Desire in the U.S

[SylentDroid_90]

Hey i got the Desire from O2 Germany and brought it back to the states i read everywhere it cant support US 3G?? And that all phones in the states are CDMA while phones in Europe are all GSM?

I use my chip from T-Mobile and signal always seems to be 2 bars more often than a good connection. I want Internet on my phone but Internet is like 30$/a month from T-Mobile way too expensive compared to O2's 10 euro a month...

But calls are fine and everything works except internet...will Internet work on my phone in the states if i get that internet package for 30 bucks??

Thanks.

 

[LECTER]

The phone works on the frequency:

Europe:

* HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz
* GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Asia Pacific:

* HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz
* GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz


South Africa: has 900/1800 and 2100
GSM Coverage Maps | South Africa

USA: 850, 1900
GSM Coverage Maps | United States

I guess you

 

[SylentDroid_90]

oh....but since i live in the states and since its from europe that shows 850 and 1900 on both the us and europe it should have some connection??? i was wondering...?

 

[Kelmar]

USA has both CDMA and GSM phones/signals.

 

[Deleted User]

Hey i got the Desire from O2 Germany
But calls are fine and everything works except internet...will Internet work on my phone in the states if i get that internet package for 30 bucks??
Thanks.

You really need to have a data package for internet access or it'll cost you an arm and a leg for data with the per kb usage fees. And internet won't work until you enter the APN settings for your carrier (each carrier has a different Access Point Name for data). And once you have the APN setup, and data enabled on your account, you should be able to get an EDGE data connection. However, it will be quite slow and annoying compared to WiFi.

Perhaps see if you can sell it to family or friends back in Germany where it will work great, and buy one in the US?

 

[SylentDroid_90]

You really need to have a data package for internet access or it'll cost you an arm and a leg for data with the per kb usage fees. And internet won't work until you enter the APN settings for your carrier (each carrier has a different Access Point Name for data). And once you have the APN setup, and data enabled on your account, you should be able to get an EDGE data connection. However, it will be quite slow and annoying compared to WiFi.

Perhaps see if you can sell it to family or friends back in Germany where it will work great, and buy one in the US?

Really? I got a number from T-Mobile and they say i have to read them barcodes and serial numbers in the back of the phone to be able to use internet.

Internet is not a real big deal really just call/text/take pictures&videos.

Oh yea, i read in the settings im connected to EDGE, is EDGE really that slow? Pretty new with mobile networking really.

Thanks btw bfksc

 

[Deleted User]

Really? I got a number from T-Mobile and they say i have to read them barcodes and serial numbers in the back of the phone to be able to use internet.

They just use them to record information about the phone you're using. I don't believe it's necessary since the SIM has your account info on it, and you can swap phones as much as you want.

Internet is not a real big deal really just call/text/take pictures&videos. Oh yea, i read in the settings im connected to EDGE, is EDGE really that slow? Pretty new with mobile networking really.

When it was the only option it seemed fast, but when you use 3G or HSPA you really cringe when you have to use EDGE again.

 

[nx1977]

USA has both CDMA and GSM phones/signals.

Yes, but an EU phone will only work on GSM/Edge in the US and Canada.

If you want 3G, then you have to buy your phone in the US.

 

[Shofar]

Yes, but an EU phone will only work on GSM/Edge in the US and Canada.

If you want 3G, then you have to buy your phone in the US.

Is this really true??

I have read this many times but then they say that both the European 3G (2100) and many US 3G are the same frequency. What gives?
If they are both 2100 they should work.

Is the correct APN needed to download email via the phone? (Not the WiFi app but the 2G/3G?

 

[SylentDroid_90]

Is this really true??

I have read this many times but then they say that both the European 3G (2100) and many US 3G are the same frequency. What gives?
If they are both 2100 they should work.

Is the correct APN needed to download email via the phone? (Not the WiFi app but the 2G/3G?

I feel the same way Shofar, thats the only thing that could make sense to me aswell. 2100 in europe....2100 in US?? Internet!

 

[Deleted User]

Is this really true??
I have read this many times but then they say that both the European 3G (2100) and many US 3G are the same frequency. What gives?
If they are both 2100 they should work.

Whoever says they're the same is WRONG. The freqs are NOT the same for 3G data.

If a phone supports 3G data on 850/1900/2100 then it will work in Europe and North America. But the Desire does NOT support both sets of freqs, only one or the other depending on version. It would be nice if the phone supported both but the North America version does NOT support 2100 and 2100 is NOT used here in Canada/US.

That's one advantage the iPhone 4 has, it covers all four freqs for all areas of 3G/UMTS/HSPA data coverage.

Is the correct APN needed to download email via the phone? (Not the WiFi app but the 2G/3G?

Yes, you need data and the APN settings to retrieve email on the phone, unless you use a WiFi connection.

 

[SylentDroid_90]

lol so Wifi is the only way....hmm atleast i know my wifi works and whenever i get back to europe i be abusing that internet

wish me luck on earl tomorrow!

 

[Deleted User]

lol so Wifi is the only way

No, the Desire will work on 2G/EDGE data as well as WiFi, but you do need some sort of data plan for that to work.

wish me luck on earl tomorrow!

Not sure what that means, but good luck?

Oh wait...Hurricane Earl...

 

[Shofar]

According to Clove, the frequencies for the Desire A8181

Network -
HSPA/WCDMA:
Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz
Upload speed of up to 2 Mbps and download speed of up to 7.2 Mbps

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz
(Band frequency, HSPA availability, and data speed are operator dependent.)

This would indicate to me that it should be able to access 3G in USA too.

 

[Deleted User]

According to Clove, the frequencies for the Desire A8181
Network -
HSPA/WCDMA:
Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz
Upload speed of up to 2 Mbps and download speed of up to 7.2 Mbps
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz
(Band frequency, HSPA availability, and data speed are operator dependent.)
This would indicate to me that it should be able to access 3G in USA too.

No, it clearly means that model will NOT have 3G in the US.

I think people are mistaking the bands and which uses what:

The first set of freqs is for 3G (HSPA/WCDMA both voice and data), the second set is for 2G/GSM with four freqs to cover areas around the world for GSM voice and EDGE/GPRS data.

For 3G, it lists 900/2100 but the US/Can use 850/1900 for 3G.


The listed 850 & 1900 beside GSM is for 2G only.

Clear as mud?

 

[Shofar]

Yes really confusing.

Frequency the same but not the bandwith.

Very confusing.

 

[nx1977]

According to Clove, the frequencies for the Desire A8181

Network -
HSPA/WCDMA:
Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz
Upload speed of up to 2 Mbps and download speed of up to 7.2 Mbps

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz
(Band frequency, HSPA availability, and data speed are operator dependent.)

This would indicate to me that it should be able to access 3G in USA too.

Just to add to this, you need BOTH frequencies for your region for 3G to work.

So in EU, you need 900 & 2100 to have a working 3G connection. This is because one band is for downloads and the other for uploads.

2G only uses one band at a time to do both. In effect 2G data is a bit like using a CB radio. Only one function can happen at a time (voice, uploads or downloads)