Thread: Closure of Orange CDMA Network

The new G3 system is different/incompatable with the existing CDMA/G3 system. Yes, our phones have G3 on the back of them as well.

Guys -- none of the existing CDMA handsets will work on the new 850MHz 3G network. Will need to get new handsets, but not until 2008 when the network is turned off. By then your current handset should be well and truly rooted...

Without going into it in too much detail, there two streams of 3G technology. One is the CDMA route (which the existing EVDO network is part of) and then there is the GSM 3G derivative technology (which is actually a type of CDMA technology, just to make things a little more confusing... ). This technology will be operating on two frequencies 2.1Ghz and 850MHz.

Hang onto your CDMA until 2008, when the new 3G network has been bedded in. The construction of the new network is well advanced and will operate alongside the CDMA network for a couple of years before CDMA is turned off in 2008.

Originally Posted by rick130

The new G3 system is different/incompatable with the existing CDMA/G3 system. Yes, our phones have G3 on the back of them as well.

As far as I can tell the new "3G" that Telstra is planning will be a unique WCDMA system running on the same band as the existing CDMA (and hence having very similar coverage). It will replace the existing CDMA system in 2008, and the existing "3G" system (which has very limited coverage) at some unspecified time, possibly about the same time, and will replace the existing GSM system at some unspecified time, possibly well into the future. Presumably after they have coaxed most users to go "3G". At present there are no handsets in production that work on the new system, and there are fears that it will be unique to Australia, although Telstra would prefer to see it as the "way of the future".
John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

As far as I can tell the new "3G" that Telstra is planning will be a unique WCDMA system running on the same band as the existing CDMA (and hence having very similar coverage). It will replace the existing CDMA system in 2008, and the existing "3G" system (which has very limited coverage) at some unspecified time, possibly about the same time, and will replace the existing GSM system at some unspecified time, possibly well into the future. Presumably after they have coaxed most users to go "3G". At present there are no handsets in production that work on the new system, and there are fears that it will be unique to Australia, although Telstra would prefer to see it as the "way of the future".
John

The new 3G System is currently operational in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, opening slowly to other capitals. Telstra are selling 3G phones at the moment, but only work in the above capital cities

At present there are no handsets in production that work on the new system, and there are fears that it will be unique to Australia, although Telstra would prefer to see it as the "way of the future".

The 850 3G handsets will be available by December this year. Canada and Korea are also deploying the same network, although Telstra seems to be leading the charge.

850Mhz is a much better option than 2.1GHz....better signal propagation, hence why it is being used in the bush. It also provides better in-building coverage. I think Telstra has got it right, just because it is different from Europe and the US, does not make it worse. Regional Australia is a totally unique market with its dispersed population and enormous area.

The 2.1Ghz network, currently in metro areas will not be junked. Mutiple mode handsets will be available for 850 and 2100, but it will be interesting to see the handoffs when roaming from a 2100 to 850 coverage area.

Originally Posted by crump

I think all mobile phones are for Latte sipping Yuppies

I have only just started carrying one in the last 12 months at the insistance of my wife.
Otherwise ring me at home or work on landline. It used to be good knowing that on most corners of every town was a public phone and all you needed was a couple of two bob bits!
My wife gave me all these excuses to get one:
'I can ring you if we need milk on the way home' - plan ahead like we used to!
'If you're gunna be late home...' - wait up or don't!
'Your boss can ring you now instead of faxes' - I don't want those at home either!
'Mobiles have the time on them' - a better invention would be a watch that you can talk on!

Anyway I now have one and every one asks me why I hardly ever have it switched on.
'We couldn't ring you at the footy the other night'
'I know you're on your day off but....'
'Mate...get a phone betting account...' - my God!

Anyway if it wasn't for the neat little blackjack game it has on it and the funky ring tone it would never be on!

Remember, real telephone numbers have area codes

I'm done, thats my whinge over

Ralph

Originally Posted by 84RR

The new 3G System is currently operational in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, opening slowly to other capitals. Telstra are selling 3G phones at the moment, but only work in the above capital cities

No - this is not the "new" 3G system - see Noddy2's reply. I believe that this system will eventually be replaced by the new one, so that Telstra will have a single system replacing the three they have at present.

After being on Orange CDMA for so long, I decided that I just could not do without CDMA coverage - as that's all I get when on the property.

I changed to Telstra yesterday and picked up a new BlackBerry 7130e CDMA device while I was at it. Let's just say that I'm impressed. It runs very quickly on the EV-DO high-speed CDMA network for browsing (which I need to do to support my users) and it even runs an SSH secure shell so that I can get into my servers and run a command-line session when I need to reboot a server or do other maintenance from a remote location. Data is pretty expensive, so it's for emergencies only while I'm away from a desk. It also runs all of my email accounts from the one device, and I have all the address books brought across from my Outlook application.

Now I have internet/office connectivity AND CDMA coverage for another couple of years. By that stage I'll change to the 3G network and another BlackBerry device when that network expands to where I need it.

Very cool!