Can somebody please explain GSM vs WCDMA vs UMTS for the bands?
My impression is GSM is 2G and UMTS is 3G and both can supply regular phone service? What's WCDMA then?
T-mobile USA is GSM 850/1900 and what else?
I was thinking if I specify what network and band to use it'll use less batter (ie. no 3g unless I really need it).
this is a really easy google search... or just go to wikipedia....really any search you would try will answer your question.
(you're half right, but mostly wrong)...here's some links for you
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=wcdma+wiki&l=1
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=gsm+wiki
Well I did google already, but still is over my head when I look at the band settings in the TMO HD2.
If WCDMA = UMTS why is there a separate GSM/WCDMA network selection, both allowing bands in GSM and UMTS.
Sounds like GSM is older tech, meaning 2g, whereas 3g is the newer GSM, which is UMTS, which = WCDMA. Therefore, how can you choose UMTS band frequencies on a old GSM network?
Perhaps I'm not phrasing my question correctly. I'm asking these because of the phone settings. I'm trying to figure out if it's more efficient to just tell the phone to look for specific network/band for TMOUSA thereby saving time and battery.
is this just too simple of a question or not many people understand. anyone?
ok, instead of giving you a bunch of info, let me give you just what I think you need.
I'm guessing you're going to Settings>Wireless Controls> Phone>Band and that's where the confusion is coming from. This screen is wrong and the Bands listed there are wrong (they're from previous devices, and htc didn't bother to update that screen).
So, you have 3 main choices there that should be of interest to you as long as you're in the US on Tmobile's network: Auto, WCDMA, GSM (under Network Type).
Auto: switches automatically between GPRS/EDGE/3G (HSDPA, HSPDA+)
WCDMA: 3G (HSDPA, HSPDA+)
GSM: EDGE/GPRS
The only way that playing with the band frequencies could help you would be if you're just interested in Edge/GPRS since tmobile uses two different frequencies there (native 1900 and 850 roaming). For 3g however, Tmobile uses only (and concurrently....as in you need to use both to get 3g and not just one or the other) 1700/2100 frequency.
Long story short, if you're trying to keep the phone from switching between 3g and Edge and you're in an area that has constant 3g, set it to WCDMA. (but note that if you loose 3g but are in an area with Edge, it will not switch to Edge, it will just be 0 bars/reception).
thanks alot, that really clears it up. I don't have data connection besides mms so I figure I may set it to no 3g and save some battery.
Related
There are no really quick, good places to find out what is what when it comes to those nasty acronyms for different kinds of connections. SO, how do EDGE, UMTS, WCDMA, HSPDA, GPRS?
GPRS general radio packet service - basic data transfer
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
WCDMA Wide Code Devision Multiple access
EDGE Enhanced GPRS
HSPDA ?
I just found out that US TM is rolling out a 3G network, which I assume is going to be WCDMA, but they just (a few weekes ago) rolled out an EDGE network. I want a new phone, but I want to be able to use the max data transfer possible, in the future.
Can you use UMTS with and EDGE network? (UNIVERSAL mobile tel.....)
UMTS and WCDMA?
EDGE device on WCDMA?
WHat the hell is going on????
Please help me!!!
no utms on edge networks
nmt (old analog cellphone system) == 1g
gsm == 2g
edge == 2½g
UTMS == 3g
google search's liek this should help alot too
http://www.google.dk/search?hl=da&h...zilla:en-US:official_s&q=what+is+UMTS&spell=1
HTC Hermes on May 2006 (Approx)
This device can use UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, HSDPA TBD, GSM Quadband.
HSDPA : High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (The next step 3G)
Is That True :?: :idea:
http://msmobiles.com/news.php/4473.html
Thanx Rud.
But where does WCDMA fit in?
