Telstra turning off GSM network?

Has Telstra said the big plan includes migrating all mobile users onto
their 3G network, or just the CDMA users?

i.e. are they planning on closing their GSM network?

If so, won't many people on Telstra GSM migrate onto other GSM networks
rather than have to buy a new phone (or is Telstra planning on providing
free phones to all customers)?

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› See More: Telstra turning off GSM network?

Tom N <[email protected]> wrote

> Has Telstra said the big plan includes migrating
> all mobile users onto their 3G network,

Yep.

> or just the CDMA users?

Nope.

> i.e. are they planning on closing their GSM network?

Yep, but not in the sense that you wont be able
to use GSM handsets on the 3G network.

Even telstra aint actually THAT stupid.

> If so, won't many people on Telstra GSM migrate onto
> other GSM networks rather than have to buy a new phone

Nope, because they wont need a new phone.

> (or is Telstra planning on providing free phones to all customers)?

Nope, not for current CDMA users either unless they get monstered
on that in the process of being allowed to use that band for 3G.

Rod Speed wrote:
> Tom N <[email protected]> wrote
>
>>Has Telstra said the big plan includes migrating
>>all mobile users onto their 3G network,
>
> Yep.
>
>>or just the CDMA users?
>
> Nope.
>
>>i.e. are they planning on closing their GSM network?
>
> Yep, but not in the sense that you wont be able
> to use GSM handsets on the 3G network.
>
> Even telstra aint actually THAT stupid.
>
>>If so, won't many people on Telstra GSM migrate onto
>>other GSM networks rather than have to buy a new phone
>
> Nope, because they wont need a new phone.

Won't need a new phone, how can GSM work on UMTS?

>>(or is Telstra planning on providing free phones to all customers)?
>
> Nope, not for current CDMA users either unless they get monstered
> on that in the process of being allowed to use that band for 3G.


--
The views I present are my own and NOT of any organisation I belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
http://www.aca.gov.au/pls/radcom/cli...IENT_NO=157452

Any information regarding Greg can be sent to [email protected]

Simon VK3XEM <[email protected]> wrote:
> Rod Speed wrote:
>> Tom N <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>>> Has Telstra said the big plan includes migrating
>>> all mobile users onto their 3G network,
>>
>> Yep.
>>
>>> or just the CDMA users?
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>>> i.e. are they planning on closing their GSM network?
>>
>> Yep, but not in the sense that you wont be able
>> to use GSM handsets on the 3G network.
>>
>> Even telstra aint actually THAT stupid.
>>
>>> If so, won't many people on Telstra GSM migrate onto
>>> other GSM networks rather than have to buy a new phone
>>
>> Nope, because they wont need a new phone.

> Won't need a new phone, how can GSM work on UMTS?

No one ever said that it will be pure UMTS.

>>> (or is Telstra planning on providing free phones to all customers)?

>> Nope, not for current CDMA users either unless they get monstered
>> on that in the process of being allowed to use that band for 3G.

Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same (or more)
distance as CDMA currently does?.

I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as CDMA since it
will use a similar frequency, but has anyone actually tested the new setup
using UMTS to confirm it?

If it does not there will be a lot of unhappy cockies out there...

i just went out and spent $450 on a brand new phone as well ,, GRRR!

they should ship the old phones off to countries that as less fortunate (3rd
world) , when they shut down the gsm network



"Intel Inside" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same (or more)
> distance as CDMA currently does?.
>
> I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as CDMA since it
> will use a similar frequency, but has anyone actually tested the new setup
> using UMTS to confirm it?
>
> If it does not there will be a lot of unhappy cockies out there...
>
>

Intel Inside wrote:

> Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same
> (or more) distance as CDMA currently does?.
>
> I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as
> CDMA since it will use a similar frequency, but has anyone
> actually tested the new setup using UMTS to confirm it?

The new rural setup (UMTS at 850 mHz) doesn't exist in any
production phone or BTS. Is there any reason you doubt it'll
work?

My only concern would be swamping of weak signals by stronger
ones. This is the one potential weakness of CDMA (including
UMTS). Then it would require more BTSs, but that should be
economically viable anyway if the traffic was high.

John

Intel Inside <[email protected]> wrote

> Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same (or more)
> distance as CDMA currently does?.

Not possible until its done.

> I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as CDMA since it will
> use a similar frequency,

There's a hell of a lot more than the frequency involved.

