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tmh
@mchsi.com
| What's the point?
They're using a funky frequency (1.7GHz) that almost nobody supports. I dropped plans to get an unlocked Blackberry Bold because (you guessed it), T-Mobile didn't have their 3G on the 1.9GHz band.
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tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:
 ·T-Mobile US
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| said by tmh :They're using a funky frequency (1.7GHz) that almost nobody supports. I dropped plans to get an unlocked Blackberry Bold because (you guessed it), T-Mobile didn't have their 3G on the 1.9GHz band. So what. ATT doesn't have theirs on the 2.1ghz band. Both frequencies are pretty much limited to the US.
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"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? ...If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."
-United States Secretary of Defense (1961-1968) Robert S. McNamara | |
KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
·Cricket Broadband
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Uh, FYI.
The AWS(Advanced Wireless Services) Spectrum configuration.
1.7GHz and 2.1GHz are part one and two of the same AWS Spectrum allocation.
1.7GHz is used for the Subscriber device(Phone/Laptop, ect) to the Tower, and 2.1GHz is used from the Tower to the Subscriber device(Phone/Laptop).
The separation is required with any wireless device operating "Symmetrically" in Transmit/Receive mode at the same time.
Much closer in frequency, and your transmitted signal would completely jam your received signal.
T-MO having at least 20MHz(10MHz@1.7GHz, (10MHz@2.1GHz), of AWS spectrum available in most U.S. markets/territories means at this point lead towards uncharted territory.
Not many devices are currently offered for the AWS band, but chances are also that if their 1.9GHz frequencies are overloaded, there is almost no one is using the 1.7/2.1 at this point, unless you have purchased a new 3G capable phone from T -Mobile, in the past 6 months .
This offers the likelihood of avoiding "system busies", and that their new data services won't negatively impact their existing GSM/EDGE services.
Ideally, keeping their GSM voice services completely separate from their new 3G Data services will provide for a much more robust network reliability.
Plus I have installed the OEM software on at least 2 of the newer T-MO phones(Ericsson TM-506/Nokia 6263), than enables me to force voice service to the 1.7/2.1 AWS band if required.
If 1.9GHz is currently busy/overloaded, I can force the phones to connect VIA the AWS 1.7/2.1 band.
The only limiting factor for establishing a successful connection is with their (AWS)W-CDMA, and (GSM)PCS 1.9 tower back haul and their overall switching capacity.
This is not illegal, or discouraged so far, as I have taken the phones to several T-MO "Company Owned" stores, and their sales reps have asked if I can help them to make the same modifications to their own phones.
Both phone manufacturers have the OEM firmware upgrades readily accessible via their own web sites.
T-Mobile will thus far operate GSM/EDGE at 1.9GHz(Roaming on AT&T at 850MHz), and UMTS(W-CDMA) at 1.7GHz/2.1GHz.
As an excellent example of the local competition that T-Mobile now has, both MetroPCS and Cricket have recently launched in the the Philadelphia market, operating on their own AWS bands at the 1.7GHz/2.1GHz frequency allocations, but using the alternative 1xRTT AND EVDO CDMA standard.
1x/EVDO CDMA(Qualcomm), and UMTS W-CDMA(Ericsson), although very similar, use completely incompatible CDMA protocols.
Viewing the latest economic downfall, I really think that MetroPCS and Cricket should merge their operations.
This has been suggested before, but the 2 Wireless companies,(MetroPCS and Cricket, could not come to terms for a merger, but they still share identical network build out philosophies, and use the same EVDO technologies, in the same markets, and have also signed a 10 year mutual roaming agreement with each other.
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ROCK TIL' SUNSET | |
tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:
·T-Mobile US
·RoadRunner Cable
| I know all about UMTS Bands (ie AWS = UMTS Band IV, etc.). My point was simply that people like to whine about how "limited" the AWS band is, but so is UMTS Band II. They are both peculiar to North America. While UMTS Band II has spotty usage in South America, the only "important" band that is used everywhere else in the world is UMTS Band I ("2100")- and no one can use that in the United States because it's already allocated.
More importantly however, the AWS band plays better into TMO's LTE strategy.
--
"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? ...If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."
-United States Secretary of Defense (1961-1968) Robert S. McNamara | |
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