[EightSix]

We are buying a feature phone. I know it is almost 2021 and buying a feature phone sounds really stupid. But it is not. Besides, I know we need one. The big question is, which one to buy. I don’t want to be crossing the 1000 INR limit, but am ready to stretch it up to 1500 if it is a good product.

- USE CASE: While we have one smartphone each, we are at our farmhouse for the last 10 months, where there is lesser Internet connectivity. While our phones - vi(parents), Airtel (mine) are unreachable over here, a need for a spare phone has arised. I have a BSNL simcard which I guess works everywhere around the country. Earlier, we had this Motorola Handset which worked on the BSNL SIM card and it was the best replacement for a landline phone. This Motorola had amazing signal strength at all times and we were happy with this purchase, so happy that we purchased two of these. Both of them worked alright for 2+ years and then they stopped working; both at the same time.

Then we got a JIOFi, after realising that Jio works here. It is with this that we do online work/school and TBHP browsing. On android phones (mine in the family), we have a JioCall app which we pair with the JioFi device and can use the Jio sim in the JioFi to wirelessly call and text. That’s what we have been doing all this time. However, you can only receive texts and calls while the app is running on your *Android* device as well as the JioFi is on. This makes it difficult for people to reach out to us. That’s when we realised we need a spare phone.

The need for a spare phone keeps on growing. We thought we could get another fixed, corded GSM phone similar to the Motorola FW200L, or even another piece of the same, considering the kind of signal it offers! After all, a running of 2+years is not so bad. But a key criteria was a portable phone which we could carry everywhere without the fear of losing it, getting it stolen etc.

Initially, we were not looking for another smartphone, as a good one would cost about 7k INR, which is still big money for a basic phone. But now, our family wants to use smartphones as less as possible.

Reason:
Excess addiction to the screen - the lesser number of screens we have in the house, the better, especially when almost all of our day (virtual school, online office etc) is spent on screens. Which is why excess addiction to the screen is one of the reasons.

A bigger reason why we are going back to a feature phone is this, infact it is the most important. Almost everyone these days has smartphones and all utilities are managed with our smartphone. We are in the digital age but the power of technology is now being used to manipulate us. Especially contact tracing apps. Privacy is a joke these days. Thanks to these 6” pieces of glass seen in everyone’s hands, we are slowly transitioning into the Orwellian dystopia. We are not paying merely the 300 rupee telecom bill; that is not the real cost we are paying. The real cost is that we are sacrificing our liberty. Apps these days are being forced onto us by school, workplaces, governments and even gated communities and for a little perceived convenience, we are sacrificing our liberty and allowing us to be tracked.

These days, data is the new oil and we are being milked for it till the last drop. Now, you might say that I’m a luddite to have these views but no. I too believe that smartphones are an indispensable part of our lives, and as a teenager I can’t live without it either. However I’m trying to limit mine and my family’s smartphone usage as much as possible. This is the most important reason as to why we feel a need to buy a dumb phone soon.

Thanks for reading this long explanation. Now that you know why my family is buying a basic phone in a digital age and you should too, here comes the question again: which one to buy. Based on my requirements and comments here, please suggest a basic phone for me.

What I need:
1) It should be long lasting. A great build quality and good hardware on the inside is what I’m looking at. Should last for atleast 2 years.
2) Long battery life or fast charging. Most dumb phones have atleast either of these. I wouldn’t bother keeping it plugged the whole night but I would prefer a long battery life.
3) Loud sound. We might not get the best signal strength in all corners of the house, therefore when ringing, it should be heard over a long distance.
4) Good range preferred.
5) Easy repairs preferred.
6) Torch preferred for practical purposes.
7) Should be delivered by Amazon or Flipkart

What I don’t need:
1) 4G connectivity. Since I have good Jio signal at my place, you might suggest me a JioPhone. Which I don’t need. I need a no nonsense device without apps or texting, video calling, social media etc. I have very clearly explained why I’m looking forward to reducing my smartphone usage and the last thing I need is a wannabe smartphone.
2) No KaiOS either. Reasons similar to those in previous point. Also, don’t want to harm my eyes by viewing apps on a small screen.
3) Nonsensical features like camera, music, expandable storage etc. who needs these on a sub-2000 INR phone anyway?

