NEXT G

[Tone7]

Hey guys,

For all that have CDMA in trucks and command cars.

Now available state wide as of today.

Telstra's Next G Network helps you stay connected to your music whenever you
need to. It's geographically the biggest 3G network in Australia, and faster
than any of our existing mobile networks. Next G allows you to stay in touch
with your friends and family in places where no other 3G service can keep
you connected. It also gives you fast access to FoxtelT by Mobile, ministry
of sound, heaps of games and downloads and CitysearchR Mobile, keeping you
up to date with the latest films, bars and restaurants, all at the touch of
a button.


Well mine is ordered im looking forward to it.

[CFS_Firey]

mmmmmm, I think all of our trucks need them...  Perfect for strike teams :P

[Darius]

I think we'll wait and see how close the reality comes to the hype.  We will have to do something at some point, just before they turn off CDMA, but that's some way off yet.

(PS. how many people know telstra sell phones on two 3G networks? lots of telstra salespeople don't seem to. So if you're buying a phone from them make sure it operates on 850MHz as that's the new one)

[SA Firey]

Now available state wide as of today. :roll:

I can tell you it is not statewide and does not service the area between Ceduna and Norseman across the Nullabor.

Ceduna is the last place for mobile service after about 40 kms out.

This is to force you into going to Sat Phones which the government gives you a rebate for the purchase of one....with conditions of course :wink:

With 200km between towns on average it would be an expensive exercise to provide that service fully in that area

[Tricky]

as there is CDMA west of Ceduna, eg..Penong, Yalata, Nullarbor & Eucla there will also be CDMA 850.
It can also be referred as WCDMA (wideband), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) or NEXT G - all no doubt used by people to confuse us.

3G phones operate on the GSM (or Digital) network on 1700/1900/2100 MHz band.

More confusion hey !!

[Darius]

as there is CDMA west of Ceduna, eg..Penong, Yalata, Nullarbor & Eucla there will also be CDMA 850.
It can also be referred as WCDMA (wideband), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) or NEXT G - all no doubt used by people to confuse us.

3G phones operate on the GSM (or Digital) network on 1700/1900/2100 MHz band.

More confusion hey !!

you've just multiplied the confusion by 10x there!  most (all) of that is wrong.

CDMA is not 850MHz.  WCDMA is a technology that is not related to the CDMA network (just the acronym is unfortunately very similar).  HSDPA is used in both the 2100MHz and 850MHz 3G networks.  3G is not related to GSM.  There is no 1700MHz band.  All mobile networks in Australia have been fully digital since analog closed in the mid 90s.

Just ignore all the buzzwords, when talking about telstra's new 3G network (marketed as "NextG") all you need to look for is a phone that works on the 850MHz frequency.  If a phone works on the 2100MHz freq it is the "old" 3G and is not compatible with this "new" 3G.

[RescueHazmat]

You have just called a GRN tech wrong Darius... I hope you are right... :P


That's like gospel..   :-D

[Darius]

I believe I am! (the info is all out there so google away)
(he may well be a GRN expert though as that's a different beast entirely)

[Tricky]

I'll stand by my 1st paragraph as correct as in my travels around the state, many of the install techs I converse with on site use all of the mentioned & all my work docos state CDMA currently uses the 850 MHz freq hence the rapid rollout of the 3G 850 (utilising existing infrastructure)ie, no need to replace feeders, dishes, antennas etc.

I goofed with the 1700 MHz freq on GSM, I meant to say 1800/1900/2100 though 2100 MHz appears to be stated when talking GSM technology.

You're correct in that the existing 3G mobiles (3G 2100 MHz)will not operate on the 3G 850 network as they're completely different animals.

Buyers beware..my advice is to anyone who asks, if you put your car into 5th gear, stay away from digital (for coverage reasons) & select CDMA - to be replaced with 3G 850. Who'd wanna be a salesman ?

[Benji]

NextG (3G 850mhz) is the way to go. Although limited handsets are out at the momment its where its all heading. Most stores have very little if any CDMA stock on hand anymore.

And to reiterate the above point, 3G 2100mhz phones will not work on the NextG 850mhz network.moment

[Darius]

I think we're probably talking about the same thing and Telstra don't help things by inventing their own names instead of using existing worldwide standards.  CDMA in Australia operates between 825-845MHz but is somewhat loosely called the 800MHz band.  The "new" 3G will operate in what is loosely called the 850MHz band (but is different frequencies to CDMA).

The original GSM freq is 900MHz then 1800/1900 was added and then 2100 (for "old" 3G), as you say.

