Hi. Struggling to confirm with officeworks whether a mobile they sell is Next G (Telstra) compatible. It is a Telstra prepaid mobile. From what I understand, Next G is on the 850Mhz network. Is it enough that the phone can use the 850 frequency or does it need something else to use Next G ?
many thanks for any help
thank you for your very quick reply ! Sorry to be a dummy on this, im not sure if its UMTS ? It just says 3G and one of the frequencies is 850.
the phone is a HTC desire C - they seem to make 2 models one is next g compatable and one is not.
again sorry for probably a dumb question !
For the purposes of Auatralian phones '3G' 'UMTS' and 'WCDMA' all mean the same thing. 'HSPA' is can almost be considered the same thing too.
GSM Arena says (Desire C):
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
Note than GSM 850 does not help you. Also doesn't mean that this phone isn't HSPA 850 as not all versions are on GSM Arena.
Got it (i think !). Website says :
Network: 3G: 850/2100(MHz), GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 (MHz)
As its 3G on the 850 network Im guessing it is Next G Compatable.
thanks for your help guys
Yep. Just bear in mind it will be no good on the optus network.
If it's a Telstra Prepaid Phone it will definitely be locked to Telstra and Next G Compatible.
I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned first-up.
You can use the phone on Optus, but it depends on where you live, and where you travel to. In regional and rural areas, the telcos rely on the lower frequency bands, because they carry further (Telstra, 850mHz; Optus, 900mHz; Vodafone, 850 & 900).
Refer to frequency coverage maps if you need to - as a rough guide.
I'm tethering data (and making phone calls, of course) on Optus right now, using a cheap (unlocked) 850/2100MHz phone. Working perfectly fine.
Just suck it and see - if you need to.
"I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned first-up."
As was I..
"You can use the phone on Optus"
You'd have to unlock it first. Telstra are pedantic about locking their prepaid handsets.
delete
ok maybe my mistake - I knew it would be locked to Telstra and since I will be using Boost I am ok with that but I didn't realise that a Telstra mobile would "definitely" be able to use Next G.
My bad but I do appreciate all your help.
It's their primary network these days. 4G is still nascent and 2G is old and decrepit.
Ok - thanks again. I think this is where I was/am getting confused. I thought that Kogan/Aldi was offering Telstra 3G but not Next G.
They were/are, but be it on the slightly coverage-restricted Telstra 3G, or on the full NextG (like your Boost plan), the only thing you need to consider is that you have both 850MHz and 2100MHz frequency band reception on your phone.
NextG is just Telstra's branding for their 3G network.
Kogan/ALDI couldn't use "Next G" for 2 reasons;
1) Telstra wouldn't let them use it
2) they only had access to a portion of Telstra's network, both in land area and in network capability (namely data speed)
True, but those two/three points were precisely the things that Telstra used to differentiate its 3G wholesaling from its NextG branding.
That's cause NextG is a made up marketing name for 3G..
It sounds special and different (and when it was launched it kinda was) but it's the same tech that everyone else is using (especially nowadays).
Yep, but regardless of any disdain you feel for Telstra (I feel lots), 'NextG' has become pretty keenly associated with a somewhat more extensive and reliable set-up than the competition has. Something to protect, branding-wise.
UMTS850 okay 2100 is not