You may start commenting down what you feel is the right feature Phone for me. But I found one really interesting feature Phone brand in the ocean of Nokias and Micromaxes and Lavas and Samsungs. It is this Chinese (I think) brand named Kechaoda. Chinese brands (example: Xiaomi, Oneplus and Huawei) are known for offering great phones. This one which fits in my budget has mostly positive reviews, is built like a tank - which is just the kind of phone I want; has some pretty good features too. Would you recommend this one to me? Considering the repairs aspect, durability, etc. Check it out at this linky: https://www.amazon.in/KECHAODA-K112-...ronics&sr=1-51

This is one thing we need to buy real soon, so please give me the best suggestions at the earliest possible. Also, since I have created this thread specific to the phones of the past decades, you may post your experiences with a feature phone, whether you would be buying one yourself (along with reasons), and the best deals on these phones, technical stuff, updates in the feature phone segment, your feature phone purchases and any other info you might have in regard to the Feature Phone.

Thanks!
EightSix.

[boniver]

Simple. Just get the Nokia 105.

[Abhi5868]

Buying a feature phone is a necessity for some, all the more if you decide to give the grueling IIT/NEET in the coming years(those who know, know). This Nokia here should suit all your requirements,I know for a fact that I just see my grandpa's phone charging once a week. Although his usage might be lesser than yours but get the picture.

[alpha1]

Come on, these days we need to keep the hare-brained apps like Arogya Setu on our phones.

No knowing when the high and mighty local police-walla decides to imprison you charging you with IPC307 for not carrying these prestigious apps on your phone.

Why take this risk and carry a dumb phone?

[Cessna182]

If there is a basic phone that allows messages for otp and some form of whatsapp call alerts, I will be glad to carry it. I hate the constant bombardment of messages on whatsapp groups which cannot be muted because they are official. I don't shop using apps as I've noticed that they track everything from your location to your voice calls. A basic phone with just one or two apps would be ideal for a lot of people. I've seen many people use a basic phone for calls as they think it is more secure and it has a better battery life than any of the most expensive phones today.

[phamilyman]

Nokia 3310

There are always subtle nuances - responsiveness on texts, SMS size, color of screen, feel etc. You can pair it with bluetooth and take calls etc - the convenience of the additional 2k is totally worth it for ALL readers of this forum.

My mom LOVES the 3310 and misses it vs the Mi A3 she is now forced (lockdown = video calls) to use. She was just about okay with the 105 and the Jio Phone (which she couldnt read due to eyesight and responsiveness issues with diabetes).

[ani_meher]

For senior citizens who find scroll navigation tough, I recommend a basic 2-3 gb RAM smartphone with such homescreen:



Having all useful apps on homescreen with big buttons really seems to be the best way to interact with the phones for non techies.

[mvadg]

Don't buy an unknown Chinese brand. In India, you will not get support even for the second most popular brand, let alone an unknown brand.

Go with the best Nokia feature phone available. Also, it would be better if you get a 4G feature phone, that is able to work with 2G,3G for flexibility. Make sure it can act as a hot-spot.

I am afraid you will not be able to avoid being tracked even with a feature phone. If you are able to, get a smartphone that can be easily unlocked and rooted. Check the "xda-developers" site and look at what people have done to "de-Google" their phones. But the way the world is connected, you will not be able to avoid leaking your data, the only positive result of doing this will be that you can remove the pre installed apps like Facebook and block ads 95 percent of the time.

[lawdgawd]

I have been using the Nokia 105 too here in Goa.

Only complaint is the slightly old style, limited UI that slows things down - like when having to delete many SMSes at one shot etc.

[FloatingCanvas]

I would recommend the Samsung Guru Music 2.

It is built more ruggedly (relatively) and the buttons last a long time.

