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3G coming .. Will my phone die?

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bamapt

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 11, 2007
1
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3G coming soon .. Will my phone die? How long will they continue to support Edge? At least 2 years so my new contract will be good? I'm assumming 3G will be a hardware issue and not a software upgrade, which means all the current iPhones will be boat anchors in a year?

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I would guess that EDGE will be supported for a very long time, 3G is nowhere near common, and most phone companies in the US at least seem to move fairly slowly with things like that.
 
Matteh117 said:
3G nowhere near common... Hello Europe?
Click to expand...

I was talking about the US as that is where I live and the OP didn't give his location. so since 3G isn't already where he is he most likely is not in Europe. also talking about iPhones implies that he is in the US as that is the only place you can get one. and in the US it is still not all that common.
 
oh my GOD! shut up about 3G already, EDGE is not the best but it's bearable at this point, and there are Wifi hotspots everywhere, Are you all losing sight that IT IS A MOBILE DEVICE. You all act like you're using iPhone as your primary source for internet browsing, that's NOT what it's for, you still need desktops and laptops for communication. Maybe the service here is better than most places,... I don't know but I don't feel like I'm waiting an obscene amount of time to get any information over EDGE.
 
jg2000 said:
oh my GOD! shut up about 3G already, EDGE is not the best but it's bearable at this point, and there are Wifi hotspots everywhere, Are you all losing sight that IT IS A MOBILE DEVICE. You all act like you're using iPhone as your primary source for internet browsing, that's NOT what it's for, you still need desktops and laptops for communication. Maybe the service here is better than most places,... I don't know but I don't feel like I'm waiting an obscene amount of time to get any information over EDGE.
Click to expand...

Um, calm dowm.

Guy wasn't complaining - he was just wondering about legacy support. Support for EDGE when ATT gets their 3G act together is a concern. For $600, I'm not planning on upgrading my phone for as close to 3 years as I can get, at least (I'll use it until it ceases to function) - that one extra year reduces my annual amortized cost of the phone by 33%.

Man...people really are high strung...
 
nbs2 said:
Um, calm dowm.

Guy wasn't complaining - he was just wondering about legacy support. Support for EDGE when ATT gets their 3G act together is a concern. For $600, I'm not planning on upgrading my phone for as close to 3 years as I can get, at least (I'll use it until it ceases to function) - that one extra year reduces my annual amortized cost of the phone by 33%.

Man...people really are high strung...
Click to expand...

I'm with jg2000 on this. The frustration wasn't directed at OP directly. It's just that after reading the forums and reviews for a month or two, the whole 3G thing is getting tiresome. Like it's a dealbreaker for some...and the rants, Jeez!
Edge is fine (on the rare occasion that it's needed - for me)
WiFi is awesome. I have not gone anywhere where WiFi wasn't available...including the Vet's Office.
 
jg2000 said:
oh my GOD! shut up about 3G already, EDGE is not the best but it's bearable at this point, and there are Wifi hotspots everywhere, Are you all losing sight that IT IS A MOBILE DEVICE. You all act like you're using iPhone as your primary source for internet browsing, that's NOT what it's for, you still need desktops and laptops for communication. Maybe the service here is better than most places,... I don't know but I don't feel like I'm waiting an obscene amount of time to get any information over EDGE.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
bamapt said:
3G coming soon .. Will my phone die? How long will they continue to support Edge? At least 2 years so my new contract will be good? I'm assumming 3G will be a hardware issue and not a software upgrade, which means all the current iPhones will be boat anchors in a year?

.
Click to expand...

Yes...and once everyone gets hd televisons the screen will stop playing video too.:rolleyes:
 
mrkramer said:
I would guess that EDGE will be supported for a very long time, 3G is nowhere near common, and most phone companies in the US at least seem to move fairly slowly with things like that.
Click to expand...

I don't know a single person here who isn't on a 3g phone.
And it doesn't matter if AT&T's 3g isn't common. If not in a 3g area, it morphs to Edge.
 
faustfire said:
Yes...and once everyone gets hd televisons the screen will stop playing video too.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Actually, when the broadcasters switch to digital in the next two years. That is EXACTLY what will happen. Current owners of analog televisions will need to have a DAC to be able to watch TV again.
 
bamapt said:
3G coming soon .. Will my phone die? How long will they continue to support Edge? At least 2 years so my new contract will be good? I'm assumming 3G will be a hardware issue and not a software upgrade, which means all the current iPhones will be boat anchors in a year?

.
Click to expand...

Who told you that the 3G iPhone is coming soon?
 
EDGE is based on building up from GSM, so it will always be there and possible for as long as ATT supports their GSM network, which will probably be a very long time (why would they change network protocols?).

ATT's 3G network is based around HSDPA and UMTS and is a completely seperate network from the Voice GSM network. UMTS is at its core, W-CDMA and therefore uses completely different hardware/protocols/signaling than GSM/GPRS/EDGE or CDMA/EVDO/EVDORev.A...

You'll be fine for a very long time. The arrival of a 3G network (as well as a 3G capable iPhone) in your area does not mean a shutdown of the 2G, 2.5G underlying networks. They are still there as well... If you live in a metro area at all, 3G is already there most likely (from various carriers) you just don't know it/have the device to use it.

this is my first post, long time lurker...:apple:
 
overcast said:
Actually, when the broadcasters switch to digital in the next two years. That is EXACTLY what will happen. Current owners of analog televisions will need to have a DAC to be able to watch TV again.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's a completely different point. HD and Digital are two different things. You're saying when the digital TV switchover comes around, everyone will need to get a digital receiver - which is true, but he said when everyone gets HD TV's then normal TV will stop (Analogue OR Digital).

0.02
 
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