How Telecom's GSM/WCDMA network will be configured

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juha

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#14204 21-Jun-2007 08:13

There's been some questions as to how Telecom will set up the GSM/WCDMA network. Here's the word from Telecom's Mark Ratcliffe on the matter:

Telecom's new network would use spectrum already owned by Telecom - 850MHz frequency for a nationwide GSM network and a high speed 3G network in towns over 50,000 people on 2100MHz frequency. "Over time we will extend that 2100 [MHz] network so ultimately it will be nationwide."

So, it now looks like 850MHz GSM everywhere, augmented by 2100 WCDMA in towns, to start with.

Juha

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#75480 21-Jun-2007 09:52

So we are looking at 2009 or maybe later before they have nationwide 2100Mhz coverage, which means we aren't going to be seeing 850Mhz WCDMA for quite some time.

sbiddle

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#75482 21-Jun-2007 10:17

The story seems to infer that eventually 2100MHz WCDMA will be nationwide. That would be a very expensive network..

bbman

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#76847 4-Jul-2007 09:29

Thanks for the update Juha, heraing from internal sources they may also install 2100mhz on all sites in all towns before end of 2008 so they have 3g off all main sites.

From all accounts the 900mhz WCDMA trial network may be frought with issues, as Telstra is finding out on 850mhz.

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freitasm

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#76849 4-Jul-2007 10:01

2100 MHz... Haven't they learnt from Vodafone's problems with this frequency?

Having said that, talking to some industry insiders, I believe Telecom might even pull one on this, and deploy it in a better fashion - seriously, no offense please, but I trust the Telecom engineers on mobile stuff.

bbman

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#76850 4-Jul-2007 10:08

um yeah, i would agree.

I would imagine the end result will be better for Telecom, they will want to do this right. I really do hope though that they hold off on canning CDMA for some time. Overseas experiences are still showing the techincal and performance dominance that EVDO/CDMA has over the WCDMA applications.

I have to ask why Vodafone chose build out 900mhz with Nokia when they built the over promised and under delivering 2100 mhz network, to make it worse they are a lab rat on this 900mhz network.

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#76851 4-Jul-2007 10:11

By now I would have thought that NOKIA and IBM are forbidden words within Vodafone New Zealand. Signing up with Nokia for 900 MHz is a big surprise.

Telecom executives said during the press conference call I attended (Juha was there too) they are commited to the CDMA EVDO network for another five years at least.

bbman

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#76854 4-Jul-2007 10:18

yeah thats what we are hearing.

Good move really build a network to offer GSM/WCDMA and get roaming $$$ and offer enhanced services to customers with roaming. whilst maintaining and sticking with a proven CDMA/EVDO network that provides great coverage and data connectivity and phones are steadily coming available with GSM/CDMA capability.

They can decide in the next few years where to go with network of choice. either way they make more income from roaming etc. Telecom have a smart strategy here. feet in both camps, in 5 years we may have hybrid networks etc so having both options will be an advantage.

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macuser

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#76856 4-Jul-2007 10:42

Noooo Just hurry and go GSM! I'm sick of CDMA phones!

freitasm

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#76857 4-Jul-2007 10:45

Well, if you are sick of CDMA phones you have the option of using Vodafone... So I don't understand your comment, since you are free to use the other network.

macuser

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#76859 4-Jul-2007 10:52

Meh! You know what I mean! I'm just sick of such (in my opinion) crap CDMA phones! Id be using Vodafone right now, except all my friends do is text message, and they wouldn't ever talk to me if it cost them 20c per message (and Telecom's $10 for 500 would only get them through a couple of days, they use Boost Monster TXT)

:-(

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#76860 4-Jul-2007 10:54

Really, this is completely off topic, but what do WCDMA phones do that CDMA phones don't?

Camera? MP3 player? Video? Seriously, it's all there...

bbman

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#76861 4-Jul-2007 10:58

apart from video calling oh and Sky mobile thats about it. With the Mondo coming out soon and more Worldmodes coming with more features or atleast what seems to interest people in features the CDMA phones will be on par with WCDMA handsets.

Um sky mobile is great but freakin hopeless when your not in good 3g coverage.

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macuser

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#76863 4-Jul-2007 10:59

Well, they do everything, But the only people who do it well on Telecom in my opinion is Nokia, There user interface is much more up to standard I beleive, Sanyos and Samsungs just seem to make life harder, there menu's dont seem right, and the style is way off. On the otherhand, Theres SE, Nokia and Motorola on Vodafone, they just are stylish and I like using them.

bonkiebonks

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#76866 4-Jul-2007 11:01

Well, for a start, I would like to see a phone with all the features of the N95 on CDMA.

bbman

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#76867 4-Jul-2007 11:03

the Sanyo / Samsung operating system is now becoming very popular.. note that Nokia make some hot phone's but personally over both vendors the build quality on Nokia is crap compared to other manufacturers.

Certainly GSM/WCDMA has a massive advantage on handset choice, CDMA will for some time yet lag behind, but from the 80% of features most wanted CDMA covers them well!

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