what the differance between EDGE UMTS & 3G?

[trouville]

Im looking for a new phone amongst other things to use to get on line with my PDA when in user price friendly contrys.

If i buy a 3G phone and put in my sim card ive been useing for years (prepay)will i be able to check my email via 3G and have the data charge deducted?Or must i get a special 3G card??

I was told EDGE was faster?? what is it??can i get emails with that and do i need a new sim??

I was useing GPRS when i paid 1.50 euros a megabit but not in France where its more plus the calling time charged!!! Can i use a 3g phone for GPRS

I hope theres someone hear,i begining to think everyones set off to sail down to the med already?

 

[BlackJacksGaff]

The capability of your SIM card depends on the operator you use. Vodafone SIM cards work on both.
EDGE provides enhanced data rates for GPRS. A 3G phone should handover to 2G if you are not in a 3G coverage area. So yes you can use a 3G phone for GPRS. It'll just be slower.

 

[trouville]

I found the sony erricson K800i and M600 are both 3G! So if i dont have a 3G contract then i will just go back to 2G & better battry time!

As the phones do EDGE when i want to use my PDA or laptop would it automaticaly use the faster EDGE for GPRS?? And debit my credit according to date used?

 

[BlackJacksGaff]

Re: what the differance between EDGE UMTS & 3G?

If the network you use is EDGE enabled it should automatically use it. Forgot to say UMTS, WCDMA and 3G are effectively all the same thing.

 

[rickp]

Okay - lots of questions /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Your existing SIM card will likely be fine in a 3G phone (unless its very old). That means you could use it to check your e-mail via 3G.

EDGE, where available, is faster than GPRS, but not as fast as 3G. That link has some details on where EDGE is available - but often companies have gone for 3G rather than EDGE.

GPRS/EDGE/3G data isn't usually billed on a timed basis, but on a per-byte basis. If France Telecom were charging for both, then I'm surpised. Data rates are still ludicrously expensive though - its worth hunting down the right tariffs to get the best deal.

Hope that helps.
Rick

 

[trouville]

Orange (French telecom) and sunrise both charge for date at about 2.50 euros a 100 kilobites plus 68 cents per 60 seconds plus connection charge!!

I dont remember the exact amout but it was far more expensive data wise than sims found in the Baltic reagion where Nokia is made!!I will buy another sim as mine has expired

In France i use a Swiss sunrise sim which gives me 60 free sms per month and which i have to make a call every 6 months and recharge once a year! I use about 70 Sfr a year at the moment.actualy last year 63 Sfr as i had 7 Sfr credit this year!

All the French sims Tele2 SFR Orange charge the same and must be recharged with at least 20 euros permonth or 240 euros a year which was crazy!France is still in the stone age as far as mobile phones and ADSL goes

Another big benifit of roaming is that i have a connection almost every where as it switches to whatever provider there is while Orange and SFR have blanck areas thankfully not the same.