Telstra Next G question

to be clear to work on Next G it HAS to be 850mhz compatible

For ease of purchase you are correct, But any 3g phone that operates on 850 mhz is 100% capable on next G......iPhone for example, cause it was designed for the USA first thats why it runs a 850mhz and 2100mhz radio chip

Rosso is correct about the I phone switching between 3G and Next G.

This has to be done manually however and is not automatic. You can leave both switch on but you will be charged twice for a phone call. That on both networks.

this is now OT in regards to the original post, but the iPhone or any phone will only operate on one frequency at one time, so un sure what you mean about this so called switch?

You can either lock it to one freq in the carrier menu or put it on automatic where it will lock onto the strongest signal as provided by your carrier settings.

So on telstra it will want to use them in this order

Next G, if not available it will atempt to go to telstra 3g, if that not around then Telstra GSM (2g) all the same network and NEVER get charged for a call twice. Its impossible to happen, and if it has happened you have been the victim of a very rare billing problem on the carrier end of things.

Hi Rosso,

Communications are so complicated these days. Thanks for the info about not getting charged twice.

By switching I mean, when using the iphone more as a computer than a phone, you can select in "settings" which network. The iphone has a 5 gig plan but with the internet server (also telstra broardband / bigpond) we have a 10 gig plan.

The iphone allows you to be either on the 3G wireless to the a station or wireless to via the broardband bigpond modem through the internet. In the latter we tend to use skype for calls.

Carl

I have two cell phones neither of which have blue ticks At least I dont think so.

One is an unlocked Nokia 6120 and this works all around Aussie wherever there is coverage by Telstra on either network.

The other is an Iphone 3Gs and this works also on either.

Unfortunately it is battery hungry on Next G but thats all you can get in some places, as I switched it over by turning Next G off and got no reception.

The 6120 is a cracker phone and is now available for $149 when it was $569 off Telstra when I bought mine.

I bought off an outfit in Brisbane for $358 and it came in a sealed Telstra box

Go figure.

Combine it with an RFI multiband external aerial and a car cradle with an inductive aerial connector and its really good.

Graham H

I agree about the 6120.
The 6120 and many Nokia handsets have multi bands, that is often Quad Band on GSM and some dual band on UTMS.
I doubt that you will see am iFone with a blue tick.
The main reason some blue tick capable handsets do not have the blue tick is because maker will not affilliate with Telstra, Samsung and ZTC do and will brand certain handsets as Telstra. Same as Vodafone and Three.

My LG on Optus will not work in as many remote areas as the Samsung C5220 "blue tick" Telstra prepaid.

To clarify Tony, you said

"Note only Telstra Handsets with the Blue tick (or equivalent) will work in remote areas." - Not so

No - You will need a Satellite phone to work in remote areas. Blue tick may give better results when on the fringe of a Next G area (like 20 kms on flattish land from a town with Next G). You will also get better reception in these fringes with a good car antenna than with a hand held phone.

The Telstra map Tony has posted the link to shows you where Next G will work (orange); the yellow which covers remote areas is specified as Satellite coverage only. Drill in to any rural Next G area and you will see it turn to lace with orange and yellow. DO NOT RELY on getting Next G cover in your travels. If you may need a phone in emergencies (eg medical condition), get a satellite phone.

Motherhen

Thanks Motherhen,

I hadn't realised that I slipped a "remote" in my response, it should have read rural as with the rest of the reply.

:)

Hi Tony

I do jump on these posts as believe or not there are people who go remote believing Next G will save them if something goes wrong. It can be a matter of life and death out there if there really is a need for communication.

I educate the Telstra call centre staff occasionally as the ones i get to talk to seem think the 99% of the country they quote means area not population - or being city based just haven't thought. Like before we went away last year, i rang to activate my satellite phone plan and got a very pleasant and obliging young man. Although he was not with satellite phone section he wanted to try and help if he could. As it took me two and a half weeks to get through to the satellite section and have the plan de-activated the previous year, i liked the idea that he may be able to do it for me. When he answered and i explained what i was ringing about, his first response was "Why oh why would you want a satellite phone when Next G covers 99% of the country?" I responded i would be going through the Gibson desert from WA to NT (we were taking the Gary Junction route). He initially seemed surprised that it did not have Next G cover, so i suggested he look at the Telstra coverage map. He did, and seemed surprised at the result, then surmised that with the cover being 99% of the population there was probably not much population in the Gibson Desert. After going and talking to supervisors a couple of times, he did it, apologising for keeping me waiting. I was very pleased as the wait was nothing compared to last time.

Cheers

Motherhen

Motherhen,

Satilite phones is off topic, the orgininal question was " if all mobile phones that are designed for 3G, will work on the Telstra Next G network", which I answered and at no time suggested that iNextG would cover 99% of Australia which is why I included the link.

I appreciate your concerns regarding peoples missconceptions on mobile phone coverage. Outback communications is a different subject.

I was merely explaining why i had made the comment about your use of the word remote in my previous follow up Tony. It was not intended in any way as an answer to Michael's question. These ExpolorOz threads are read by many who may do a search on a subject at a later date.


MH