And please don't think I don't try, I use search.com to research stuff, and wasn't able to get a very good description of how they all fit in or not with each other. Thanks ya'll
this may be helpfull
http://www.oei-edu.com/t378.htm
otherwise try using google i have no idear what search.com is but google delivers alot of meaningfull results if you search on stuff like
wcdma vs. UMTS or what is WCMDA or WCMDA faq
I don't care what the other guys said about you Rudeger, you're alright with me! :lol:
Hello to all
i have been searching a few known phone's that i like but i can't seem to find a phone that has gsm 2100 mhz band is this a new band on the gsm network thier for i have to wait for them to make gsm 2100 mhz band phone
Reason being i with tmobile and the 3g i been told by tmobile rep only works for tmobile on 2100Mhz gsm band
if possible is thier away to change or reprogram your phone for the band or is this hardware in the phone
sorry i'm quite ignorant to this network tower thing but trying to learn
thanks for you help
you might as well be going from analog to digital. its normally not just a software update.! its a complete hardware change. If you look at the iphone for example it has 3 radio chips in it all for different bands!
Hi,
I am planning to buy Touch 3G or Touch Diamond. (Still confused)
However, can anyone tell me which one of these will work with US carriers 3G services.
The specs mention
General 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 2100 / 900
So, general latching on to US GSM networks and using Edge is not a problem, I know. However, not sure about 3G.
Whatever reading I have done shows that the 3G network is as per European standard. So I am sure I should be able to use 3G in Europe/Asia.
Can some gurus help me with this.
Appreciate your help
Anup
I have ATT, and no, the Touch 3G does not work because it is missing the 3G band used by ATT. I only get Edge in places where my old P3600 would get 3G.
araje said:
3G Network HSDPA 2100 / 900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this mean that this device will work at least for voice/SMS in Japan (which only has WCDMA 2100, no conventional GSM at all)?
Hello, I am having trouble getting 3G working on my x10i. I have read through these forums and tried every apn settings I could find but still it only uses edge. T-mobile customer service tells me i have great 3g coverage in my area but that since its a non-tmobile phone it will not use 3G. Is this true or can anyone help? Right now im using epc.tmobile.com as my apn, data roaming on, and MMS & data turned on. Need more info just let me know.Thx for any help
check your sony ericsson xperia x10 box on the side, see if it said UMTS is saying "AWS1/AWS4/AWS8" if you are missing AWS4, then you will not be able to use T-mo USA 3G because T-mobile UMTS (3G) bandwidth frequency is 900 (AWS1) / 1700 (AWS4) / 2100 (AWS8)
i had a similar problem when my T-Mobile 3G constantly switched to Edge even when i had good coverage, i found this solution somewhere and it helped me, since then i was never dropped from 3G unless i had no bars... i would give this a try for your problem too.
1) enter in dialer the following: *#*#4636#*#*
2) select phone Information
3) press the menu button (left bottom hard key)
4) Select Radio Band
5) Select USA Band
6) Reboot Phone
This will narrow down your phone to USA 3G only, (if leaving the country you should switch back to automatic to get international 3G coverage), i found this also helpful for 3G speed and battery performance.
check your sony ericsson xperia x10 box on the side, see if it said UMTS is saying "AWS1/AWS4/AWS8" if you are missing AWS4, then you will not be able to use T-mo USA 3G because T-mobile UMTS (3G) bandwidth frequency is 900 (AWS1) / 1700 (AWS4) / 2100 (AWS8)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for your replies , yes it says "UMTS/HSPA band 1/4/8" So should be possible.
1) enter in dialer the following: *#*#4636#*#*
2) select phone Information
3) press the menu button (left bottom hard key)
4) Select Radio Band
5) Select USA Band
6) Reboot Phone
This will narrow down your phone to USA 3G only, (if leaving the country you should switch back to automatic to get international 3G coverage), i found this also helpful for 3G speed and battery performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for your reply, I tried this and i still see the E for edge. Could it have something to do with the fact that where i live is actually using a different tower than tmobile?
thx for your reply, I tried this and i still see the E for edge. Could it have something to do with the fact that where i live is actually using a different tower than tmobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt cause tmobile told you that your coverage is okay, it might be that you have an old sim card with no support for 3G, or Would say your phone is defective…
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try go to setting --->wireless controls --->Mobile Networks ----> Network mode
and select WCDMA only
see if it go back to 3G signal. For my area sometimes i stay on edge due to signal blocked by building walls....
by the way, will you get 3G signal when you are outside of your house or in a wide open area?
