EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA
| One wonders about at&t...
The BlackBerry Bold, the first HSDPA (though not the first 3G if you count UMTS) BlackBerry, has been released in Canada and Europe, but not in America, reportedly because at&t wants RIMM to improve the reception... it makes one wonder about at&t's US network quality, perhaps. |
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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs:
 ·VOIPo
 ·Metrocast Communic..
 ·AT&T DSL Service
·ViaTalk
| said by EPS  :The BlackBerry Bold, the first HSDPA (though not the first 3G if you count UMTS) BlackBerry, has been released in Canada and Europe, but not in America, reportedly because at&t wants RIMM to improve the reception... it makes one wonder about at&t's US network quality, perhaps. I was wondering what was holding up the Bold. Interestingly enough mail on Exchange and Yahoo hits my iPhone WAY faster than it did my Blackberry Curve.
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"A religious war is like children fighting over who has the strongest imaginary friend."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| reply to EPS
AT&T needs to improve its 3G capacity.
European networks have a 'clean' yet expensive 2100MHz network to build on.
Rogers in Canada has a lot of spectrum/user (at least 55MHz of spectrum, and only around 6 million subs)
In many areas, AT&T has 45-55MHz of spectrum, however, its at +70million subs. Given the 'relatively' cheap nature of use compared to Canada, its spectrum capacity is nearing its limits in some areas.
10MHz of 3G spectrum is not enough to run voice and data in major areas.
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA
| The problem with UMTS/HSDPA is that it was designed for a European environment where spectrum auctions take into account which technologies must be deployed on them, while in the US spectrum is auctioned off in a less organized fashion and companies can use different technologies. The main reason CDMA EV-DO is better deployed is because it only requires 1.25Mhz channels (IIRC), though it only does data and not voice. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to en102
said by en102 :AT&T needs to improve its 3G capacity. Have there been many complaints about AT&T's 3G service, outside of its general range, outside of issues reported with the iPhone 3G?
I wonder if the iPhone is highlighting a larger problem with AT&T or if this is just a problem with the iPhone.
FWIW I have 2 3G phones (an HTC 8525 and Samsung Blackjack 2) and when we use AT&T's 3G service everything works just fine.
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"At the moment of conception." |
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ifarrell
join:2000-08-10
Willow Spring, NC
·Vonage
| reply to en102
said by en102 :AT&T needs to improve its 3G capacity. AT&T doesn't care.
They know they've got iPhone Users locked into their two year agreement. So it'll be at least another year before they might do anything.
In the mean time, they'll just rack in the cash laughing their asses off. |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| reply to EPS
It was designed for a global environment, however, the U.S. does not always have the same spectrum availability as other countries do. Also, many companies prefer to cut costs where possible, while many other nations have spectrum mandate due to high government regulation of the wireless industry.
I agree that 1.25MHz channels are a nicer fit than the relatively huge 5MHz channels used by WCDMA/UMTS
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to ifarrell
I agree... fund future upgrades with current contracted customers (iPhone).
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| reply to pnh102
As spectrum and use vary from market to market, so does the issue. Some markets may have +65MHz of spectrum to use (eg. parts of Texas and Florida), while others have to deal with much less, and try to fit the relatively large 3G spectrum requirements in and not kill off GSM users at the same time.
A minimum for 3G is 10MHz (5MHz paired).
In an area such as L.A., currently providing 10MHz of 3G + 35MHz of GSM... another 10MHz will bring an almost 50/50 balance between 3G and GSM... Ok for 3G, but lets hope that there's nearly 50% of the devices on 3G, or there will be some crying on the other side.
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Interesting. Thanks for the detailed explanation. This sounds like a problem that might "solve itself" per se as the more GSM handsets that AT&T replaces with 3G devices would push AT&T to replace GSM-only cells with 3G cells.
In the mean time... maybe the people who use the iPhone in the areas you describe should try jailbreaking and T-Mobile.
