages. That’s it. No social networking, no automatic touch-and-pay capability, no spoken driving directions, etc. My previous phone, which I owned for about 8 years, was a Nokia 6030. Great phone!
Recent phone calls and mailings from carrier AT&T warned me that my “phone will no longer be supported” after 11/30/14 in my service area in NorCal. I have a little technical background, but am not a phone geek. Had to do a bit of research on phone bandwidths, frequencies, and “generations”. I wanted to understand why my old phone had finally reached end-of-life, and to pick a replacement that would provide similar capabilities and a long-as-possible future life. Hopefully this research will be helpful to others who face the same situation down the road.
My old 6030 was a “GSM-only” phone. I had found on trips to Europe that it’s also a U.S.-only phone. GSM is sometimes referred to as “2G”, and it’s this 2G function that AT&T is in the process of dismantling across the U.S., ending with final shutdown by 12/16. So I was looking for a 3G or better replacement phone.
Both 2G and 3G generations of phones use different wireless frequencies in the U.S. (and Latin America) vs. the rest of the world (ROW). U.S. 3G runs 850 & 1900 MHz, with the lower “more flexible” frequency working better on insides of buildings. ROW 3G runs 900 & 2100 MHz.
I initially chose the Nokia C2-01.5 for its small size (2-in. display), closest to my old 6030, and fitting nicely in my existing horizontal belt holster. However, early on I found the 3G reception indoors at home marginal, never actually dropping calls, but making normal conversations difficult, with audio gaps at both ends. Although the phone is represented as “U.S. Version”, the phone’s specific “type” is RM-721 (900/1900/2100), which omits the important U.S. inside-building frequency of 850 MHz. A better flavor of this phone for the U.S. would be type RM-722, supporting 850/1900/2100 MHz frequencies, but I was not able to find this type for sale anywhere.
Searched again on the Internet and through Amazon, and found the Nokia 301.2. While it’s a bit larger (2.4 in. display), and a tight fit in my old Krusell holster, the item’s Amazon title shows support for both U.S. 3G frequencies (850/1900; type RM-841). Very similar features to the C2-01.5, with its simple but battle-tested Symbian-derived S40 operating system. And it’s newer, with first ship in April 2013, so should theoretically have a longer service life. The phone works great indoors and outdoors in my area, but the RM-841 type will have no 3G support in Europe.
So my final solution is to keep both phones. The 301.2 will be my standard U.S. phone, and the C2-01.5 will substitute on any occasional retiree trips to Europe or the Far East. Both phones have solid Nokia build quality, and are really best-of-breed for this type of simple “candy bar” phone. Both are unlocked, and worked immediately when I dropped my existing 3G-capable AT&T SIM into them. And both support quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), so should work on these older 2G frequencies worldwide for as long as they continue to be supported.

Nokia C2-01 Unlocked GSM cell phone (Quad-band and 3G)

I was looking for an unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone for use while traveling abroad. The C2-01 is priced the same as some of Nokia’s other smartphones that had a full keyboard (Blackberry style) but the C2-01 was the only one in-stock at the time. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot after reading numerous reviews of other unlocked cellphones purchased via Amazon that yielded used/refurbished phones or phones that weren’t unlocked.

I was pleasantly surprised when the package arrived and my C2-01 was brand spanking new from the factory, complete with a NOKIA factory seal on the box. The battery was new, and the phone was in excellent condition. I was up and running within minutes, and fully charged the battery. I threw in a SIM card from another AT&T phone and it was immediately working, no PIN or unlock requests, nothing. It immediately recognized the AT&T SIM card and logged onto the network. I was unable to use the Internet or browse websites though, since I couldn’t figure out how to change the access points properly. Even if I figured out how to access the internet, the C2-01 is ill-suited for browsing. The keypad is circa-2001 and the screen is circa-2001. It is very easy to use for phone calls and text messages (albeit slow due to the keypad design), and has MP3 audio capabilities.

The micro-USB port allows you to charge the phone as well as access data. The AC adapter works in 120V AC and 240V AC outlets. A SIM card from China Unicom was inserted into the phone while in China, and it immediately recognized the carrier and changed the language to Chinese. The text and menu were in Chinese, this is great if you can read the language while traveling. But this is not so great when you can’t read Chinese and just wanted a local prepaid SIM card to use while visiting! However, the simplicity and ease of use made the C2-01 truly worthwhile as a travel phone. The fact it can be used anywhere in the world (quad-band GSM and international 3G) makes it extremely versatile. The long battery life and simple interface for making/receiving phone calls are just icing on the cake!

Overall: 4/5 stars. Antiquated keypad and tiny non-touch screen remind me of the late 1990s/early 2000s Nokia cellphones. The saving grace: long battery life, and automatic recognition of prepaid SIM cards makes for a perfect travel phone that can be used almost anywhere in the world.

UPDATE: I figured out how to set it up for Internet access and as I suspected, the interface is ill-suited for web browsing let alone modern apps.

I purchased this phone as an upgrade from another Nokia phone. Within minutes of opening the box, I had installed the battery and AT&T SIM card, and it was up and running.

Nokia phones are great. Excellent reception, solidly built, simple and intuitive controls — if you’re already a Nokia user, there will be no learning curve with going to this phone. The C2-01 has everything that I loved about my past Nokia phones, but with the added benefits of a good camera and a passable music player. Also, there are some other notable improvements over past models, like the inclusion of a micro USB port (that can charge the phone from your computer), and a built-in FM radio.

You shouldn’t buy this phone if you’re primarily interested in taking pictures or playing music. It is, first and foremost, a phone. But the little 3.2 MP camera does take some pretty good snapshots, and it will preserve memories that you would otherwise have lost because you left your camera at home.

The music player is good but not great. With its 3.5 mm headphone jack, the C2-01 will probably work with your existing headphones. Songs can be organized by artist, genre, playlist, etc., and even album art is displayed. It also comes equipped with an equalizer. The only negative is that the sound quality, in my opinion, is not as good as an iPod or other similar player.

Finally, the C2-01 comes with an external port for a micro SD chip (i.e., no having to take the back off the phone to insert it). With an 8 GB chip, it will hold a substantial music collection and leave room for lots of pictures.

I highly recommend this product — it offers a great deal of quality and functionality for $75.00.