Quad band technology refers directly to the array of frequency bands used by communications devices that do not rely on a wired connection to perform their primary functions. Cellular telephones operate on one of four different frequency bands, depending on what part of the world the cell phone originates. The four major frequencies that operate all cellular telephones run between 850 MHz and 1.9 GHz, and are location-specific. Any cellular phone user, no matter what function the cellular phone is performing — phone, text, or Internet — only accesses one band at any given time, but a quad band phone has the ability to use any of these different frequencies to send and receive data and provide its function.
A cellular phone that has quad band technology installed can operate without any hiccups in service, no matter what frequency band the phone is located. It is equipped to be able to use all four frequency bands designated for cell phone usage. This is different from a cell phone that is only able to access the frequency band for the country in which it was produced or intended to be used.
With a quad band phone, a cellular phone user who lives in America has a phone that operates on the 850 MHz and the 1.9 MHz bands, depending on the brand. However, if the cell phone has quad band technology, the user may travel to Europe or Australia, for instance, because the phone is capable of functioning on the 900 MHz and 1.8 MHz bands without being reprogrammed or without any delay in service. This doesn’t mean an international phone call can take place without an international calling plan, though.
The phone may be able to make these types of calls, but this doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be a substantial fee applied to a user’s phone bill if an international call is made on the phone. For those who have a quad band-enabled phone and frequently travel across seas, an international calling plan should be purchased before using the phone to call someone overseas. The same goes for someone trying to call a cell phone user with quad band technology who is overseas.