tri band vs quad band

Hi Folks,

Can anybody tell me how I would be limited internationally by using a
tri band 850/900/1900 GSM phone as opposed to using a quad band GSM
phone? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Ken

---

› See More: tri band vs quad band

In article <[email protected]>,
kjk <[email protected]> wrote:
>Hi Folks,
>
>Can anybody tell me how I would be limited internationally by using a
>tri band 850/900/1900 GSM phone as opposed to using a quad band GSM
>phone? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Assuming from your headers that "internationally", to you, means outside
of the US.

The only non North American band that phone can use is 900 MHz. This will
work for you in many places, as it was the primary GSM band. But expansion
into 1800 MHz is occurring in many countries, and that may leave you with
coverage gaps or call issues due to overloading.

Check out the coverage maps at www.gsmworld.com to see what frequencies
are used by carriers in the area YOU are planning to travel to.

Plus, when traveling internationally, you'd be limited in your choice of sim
card because many carriers overseas are only 1800MHz. I found that, in
many countries, 900MHz is often use by incumbent carriers whereas 1800MHz is
used by newer competitive (less expensive) carriers.

> Assuming from your headers that "internationally", to you, means outside
> of the US.
>
> The only non North American band that phone can use is 900 MHz. This will
> work for you in many places, as it was the primary GSM band. But expansion
> into 1800 MHz is occurring in many countries, and that may leave you with
> coverage gaps or call issues due to overloading.
>
> Check out the coverage maps at www.gsmworld.com to see what frequencies
> are used by carriers in the area YOU are planning to travel to.
>

Now I'm really confused. I don't know anything about this stuff. If
I just took my US GSM 850/900/1900 phone with me to Europe and wanted
to make an occasional short call back to the US, couldn't I just use
the card that I have and make an international roaming call? Wouldn't
it just be able to connect, most anywhere in the developed world, with
a carrier that's on 900MHz?

-----------------------------------------------

>Plus, when traveling internationally, you'd be limited in your choice of sim
>card because many carriers overseas are only 1800MHz. I found that, in
>many countries, 900MHz is often use by incumbent carriers whereas 1800MHz is
>used by newer competitive (less expensive) carriers.

----------------------------------------------

>> Assuming from your headers that "internationally", to you, means outside
>> of the US.
>>
>> The only non North American band that phone can use is 900 MHz. This will
>> work for you in many places, as it was the primary GSM band. But expansion
>> into 1800 MHz is occurring in many countries, and that may leave you with
>> coverage gaps or call issues due to overloading.
>>
>> Check out the coverage maps at www.gsmworld.com to see what frequencies
>> are used by carriers in the area YOU are planning to travel to.

Thanks for the info. I'm considering getting the Cingular Motorola
v180 phone, which Cingular lists on their website as "Operates on
850/900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks". Based upon your response it
looks like it will be almost as useful as a true quad band phone like
the Motorola v551 & RAZR. Am I understanding that correctly?

----------------------------------------------

>First of all you're not likely to find a 850/900/1900 handset. For
>triband handsets it's usually either 850/1800/1900 (as sold by AT&T
>Wireless and cingular) or 900/1800/1900 (as sold by T-Mobile in the US
>or Fido in Canada.) The two most used GSM frequencies in the Americas
>are 850 and 1900. The two most used GSM frequencies in Europe, Asia,
>Africa and Australiasia are 900 and 1800. It's likely that if you go
>to Europe you'll find networks that are 1800 only or use both 900 and
>1800 but for the best coverage in Europe and elsewhere outside of the
>Americas 900 is preferred but 1800 will mostly be serviceable.

In article <[email protected]>,
kjk <[email protected]> wrote:
>Now I'm really confused. I don't know anything about this stuff. If
>I just took my US GSM 850/900/1900 phone with me to Europe and wanted
>to make an occasional short call back to the US, couldn't I just use
>the card that I have and make an international roaming call?

Chances are you could, provided:

1. Your US account has international dialing and international roaming
enabled.

2. There is a cellular operator in your destination country that has a
roaming agreement with your US carrier.

3. That cellular operator has 900 MHz coverage in the local where you
place the call.

>Wouldn't
>it just be able to connect, most anywhere in the developed world, with
>a carrier that's on 900MHz?

