Is WCDMA affected by 'GSM buzz'?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Is WCDMA affected by "GSM buzz"?

Behodar

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#32018 8-Apr-2009 15:29

I'm sure most of you have noticed that GSM phones have a tendency to make nearby speakers go crazy, particularly when making a call. Since switching to CDMA last year I've appreciated being able to use the phone without turning all the speakers off. Does anyone know whether WCDMA is affected by this "buzz"?

johnr

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#206025 8-Apr-2009 15:37

No its not

John

Behodar

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#206034 8-Apr-2009 16:01

Excellent, thanks :)

Loftus

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#206323 10-Apr-2009 11:30

Since Telecom has decided to replace their planned GSM850 network with a WCDMA850 network it means the new network will be entirely "GSM buzz-free"

Behodar

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#206325 10-Apr-2009 11:37

Yeah my guess was that it was indeed only GSM that caused the buzz, but it didn't hurt to ask :)

richms

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#206372 10-Apr-2009 16:48

The only thing I have had that has being messed up badly by gsm was my old plastic nicole $5 PC speakers. If its ontop of my amp I get a little noise but certainly nothing going mad.

Perhaps if your gear is so old or cheap that its not shielded you should worry about replacing that before a new phone, since the same cheap junk normally will pick up any RF nearby as well as GSM buzz.

Richard rich.ms

Lurch

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#206411 11-Apr-2009 05:51

When supporting ppl in the US with their Blackberries and they're using edge you can now and then here a "BUZZ" when they are using them near their phone.

I havent heard that noise in a very long time however when it comes to my cellphone.

gingereejit

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#210474 29-Apr-2009 11:44

I was at a IET Presentation last week by ALu's CTO Martin Sharrock where he explained why GSM phones cause a buzz

It's due to the way GSM, which uses TDMA splits the frequency up into timeslots, IIRC TDMA uses 1/8th sec slots - so a broadcast network of 1800 or such or going to have a pulse rate of around 217Hz which is in the audible range and is picked up up by poorly shielded speakers.

It's essentially your phone saying to the tower - 'Give me slot Give me slot Give me slot Give me slot and now We're connected' or "ready to receive ready to receive ready to receive ready to receive and now We're connected'

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johnr

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#210483 29-Apr-2009 11:55

gingereejit: I was at a IET Presentation last week by ALu's CTO Martin Sharrock where he explained why GSM phones cause a buzz

It's due to the way GSM, which uses TDMA splits the frequency up into timeslots, IIRC TDMA uses 1/8th sec slots - so a broadcast network of 1800 or such or going to have a pulse rate of around 217Hz which is in the audible range and is picked up up by poorly shielded speakers.

It's essentially your phone saying to the tower - 'Give me slot Give me slot Give me slot Give me slot and now We're connected' or "ready to receive ready to receive ready to receive ready to receive and now We're connected'

Very good post

John