Hi,

Hi everybody,

Could someone explain:

(a) The difference between the 3G mobile technologies..specifically UMTS, HSDPA and HSPA+.

(b) What impact these different networks have on the new iPhone 4S (supports HSPA+) as opposed to the previous iPhone 4 (doesn't).

Yes I have (tried) to read the wikipedia entries but I've come away understanding little more than I went in with!

Thanks,

Dom

UMTS = 3G (GSM version)

HSDPA = High Speed Downlink Packet Access

HSUPA = High Speed Uplink Packet Access

HSPA = High Speed Packet Access (combination of HSDPA and HSUPA)

HSPA+ = Evolved HSPA


The different HS* versions give higher speeds than standard 3G. Some call them "3.5G" etc.


iPhone 3G: UMTS (3G) allows 384kbps downloads, HSDPA allows 3.6Mbps downloads.

iPhone 3GS: Added support for 7.2Mbps downloads with HSDPA.

iPhone 4: Added support for 5.76Mbps uploads with HSUPA.

iPhone 4S: Added support for 14.4Mbps downloads with HSDPA.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone#Model_comparison

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...americans.html

Brilliant! Thanks!

Does anyone know what speed Orange UK currently have available?

Lucky to get a 3G signal at all, if my recent experience with them is anything to go by.

They will HSPA+ when they merge with t-mobile / 3 soon.

HSDPA just now so up to 7.2 currently. However they limit it with the iPhone so that you only get 1.8 down & 0.35 up unless you are tethered and get the full speed available.

I'm pretty sure that T-Mob and Orange share signals, but there ain't no merge with "3".

Orange do not share 3G masts with T-Mobile at this current time.

All of 3's masts are shared with T-Mobile, it's called MBNL.

Orange will be joining MBNL shortly and bringing a few thousand masts to the party.

So indeed Orange, T-Mob & 3 (Along with Virtual networks like Virgin) will all be sharing the same masts. Different frequencies, backhaul.

Short answer to that.. They will all essentially have the same technology and coverage available to them.

More than that now actually, they decided not to decommission much according to Plymouthbloke, they are going to contribute a lot of 3G masts.

While I bitch and moan about Orange's 3G coverage and speed I have to give credit where credit is due. I have had speeds of over 2Mbps down and over 1Mbps up on several occasions with the fastest I have down as 2.87Mbps and 1.38Mbps up. This is on iPhone 4.

If you doubt this I can put screen shots up...

Was this recently? As i managed to get a Representative of Orange to even admit that.