The chances are that you will, but to be sure you would need 1800 as well.

On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 13:08:58 -0400, kjk <[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks for the info. I'm considering getting the Cingular Motorola
>v180 phone, which Cingular lists on their website as "Operates on
>850/900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks". Based upon your response it
>looks like it will be almost as useful as a true quad band phone like
>the Motorola v551 & RAZR. Am I understanding that correctly?
>

Make sure you request Internation Service from Cingular. You have to
request it, it is not given by default. It usually takes around 72
hours to get approved and this is done for financial reasons due to a
lot of international roaming fraud.


>----------------------------------------------
>
>>First of all you're not likely to find a 850/900/1900 handset. For
>>triband handsets it's usually either 850/1800/1900 (as sold by AT&T
>>Wireless and cingular) or 900/1800/1900 (as sold by T-Mobile in the US
>>or Fido in Canada.) The two most used GSM frequencies in the Americas
>>are 850 and 1900. The two most used GSM frequencies in Europe, Asia,
>>Africa and Australiasia are 900 and 1800. It's likely that if you go
>>to Europe you'll find networks that are 1800 only or use both 900 and
>>1800 but for the best coverage in Europe and elsewhere outside of the
>>Americas 900 is preferred but 1800 will mostly be serviceable.

And, correct he is. Cingular DOES list the phone as 850/900/1900. The
V180 is a quad-band phone, so it's possible that either 1800 mHz is
disable, or it is an error in the description and 1800 is missing.

TH

kjk wrote:
> Thanks for the info. I'm considering getting the Cingular Motorola
> v180 phone, which Cingular lists on their website as "Operates on
> 850/900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks". Based upon your response it
> looks like it will be almost as useful as a true quad band phone like
> the Motorola v551 & RAZR. Am I understanding that correctly?
>
> ----------------------------------------------
>
>
>>First of all you're not likely to find a 850/900/1900 handset. For
>>triband handsets it's usually either 850/1800/1900 (as sold by AT&T
>>Wireless and cingular) or 900/1800/1900 (as sold by T-Mobile in the US
>>or Fido in Canada.) The two most used GSM frequencies in the Americas
>>are 850 and 1900. The two most used GSM frequencies in Europe, Asia,
>>Africa and Australiasia are 900 and 1800. It's likely that if you go
>>to Europe you'll find networks that are 1800 only or use both 900 and
>>1800 but for the best coverage in Europe and elsewhere outside of the
>>Americas 900 is preferred but 1800 will mostly be serviceable.
>
>

In article <[email protected]>,
Tropical Haven <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>kjk wrote:
>> Thanks for the info. I'm considering getting the Cingular Motorola
>> v180 phone, which Cingular lists on their website as "Operates on
>> 850/900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks". Based upon your response it
>> looks like it will be almost as useful as a true quad band phone like
>> the Motorola v551 & RAZR. Am I understanding that correctly?
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>>First of all you're not likely to find a 850/900/1900 handset. For
>>>triband handsets it's usually either 850/1800/1900 (as sold by AT&T
>>>Wireless and cingular) or 900/1800/1900 (as sold by T-Mobile in the US
>>>or Fido in Canada.) The two most used GSM frequencies in the Americas
>>>are 850 and 1900. The two most used GSM frequencies in Europe, Asia,
>>>Africa and Australiasia are 900 and 1800. It's likely that if you go
>>>to Europe you'll find networks that are 1800 only or use both 900 and
>>>1800 but for the best coverage in Europe and elsewhere outside of the
>>>Americas 900 is preferred but 1800 will mostly be serviceable.
>>
>>
>And, correct he is. Cingular DOES list the phone as 850/900/1900. The
>V180 is a quad-band phone, so it's possible that either 1800 mHz is
>disable, or it is an error in the description and 1800 is missing.

The V180 can function as a quad or tri-band phone depending on supplier.
The generic and AT&T-branded varieties are quad-brand; Cingular's is
tri-band.