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"At the moment of conception." |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to en102
said by en102 :I agree... fund future upgrades with current contracted customers (iPhone). People have been able to use poor quality service as a way to get out of their contracts without paying an ETF though, even after the 15 or 30 day trial period (I forget what it is for AT&T but I have it linked in my previous posts).
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"At the moment of conception." |
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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs:
·VOIPo
·Metrocast Communic..
·AT&T DSL Service
·ViaTalk
| said by pnh102 :said by en102 :I agree... fund future upgrades with current contracted customers (iPhone). People have been able to use poor quality service as a way to get out of their contracts without paying an ETF though, even after the 15 or 30 day trial period (I forget what it is for AT&T but I have it linked in my previous posts). It can be done, but it takes some time.
My wife and I drive the same routes to work, and would sometimes have 10+ calls where one of us could not hear the other person, so we would hang up and redial. The coverage map on AT&T's site showed no gaps, even down to the most detailed areas.
When I called in, they had alot of the calls as user terminated instead of dropped, which TECHNICALLY they are user terminated since we could not hear the other person. I asked them to note why we would hang up, then dial the same number back so many times if the connection was fine. That got through to them.
They did a site survey along the routes we took, and we stopped hanging up when the calls were one way and let it drop on it's own. After about 2 months they were stumped as to why it would happen, and offered to let us port the numbers out without an ETF.
When we looked at Verizon's plans, there was just not enough to make us move. Just a note that it can be done with some persistence.
--
"A religious war is like children fighting over who has the strongest imaginary friend."
Have you been touched by his noodly appendage? »www.venganza.org |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by ptrowski :After about 2 months they were stumped as to why it would happen, and offered to let us port the numbers out without an ETF. When we looked at Verizon's plans, there was just not enough to make us move. Just a note that it can be done with some persistence. That's good that this worked for you. At least there is some glimmer of hope for people locked in as you once were.
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"At the moment of conception." |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to pnh102
Why... EDGE on AT&T or EDGE on T-Mobile... no advantage
T-Mobile's 3G runs on a unique 3G spectrum 1700/2100 (not the global 2100MHz listed on the iPhone).
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by en102 :T-Mobile's 3G runs on a unique 3G spectrum 1700/2100 (not the global 2100MHz listed on the iPhone). Duh. I totally forgot about that. I guess those people will be SOL.
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"At the moment of conception." |
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djdanska
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Glen Ellyn, IL
clubs:
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·T-Mobile US
·A + Net
·Mediacom
·RCN CABLE
| Unless your one of those people who think that the 3g iphone has the ability of tmo 3g.
»www.howardforums.com/showthread.···=1422321
Anythings possible! |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by djdanska :Unless your one of those people who think that the 3g iphone has the ability of tmo 3g. Some might say I am insane. But even I am not crazy enough to purchase a iPhone of any flavor.
Not at full price anyway. If I can get a working original one on ebay for $10 I would consider it.
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"At the moment of conception." |
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fcisler
Premium
join:2004-06-14
Riverhead, NY
| reply to ptrowski
Companies like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc can actually get some major fines for lying about coverage areas.
I don't know who specifically, but if you are listed as in a covered area and do not get service - call.
My boss' house was listed as covered. You could not get service at the end of his driveway. A couple calls to AT&T and they had a truck out there to do a site survey. The tech had no signal....surprise. 3 days later my boss' whole property was lit up. I know of two other people with similar situations. |
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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs:
·VOIPo
·Metrocast Communic..
·AT&T DSL Service
·ViaTalk
| said by fcisler :Companies like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc can actually get some major fines for lying about coverage areas. I don't know who specifically, but if you are listed as in a covered area and do not get service - call. My boss' house was listed as covered. You could not get service at the end of his driveway. A couple calls to AT&T and they had a truck out there to do a site survey. The tech had no signal....surprise. 3 days later my boss' whole property was lit up. I know of two other people with similar situations. They did mentioning doing a site survery and checking each tower. I wonder if that was what happened. |
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