Next-G versus GSM pre-paid mobile

NextG is supposed to failover to GSM when NextG unavailable.

Having said that, I would expect NextG to be a stronger signal anyway so going onto GSM would be rare and would be restricted to any tower where NextG is not installed or has gone down.

Think it mainly applied in the city where GSM signal can outperform NextG in buildings or amongst buildings.

Cheers
Muddy

Doug and Dusty said: "And your phone is either a GSM or Next G not both"

Actually - Next-G is both. Next-G is two systems in one unit (1) 3G (which replaces CDMA) and (2) GSM. A Next-G unit checks which of the two systems (GSM or 3G) is available and uses the stronger system.

So if you have a GSM signal - a Next-G phone will use it.

The explanation for what happened to us is probably that the unit "sensed" there was a 3G signal and tried to lock into it in preference to GSM - but possibly the 3G capacity was fully utilised.

Jeff

Jeff
I have been for past hour searching the Telstra website for the CORRECT answer and I just can't find anything to back up this rumour, Can you show me in writing anything to prove your statement, and until I get conformation from Telstra I will stick with the knowledge i already have

Doug

The phone works in one mode or other but can switch when switching cells - look at your phone and it will have a little "3" of "GSM" or the like to tell you what technology is being used.

That said, I sense there are issues with Next-G service.

I had a call from Telstra asking if everything was okay, if I was getting drop-outs etc. I said I had a few but not a lot and nothing constantly. Got given a bit of credit, but I get the feeling that the call was really about a proactive approach to real issues that the network has (not unlike lots of other new services).

Cheers
Andrew.

Question: I have a GSM service. What will the new Next G network mean for me?
Answer: There are no plans to stop operating the current GSM network at this time and it is planned that it will be operational through to 2012.

In fact, it will also be modernised and receive an upgraded capability called EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) – improving the data speeds currently available via GPRS from approx 40kbps to 120kbps under EDGE. (A number of GSM handsets are already EDGE-capable)

Existing GSM customers who want to take advantage of the additional coverage and features of Next G will need to get a capable handset.

Andrew & others
I will sit back on this for a while until I get more confirmation, I am not as clued up with the phone systems as I am with Garmin GPS , I feel I am standing on 1 leg .......the middle one

Doug

Well, I just played with my Motorola V6 Maxx Telstra NextG phone and in the network settings I was able to change the network type to be "900/1800" which is GSM. It even made that annoying mosquito sound in my computer speakers when it switched modes. It displayed "2.5G" on the screen

I have now changed it back to the default "Automatic" setting and it went back onto Next G and now it displays "3G" as per normal.

This would indicate that if NextG were not available then the "Automatic" setting would allow the phone to "roam" onto Telstra's GSM network.

And Yes Doug you are completely correct that GSM will not be shut down for a long time yet and may in fact be improved. There are things that GSM can do like Locality info (where the name of the base station displays on the phone) that are not offered on NextG as yet.

Muddy

Muddy, I think that not all phones are multiband phones so if they ain't, then they don't change bands to the other bands like GSM. The LG I know is a tri-band phone so jumped from Next G, to GSM and also 3G where it was available.

Muddy
I didn't say GSM was closing down ,maybe that text was cut and pasted , I didn't read it all CDMA is the one shutting down

I just called the Bloke I have worked with, he drives the Telstra truck with the Float and hauls the Dozers aroubd the Country , I ask him ...can a next G phone be used on GSM , his answer was a very quick NO ,

Hi Doug

The bloke who gave you a quick NO and drives a TELSTRA truck does not know the services supplied by his own company. Maybe he was confused about the difference between dedicated 3G phones and Next-G phones.

It is no rumour - NEXT-G phones can - and do - pick up both 3G and GSM. I know - ours does. In fact the Next-G system was specifically designed to use both networks.

You won't find that sort of information on the website - most big companies are a bit vague on the facts - I don't know why. But if you look at the display on a Next-G phone

Jeff

Well Doug, I can say that I just did it. I just used the Telstra GSM network on my Telstra NextG phone (as described above) and it worked.

Yes, it is the CDMA service that is closing (Jan '08) not the GSM service which as I said will be around for quite a few years yet!

If you are a current Telstra CDMA customer then you MUST get a new handset before Jan '08. Telstra will migrate you to NextG and cancel any remaining contract commitment to CDMA (but will try and sign you up to a new phone plan for 2 years for the NextG phone) You can as of last week get Telstra NextG on pre-paid (buy the handset up front and pay as you go for calls in advance). You could also go to GSM if you want to but NextG is better.