> but has anyone actually tested the
> new setup using UMTS to confirm it?

Not possible until its done.

> If it does not there will be a lot of unhappy cockies out there...

There will be anyway.

On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:46:48 +1030, Horace _Wachope_ wrote:

> On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 13:08:09 GMT, Stephen H wrote:
>
>> i just went out and spent $450 on a brand new phone as well ,, GRRR!
>>
>> they should ship the old phones off to countries that as less fortunate (3rd
>> world) , when they shut down the gsm network
>
> Didn't Telstra give (or sell, cheaply) its decommissioned AMPS network to
> East Timor?

Unlikely. East Timor had a GSM network from at least 2000, possibly 1999 -
there certainly wasn't an AMPS network there in 2000. Before 1999, East
Timor hadn't existed as a country since 1974.

Will

Horace _Wachope_ wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 06:09:38 +1100, will kemp wrote:
>
>
>>On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:46:48 +1030, Horace _Wachope_ wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 13:08:09 GMT, Stephen H wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>i just went out and spent $450 on a brand new phone as well ,, GRRR!
>>>>
>>>>they should ship the old phones off to countries that as less fortunate (3rd
>>>>world) , when they shut down the gsm network
>>>
>>>Didn't Telstra give (or sell, cheaply) its decommissioned AMPS network to
>>>East Timor?
>>
>>Unlikely. East Timor had a GSM network from at least 2000, possibly 1999 -
>>there certainly wasn't an AMPS network there in 2000. Before 1999, East
>>Timor hadn't existed as a country since 1974.
>
>
> I'm 95% sure they "donated" it to someone.
>
> I know there was at least one Telstra GSM base installed there for the use
> of the ADF.
>
> Are you sure there was/is an entire East Timorese GSM network?
>

Timor Telecom won the contract rights to build a GSM 900 network for
East Timor and it was activated in 2003 at the same time Telstra
switched off its temporary GSM cells. Coverage map and info here:
http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?cc=tl&net=tt

John Henderson wrote:
> Intel Inside wrote:
>
>
>>Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same
>>(or more) distance as CDMA currently does?.
>>
>>I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as
>>CDMA since it will use a similar frequency, but has anyone
>>actually tested the new setup using UMTS to confirm it?
>
>
> The new rural setup (UMTS at 850 mHz) doesn't exist in any
> production phone or BTS. Is there any reason you doubt it'll
> work?

Cingular Wireless will have the LG CU230 phone available for sale next
month which operates on the 850 UMTS band. Quite a few HSDPA capable
data cards will be coming out in the next month or two that operate on
both the 850 & 1900 UMTS bands - all designed for use with the Cingular
network.

> My only concern would be swamping of weak signals by stronger
> ones. This is the one potential weakness of CDMA (including
> UMTS). Then it would require more BTSs, but that should be
> economically viable anyway if the traffic was high.
>
> John

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 07:18:58 +1030, Horace _Wachope_ wrote:

>>> Didn't Telstra give (or sell, cheaply) its decommissioned AMPS network to
>>> East Timor?
>>
>> Unlikely. East Timor had a GSM network from at least 2000, possibly 1999 -
>> there certainly wasn't an AMPS network there in 2000. Before 1999, East
>> Timor hadn't existed as a country since 1974.
>
> I'm 95% sure they "donated" it to someone.
>
> I know there was at least one Telstra GSM base installed there for the use
> of the ADF.

There were several.

> Are you sure there was/is an entire East Timorese GSM network?

Not "entire" no. As far as i remember, in 2000 there was one, possibly
two, cells in Dili, one at Baucau airport, one at Suai, and i've got an
idea there was one more place that had coverage, but i can't remember
where it was. They were opreated by Telstra. At about the end of 2000,
Dili was the city with the highest per capita mobile phone use on the
Australian phone network.

Will

Rod, it appears to be a big assumption on the part of Telstra then.
Assumptions tend to join forces with trouble eventually.

>
>> Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same (or more)
>> distance as CDMA currently does?.
>
> Not possible until its done.
>
>> I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as CDMA since it
>> will use a similar frequency,
>
> There's a hell of a lot more than the frequency involved.
>
>> but has anyone actually tested the
>> new setup using UMTS to confirm it?
>
> Not possible until its done.
>

Intel Inside <[email protected]> wrote

> Rod, it appears to be a big assumption on the part of Telstra then.

