NiGHTSFTP has been explaining this to me, but I still don't really get it. I've searched numerous resources, but I really want to know about real-world application.
Currently only one provider in Canada is GSM - Rogers Wireless. Rogers supports 850/1800/1900. All the phones I want support 900/1800/1900. What exactly does this mean for me?
Keep in mind, I travel around Canada a fair bit, and often stay in some very rural places (thinking camping).
Is it useless for me to get one of these phones?
GSM band help.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSMWikipedia wrote:Most GSM networks operate at 900 MHz or 1800 MHz. The exception to the rule are networks in parts of the Americas (including the USA and Canada) that operate at 850 MHz or 1900 MHz.
I think GSM is an all-digital standard.hearld500 wrote:900 is analog coverage, 1800 is digital coverage, and 1900 to my understanding is like broadband wireless you can get with these new phones now.
I could be wrong however.
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Godddddd... GSM is all digital, and it has never, never been analog. GSM started out as a "2G standard".
Different parts of the world use different bands due to varying governmental regulations. For example WiFi only has 11 channels in america, but 13 in europe and 14 in japan... because spectrum is divvied up differently in different areas of the world.
850/1900 is used in North America. (900/1800 is NOT used in North America)
900/1800 is used in Europe and parts of Asia.
800 and 850 are used interchangably. If you see a cell that says "800/1900" it is the same as "850/1900". The terms are interchangable, but '850' is more accurate.
When you get a phone that is 850/1800/1900, it will only use 850/1900 in North America, but if you took the phone to an area that had 1800 towers (Europe and Asia), then your phone could utilize them for global roaming.
- Quadband: A Quadband phone (850/900/1800/1900) can use all GSM towers worldwide. This matters most to global travellers or anyone who just wants the best of everything.
- Triband: A triband phone will have bands that vary by area. A north american triband would probably be (850/1800/1900), giving good coverage in america but also the capability to get acceptable european coverage. A european model typically will be (900/1800/1900) and will give good european and asian coverage, and acceptable north american coverage.
- Dual-Band: If you dont plan to travel outside of north america, a dual band (850/1900) phone would be ideal, but unusable in europe. In europe, a Dual-Band phone would be 900/1800, and therefore unusable in america.
- Single-Band: Single band phones are quite a rarity and oddity. Nearly all phones today are at least dual band capable. I'd stay away from a single band phone on general principle.
If your equipment doesnt support all the bands your carrier offers, then you are limiting your potential for signal. A good portion of rural cell sites in north america (canada and US) are 850 because of the massive coverage area an 850mhz tower provides over a 1900mhz tower.
"You may experience better signal level with an 850 MHz-capable handset in more-rural areas, but you are not likely to notice any difference in urban areas where there is Fido network coverage. " - http://www.fido.ca/portal/en/support/co ... s_network4
Fido uses Rogers for fallover roaming in certain areas when there are no Fido towers available. Since Fido has a decent amount of urban coverage, your cell wont usually use a Rogers tower. In rural areas, Fido acknowledges the importance of the 850mhz band.
As for network speeds "like broadband wireless" as harold500 said... well that is a different story. The short answer right now is look for "EDGE" on a phone.
The slightly longer story, is a matter of speed and network availability.
Type - Typical (Theoretical Maximum): Coverage
CSD - 8 Kbit/s (9.6 Kbit/s): Everywhere there is a GSM signal.
HSCSD - 14.4 Kbit/s (57.6 Kbit/s): Many GSM sites.
GPRS - 35 Kbit/s (107.2 Kbit/s): ...most are upgraded to EDGE now. But if you arent on an EDGE tower, chances are its GPRS.
EDGE - 135 Kbit/s (384 Kbit/s): Nearly all GSM sites in America and Canada, varies elsewhere.
UMTS - 320 Kbit/s (1920 Kbit/s): Very few GSM sites in America. "3" in Europe is 100% UMTS.
HSDPA - 700 Kbit/s+ (14.4 Mbps): Nearly no GSM sites worldwide.
HSUPA - Same DL as HSDPA but increased upload speeds. Not released anywhere, testing.
