Does anyone know of a manufacturer who makes a ruggedized cell phone? I am looking for something just to make calls that can take a bit of abuse without falling apart. I want a backlit monochrome screen that can be read in sunlight and no light. All the color screens I have seen so far really suck in sunlight.

I don't need or want texting, web browsing, or a camera. I just want a rugged basic phone I can carry on me in the woods and fields without worrying about breaking it. It has to be GSM phone (Cingular, AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular). We don't have any other reliable service where I'm at.

 

LG makes one, but dont remember the model or if they still produce it - it was rubberized on the outside. Nextel/Sprint used to have one - bright yellow - tough design. I would check Motorolla and LG websites and see what you can find. Sprint offers a pretty rugged black phone - can't remember who makes it, possibly Sanyo - buddy that works in Landscaping has it as his work phone - I'll ask him about it for ya.

 

If it's offered in the US, I would look into the Motorola/Telus Mike Phone. Up here in Ontario you can purchase one for like $40, and then choose whatever plan you want a month. They are the older/basic design of the mikes, so no special features. And they are coated with rubber...guys at my dad's work as well as my friends have dropped them from going up their silos, being on ladders, stuff like that...and they keep going strong. Now the screen probably isnt the colour you want, but the phone would probably last you.

 

If Nextel (now incorporated into Sprint) still is using GSM, then buy one of their phones. Most to all of the construction workers I know use those Motorola phones. One of my friends has dropped his off the top of a 3 story building MULTIPLE times, and it still works. They are built to be thrown around.

Now, mind you they aren't the prettiest, nor can I guarantee what I'm saying, but this is what they've told me. I use AT&T/Cingular, which the LG CU500 that I have now is pretty durable. But I won't say its as tough as those Motorola phones, only available from Nextel/Sprint.

 

I havent had any of these but you might want to take a look.

http://www.mphone.co.uk/rugged_tough_phone.html

You would think they would have a phone like the toughbook though.

 

Don't know if it's GSM or not but you might check out the GzOne from Verizon. Claims to be waterproof.
http://kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=135331

 

i have this phone and i like it alot. it is supposedly built to military standards and became available for consumers. i have never dropped it in water but it has gotten wet in the rain. it is also supposed to be dust proof and shock proof. it has taken some substancial blows. verizons service in my area is the best so that is very important to me as well. it does come with a color screen. and not that you want a camera but it has one and a pretty darn good one too. i thought i would never use it, but if you are on the job or in the field and talking to someone on the phone and they don't understand what you mean, you can take a pic and send it to them. helps with communications. they always say, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

 

Man get a nextel, at work one was submitted to lost and found,it was ran over in the parking lot, looked like nothing even touched it, very tough phone. Not sure on the model, but it was not the yellow one, this was grey and was ruberized on the out side.

 

For the record, the Nextel network uses iDen which is its own form of GSM and is not compatible with standard GSM. The old phones are very rugged as are some of the new ones. I have an r750plus built by Motorola around the 2003 timeframe that was made for emergency responders in mind. It's about the size of a regular Motorola portable radio and has about 10 times the power as a regular cellphone. I switched to a smaller phone because there is no way I could wear it with all the rest of the stuff on my belt. If you can still find one, I would recommend it if you're using Nextel. Here is a pic...



I beat the living HECK out of my 750 and it just kept working and working. The audio is the best and loudest of any cellphone out there, period. It sounds just as good as a HT1000 or XTS5000 police radio. Good bass, and good treble that makes the normally tinny nextel audio sound perfect.

 

Thanks for the leads folks. Keep them coming if you have more.

Unfortunately, Nextel doesn't have coverage in this valley, and the last time I checked, their network used iDEN (sp?), a proprietary Motorola technology incompatible with anything else. If that is what they are still using, we can't use the phones.

No decent Verizon coverage here, either. We had them and dropped them like a hot rock when Cingular put in a GSM tower. Their phones are not compatible with GSM networks. Not that Cingular/AT&T's service is anything to rave about, but they and U.S. Cellular are the only networks that have any kind of decent coverage here.

 

I have a Nextel i355 It`s rugged, water resistant and the battery life is outsatnding. It`s big and bulky but very reliable. Like Jack said, it`s an iDEN phone (I have NO clue as to what that means tho). Worst part about the phone is the Nextel service IMO, but has gotten alot better since the merge with Sprint.

 

Have had the Motorola GzOne about 2 months now. Best I have had in a while. Lets see if it can take my abuse.
I give it another month and I will have killed it.

Steve

 

Bump,
Anyone find anything good yet? I would like something like the Telus/nextel. But it has to be GSM. Surely they can sell one like the Mike's for GSM.

 

I have been looking at satellite phones lately. $1.29/minute sounds pretty cheap since that is the minimum I pay overseas anyway.

 

verizon has a new rugged phone out. we have got them on all the trucks and seem to like them ok. they are h20 resistant, drop, shock yada yada yada

brett