3G / Next G

[pro_gmh]

I have a 3G phone (lg u880) and anyway where i live i dont get 3G network coverage but soon telstra are bringing there Next G network down here to the south east (SA). and so because 3 and telstra share covereage would i be able to pik up telstras Next G with my 3G phone?

[minux]

No, 3g850 is the next g network, you will need a new phone to pick it up. Currently in AUS there isnt alot of phones are 850 compatible.

[pro_gmh]

and whats the the 3G then?

[Spaced]

I forget what band G3 is but telstra Next g is on the 850 as minux said. Usually three and optus rent backup towers from Telstra so that if you have a 3g phone but no 3G signal it will kick over to GSM band and use that (slower band). Wait at least till the middle of the year if you want to buy a next g phone. What's out there at the moment aint worth owning.

[pro_gmh]

i woulda thought they be the same band because i do vido calls etc when im in the city (adel) etc.

[hingo1983]

As said above, Next G and 3G are separate technology. I live in Orange and Next G is available here but 3G isn't. There was this big announcement that Telstra were rolling out 3G here and somehow we ended up with Next G. It was almost like Telstra were hiding something as there was no Next G rollout notice at all. Understandably, when people found out were were supposed to get 3G, they went out and bought 3G phones which are soon going to be paperweights unless you live in the big smoke. Needless to say, there are a lot of people pissed off at Telstra around our area.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

If it wasn't for the coverage of Telstra GSM I would give them the flick. I have a 3g phone, didnt get it because of that tho, and Telstra would have known about there next g network when they released 3g. Technology is released when it is marketable not when it is available. They had to get people understanding and using 3g before they released next g. My phone is constantly on 2.5 g which i interpret as ggf. We need a carrier that has the capital to roll out hardware completely separate to Telstra. Satelite is the way to go, if internet can access it then phones should be able to without having a fishing rod for an aeriel.

[pro_gmh]

i like my 3g phone even if it is on roaming on 99% of the time, but still i would be cool

[Marco-EFIVL]

Why is it they won't standardise network coverage? 3G, nextG? It just seems like a massive waste of money, time and resources trying to 'foist' technologies on the consumers that too few actually understand with any genuine clarity... I though digital and CDMA were a waste of time, and now 3G and NextG are also different.... WHY? FFS!

[pro_gmh]

Ive been reading a bit and at the moment 3G uses the 2200Mhz range and the Telstra Next G uses the 850Mhz range. I think this technology is called WCDMA.

Also 3 are upgrading to the new 850Mhz range.

dont quote me on this.

[Gambit]

Ok,

*takes a deep breath*

/ Start Rant


Originally there was one network, analogue, this was superceeded by CDMA (Code division multiple access) and GSM (Global system for mobiles). whilst GSM is ok for transfering data it has nowhere near the potential of CDMA.

Hence

Telstra launched 3G on the 2100 Mhz band, approx 18 months ago in all the major capitals and a couple of regional centres in NSW, Dubbo I think and some others I cant remember, as an upgrade, with plans to launch Next G as a replacement for CDMA in 2008.
the 2100 Mhz band was done in cooperation with 3-Hutchinson Telecomunications, we used their network.
When Customers purchased a 3G phone, they were/should have been told that this will not work on the new 3G850 network. you will contuinue to get 3g coverage where you do now but the coverage of the 2100 network will not be extended.

Next G - 850Mhz was released late last year as a replacement for CDMA. CDMA is being switched off as far as i know sometime late in 2008.
This is Telstra's network, not done in colaberation with anyone else.

Next G is an adaption to CDMA called WCDMA (wideband CDMA) it has the ability to transfer data at speeds up to 14 MBps
it is an attempt to: 1, standardise mobile networks in australia,
2, offer the same technology that is available in 53 other countries letting you roam with your mobile and also use wireless broadband in these countries.
3. give people access to broadband internet where ADSL or Cable is not available. Without the huge cost of setting up satelite internet.
4. give you all the fun stuff like video calls, internet, music downloads, foxtel all that stuff.

A 3G850\Next G phone will work on the Next G / CDMA network and coverage should be pretty good across Australia at launch about 96% of the population was covered and upgrades to the CDMA towers are happening all the time as well as fine tuning the existing footprints of existing service coverage.

A 3G2100 \ 3G phone will work anywhere you get 2G coverage and you will only get 3G features where the 2100 network exists i.e. Brisbane, Sydney, melboune, gold coast, etc etc.

Both are backwards compatible meaning you will be able to access the network of lesser value where the 3G network does not exist.


"if internet can access it then phones should be able to without having a fishing rod for an aerial" Not_An_Abba_Fan.
You don't need an areial as big as a fishing rod to access it from the phone or PC??? Pc's use a small base station, laptops use a dongle. or a pcm/cia card.

Next G was released when it was available 18 months ahead af schedule. it was not available before this, they did wait however till the coverage was nationwide. not in little bits and pieces.

"As said above, Next G and 3G are separate technology. I live in Orange and Next G is available here but 3G isn't. There was this big announcement that Telstra were rolling out 3G here and somehow we ended up with Next G. It was almost like Telstra were hiding something as there was no Next G rollout notice at all. Understandably, when people found out were were supposed to get 3G, they went out and bought 3G phones which are soon going to be paperweights unless you live in the big smoke. Needless to say, there are a lot of people pissed off at Telstra around our area." hingo1983

Dude Next G and 3G2100 are the same technology 3rd Generation mobile network(see earlier in the post) if you can get Next G, that's good, it is the superior service to 3G2100.
There was no big rollout notice because no one knew till the morning that it happened, it was announced to us first thing that morning, the ASX (Aust Stock Exchange) at 0845 then to customers at 0900.

