There's a lot to consider before buying a new phone from abroad.

There are plenty of smartphone options to choose from in the US, from the iPhone to the Pixel. But there are also really interesting phones you'll never find in an American store. Xiaomi's foldables like the Mix Fold, Honor's Magic series and OPPO's Find X phones are a few examples that offer unique designs or features not generally seen in the US.

While phones like these are harder to find in the country, it's possible to import them, but bringing a phone from abroad has its downsides. You may have problems using your phone with local carriers or getting warranty coverage, among other trouble. If you're considering an imported phone, always check a few points first.

Buying an imported phone has become a lot easier in recent years. Most smartphones are now designed to work globally on most cellular bands. Still, some phones may not work with those used by your US carrier. Start by checking whether the phone you're considering is compatible with your carrier's frequency bands. Buying the wrong version could leave you stuck on the LTE network with no 5G support.

Carrier-specific features can cause issues too. Features like Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE and visual voicemail usually require certification for each device. So even if your imported phone works fine on your carrier's 5G network, it might not be able to access all these features in the US. Network requirements may also change, so a model that works fine today may run into problems in the future.

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