# Can I use a Huawei Phone in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482 "2019-11-15T05:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/1 "2019-11-15T05:17:39Z")
I will be retiring back to the US sometime soon. I suppose I will need a smart phone for the first time. May I buy a Huawei phone here in Saudi and slap a US sim card in? I understand the company is under some sort of sanction. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/2 "2019-11-15T22:37:40Z")
You should be able to. I would look somewhere like [gsmarena.com](http://gsmarena.com) for the model you’re looking at and confirm it’ll work with the N.American bands. I had to do this with the Doogee S60 I bought. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/3 "2019-11-15T23:51:15Z")
WalMart, among other retailers, used to sell Huawei phones in their stores – I bought one there in 2014. I had heard about the security flaps, but wasn’t aware that any retailers have pulled them off the shelves. WalMart no longer appears to carry Huawei. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/4 "2019-11-16T00:26:29Z")
You can use it if it is unlocked. You may not be able to get updates or access to Google services. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/5 "2019-11-16T00:33:12Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > You can use it if it is unlocked. You may not be able to get updates or access to Google services. Almost certainly won’t get Google services. This means no play store and no maps and no Google photos. You would be able to get some apps by side loading them from semi sketchy sites that claim the binaries they distribute are virus free. Huawei’s play store knockoff may be available from us ips in English. Other cloud services like Amazon could be used to store your photos. Other maps like ways may work. Another problem is that as an unsupported phone even if unlocked you may have trouble with some carriers. Still it will probably work with varying levels of inconvenience ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/6 "2019-11-16T02:10:12Z")
Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/7 "2019-11-16T02:24:45Z")
Out of curiosity, why would you buy and use a Huawei phone? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/8 "2019-11-16T04:48:23Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Out of curiosity, why would you buy and use a Huawei phone? Because they make [very](https://www.androidcentral.com/huawei-p30-pro-review-3-months-later), [very](https://www.androidcentral.com/huawei-mate-30-pro-review) good phones? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/9 "2019-11-16T07:06:42Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Out of curiosity, why would you buy and use a Huawei phone? They are the ones my students recommend. Having lived this long without one, I do not feel the need for anything fancy. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/10 "2019-11-16T13:34:31Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > You should be able to. I would look somewhere like [gsmarena.com](http://gsmarena.com) for the model you’re looking at and confirm it’ll work with the N.American bands. I had to do this with the Doogee S60 I bought. This. It’s not brands it bands. Keep in mind that a Walmart Huawei phone sold in the US will naturally be configured for US bands. One sold in Brazil will be set up for Brazilian bands. There is some overlap of bands around the world. But you need to check the bands the phone can do and the bands in the region you are using it. That it is Huawei is immaterial in this regard. But, as mentioned, updates and other matters apply as well. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/11 "2019-11-16T14:21:29Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Out of curiosity, why would you buy and use a Huawei phone? In the world market, Huawei is just a hair behind Apple in market share. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/12 "2019-11-16T20:53:27Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Out of curiosity, why would you buy and use a Huawei phone? And out of curiosity, why do you think that retiring and moving back to the US means you need a smartphone? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/13 "2019-11-21T17:50:28Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I will be retiring back to the US sometime soon… Welcome home! Username change? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/14 "2019-11-21T23:22:06Z")
He’s only allowed to move to places that rhyme with his name, then. Rules (however arbitrary) are rules. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/15 "2019-11-22T19:30:24Z")
Personally I would go for a Samsung or LG rather than a company that’s involved in sanctions. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/16 "2019-11-22T20:34:12Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > In the world market, Huawei is just a hair behind Apple in market share. I wouldn’t be concerned with market share. I’d be concerned about the security of my phone. Knowingly buying and using a communications device made by a Chinese company just seems like asking for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/17 "2019-11-22T21:48:23Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I wouldn’t be concerned with market share. I’d be concerned about the security of my phone. Knowingly buying and using a communications device made by a Chinese company just seems like asking for trouble. It doesn’t seem to be that important with a lot of people. I’d be concerned, but most folks seem to feel that it’s no big deal. Hell, many countries don’t seem to see the issue either, considering they are having them build out critical infrastructure for them. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/18 "2019-11-23T10:13:11Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Username change? Perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/19 "2019-11-23T14:51:20Z")
> [@XT](#): > > It doesn’t seem to be that important with a lot of people. I’d be concerned, but most folks seem to feel that it’s no big deal. Hell, many countries don’t seem to see the issue either, considering they are having them build out critical infrastructure for them. Here’s one of numerous stories about the phones: [Don’t use Huawei phones, say heads of FBI, CIA, and NSA](https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/14/17011246/huawei-phones-safe-us-intelligence-chief-fears) Same warnings about Lenovo laptops, and Kaspersky AV software. There are also many news articles about backlash from governments utilizing Huawei to build a 5G network. But I agree, security doesn’t seem to be that important with lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482/20 "2019-11-24T12:38:48Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Same warnings about Lenovo laptops, and Kaspersky AV software. > > … > > But I agree, security doesn’t seem to be that important with lot of people. I’ve been advising people for some time to avoid Lenovo because of their hidden data collection malware. And yet they still go buy Lenovo. I used to love Kaspersky. I used their rescue disk to rescue PCs several times. Not anymore. And I agree with your agreement. The lack of taking the most basic steps to protect themselves is troubling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-a-huawei-phone-in-the-us/843482.md?page=2)