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3G on US GSM providers? |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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I emailed T-Mobile USA yesterday to ask when their WCDMA (3G) network will be rolled out.
They said that they have no date when or IF there will be a UMTS network adopted by T-Mobile USA.
That is terrible. I replied why they said IF and they said they are not sure yet if it ever will be rolled out.
I must have talked to a stupid person or T-Mobile has gone nuts. What do they think will replace their current GSM network?
Anyone heard anything else regarding T-Mobile or AT&T and Cingular?
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jacobdol
Joined: May 03, 2002
Posts: 5
From: San Francisco
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AT&T offers EDGE service now. T-Mobile is behind. I emailed them yesterday about EDGE and got the same response. Sucks. I might switch to AT&T. |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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EDGE is not very exciting and there's hardly any phones supporting the EDGE technology so I wouldn't bother getting into it. I rather wait for 3G to be fully developed.
I wouldn't switch to AT&T if you have read the latest write-ups about that company. My experience with T-Mobile customer service has been outstanding (except for 3G) and I've heard a lot of bad things from AT&T customers regarding their service.
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[ This Message was edited by: amagab on 2003-12-22 21:11 ] |
MIK-3
Joined: Oct 31, 2003
Posts: 89
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Dont worry...
T-Mobile is going to roll out EDGE the first months of 2004 and 3G WCDMA is going to follow.
You really thing the best and biggest GSM provider in US and the second largest company in the world is going to stay out of the 3G game in such an important market like the one in the US?
Just wait and you will see!
stay tuned... T-Mobile USA
[ This Message was edited by: MIK-3 on 2003-12-22 22:14 ] |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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Well, the Customer Service reps should be MORE informed about this. I hate it when people not affiliated to T-Mobile knows more than the T-Mobile employees, this is not the first time!!!!
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GiantRobot
Joined: Oct 16, 2003
Posts: 18
From: California
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The transition from PCS to GSM isn't even complete in the US. There's little chance AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile are very interested in spending even more money on WCDMA 3G services. GSM adoption in the US is rising but is nowhere close to being the dominant cellular technology. Most of the adoption is from people being herded into "Next Generation" contracts as they sign up for new service or renew old contracts. I'd much rather see EDGE implemented on the current GSM system and the GSM network expanded to the point where it competes with TDMA coverage than I'd like to see 3G rolled out here. |
richy240
Joined: Jan 24, 2003
Posts: 465
From: Houston, Texas, USA
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I agree with GiantRobot, although I would like to see some 3G in the not-so-distant future. I guess we'll see what happens.
For sale: Near-mint M600i (white), PM me if interested |
sn3ipen
Joined: Aug 18, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: North-Norway
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What is the price on edge compared to gprs???
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Sony Ericsson Indonesia
Joined: Oct 08, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sony Ericsson Land
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SINGTEL HAS WCDMA WOOT! (only on trial though)
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rraz9228
Joined: Oct 30, 2003
Posts: 145
From: CA USA
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I agree with GiantRobot too.
Just for you thoughts. If you really look at the Cellular world, US is behind on almost everything. Even in just purchasing a cellphone, you have to go to e-bay to get the best in the market because the carrier like Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile dont have it. That is just an example.
The first GSM network provider is Cingular which is also the biggest GSM provider in the US. Come to think of it, They only have in 1996(I think but im not sure of the exact date). AT&T just have theirs like a couple of Years ago and most of their networks are still TDMA. T-Mobile on the otherhand don't even have a full coverage of networks in the US, in a lot of areas, they only rent from Cingular to use their network where T-Mobile don't have. T-Mobile right now is just expanding their on Network on GSM.
On the consumer side, how far are we behind??????
Well, text messaging is just becoming popular where this service has been out since forever. We dont even have interoperability on this system. I studid outside of US and have been using Cellphone since 1996 and base on my experience, we are far behind than other countries. As a consumer, I can't even thet the best cellphone outthere here in the US and have to either get it from ebay or Order from Asia or Europe just to get one because the carriers dont have it. Yes, all of as here in esato likes cellphones but if you look at the market, people would go for the cheapest phone they can get or actually the free one. Try to go to a mobile store and observe the people coming in to buy. A lot of them wouldn't even spend more than $150 on a phone while us here in esato spends up to $1000 for a P900. How do you think the mobile carriers in the US would survive in such a market although they want to be the leading in technology. Consumers even switches to Metro PCS because its the cheapest out there(unlimited minutes for $40 including long distance).