The Nokia 105/110 series has a good looking screen and soft touch-feel buttons. But the material used for the button doesn't last long, especially the navigation button in the middle. It is the common one for navigating options as well as the "ok" button to select the options. After a few months of regular usage, the button wears down and makes the usage difficult.

Source: A cousin of mine used the Nokia 105 (office restriction on using phones with camera) and my grandmother is using the 110 since about a year.

And do avoid getting local/unestablished brands. The warranty/support aside, the radiation levels can be hazardous, not to mention the possibility of exploding batteries. Their QC would be pathetic and would be hard to hold anyone accountable.

Best to stick with Nokia, Samsung or LG. Don't compromise safety over a few hundred bucks in price difference.

[meerkat]

Originally Posted by EightSix

.
... vi(parents), Airtel (mine) are unreachable over here,

.... I have a BSNL simcard which I guess works everywhere around the country.
.

What I need:
1) It should be long lasting. A great build quality and good hardware on the inside is what I’m looking at. Should last for atleast 2 years.
.

What I don’t need:
1) 4G connectivity. Since I have good Jio signal at my place, you might suggest me a JioPhone. Which I don’t need.

From above, it is clear that you want a long lasting feature phone that works with BSNL 2G, -- 3G is dying, if not already dead, and you don't want 4G.

Here are the issues I can see with your requirements:

Jio has been pushing to kill off 2G for a while, so that is likely to happen soon enough. Even BSNL believes that if it has any future, it would be in 4G and beyond (and the govt. isn't even allowing them 4G nationwide)! Apparently the govt. is intent on killing off BSNL as well, -- going by my own experience with the drastic fall in BSNL's service quality across circles in recent times. I don't think that "BSNL works everywhere around the country" is a given anymore!

So, you may buy a 2G phone "built like a tank" now, that would probably last you a lifetime, ... as a paperweight!
.

[ZenMaster]

I used to carry 2 phones during my college days becasue my phone was single sim and also because my Smartphone's battery life was atrocious (It was a Nexus 5x).

My other phone was the dumbest of all the dumb phones....The Samsung Guru. The only feature it has, other than calling, is a Calculator(which is also a pain to use). But it gets the job done. It doesn't even have a headphone jack.

The problem with Samsung Guru is the earpiece Sound quality,

Its loud alright, but the clarity is just bad. One has to really strain their ears to make out what the other person is saying especially if they speak fast. Entire coversations have gone over my head because I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I couldn't ask them to repeat what they said again and again because it would make be seem deaf/dumb or both

It also doesn't have the best signal reception.

For that reason, I advice you to buy a Nokia.

Another advantage of having a dumbphone is that its like an extra layer of security, especially for bank transactions. All OTPs come on the dumb phone, so even if the smartphone is hacked or something my, Nobody is getting my OTPs. Yes, it makes life a little more difficult but I think its worth the hassle.

Dumb phones shouls last you many years, not just 2.

Pro Tip: If you want to save 2000bucks, just ask any relatives nearby if they have a dumb phone lying around and pop in a new battery if you have to. Most Nokia batteries are available on Amazon. Most homes have 1 or 2 that would be lying unused because even grandparents have graduated to smartphones and swapped TV for YouTube.

[RR96]

I recommend you to buy Nokia 105 or Samsung Guru 1200 as suggested by others. Both have decent build quality and are more reliable. They have better user interface as compared to other cheaper brands. My sister uses a Samsung Guru at hostel, it is of decent build and has good call quality, good speaker etc.

If you are want to look at cheaper options then consider Lava A1
Price: ₹900, Rated 4.2 on Flipkart by around 80k buyers.
https://www.flipkart.com/mobiles/fea...?sid=tyy%2C4io

If you want better battery backup at ₹1100 then consider Lava A3
Has 1750 mAh battery and is rated 4.2 on Flipkart by 14k buyers
https://www.flipkart.com/mobiles/fea...?sid=tyy%2C4io

[wildsdi5530]

Is there any dumb phone with WhatsApp only? and a decent quality screen. Battery life should be good.

[doxinboy]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

Is there any dumb phone with WhatsApp only? and a decent quality screen. Battery life should be good.

Dude, that is called smartphone