So I'm out in downtown Bellevue this morning and I notice that I'm getting 3g. Has anybody else notice this with Tmobile?
-
Welcome to the all-new Windows Central Forums! - We're still moving some things around, so you may see a few quirks here and there, but we're working on getting things fully completed as soon as possible. For now, take a look around, and if you run into any major issues, please let us know in this thread!
Tmobile 3g
- Thread starter Chinocop
- Start date
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
Well, if you have a Lumia 800 on T-Mo I don't know how you're getting 3G anyway. Should you only be getting 2G?
I get EDGE almost everywhere I go. But the few times I have been in downtown Bellevue, WA, I've noticed that my signal changes to H/3G. I do know that Tmobile is opening the 1900 band for 3g. Anyways, it's exciting to see.
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
Very cool! Well, I do know T-Mo is going to be refitting their towers with radios that are compatible with the iPhone, which would also be compatible with the Lumia line on AT&T. Your city might be one of the first benefiting from this refitting. Great news!
SteelSteve
New member
- Oct 21, 2011
- 308
- 0
- 0
Dont know if this is true or means anything, but the wife and I were in a T-mobile store the other day and my wife asked about T-mobile getting the iphone. The sales rep told her she could purchase an Iphone somewhere else and use it on the T-mobile network. At that point I jumped in and said, but wouldn't it be only edge and she stated that it would get 3G. Again don't know if that was just an unknowning sales rep, or if T-mobile / ATT are starting to share frequency spectrum.
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
Sounds a little fishy to me. T-Mo hasn't announced full support for the iPhone yet, so I doubt it.
SteelSteve
New member
- Oct 21, 2011
- 308
- 0
- 0
Agreed, however I brought up the iPhone as its largely an att device like the 800 the originator was talking about. Is it possible that att and t-mobile are somehow sharing frequency now? Would that explain how he was able to get 3g?
Sent from my Lumia 710 using Board Express
Sent from my Lumia 710 using Board Express
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
Could be, could be. I'm not sure how it's working, but it seems to be! I think it portends good news for all of us T-Mo users.
Basically this is what T-Mobile is trying to do:
For 3G, iPhone has support for 850, 900, 1900, and 2100. For 2G, iPhone supports 850, 900, 1800, and 1900.
Right now, T-Mobile's 3G (pink) is on AWS (1700/2100), so no 3G for the iPhone. Instead, the iPhone runs on 2G (blue), because T-Mobile's 2G is on 1900.
So what T-Mobile is trying to do, is reduce GSM capacity on 1900, and put some 3G capacity on the 1900 band. That way, an iPhone on T-Mobile would get 3G (because iPhone supports 3G on 1900). Also, since part of the 3G capacity moved from AWS (1700/2100) to PCS (1900), that frees up some AWS spectrum so T-Mobile can deploy LTE (green) on that freed spectrum.
Furthermore, as many know, AT&T deploys some of it's 3G on 1900. Also, AT&T plans to deploy some of it's LTE on AWS. So hopefully in the future, you can take an unlocked AT&T phone to T-Mobile and have both LTE (on AWS) and 3G (on PCS) working, and vice versa.
For 3G, iPhone has support for 850, 900, 1900, and 2100. For 2G, iPhone supports 850, 900, 1800, and 1900.
Right now, T-Mobile's 3G (pink) is on AWS (1700/2100), so no 3G for the iPhone. Instead, the iPhone runs on 2G (blue), because T-Mobile's 2G is on 1900.
So what T-Mobile is trying to do, is reduce GSM capacity on 1900, and put some 3G capacity on the 1900 band. That way, an iPhone on T-Mobile would get 3G (because iPhone supports 3G on 1900). Also, since part of the 3G capacity moved from AWS (1700/2100) to PCS (1900), that frees up some AWS spectrum so T-Mobile can deploy LTE (green) on that freed spectrum.
Furthermore, as many know, AT&T deploys some of it's 3G on 1900. Also, AT&T plans to deploy some of it's LTE on AWS. So hopefully in the future, you can take an unlocked AT&T phone to T-Mobile and have both LTE (on AWS) and 3G (on PCS) working, and vice versa.
Last edited:
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
Interesting. Any way to test this? I work in downtown Bellevue.
Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express
Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express
I would think that it would just show up, but I'm not entirely sure. Also, I wouldn't know if they did all of downtown, just part of downtown, or if T-Mobile turned it on only temporarily to test a few things.
Chinocop, could you tell us exactly where and when you saw 3G on your Lumia 800?
speedtouch
New member
- Jan 23, 2012
- 1,043
- 0
- 0
This is big news and may very well explain Chinocop's experiences: T-Mobile To Show Off Refarmed 1900MHz Network iPhone At WWDC Next Week? Maybe. | | TmoNewsTmoNews
Faster, T-Mobile, faster!
Faster, T-Mobile, faster!
So I have my 800 set to connect at 3G. I noticed that I was getting 3G at the HSBC on NE 8th and Bellevue Way and was still recieving it when I took NE 4th to 405.
Cool. I had it set like that but as there's no 3G around, I didn't get signal. Thing is, I wasn't waiting long enough for my phone to connect. It's on E at home. I work at the mall; I'll take a look when I get there.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram