UMTS or HSDPA

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mo_to

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I've been looking around for a phone replacement. I want one with 3G using Vodacom's network. However, the salesperson (from a UK cell site-cheaper than SA) asked me whether I want a

UMTS850/1900/2100MHz
or
HSDPA850/1900/2100MHz
or
WCDMA2100MHz

Hmmmm...which one is it? I didn't know there were 3 types of 3G!!!

Maybe Mr Voda3G can help me here..? Please... :)
 
HSDPA is widely used and accepted in south africa..UMTS is only supported by vodacom according to my knowledge, and WCDMA as far as I understand is plain dead normal 3g...but I might be wrong
 
mo_to said:
I've been looking around for a phone replacement. I want one with 3G using Vodacom's network. However, the salesperson (from a UK cell site-cheaper than SA) asked me whether I want a

UMTS850/1900/2100MHz
or
HSDPA850/1900/2100MHz
or
WCDMA2100MHz

Hmmmm...which one is it? I didn't know there were 3 types of 3G!!!

Maybe Mr Voda3G can help me here..? Please... :)
Click to expand...

All the same thing.

- UMTS is the generic name for the technologies we normally refer to as "3rd Generation" or '3G'.

The older '2G' technologies is known as 'GSM'

So UMTS is the next generation GSM.

- HSDPA refers to the data system running on top of the UMTS (3G) network. Just like GPRS or EDGE runs on top of GSM.

- WCDMA refers to the actual encoding scheme to get the bits across the UMTS radio network.

Think of it as the holy trinity of mobile data :) 3 different names, but actually all one.

- Lastly the 850 / 1900 / 2100 refers to the frequencies the device can work on. Networks often use more than one frequency to increase capacity. In SA we use 2100 for UMTS. On GSM 900 and 1800.

What you need to buy is a device that supports 3G (manufacturers call it UMTS mostly in their specs) with support for HSDPA at speeds up to 7.2Mb/s. And as many frequency bands as possible. This will give you a phone that will work in most countries around the world.
 
Mr V3g, will we ever use HSDPA on the 850 or 900Mhz frequency in SA?
 
Really why doesnt Voda just go 850/900 with its 3G/HSDPA?
More coverage,less money on towers..I know some networks down under that have gone UMTS 850....THAN again that would mean getting new devices that support 850....:rolleyes:
 
SUPERMAN89 said:
Really why doesnt Voda just go 850/900 with its 3G/HSDPA?
More coverage,less money on towers..I know some networks down under that have gone UMTS 850....THAN again that would mean getting new devices that support 850....:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
For the same reason that MTN also hasn't been using lower frequency spectrum, the names of the problems are: Poison Ivy, Stalin-Mafole, and Paris Mashile [not excluding Ivy's other plants of which there are too many to name].
 
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