Telstra NEW 3G and CDMA - not impressed
Submitted: Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:07
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Member - Oldplodder (QLD)
So Telstra announced today that there is a NEW 3G network (their name for the product) that will cover 98% of Australia.
I am not sure if this demographically or geographically.
And I am certain that this is the mooted 3G (CDMA or 850) that has been on the horizon for a while.
Well Telstra, I am not happy.
My good old CDMA phone died two days ago.
It has been a good companion for 7 years, getting me connected in
places friends GSM just didn't want to know.
So I rang around all the phone shops, including Telstra, and no one is selling CDMA phones anymore! Don't I know this network is now defunct they say. Why don't you go GSM they say, it is better. I have given up argueing.
So, out of desperation I have gone GSM.
But, Telstra and the phone shops haven't made any money out of me, I just borrowed my son's old Nokia 7250 he stopped using 12 months ago.
So I might just hang out on GSM for a while and see what happens with the 3G 850 network.
What has every one else heard?
Reply By: Gramps (NSW) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:12
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:12
98% of the
population, not the country as such. Although some techo wacko was saying you could be driving on a remote NT highway and still watch TV/movies ..... sure, pull the other one :)))))))))))))))))))))
AnswerID:
198085
Reply By: Gramps (NSW) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:17
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:17
There seems to have been an omen regarding their 3G launch. Apparently the fire sprinklers went off at the original venue, drenching Telstra execs and guests so they had to move the launch to another venue LOLOL
AnswerID:
198086
Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:23
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:23
Here it is, Sol the wetback, strikes again hahahahahaha
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:56
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:56
hahahaha, that's funny, his parade got rained on, what a bad omen, kudos to God, hahahaha
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Follow Up By: Nick R - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 19:46
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 19:46
what the regular news didn't say was some news on Triple J that one of the other major telstra offices had the sprinklers go off too necessatating the evacuation of 4000 people???? seems a lot? a lot anyway........
NickR
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:44
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:44
Good one Gramps.
Had to give up my old anlaogue, and went CDMA, now to give that up.
Almost as bad as computers.
So far, the backup media I have are: audio tape (CPM system), 8" floppy, 5 1/4" floppy, 3.5" floppy, 1/4" tape, DAT tape, CD Rom and now DVD, all since 1978.
And I have changed cars twice in that time (now onto my third car), first house and first wife, 2nd mechanic, 2nd belief system, first stereo system, 3rd TV, still the same job, and touch wood, still the same body for a while. (Not necessarily cherished in that order.)
Must be getting old and grumpy Gramps as my son's remind me with a grin :o)
AnswerID:
198087
Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:42
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:42
"Must be getting old and grumpy"
Nah mate, just experienced in the ways of the world LOL
CPM, gees, I thought my
grey cells concerning that operating system were
well and truly recycled ( or dead ) by now hahahahaha I can just remember it, but only just.
"first stereo system" - yep, nothing else even comes close hahahahahaha
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:49
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:49
The same thing I went thru few weeks ago, theres a thread on it on here.
but there IS a place in melb tht does CDMA phones :) Found them through the Telstra Onsite bloke at work...
Mobiles 2000
AnswerID:
198089
Reply By: Footloose - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:50
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 14:50
Mobile phone, what's that ?
Wife has CDMA
I have a GSM one somewhere
Son has one of each
No idea what my daughters is.
Brother had one of each last time I checked...and his daughters GSM
Another bro juggles three through some sort of call answering /diverted system.
Mine is only for emergencies. I refuse to bond with it , no matter if its CDMA, GSM, 3G or Gee whiz.
AnswerID:
198090
Reply By: Mike Harding - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:19
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:19
Site Link
"Wherever there is now mobile cover we'll have a broadband product, so we're going to be able to resolve a lot of those so-called deadspots in terms of broadband," he said.
------------
Oh good! So that means all of those odd little spots (and I know a few) where my CDMA currently works the new 3G system will too... is that correct?
Mike Harding
AnswerID:
198093
Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:59
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 15:59
That's what he said Mike.
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:01
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:01
Wouldn't hold your breath Mike!
Know a few businesses within 20k of
Brisbane CBD that can not even get land line broadband.
Telestra rang me last weekend offering me cable.
I am 8k from the CBD, and neither foxtel nor otpus will connect me.
We have a 80 metre long driveway, so it is not a 'standard' connection.
I even offered to pull the cables myself through the conduit, and let them connect them. No go.
And because we are in the city, we can not get satellite I understand.
Anyway, don't have time for 40 channels on TV, too many other interesting things to do in my life than watch TV.
Just wanted the data connection, and have gone ADSL.
Young telstra women who rang me looked our street up on her computer and said, 'you must be that little green area that we can not connect'.
(Funny, land line as one word is not an acceptable word on this
forum. There you go, David agrees with me.:o))
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:03
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:03
I understand your concern, with so many gorgeous shelias in my life I'd want ph coverage on the moon also :)
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:41
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:41
Call me a sceptic ray, but I'd rather trust GW Bush than telstra..
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:48
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:48
yes but have you seen the chicks Mike pulls :)
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:02
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:02
I'm moving on to goats, they're far less trouble :)
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:33
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:33
Goats! I can understand sheep but GOATS!
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Follow Up By: dj Patrol - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:44
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:44
Telstra has both Goats and Sheep working for them because I cant understand either,
Also you cant trust sheep or goats you dont know what they will do JUST like TELSTRA.
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:15
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:15
Bonz got me into it, he's a bad influence! He's a three goat man!
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog - Vic - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:32
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:32
hahaha, we will
camp in the cold weather wont we!
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Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:50
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:50
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! The "goat" infiltration starts on this
forum now PMSL
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Reply By: brian - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:44
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:44
I have a cdma phone and charger sitting here doing nothing yours for free if it helps ,let me know
AnswerID:
198101
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:20
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:20
Thanks for the offer Brian.
But I will be OK, wife still has CDMA, and it is good to get soemthing off my son for free once in a while. He offered too :o).
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Reply By: T-Ribby - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:45
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 16:45
I picked up a cheap Samsung Telstra CDMA from Australia Post
shop in Runaway Bay a few weeks back - it was the only network with any coverage around Tin Can Bay,
Inskip Point etc.
My info is that the 3G network that will replace CDMA doesn't come in until 2008. In the meantime I'm hanging on to my CDMA until that day arrives.
cheers
T-Rib
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:28
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:28
Thanks T-Ribby.
One
shop did offer the Samsung, but son had already offered the GSM, bless him.
I think the new network is starting to be installed in the next month or so, and "will have the same coverage as CDMA in 2007 or 2008" from what I have read. So CDMA is to shut down at that point, which as you say is projected as 2008, at the moment.
Others may have more info.
We will be hanging onto my wife's CDMA too.
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Reply By: dj Patrol - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:47
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:47
But dont hold your breath you know how much you can trust Telstra.
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Reply By: LastAussieWorker - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:56
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 17:56
in telstra
shop yesterday for new phone and they say new 3G network phones will be sold from monday 16 Oct and to come back then
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Flash - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:40
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 18:40
Trust Telstra..... Ha!
Strangely my CDMA phone is not working recently in areas where it has... forever.
Telstra COULD be "turning down" CDMA so their 3G will match it. My phone has always worked in many areas where their maps say it shouldn't.... but suddenly the maps are more like my real reception areas. Why am I suspicious????
Trust Telstra..... Never.
I'll just about bet my life the new network won't really match the old- put money on it!
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Swanning it - Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 20:19
Friday, Oct 06, 2006 at 20:19
G'Day Oldplodder
There are plenty of phone shops still selling CDMA. From prepaid to 24 month plans. Bear in mind, the rumour is that Telstra WILL offer replacement phones on the new 850 network when CDMA expires, provided you're on a plan. I guess they would be hard pressed in court if they can't connect you to the service both they and you contracted to!