When i choose WCDMA i lose my cell signal completely. I have tmobile service but In my area it is always using centennial wireless towers for my signal, centennial was bought out by AT&T which have not yet switched their new towers to 3G yet. Could this be the problem? Thx
devilleather said:
When i choose WCDMA i lose my cell signal completely. I have tmobile service but In my area it is always using centennial wireless towers for my signal, centennial was bought out by AT&T which have not yet switched their new towers to 3G yet. Could this be the problem? Thx
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Click to collapse
Sounds like you found the issue. If WCDMA only shows no signal at all, it means you do not have T-Mobile 3G in your area (I suspect the 1700 spectrum).
It looks like there is a roaming agreement in which T-mobile can "borrow" the AT&T tower. So, all you get is the GSM signal. Don't bother to wait for AT&T to get the tower to 3G...because, you know, it won't be the same 3G signal as T-mobile. AT&T operates 3G on 850 and 1900.
If that is the issue, maybe you have to switch to a X10a.
When i choose US band it says its unsuccessful? any ideas why???
Does anyone know if the Verizon Trophy will do CDMA on AWS with the correct PRL on any of the available radio software?
Also is there a app or a way to show cdma call info such as channel, PN, rssi?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/buy/7/details.aspx?id=1685
It says "HSPA:AWS 2100" and that is the GSM Trophy. I think its safe to assume that the Verizon model supports it as well + CDMA.. but.. well.. AWS is new one on me. I won't pretend to fully understand what your talking about. XD *haha* I better go do some reading.
TheXev said:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/buy/7/details.aspx?id=1685
It says "HSPA:AWS 2100" and that is the GSM Trophy. I think its safe to assume that the Verizon model supports it as well + CDMA.. but.. well.. AWS is new one on me. I won't pretend to fully understand what your talking about. XD *haha* I better go do some reading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AWS is advanced wireless services. It's the FCC name for the band of spectrum the 1700 and 2100mhz range.
What I'm not really sure about is if the same radio is used for both CDMA and HSPA. The phone can do AWS if using HSPA, but it uses the cellular and PCS bands for CDMA. (800 and 1900mhz)
The issue is that the radio need to be programmed for those bands and there is hardware needed to make it happen. So a phone programmed for 800mhz can't just switch to 2100mhz unless there is hardware present.
The Verizon version of the phone might just have an extra radio thrown into the case that operates seperatly from the GSM one. If that is the case then it wouldn't be possible to use CDMA on that frequency. If it's all tied into the same radio then it seems like it could be done in software. In either case I'm not sure if will ever happen because you'd probably need to write your own firmware to do so. (It really wouldn't make sense for HTC to waste time seeing if the phone would do CDMA on 2100 if it wasn't designed to)
For reference there is a great article covering the bands here:
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=99
There is also the full version of the spectrum chart online here: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/2003-allochrt.pdf
There is a dev screen you can get to on the phone to show signal strength and a few other options. If you dial ##634# you can select field trial. You can see Channel #, band class, Active Set Pilot PN, Rx Signal Strengh, Rx Power (dbm) under the EVDO screen. There is also a section for 1x and GPS. I'm not sure if another option shows up for HSPA if the phone is on GSM...
EDIT: The best I can tell is that AWS uses UMTS/WCDMA so the phone should support that. HSPDA is just a faster version of WCDMA so since the phone can do HSPDA on 2100mhz it would be able to slow down to WCDMA speeds. The only time I could see it possibly being an issue is if CDMA was being used on 2100mhz and not UMTS.
Only thing I am seeing inside of the newest Verizon Trophy software (mango v3 8107) is that they added support for CMAS.
Code:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\ShortMsg\Settings]
"CmasOperatorEnabled"=dword:1
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ShortMsg\Settings]
"CMASAlertOption"=dword:1
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Broadcast]
"TestPort"=dword:4370
As for radio, there is only one radio software.. but from what I can tell, the CPU/radio has all the same support as the Trophy GSM, but with the added CDMA. AWS should work, but only via GSM bands.