If you are a current Telstra GSM customer then you have the choice to do nothing or to move to NextG. Most (if not all) of the NextG phone handsets will operate on 850Mhz NextG as well as 900Mhz/1800Mhz GSM. It is a setting in the actual phone as to which network you use but in my phone it automatically selects NextG 1st and GSM 2nd.

Cheers
Muddy

Muddy doe / Jay Gee

Thank you for your information , I will now sit back and ponder the new information the brain has been subjected to tonight , Crack open a nice cold stubby of Fosters light , Replace the Smoke alarm in it's place ....yes its because you Mongrels I burnt me sausages while debating with you pricks and filled the caravan with smoke,..........Ah such is life,,

Thanks guys

Doug

Doug, the guy was right on the truck. Next G phones don't work on GSM. But the multiband phones do as Muddy and Jeff say and I do above too. You just didn't ask quite the right question. Nearly right though. He just answered your question without the elaboration.

Hope your smoke detector has stopped by now. Ours has to just twist off and be put away at cooking times. Just a slice of toast will set it screeching.

As a recent ex-Telstra engineer, let me clear up the confusion.

There are currently three frequency bands in use.

850 - used for CDMA and Next G

950 - used for GSM

2100 - used for 3G

If you have a phone that can switch bands it is 3G - not NextG. 3G was the early vesion offering video services but 3G coverage is only available in cities - when there is no 3G coverage, these phones will use GSM.

There is no reason for Next G phones to fall back to GSM - all cells that have NextG also have GSM.

If you want good coverage in rural areas then the ONLY network to conider is NextG - no other netwrk comes near it in coverage area.

Muddy doe
My reply from Telstra today

Doug
----------------------------------------------------
Thank you for your email dated 4/6/07, regarding Telstra networks.

I can advise you that NextG operates on 850mhz bandwidth, 3G operates on 2100mhz bandwidth
and GSM operates on either 900mhz, 1800mhz or 1900mhz bandwidths. NextG will replace the
CDMA network in early 2008. Users of NextG compatible handsets will be able to access faster
download speeds when connecting to the internet via their mobile handset. I can also advise
that users connected to NextG with a NextG compatible handset will roam between networks in
order to obtain greater coverage. Please be aware that if you are unable to connect to the
3G or NextG networks with your NextG compatible handset you will still be able to use your
phone for voice calling and SMS but will not be able to utilise the video calling facility.

I trust this information has been of benefit to you.

Please do not hesitate to contact us on 125 111 (a 24 hour/7 days per week service which is
a 25 cent call from any Telstra service including mobiles, except via Telecard) or via
www.telstra.com if you require further information or assistance.

The rates set out in this email are correct as at 5/6/07 and include GST. The rates may
vary from time to time. Any variation will be done in accordance with the General Terms of
Our Customer Terms which can be found by visiting " target="EOF" class="lbg">Site Link

Yours sincerely,

Jared d279109
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Thanks Doug,

I think I had it pretty spot on!

Cheers
Muddy

Muddy doe
Your welcome ,



Doug

EDGE and GPRS both relate to data calls but both are GSM based technologies so would be a good indicator of the ability to place a voice call on GSM.

Muddy

Hi there Muddy,

I understand that some NextG phones are not GSM capable.

Apparently, however, the SIMS or USIMS as I think they are more correctly named, from 3G network can be used happily in GSM phones and vice versa (so long as they are Telstra ones, of course).

Cheers
Andrew.

Yes, I tried that, swapping sims between a NextG and a GSM and they work fine. It is just a case of not being able to use the features of the NextG network from the NextG phone if you are using only a GSM SIM in it.

Cheers
Muddy

Not so sure on that Muddy ... I think it's the other way.

The NextG features don't work with a NextG SIM in a GSM phone and the GSM phone doesn't work on 3G network.

The GSM SIM will work in the NextG phone fully and completely like a NextG SIM - in fact the USIMs are exactly the same except for the printing on the outside ;-)

Cheers
Andrew.

Well naturally NextG features don't work with a NextG SIM in a GSM phone as the phone would not be capable of that frequency (850MHz WCDMA) but I would be surprised if the GSM SIM in the NextG phone was able to access things like video calling and high speed data rates using HSDPA. Unless of course Telstra just whack you straight onto the most expensive roaming call rates (outside any plan).

Lol - sounds just like Telstra!

You got it...

The most expensive data rates.

oh and as well as most of the way between Norseman and Kambalda as well as my ol stamping grounds South ofWidgie
It is starting to get some of my respect