Different connections explained?

[Guest Blakey]

I understand the difference between GSM and GPRS. But after that I clearly get lost.

My understanding is that 3G is basically like combining GSM (phone calls) and GPRS (data) into one service with a wider bandwidth - thus allowing video calls in place of normal voice only and allowing data to be whizzed along at approximately 10 times faster speeds that GPRS.

So that are all these other things?

EDGE?

UTMS?

HSDPA?

EVDO?

I'm guessing some of them are types of 3G, but I'm not sure.

Also which UK providers provide these services? My MDA Pro from T-Mobile has a "U" icon when it has a 3G signal. Does that mean its using UTMS?

Can someone point me at a simple explanation of how these all compare ?

Many thanks!

Blakey

[Guest AlanJC]

3G was simply a name given to a set of standards, it's more commonly now called UMTS.

GPRS is the packet data that works on a mobile framework, like GSM, or UMTS, and HSDPA is a much higher speed version of GPRS basically.

EDGE is enhanced data on GSM GPRS that allows higher speeds.

EVDO is an American standard, faster than UMTS, slower than HSDPA, pretty pointless because they should just bite the bullet and go with worldwide standards, then they would get all the cool toys like we do elsewhere in the world.

(With the exception of South Korea and Japan)

[Guest Blakey]

Thanks Alan.

So do T-Mobile here in the UK provide UTMS or HSDPA? And how do you know what you are using? Do you know if the MDA Pro supports HSDPA? How would I know this?

When I bought my Pro the man in the shop said that T-Mobile were in the process of upgrading their network to make all their masts 3G compatible so that they would have 98% 3G coverage, and that they were upgrading the 3G network speeds. Does this mean they are in the process of moving from UTMS to HSDPA?

Thanks

Blakey

[Guest The Doctor]

Thanks Alan.

So do T-Mobile here in the UK provide UTMS or HSDPA? And how do you know what you are using? Do you know if the MDA Pro supports HSDPA? How would I know this?

When I bought my Pro the man in the shop said that T-Mobile were in the process of upgrading their network to make all their masts 3G compatible so that they would have 98% 3G coverage, and that they were upgrading the 3G network speeds. Does this mean they are in the process of moving from UTMS to HSDPA?

Thanks

Blakey

Tmob support BOTH UMTS and HSDPA. They're currently upgrading all their 3G masts so they support HSDPA. At present Tmob HSDPA coverage is in London and Birmingham city centres and the M25 route.

Unfortunately your MDA Pro doesn't support HSDPA :rolleyes:

Phil

[Guest Blakey]

Unfortunately your MDA Pro doesn't support HSDPA :rolleyes:

Pants.

What 3G phones do then?

[Guest richard_d]

Pants.

What 3G phones do then?

MDA Vario II at the moment - more will be coming soon.

[Guest Blakey]

Well, I guess as I have only just got my MDA Pro a few months ago and am on an 18 month contract, I will be waiting before upgrading again.

Still, on the good side, in 15 months time there will no doubt be some lovely newer, faster phones which are "more powerful than you can possibly imagine"...

Blakey

[Guest AlanJC]

Well, I guess as I have only just got my MDA Pro a few months ago and am on an 18 month contract, I will be waiting before upgrading again.

Still, on the good side, in 15 months time there will no doubt be some lovely newer, faster phones which are "more powerful than you can possibly imagine"...

Blakey

Unless you use the device as a modem, you will not see an increase in speed on the device itself between standard UMTS data, and UMTS HSDPA.

Orange are launching HSDPA soon too.

Think of HSDPA as a speed boost for UMTS just like EDGE is a speed boost for GPRS.

[Guest farmgorgon]

Unless you use the device as a modem, you will not see an increase in speed on the device itself between standard UMTS data, and UMTS HSDPA.

Orange are launching HSDPA soon too.

Think of HSDPA as a speed boost for UMTS just like EDGE is a speed boost for GPRS.

I was speaking to O about 2 weeks. The geordie CS guy I was speaking to first of all pretended he didn't know what HSDPA was, then intimated that no other networks had data speeds faster than O, then finally admitted that HSDPA did exist, other networks offered it, but O had no plans to adopt it at all in the future. I hope he's wrong........

[Guest Lee Clissett]

Just in Birmingham city for HSDPA?

I've only just moved to T Mob and after a little trouble getting HSDPA activated i currently experience 800 - 1200 across all of Birmingham. Infact i've ventured across the whole of the west mids and get a strong a fast HSDPA speed everywhere.

[Guest]

I get fantastic HSDPA speeds in portsmouth.

Basically HSDPA is probably implemented im most cities and some large towns too

JEREMY