Not that much of an assumption actually given that its the same
band and very similar technology as far as coverage is concerned.

> Assumptions tend to join forces with trouble eventually.

Too mindlessly superficial.

Yes, there may well turn out to be some differences,
but it may well turn out to have very similar coverage too.

>>> Has anyone confirmed that the planned 3G will cover the same (or
>>> more) distance as CDMA currently does?.
>>
>> Not possible until its done.
>>
>>> I heard some comments that it is expected to be as good as CDMA
>>> since it will use a similar frequency,
>>
>> There's a hell of a lot more than the frequency involved.
>>
>>> but has anyone actually tested the
>>> new setup using UMTS to confirm it?
>>
>> Not possible until its done.

Title: 3G 'City-to-Country' Plan
Date: 22 November 2005

Some customers may be confused, as a result of weekend media coverage,
about whether they will need to replace their current handsets when the
new network is launched.

Media has reported that:

"Telstra's 8.4 million mobile phone users will need to buy a new
handset when the company switches to its proposed new-generation
technology, beginning next year. As part of a major restructure
announced last week by Telstra boss Sol Trujillo, Telstra plans to
close its present three networks, GSM, or digital, CDMA and the newly
launched 3G, and replace them nationally with one system."

The facts are as follows:
• It is incorrect that all of Telstra's 8.4million mobile phone users
will need to buy a new handset when we switch to the new network.
• There are no plans to stop operating the current GSM network.
• Telstra will be maintaining the 2100Mhz service.
• Existing GSM customers can stay on this network and it will be
modernised with improved data speeds.
• However, existing GSM customers who want to take advantage of the
additional coverage and features of the new 3G network will need to get
a new 3G handset.
• Current 3G (2100Mhz band) Customers will continue to have access to
that service and expansion of the service in this band with their
current handset.
• However, if these customers want the full national benefits of the
new 3G coverage these customers will need an 850 handset, or multi-band
phones, that are expected to be available in the near future.
• CDMA customers will be encouraged to migrate to the new network
progressively from the completion of the network until approximately
the end of 2008.
• The network changes will take place over a few years, so CDMA
customers can upgrade their service in the same way they do today - but
we will also be offering attractive handset deals to support the take-up
of new and better services (e.g. video calling )
• We'd expect the majority to take up one of our special deals as on
average customers upgrade their handset about every two years.
• Details of the migration plan will be developed down the track once
all approvals to proceed are in place
• It's a long-term vision and the timeframe will allow a smooth
transition for customers to faster, more advanced mobile services.
• We will operate both the CDMA and new 3G services concurrently for a
period of time to ease the transition.
CDMA

The first phase will involve installing new 3G equipment to operate on
the same frequency band as CDMA (850MHz) to replicate CDMA coverage.
Both CDMA and 3G will operate concurrently for a period to aid the
transition. At the same time a new wireless broadband service will be
installed.

CDMA customers will be encouraged to migrate to the new network
progressively from the completion of the network until approximately
the end of 2008. This is an approximate date because Telstra has said
the existing CDMA network will remain in place until the services and
coverage on the 3G network are the same or better.

The full extent of coverage will be available when the rollout is
completed the base stations fully upgraded.

GSM

There are no plans to stop operating the current GSM network. In fact
it will also be modernised and receive an upgraded wireless service
called EDGE - improving the data speeds currently available via GPRS
from approx 25kbps to 100-130kbps under EDGE. (A number of GSM handsets
are already EDGE-capable)

Existing GSM customers who want to take advantage of the additional
coverage and features of the new 3G network will need to get a new 3G
handset.

Eventually, because of the better coverage and features of the 3G
850MHz network, we believe customers will migrate to this service over
time.

Existing 3G customer

Those who have 3G services on the 2100 band will continue to have
access to that service and expansion of the service in this band with
their current handset. The existing 3G service at 2100Mhz is available
in several metropolitan areas and a limited number of regional centres
- but 3G users have access to the GSM network for voice and GPRS data
services elsewhere within GSM coverage. To obtain the full national
benefits of the new 3G coverage these customers will need an 850
handset, or multi-band phones, that are expected to be available in the
near future. Telstra will be maintaining the 2100Mhz service to provide
additional capacity in metropolitan areas, combined with national
coverage, using multi-band phones.


--
RichOK