You wont see the maximum speeds anywhere but a lab. The typical speeds are a really good rule of thumb.
These are all backwards compatable as part of the GSM standards. An EDGE phone will oprate at GPRS or HSCSD or CSD in order if the higher speed networks arent available. UMTS phones fall back to EDGE, etc, etc...
Different parts of the world use different bands due to varying governmental regulations. For example WiFi only has 11 channels in america, but 13 in europe and 14 in japan... because spectrum is divvied up differently in different areas of the world.
850/1900 is used in North America. (900/1800 is NOT used in North America)
900/1800 is used in Europe and parts of Asia.
800 and 850 are used interchangably. If you see a cell that says "800/1900" it is the same as "850/1900". The terms are interchangable, but '850' is more accurate.
When you get a phone that is 850/1800/1900, it will only use 850/1900 in North America, but if you took the phone to an area that had 1800 towers (Europe and Asia), then your phone could utilize them for global roaming.
- Quadband: A Quadband phone (850/900/1800/1900) can use all GSM towers worldwide. This matters most to global travellers or anyone who just wants the best of everything.
- Triband: A triband phone will have bands that vary by area. A north american triband would probably be (850/1800/1900), giving good coverage in america but also the capability to get acceptable european coverage. A european model typically will be (900/1800/1900) and will give good european and asian coverage, and acceptable north american coverage.
- Dual-Band: If you dont plan to travel outside of north america, a dual band (850/1900) phone would be ideal, but unusable in europe. In europe, a Dual-Band phone would be 900/1800, and therefore unusable in america.
- Single-Band: Single band phones are quite a rarity and oddity. Nearly all phones today are at least dual band capable. I'd stay away from a single band phone on general principle.
If your equipment doesnt support all the bands your carrier offers, then you are limiting your potential for signal. A good portion of rural cell sites in north america (canada and US) are 850 because of the massive coverage area an 850mhz tower provides over a 1900mhz tower.
"You may experience better signal level with an 850 MHz-capable handset in more-rural areas, but you are not likely to notice any difference in urban areas where there is Fido network coverage. " - http://www.fido.ca/portal/en/support/co ... s_network4
Fido uses Rogers for fallover roaming in certain areas when there are no Fido towers available. Since Fido has a decent amount of urban coverage, your cell wont usually use a Rogers tower. In rural areas, Fido acknowledges the importance of the 850mhz band.
As for network speeds "like broadband wireless" as harold500 said... well that is a different story. The short answer right now is look for "EDGE" on a phone.
The slightly longer story, is a matter of speed and network availability.
Type - Typical (Theoretical Maximum): Coverage
CSD - 8 Kbit/s (9.6 Kbit/s): Everywhere there is a GSM signal.
HSCSD - 14.4 Kbit/s (57.6 Kbit/s): Many GSM sites.
GPRS - 35 Kbit/s (107.2 Kbit/s): ...most are upgraded to EDGE now. But if you arent on an EDGE tower, chances are its GPRS.
EDGE - 135 Kbit/s (384 Kbit/s): Nearly all GSM sites in America and Canada, varies elsewhere.
UMTS - 320 Kbit/s (1920 Kbit/s): Very few GSM sites in America. "3" in Europe is 100% UMTS.
HSDPA - 700 Kbit/s+ (14.4 Mbps): Nearly no GSM sites worldwide.
HSUPA - Same DL as HSDPA but increased upload speeds. Not released anywhere, testing.
You wont see the maximum speeds anywhere but a lab. The typical speeds are a really good rule of thumb.
These are all backwards compatable as part of the GSM standards. An EDGE phone will oprate at GPRS or HSCSD or CSD in order if the higher speed networks arent available. UMTS phones fall back to EDGE, etc, etc...
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I'm either in Toronto or a town (technically a city) with about 100,000 residents. I normally get great reception in both with Telus, but I also do travel a lot, and spend a lot of time in the great outdoors camping, boating, etc. Essentially, I need to know that if there is an emergency while camping, that I can at least call 911 and possibly friends/family.