The drawback with Telstra choosing a somewhat unique 850MHz for it's new network is it is pretty rare around the world meaning a lack of phone handsets, compared to say GSM which is all over the world.  I would hope the new 3G handsets will work on GSM too otherwise they will be useless to take overseas.  The plus side is that it is probably the correct decision for Australia's geography and lack of population density due to having better range than GSM (and hopefully at least as good, if not better, than CDMA).

Here's a webpage that gives a bit of a summary of it all, unfortunately not updated for Telstra's "new" 3G yet though:
http://www.amta.org.au/AMTA/default.asp?ID=365

[oz fire]

Whilst promoting the service we could promot the T3 sell off too......

[Benji]

Both CDMA and Next G run on about the same freq hence the same coverage.

This is not a unique freq and other countries use it... Rogers Wireless in Canada, Cingular in USA, both run it. Cingular has a customer base of 50 Million, and 10 other countries are currently looking at moving to a 3G 850 network. Sure on launch there is a limited range (and qantity) of handsets available but with an expected 40 on the market by end of next year, you wont need to worry about a lack of handsets for long.

Also most of the handsets currently out and comming out are dual 3G band and tri or quad GSM band phones. From memory there is something like one or two countries that a dual 3G/quad GSM band handset wouldnt work.

Signal is the same and better in some spots. Alot of Telstra Shop staff have been out driving over the last few days checking out the signal and known blackspots. All in all the coverage is fantastic, there is the odd area that is still abit iffy but they are being logged and will be looked at by the techs.


And yes, I do work in a Telstra Shop, and I have no problems in recommending Next G to the CFS/SES.. only problem is there is no nonflip phone on the market yet. How long do you think a flip phone would last out on a job with us?

[Pipster]

Signal is the same and better in some spots. Alot of Telstra Shop staff have been out driving over the last few days checking out the signal and known blackspots. All in all the coverage is fantastic, there is the odd area that is still abit iffy but they are being logged and will be looked at by the techs.

Cool..when can you come to my area & try out phones? Ifit works in the blackspots in my area, then it will work almost anywhere!!   :-D

Pip

[Benji]

PM me your area and I will see what I can do :)

[CFS_Firey]

only problem is there is no nonflip phone on the market yet. How long do you think a flip phone would last out on a job with us?

I actually bought a flip phone because I kept ringing people by accident while out on the job....  It's lasted 9 months now, and still going! :)

[Robert-Robert34]

I got a Nokia 6233 3G in the mail yesterday and its a non flip one which has plenty of features for an optus $29 plan the one feature i find interesting is that my phone has a push to talk feature just like radios have

This feature you dont see on too many phones but is likely to be on the 3G non flip phones pending on which phone company you go with  :wink:

[Benji]

The Push To Talk is on alot of phones, its just one of those things that is talked about if you ask about it or if it sounds useful with what you have told us.

Some of the ones that have it from memory are (carrier dependant):
Motorola V3x,
Nokia 6233, 5140i, 9300, 6255, N80, N70
I-Mate SP5, K-Jam, Jamin,
Sony Ericson W810i

Also note that calls made using PTT are charged, not free like a radio.. geez make it sound like a sales pitch dont I  :roll:

[Robert-Robert34]

I not only brought the phone because its 3G or has PTT i brought it because all types of ringtones can be downloaded this includes trutones & realtones of which some of them happen to fall into the category or tones i really like

These include

Adelaide Crows Club Song
Not Pretty Enough & Cry Like A Baby both sung by Kasey Chambers

Thats right i like having different ringtones whats so wrong with that  :lol: :roll:   

[SA Firey]

I not only brought the phone because its 3G or has PTT i brought it because all types of ringtones can be downloaded this includes trutones & realtones of which some of them happen to fall into the category or tones i really like

These include

Adelaide Crows Club Song
Not Pretty Enough & Cry Like A Baby both sung by Kasey Chambers

Thats right i like having different ringtones whats so wrong with that  :lol: :roll:   

If your phone has a voice recorder and Bluetooth you wont have to pay for downloads :wink:

[Robert-Robert34]

My phone does have bluetooth safirey but i rather prefer to download ringtones and besides it only costs me $5.50 per download off the optus zoo mobile internet site  :-D

The added bonus is that these ringtones you cant get a voice tones on any other phone except for the ones that have bluetooth and MP3 tone compatability  :-)

[Big Yellow Gongbeater]

  Dang the only G I can work out is the best one, and that is the sexy little red number my beautiful partner was wearing this morning   :lol:

[SA Firey]

  Dang the only G I can work out is the best one, and that is the sexy little red number my beautiful partner was wearing this morning   :lol:

If there were a certain other person on here he would want pictures :-D

[Big Yellow Gongbeater]

If there were a certain other person on here he would want pictures :-

  And of course they are available at a moderate fee, for those interested    :evil:

[Darius]

maybe Robert will if he's happy to pay $5.50 for a phone ringtone!