A Visual Guide to AWS
T-Mobile Spectrum?
In T-Mobile's recent 3G announcement, they claim the AWS spectrum they bought is unfortunately "a few megahertz off from the UMTS 2100 used elsewhere, meaning exis...
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"a few megahertz off from the UMTS 2100 used elsewhere" isn't really accurate. The upper half aligns perfectly, but the lower half is actually about 200 MHz off, not "a few".
https://www.phonescoop.com/articles/aws/index.php?p=b »
...but if there's a way that's confusing or could be explained better, please let us know!
"manufacturers already building GSM+WCDMA "world phones" actually won't have to support any additional frequency bands at all" - BUT they would have to support GSM + UMTS in a band they currently only use for one or the other.
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Mr. T-Mobile said:...
now the only down side to a lot of this is that what T-MO is doing is regulating the kinds of phones that can be used on they're network. Which from what it sounds like is that.... if I want a unlocked phone from somewhere else I cant use it PERIOD. I can do this now, it only has to be GSM and Unlocked and I am off and running. However when this new so called " AMERICAN 3G/UMTS " roll out goes into effect all phone manufactures will have to make " Unlocked pho
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Jaw3000 said:
Thanks for the clarification. So, as I understand it, T-Mobile's downlink will be the same as European UMTS (2100), but the uplink will be different than what is used for UMTS in Europe, and that is where the problem will come in. Am I correct?
Yes. Exactly. 🙂
If the T-Mobile 3G upgrades restricts me only to the phones made for and sold by T-Mobile, I'll be really mad.
Well, there are really several very separate issues here:
- Will T-Mobile use the introduction of new 3G-technology phones as an opportunity to simultaneously introduce new technology that will make it harder to unlock 3G phones sold by carriers?
I'd say that's a distinct possibility, since European carriers (like, oh, say... T-Mobile Europe) did that when they launched 3G over there. - Will T-Mobile launch proprietary 3G services that require software only found on 3G phones sold by T-Mobile?
Probably. Most carriers have done that when launching 3G. Witness Cingular Video, VCast, Power
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It would be like putting linux, windows, or dos on your home computer. Except your OS is a carrier's software.
This statement really has nothing to do with reality but is just some weird vision I had.
So, i guess what im asking is it ALL OF BOTH OR NOTHING AT ALL?? or will there be times or areas that a European UMTS 2100 will actually work on AWS here in the states? Sometimes even? or just plain out loud no...?
strangerthanfiction48 said:
I know you just clarified it in like 2 or 3 different ways, and i do understand the different reasons... but will his E61 never pick up even that second half of AWS that does in fact line up?
No. Absolutely not.
So, i guess what im asking is it ALL OF BOTH OR NOTHING AT ALL?? or will there be times or areas that a European UMTS 2100 will actually work on AWS here in the states? Sometimes even? or just plain out loud no...?
Plain out loud no.
Read the whole article. Two key things to pick up that answer your question:
1. New phones will be required to use AWS. That's stated explicitly.
2. "That second half of AWS that does in fact line up" with...
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The tower wouldn't even have any way of knowing the phone exists.
Rich Brome said:
New phones will be required to use AWS.
I should clarify that further.
I don't mean that the FCC will require that all new cell phones support AWS. They won't.
I simply mean that as of today, no phone is for sale - or has even been announced - that will work in the AWS band.
They are coming, and they won't be hard to make, but no such phone has been announced yet.
The reason why the GSM 3G phones that are currently being sold, or that have been announced prior-to-the-AWS auction, won't be able to be used with T-Mobile's network, ...
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Cingular purchased some UMTS 1700MHz spectrum in certain locations. That means that when they build out that network, people who have current Cingular 3G phone with the UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900MHz), will have to get new phones from Cingular when Cingular makes 3G service with the 1700MHz band available to the public, in order to take advantage of their new network band. Same with T-Mobile customers when, T-Mobile launches 3G service.
Sort of. Except the fact that the current Cingular 3g phones include GSM 850.
Thanks for the great article, Rich!
I hope I've done a decent job of that with the other key points, but you pointed out an area where the text was relatively weak in guiding readers through the graphics.
Therefore I've just added the following text to clarify the exact question you asked:
No current phones (as of October 2006) are capable of operating in the AWS band....
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The chart above also shows why current UMTS 2100 phones aren't compatible with the AWS band. UMTS 2100 phones
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This forum is closed.