Your Next G phones will not become paperweights, neither will your 3G2100 phones, all it means is that if you have a 3G2100 and you could get video you still will be able to, if you cant now you wont untill you go to one of the capital cities or wherever there is 2100Mhz coverage.

/ End Rant


If you have anymore questions post them and I will do my best to answer.

[Gambit]

I have a 3G phone (lg u880) and anyway where i live i dont get 3G network coverage but soon telstra are bringing there Next G network down here to the south east (SA). and so because 3 and telstra share covereage would i be able to pik up telstras Next G with my 3G phone?

Short answer: No. Telstra and 3 only share the 2100 network which is what yours in on.

[R Photon]

can i ask who you work for Gambit? I work for Telstra.

I agree with everything that your saying apart from one thing, that is when the CDMA network is being switched off. Its not late '08. Its Feb '08.

[Gambit]

Hey R Photon,

I too work for the big T in Mobiles Preferred.

AFAIK it was or is late 2008, all the info I have been given is for late 2008?

[minux]

From the words of a good mate he said feb 08 also, he is a regional manager for telstra. Another who actually works on the Next G network said the same thing.

[Marco-EFIVL]

Still, if this was an attempt to 'standardise', haven't they just shot themselves in the foot by rolling out two different networks within months of one another?

[PaRaDoX]

well i personally cant wait for VOIP to completely own the telecommunications market, and for POTS (plain old telephone system) to piss off then hopefully we can see the cost of communicating drop, but then someone will find a way to charge us out the ass ie by increasing internet charges or a "VOIP EXCISE" or something stupid like that

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

"if internet can access it then phones should be able to without having a fishing rod for an aerial" Not_An_Abba_Fan.
You don't need an areial as big as a fishing rod to access it from the phone or PC??? Pc's use a small base station, laptops use a dongle. or a pcm/cia card.

I was actually referring to satellite telephones. Currently you need a fairly large aerial to access satellite communication. A GPS doesn't, I understand that the information being sent and received is different but surely the principal is the same.


On another thing, with the plans and options available for mobiles it is cheaper to have one rather than a landline. If only the cost to ring one would come down then landlines would fade into oblivion.

[Gambit]

Satellite phones are getting smaller everyday! The signal has to travel a fair old way approx 1500KMs so it's understandable



Have you seen the size of the dish you need to get satellite internet?
It's hardly what you would call compact.


but I understand entirely what your saying. and with the whole landline thing it wont fade out untill the older generations and i know it's a generalisation so please don't flame me but as a rule they are less inclined or less receptive to soley having mobile telecommunication.

So while people want it, and it's profitable. Companies will fight for their slice of the pie. Then when they are gone companies will fight for the mobile market. That will become outdated and something "bigger, better, faster, brighter and in elevnty seven colours" will come along and we will all fight over that.

[hingo1983]

Your Next G phones will not become paperweights, neither will your 3G2100 phones, all it means is that if you have a 3G2100 and you could get video you still will be able to, if you cant now you wont untill you go to one of the capital cities or wherever there is 2100Mhz coverage.

I never said Next G phones would be paperweights, I said 3G phones will be. I would be interested to hear how you think it is useful to have a 3G phone and live in an area that doesn't have this service. Let me remind you that Telstra promised to roll out 3G in Orange and did not inform any of its new customers that 3G was ever going to be replaced. It was misleading on behalf of Telstra but now they are saying its ok because you can just use them in Capital cities? Thats great if you want to travel over 3 hours to use it.

How did Telstra not know they were going to roll out Next G until the day before they did it? Did some secret agency hide all the equipment in a bunker then dump it on Telstra's doorstep and run? Or is it simply a matter of flicking a switch to a different Mhz range with the infrastructure they already had? Seems like a big waste of money to me. If NextG was they way to go, why did they ever roll out 3G in the first place?

[Gambit]

Before I take this any further this is entirely my own opinion and in no way reflects the opinion of Telstra Corporation Ltd. I am offering this opinion as a result of the 4 + a bit years I have worked for Telstra.

Hingo perhaps you should reread what I wrote and then post.

"neither will your 3G2100 phones"

Next G and 3G are the same thing except different bandwidths and different areas of coverage, they are both 3rd generation mobile networks.

When you say "Telstra promised to roll out 3g in Orange" who or where was this promised? I truely am interested.

Next G has been rolled out in Orange, 3G 2100 never was, so as to why you are under the impression that 3G 2100 would have worked out there I don't know.

I never said that 3G is going to be replaced, it is not going to be extended beyond current coverage but it is not going to be withdrawn as far as I am aware.

There was no big rollout notice because no one knew till the morning that it happened, it was announced to us first thing that morning, the ASX (Aust Stock Exchange) at 0845 then to customers at 0900.

Have you not heard of having a competitive edge? or having trade secrets from competitors?
The only people that would have known prior to release would have been people that needed to know. ie not newspapers not the media in general.

[Gambit]

Besides this, the Launch of 3g850/ Next G was planned for 2008 and bought forward as a competitive notion. so it was advertised that 3G850 was going to be the one to replace CDMA. It just happened sooner than expected.

If holden was due to release a highly anticipated model in 2008 but instead released it late 2006, would you still have the same opinion?