Getting a dual SIM phone

I couldn't resist the price - 3,000 PHP (approximately 63 USD) you virtually get two phones! Besides, there's really not much I can do with my phones after what happened to them in the accident.

One dead Siemens "ruggedized" ME45 and a shot SonyEricsson phone:


I thought I could live with the "bruised" phone for a while but it was hemorrhaging internally:

Day 1


Day 7


I couldn't see the screen anymore and I had to resort to calling anyone who sends me an SMS since I couldn't read what their message was!

When I saw the offer for the TCL A288 in Manila (I'm  in Zamboanga, about 1,900 kilometers away), I immediately sent someone to meet up with the buyer and check out the goods. (And haggled, of course.)

Soon, I won't have to lug two phones around and wouldn't have to bother with different chargers. I've been looking at other phones, particularly the Samsung D880 and its cheaper sibling, the D780, the my|phone B22 and B23 but the available information were scant, and the few I got we're not exactly glowing reviews.

This never-heard "TCL" mobile brand is actually a joint venture between French company ,Alcatel and a Chinese company, TCL. There is little information about this model that even the local distributor's website didn't mention anything. However, there was this guy/gal who actually posted some kind words about this phone.

Hah! I'm not better off with a Chinese-no-name-knockoff and I'm crossing my fingers that the Alcatel name would actually hold some water and I'm not getting a (pretty expensive) lemon.

The phone is still somewhere between Manila and Zamboanga, probably in some cold, lonely airport hangar, being banged around with the other parcels.

I'll post and update when I get my grubby hands on it.

Update: Proceed to a review of TCL A288 Dual SIM phone.