| Author |
UMTS vs. EDGE |
ananth.r
Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 6
PM |
I am contemplating whether I should get the K790i or the more expensive K800i. I guess I have to choose between UMTS and EDGE.
I live in India and my network doesnt offer 3G (I presume that means no UMTS). As it offers GPRS, I guess EDGE would work.
If my network upgrades to 3G in the future, will the 790 still function with EDGE? Will a 3G network still support EDGE?
Thanks |
|
|
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
PM, WWW
|
some operators offers edge and umts in the same time, u should ask your one, what their plans are for the future. if u dont have 3g support atm, take the k790. if u dont wanna make video calls for example, thatn edge will do it for u, however its just for data transfer, aslong with umis fones u can make video calls, watch tv etc
|
ananth.r
Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 6
PM |
well question really is, will an 800 work in a non-3G network and will a 790 work in a 3G network?
I understand that functions like video calls and TV will only work on 3G, so apart from that.
Thanks |
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
PM, WWW
|
800 will work in non 3g network, but seesm for me pointless to use a 3g fone in 2g system, 790 works at an operator, if 2g and 3g is offered ( edge is 2.5g )
|
Balas
Joined: Nov 30, 2005
Posts: 25
PM |
Remember that the k790i dont have avidocall camera! |
shug
Joined: Nov 05, 2003
Posts: 330
From: Sweden
PM |
You should check with your operator if they have edge in your area. Telia here in Sweden are the biggest operator and they provide edge only in Stockholm. The speed differance edge/3g is hardly noticable except that edge is too slow to stream video. |
JK
Joined: Feb 24, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: S. Africa - JOZI
PM |
Yip The K800 will work on any gsm network, gprs, edge, 3G or HSDPA enabled... 
K790 to... |
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
PM, WWW
|
k8 doesnt support edge
http://www.sonyericsson.com/s[....]1_1_1&zone=pp&lm=pp1&pid=10407
|
mikeb
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 98
From: Sweden
PM |
Hi,
to date, the necessary licenses for 3G have not been issued by the Indian regulator. They are working on it and should release them soon, but even if they were available tomorrow, it would be at least 1 year (maybe 2) before the network was built out.
So for the near future, GSM/GPRS/EDGE is the better option for you.
The K800 supports 3G & GPRS, but not EDGE. So having a 3G phone with no 3G network is pointless and you will get slower download speeds limited to only GPRS than if you went for the EDGE phone.
Even when the 3G network is built out, the GSM/GPRS/EDGE network will not go away so your K790 will continue to work just fine. The 3G network and GSM/GPRS/EDGE network work in parallel on two different frequencies.
However I am not sure if your operator supports EDGE. AirTel and Hutch provide EDGE coverage in large parts of India. So you might want to check with your operator if they support EDGE before buying the K790.
The network deployments look like this
GSM = basic/minimum, voice & SMS only.
GSM/GPRS = voice & SMS, low speed data (up to 115 kbps but more like 30 to 80 kbps in real life).
GSM/GPRS/EDGE = voice & SMS, medium speed data (up to 236kbps but more like 100 to 160 kbps in real life).
3G (UMTS) runs in a different frequency to GSM (GSM is 900MHz and 1800MHz, UMTS is 2100MHz). 3G supports up to 2Mbps, but in real life deployments is limited to 384 kbps.
Future versions of 3G (called HSDPA) support up to 14 Mbps, but in real life will be limited to between 4 and 5 Mbps. HSDPA is just starting its rollout commerically, expect it to be common in 3G networks by end 2007.
I hope this helps,
/Mike B. |
Jamiri
Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 45
PM |
Quote:
|
On 2006-09-04 19:41:42, ananth.r wrote:
I live in India and my network doesnt offer 3G (I presume that means no UMTS). As it offers GPRS, I guess EDGE would work.
|
|
Note that a network offering GPRS does not automatically provide you EDGE services even if you have an EDGE-capable phone. Check the providers whether their networks have EDGE services.
[ This Message was edited by: Jamiri on 2006-09-20 11:43 ] |
Kimi
Joined: Nov 21, 2001
Posts: 293
From: Switzerland
PM |
@ananth.r
if your operator supports EDGE you should chose the K790. Even if they introduce UMTS in 1 or 2 years, EDGE will be further supported. The K800 won't make any sense for the next 2 years in your case.
Until then you might change your phone anyway ... |
Residentevil
Joined: Feb 29, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Raccoon City, USA
PM, WWW
|
The question is, what does your provider offer and go from there. With an unlocked phone you can choose a different provider to match your phone's capability if you want to.
Tough times don't last, tough people do!
Free Tibet |
mamtaj
Joined: Nov 08, 2005
Posts: 135
PM, WWW
|
i think obiviously edge is not better than umts
so it is a good choice to |
trilokeshh
Joined: Oct 04, 2005
Posts: 68
PM |
edge is cheaper than 3g services
this message posted from a Nokia 9500 |
|
|
Posted: 2006-09-04 19:41
