# Smallest Phone Available For AT&T Wireless/Cingular
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 5, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693 "2005-11-05T20:38:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/1 "2005-11-05T20:38:51Z")
I called Cingular to get the answer, but they don’t know, so I’ll ask here: What is the absolute smallest phone available for use with AT&T Wireless or Cinguar? Features aren’t important. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Yogurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yogurt)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/2 "2005-11-05T21:16:02Z")
This [page](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) lists all of Cingular’s phones. The smallest actual phone is probably the [Razor](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) , while the smallset device they offer is this $550 [PDA](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/phonedetails.jsp?id=cdsku9870024) .
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/3 "2005-11-05T21:32:24Z")
> [@Nobody Special](#):
>
> I called Cingular to get the answer, but they don’t know, so I’ll ask here: What is the absolute smallest phone available for use with AT&T Wireless or Cinguar? Features aren’t important. Thanks.
AT&T Wireless doe not exist. Cingular has an LG C15 phone measuring 3.28 x 1.71 x 0.96"
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/4 "2005-11-05T21:33:24Z")
> [@Nobody Special](#):
>
> I called Cingular to get the answer, but they don’t know, so I’ll ask here: What is the absolute smallest phone available for use with AT&T Wireless or Cinguar? Features aren’t important. Thanks.
AT&T Wireless doe not exist. Cingular has an LG C15 phone measuring 3.28 x 1.71 x 0.96" This may be the smallest phone available in US at present.
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### Author:  [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/5 "2005-11-05T21:57:38Z")
> [@Yogurt](#):
>
> This [page](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) lists all of Cingular’s phones. The smallest actual phone is probably the [Razor](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) , while the smallset device they offer is this $550 [PDA](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/phonedetails.jsp?id=cdsku9870024) .
Unfortunately, that page does not list all of Cingular’s phones.
> [@spingears](#):
>
> AT&T Wireless doe not exist. Cingular has an LG C15 phone measuring 3.28 x 1.71 x 0.96"
AT&T Wireless doesn’t exist, but Cingular’s network is still divided into two parts, and there are phones which work on AT&T’s old system which will not work on Cingular’s.
Neither the Razr or LG C15 are Cingular’s smallest phones, because I know of Siemens’ SL56 which measures 1.8" x 0.9" x 3.2". Before I get a new phone, I’d like to make sure there isn’t a smaller one.
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### Author:  [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/6 "2005-11-05T22:06:11Z")
> [@Nobody Special](#):
>
> AT&T Wireless doesn’t exist, but Cingular’s network is still divided into two parts, and there are phones which work on AT&T’s old system which will not work on Cingular’s.
The network has been unified and there are no technological differences between phones for AT&T and phones for Cingular except a software provider lock on old AT&T phones might still only accept SIM cards marked AT&T. This is a legacy software restriction that prevented old AT&T customers from reusing their phone on a different network. Cingular and AT&T still have some internal billing separation and such but mostly it’s the same network and same phones, technologically.
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### Author:  [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/7 "2005-11-05T22:14:10Z")
> [@spingears](#):
>
> AT&T Wireless doe not exist.
Yes, they do, at least in a practical sense. While AT&T Wireless was bought by Cingular, for all practical purposes they are independent entities. AT&T phones run on a completely different network than Cingular. Cingular is GSM, while AT&T is mostly TDMA/AMPS. Today these are commonly called “Cingular orange” (the GSM network), while the old AT&T network is called “Cingular blue.”
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### Author:  [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/8 "2005-11-05T22:16:43Z")
> [@groman](#):
>
> The network has been unified and there are no technological differences between phones for AT&T and phones for Cingular except a software provider lock on old AT&T phones might still only accept SIM cards marked AT&T.
Wrong. I have a cellphone that is TDMA/AMPS only that is used on the old AT&T network. TDMA and AMPS phones never use SIMs, period.
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/9 "2005-11-05T22:18:51Z")
> [@Yogurt](#):
>
> This [page](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) lists all of Cingular’s phones. The smallest actual phone is probably the [Razor](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/cell-phones.jsp?source=INC230056&_requestid=30191) , while the smallset device they offer is this $550 [PDA](http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/phonedetails.jsp?id=cdsku9870024) .
\*\*Motorola RAZR V3 2.997 CuIn Smallest \*\*
SamSung X427 4.752 CuIn
LG C1500 4.992 CuIn
Siemens SX66 9.055 Pretty big,don’t you think?
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### Author:  [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/10 "2005-11-05T22:36:56Z")
> [@Nobody Special](#):
>
> I called Cingular to get the answer, but they don’t know, so I’ll ask here: What is the absolute smallest phone available for use with AT&T Wireless or Cinguar? Features aren’t important. Thanks.
I don’t think you understand the question, since you asked Cingular about this. Cingular is a GSM service that operates on the 850 and 1900 MHz bands. What this means is that you can use ANY GSM phone on Cingular **so long as it can access those bands** AND **it is unlocked**. While the cell phone in my pocket now has a T-Mobile SIM, since I unlocked my phone it would work perfectly so long as any active Cingular SIM was inserted. I actually did this once with a guy I work with who was known to brag about how good his RAZR was when we were in an area and could get a Cingular SIM. I popped his SIM in my $20 Nokia 6010 phone, and handed it to him to make a test call. While he was able to make a call using my phone, his $300 RAZR couldn’t cut the mustard. 😉
The reason why Cingular probably couldn’t answer is that while they may not themselves sell the absolute smallest phone available that can be used on Cingular, you might be able to buy smaller 850/1900 GSM phones that are unlocked from say [http://www.myworldphone.com/](http://www.myworldphone.com/) and use it on Cingular.