With 3G, first, the phone is expensive and second the service is expensive as well.
Conclussion, we will not see 3G in US soon.
Maybe when 3G is obsolete(joke) =) |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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Quote:
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On 2003-12-23 22:26:01, rraz9228 wrote:
I agree with GiantRobot too.
The first GSM network provider is Cingular which is also the biggest GSM provider in the US. Come to think of it, They only have in 1996(I think but im not sure of the exact date). AT&T just have theirs like a couple of Years ago and most of their networks are still TDMA. T-Mobile on the otherhand don't even have a full coverage of networks in the US, in a lot of areas, they only rent from Cingular to use their network where T-Mobile don't have. T-Mobile right now is just expanding their on Network on GSM.
With 3G, first, the phone is expensive and second the service is expensive as well.
Conclussion, we will not see 3G in US soon.
Maybe when 3G is obsolete(joke) =)
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Okay, I edited the quote a little because you were so great and wrote a lot of info.
Yes, Cingular is the largest GSM network provider in the US but T-Mobile is actually pretty good on the way to get there as well. T-Mobile "rents" networks from Cingular in California because they were smart and struck a deal with Cingular. Since Cingular are already so well established in California (and T-Mobile wasn't) they are saving a lot of time by renting from Cingular. Cingular on the other hand, didn't have sufficient coverage in NY so there they are actually using T-Mobile's network. I think that was an excellent solution for both of the companies and residents of those states as well. It is rediculous that each provider puts up their own networks. I think we'll see more and more cooperation when they roll out the 3G networks....as they are now doing in Europe.
Another thing, US is only behind on the GSM side. And that is not a surprise considering that DOD held on to their GSM frequencies until Clinton took presidency. Verizon are pretty far ahead with their third generation network (CDMA2000) and is up and rolling as we speak. CDMA2000 is easier/cheaper to implement than WCDMA but more difficult to upgrade when it will be time for 4G.
The reason Americans are not as into new expensive phones is because practically every phone is sold on contract and it is the provider that decides what phones to sell on their network. The other reason is that for a long long time Qualcomm and Motorola practically had monopoly on cellular phones in the US and wanted to milk every penny out of the every phone they created.
It's a good thing we have eBay and their independent importers. 
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rraz9228
Joined: Oct 30, 2003
Posts: 145
From: CA USA
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Well, that is true that the providers have the say on the choice of cellphones but we still have to accept the fact that most of the consumers here in the US wouldn't spend so much money on a phone.
AMEN to Ebay and Expansys! =)
[ This Message was edited by: rraz9228 on 2003-12-23 22:27 ] |
gsm1
Joined: Jan 06, 2003
Posts: 49
From: USA
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I don't think cingular's network is the largest gsm network. Not sure if at&t has caught up with t-mobile who i think has the largest gsm only network. Also cingular wasn't the first gsm network, but apc in the d.c. Area was the first, which is now part of t-mobile's network.
This message was posted from a Z600 |
amagab
Joined: Oct 29, 2002
Posts: > 500
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Yes, there were a lot of city-focused GSM networks in the early stages that were later merged or acquired by larger companies. Today, the large European providers have big stakes in the US GSM market. Obviously T-Mobile bought Voicestream, and Vodafone has a large stake in AT&T.
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rraz9228
Joined: Oct 30, 2003
Posts: 145
From: CA USA
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Yes, that's true. I'm sorry I just concentrated on the big players on the market but you are right their are smaller once that are ahead of putting up GSM on the US.
With regards to consumer based, Cingular is Second to Verizon in customers but verizon is not GSM. Also, Cingular is bigger than T-Mobile thats why they are considering on buying it or to have a Merger with AT&T instead so they can be the biggest Cellphone carrier in the US beating Verizon. |
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Posted: 2003-12-02 06:11