Ian
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:00
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:00
We put bigpond wireless on our laptop recently so that we can access the internet on our travels, this works in the CDMA areas, we also bought new 3G phones which were supposed to work in the same areas,
well ,we proved that wrong, in some country towns in WA we found we could get on the internet when there was absolutely no coverage for the phones. That was on Monday so I am not holding my breath for better coverage of the 3G phones unless todays launch has improved matters, ha ha ha
D&B
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Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:22
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:22
I think the 3G phone you have would be the 1900MHz GSM 3G, wheras the 3G that is being started today (supposedly, has been in operation for some time, but not widespread) is on the old CDMA/analogue frequeny of 850MHz. They are phasing out the old CDMA to fit the 3G ("NextGen") in on the same transmitting equipment. You will need new NextGen 3G phones to utilise the new service.
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Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:34
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:34
GaryInOz
You may
well be right but it is a 3G phone, we got it a few weeks back and we were advised that it is one to replace the CDMA/ analogue network, however I'm not too clued up on all this new technology in phones, as long as I can push a few buttons and get a voice on the other end I am fine, but if you are right I will stand corrected.
Deanna
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Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:38
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 00:38
Only one manufacturer has a phone available for the new 3G services so far, it is an LG (unsure of model), so if you don't have one then you've been duped by the Telstra salesman (Why doesn't that suprise me????).
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Reply By: Member - qld_bushpig - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 17:47
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 17:47
So, 2 months ago I purchased Bigpond Brodband wirless card for my laptop. Service is crap even in towns, (currently in Inverell). So what happens to the 299.00 card that I just purchased??? Will Telstra give me a new GSM PCMCIA card for my lappy before they pull the plug completely on CDMA broadband???
Watch this space (but don't hold ya breath)
AnswerID:
198217
Follow Up By: hl - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 22:42
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 22:42
They will send you a new one... for free.
As for the naysayers... just have a look at the coverage maps for this new service. They are better than CDMA and it works NOW. If the maps are right, there is now coverage almost to
Cameron Corner and well south of
Menindee. And that's just for
outback NSW.
As a matter of fact, we stayed at
Tolarno Station not long ago, and the phone worked, much to my surprise. You'd have to drive for nearly a day to get your "opposition" phone to work from there. The 3G had not been turned on at that time and I was using CDMA. However, the 3G phone did not say "no coverage", it displayed "emergency calls only", so, the systems must have been in place then. Very tempted to go for a drive and test it ;-)....
Cheers
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Reply By: HJ60-2H - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 17:59
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 17:59
New 3G is a marketing launch. There is no real hard product behind it. It is smoke and mirrors and promises. Unfortunately beceause of the sheer volume of markeieng that will eb thrrown at it is will certainly fool many people. Lets wait till 18 months after the on air availability and see if the users are happy or not.
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Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 20:31
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 20:31
Big launch of the sale of T3, they had to come up with something to look good now that they have trashed the FTTN idea..........................
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Reply By: PatrolBen - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 20:09
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 20:09
All i know is that when I was going to sea on the trawlers up and down the east coast between brissie and the Cape the old geezers Analoge (
technical name ???) mobile would work up to 30 nautical mile off the coast. Phone did resemble a house brick, though. Digital rubbish comes in and the 'service' evaported, now he's got a CDMA and reception only good to 10 mile off the coast. And now that this network is going....
All i can say of about our mexican friend, how much longer does his contract run for?
Although one bonus about the GSM network and its limited range is that SWMBO cant contact me up on the islands or in the scrub and constantly have an excuse not to ring daily as instructed LOL
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Bilbo - Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 23:03
Saturday, Oct 07, 2006 at 23:03
Sol Trujillo??
There was an extremely interesting article on "The Amigo", about 6 months ago in the Weekend Financial Review Magazine. It was about 6 pages of highly factual material.
It seems that he's pulled this stunt twice before in the USA. Took over control of pretty ordinary phone networks - and there used to heaps of 'em in the USA - argues with the US Government to get his own way. Won the argument for a 5 year period of grace ie."special considerations". After 4 years, he shot through with his big payout AND his shares all cashed up, the networks went
broke and left "Mom 'n Dad" shareholders with SFA!!
His management team then is almost the same people that he has with him now here in "Oz".
They made millions and the phone networks went "tits up".
TWICE - hes' done it. Telstra will be his 3rd.
Bilbo
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