I’d suggest that you head over to [http://www.howardforums.com/](http://www.howardforums.com/) and ask there. I am a regular at HF, so if you want I could ask for you.
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/11 "2005-11-05T23:10:16Z")
> [@Nobody Special](#):
>
> Unfortunately, that page does not list all of Cingular’s phones.
> AT&T Wireless doesn’t exist, but Cingular’s network is still divided into two parts, and there are phones which work on AT&T’s old system which will not work on Cingular’s.
>
> Neither the Razr or LG C15 are Cingular’s smallest phones, because I know of Siemens’ SL56 which measures 1.8" x 0.9" x 3.2". Before I get a new phone, I’d like to make sure there isn’t a smaller one.
The SL 56 is 82 x 44 x 22 mm or 3.228 x 1.732 x .844 in **4.719 CuIn** Wins.
Motorola RAZR V3 3.796 CuIn
SamSung X427 4.752 CuIn
LG C1500 4.992 CuIn
Siemens SX66 9.055 Pretty big,don’t you think?
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/12 "2005-11-05T23:18:59Z")
> [@spingears](#):
>
> \*\*Motorola RAZR V3 2.997 CuIn Smallest \*\*
> SamSung X427 4.752 CuIn
> LG C1500 4.992 CuIn
> Siemens SX66 9.055 Pretty big,don’t you think?
The SL 56 is 82 x 44 x 22 mm or 3.228 x 1.732 x .844 in 4.719 CuIn Wins. NOT :smack: mea culpa
**Motorola RAZR V3 3.796 CuIn** Smallest. (On listing I checked.)
SamSung X427 4.752 CuIn
LG C1500 4.992 CuIn
Siemens SX66 9.055 Pretty big,don’t you think?
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### Author:  [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/13 "2005-11-06T00:51:17Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#):
>
> Wrong. I have a cellphone that is TDMA/AMPS only that is used on the old AT&T network. TDMA and AMPS phones never use SIMs, period.
Oh sorry, I forgot all about TDMA. I thought that was dead a long time.
When I became an AT&T customer a few years ago, they only had GSM phones available on their GSM network. Which merged with Cingulars GSM network. I didn’t realize TDMA was still operational.
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### Author:  [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/14 "2005-11-06T02:30:19Z")
Depends on what features you’re looking for, too. There’s an older Sony Ericsson that’s blue and is pretty small, but has no camera or MP3 capabilities.
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### Author:  [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/15 "2005-11-06T04:45:57Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#):
>
> Yes, they do, at least in a practical sense. While AT&T Wireless was bought by Cingular, for all practical purposes they are independent entities. AT&T phones run on a completely different network than Cingular. Cingular is GSM, while AT&T is mostly TDMA/AMPS. Today these are commonly called “Cingular orange” (the GSM network), while the old AT&T network is called “Cingular blue.”
That’s not quite correct. Both Cingular and AT&T had TDMA and GSM services (spoken as a Cingular customer who switched from their TDMA service to their GSM service two years ago). The last ad campaign that AT&T Wireless ran before they got bought was touting their GSM service, in fact. It made for a fairly good match between the two during the takeover, since both sets of networks matched up, so the phones didn’t need to be changed (as it probably would have been much harder for Cingular to integrate a CDMA service with their existing services).
The newly merged entity, as far as I know, only sells GSM phones now, although they continue to offer TDMA plans if you provide your own phone.
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### Author:  [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/16 "2005-11-06T05:22:41Z")
The [Panasonic GD55](http://www.welectronics.com/gsm/panasonicgd55.shtml) is 77 x 43 x 16.9 mm (= 3.03 x 1.69 x 0.66 in = 3.38 cubic inches) and is not a slide phone like the SL56 or a flip phone like the RAZR. It is small enough to look like the phone in the movie _Zoolander_. It has very few features, even with a B&W LCD. Certainly no camera like the RAZR.
You can get them on eBay for like $60, and Cingular will sell you a SIM card without a phone for IIRC $25.
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### Author:  [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/17 "2005-11-06T05:58:36Z")
[Here](http://www.phonescoop.com/carriers/carrier.php?c=4) us a link to all of Cingular’s current phone lineup, and the site compare function is very good. My question is; by “small” are you referring to dimensions or weight? I’ve seen the RAZR touted as a “small” phone, but by my definition it isn’t small at all because it won’t fit in the change pocket of my Levis while my Samsung E105 will. The RAZR is light and thin, but it’s very wide and it doesn’t fit the hand well, IMO. The fact that it’s a crappy Motorola product is a whole 'nother kettle of fish… I work in the wireless industry and I’m endlessly sick of the litany of problems surrounding Moto phones–but I digress. 😛
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/18 "2005-11-07T16:32:30Z")
What sort of small are you looking for? I’ve got a Razr, and it’s very thin and able to slip into any pocket I’d ever want to put it into.
It is certainly wider than you’d expect, but it fits my hand very well and the buttons are easy to use as they’re not those @#& itty-bitty nubs like every other small phone has.
My previous phone was a Nokia “candybar” and it was skinny width-wise but so thick front to back that it didn’t fit well in a pocket.
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### Author:  [@pocelene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pocelene)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/19 "2005-11-07T16:43:46Z")
Here’s a [site that compares phones by weight](http://www.letstalk.com/product/findProducts.htm?pgId=100)
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### Author:  [@Nobody\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody_Special)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-phone-available-for-at-t-wireless-cingular/329693/20 "2005-11-07T20:55:27Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> What sort of small are you looking for?
By small, I mean overall dimensions. I keep my phone in my back pocket and am looking for the least obtrusive phone available. I’m very surprised to read here that the Razr is the smallest phone mentioned so far in terms of volume; it never really seemed tiny to me that way the Panasonic GD55 does. I really don’t need any features like a camera, organizer or MP3 player.