I work in a cingular agent store, and the V180 is one of the most complained
about phones.
Spend the extra money and get the 551. Way better service record and it is
quad band.
"kjk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for the info. I'm considering getting the Cingular Motorola
> v180 phone, which Cingular lists on their website as "Operates on
> 850/900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks". Based upon your response it
> looks like it will be almost as useful as a true quad band phone like
> the Motorola v551 & RAZR. Am I understanding that correctly?
>
> ----------------------------------------------
>
> >First of all you're not likely to find a 850/900/1900 handset. For
> >triband handsets it's usually either 850/1800/1900 (as sold by AT&T
> >Wireless and cingular) or 900/1800/1900 (as sold by T-Mobile in the US
> >or Fido in Canada.) The two most used GSM frequencies in the Americas
> >are 850 and 1900. The two most used GSM frequencies in Europe, Asia,
> >Africa and Australiasia are 900 and 1800. It's likely that if you go
> >to Europe you'll find networks that are 1800 only or use both 900 and
> >1800 but for the best coverage in Europe and elsewhere outside of the
> >Americas 900 is preferred but 1800 will mostly be serviceable.
>

Here's one: If you create/use more than one shortcut, the phone gets
confused. If you re-order the shortcuts, it locks-up ... the only way to
turn it off is to take the battery out. Then, the only way to clean things
up is master clear/reset.

This has happened on two of the 180s at our company.


"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <b_H6e.11949$gs4.2016@okepread05>,
> "zarch" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I work in a cingular agent store, and the V180 is one of the most
complained
> > about phones.
>
> Mine (from AT&T Wireless) works fine. Same with a buddy of mine. What
> are the complaints?
>

Sorry to disappoint you, but the shortcuts has nothing to do with the web.

It is a phone feature that allows you to get to phone features, such as
battery meter, without having to go thru the menu heirarchy.


"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "S. Gione" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Here's one: If you create/use more than one shortcut, the phone gets
> > confused. If you re-order the shortcuts, it locks-up ... the only way
to
> > turn it off is to take the battery out. Then, the only way to clean
things
> > up is master clear/reset.
> >
> > This has happened on two of the 180s at our company.
>
> Doesn't count for people who use their phones as PHONES.
>
> If you want to browse the web on a postage-stamp sized screen, you've
> got a screw loose.
>

"S. Gione" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Sorry to disappoint you, but the shortcuts has nothing to do with the web.
>
> It is a phone feature that allows you to get to phone features, such as
> battery meter, without having to go thru the menu heirarchy.
>
>
> "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> "S. Gione" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > Here's one: If you create/use more than one shortcut, the phone gets
>> > confused. If you re-order the shortcuts, it locks-up ... the only way
> to
>> > turn it off is to take the battery out. Then, the only way to clean
> things
>> > up is master clear/reset.
>> >
>> > This has happened on two of the 180s at our company.
>>
>> Doesn't count for people who use their phones as PHONES.
>>
>> If you want to browse the web on a postage-stamp sized screen, you've
>> got a screw loose.
>>

I have four of these (V180's) and never an issue with any of them with the
exception of reception.
Considering the fact that I have several friends with other model phones
that are also Cingular subscribers, with the same reception issues in our
area (rarely more than 3 bars), I think it is Cingular's crappy service in
this area and not the V180 that is the cause.

"S. Gione" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Here's one: If you create/use more than one shortcut, the phone gets
> confused. If you re-order the shortcuts, it locks-up ... the only way to
> turn it off is to take the battery out. Then, the only way to clean
> things
> up is master clear/reset.
>
> This has happened on two of the 180s at our company.
>
>

Been there. I used to use shortcuts a lot on my old Ericcson, but once I
discovered the shortcut problem on my v180 (I never had to take the battery
out - I was able to turn it off and do the clear/reset), I played with the
phone some more and determined I really only needed one shortcut (for the
alarm). For some reason this phone just doesn't like shortcuts very much,
but I tend to only want a cell phone to be a good phone - not much else
(except for the alarm feature, obviously). It's a glitch - true enough.
However, the phone has been great for me. It's a nice basic little phone
with great battery life but without all the extras of the v551. If the
shortcut lockup problem is the only problem on this phone, that aint much
for those of us who actually like plain vanilla and don't give a flip about
quad band, etc. I love my little v180, I truly do.

starfish

"Oh yeah, he's nice now, but don't come looking for me when he's burying
your bodies out in the desert." Master Shake