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Question RE T-Mobile Signal with iPhone 3G

trajen

trajen

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 2, 2008
564
53
Hello all,

I have the original iPhone and my friend just bought the iPhone 3GS. He's going to sell me his iPhone 3G and I'll unlock it for use with T-Mobile.

I have a question regarding the signal strength, will I see an improvement with the iPhone 3G signal-wise as the cover is entirely plastic?? I remember when the iPhone 3G was first announced Apple made mention of a better signal because of the plastic cover. :)

Anyone on here have T-Mobile and upgraded from the original iPhone to the 3G as I am?
 
well, the original iPhone doesn't do HSDPA (what we're calling 3G) ... so you should see a difference. That difference being the ability to actually connect to the 3G network.
 
i did not switch from a 1st gen like you, but using the 3g now my signal is pretty good. so i dont think u have anyhting to worry about:D
 
superflush said:
who won't
Click to expand...

I won't. I wanted to know if the plastic housing on the 3G will give me a better overall signal with T-Mobile. I know that I won't be able to get 3G data, and I don't care. I'd rather save $50 a month. :rolleyes:
 
trajen said:
I won't. I wanted to know if the plastic housing on the 3G will give me a better overall signal with T-Mobile. I know that I won't be able to get 3G data, and I don't care. I'd rather save $50 a month. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Why won't you get 3G data. Do you not have a data plan?
 
iPhone 3G/3GS are not compatible with the T-Mobile 3G network, so you can only use EDGE.
 
superflush said:
well, the original iPhone doesn't do HSDPA (what we're calling 3G) ... so you should see a difference. That difference being the ability to actually connect to the 3G network.
Click to expand...

You mean UMTS? HSDPA is an add on to UMTS aka "3G". Anyways he won't be able to connect do to the uplink frequency not being supported on the iPhone.
 
Okay, so the iPhone won't run on T-Mo's 3G.
But if T-Mobile has 1700 & 2100 bands for their 3G, and the iPhone 3gs has 850, 1900, 2100 ... then why is this the case?
 
superflush said:
Okay, so the iPhone won't run on T-Mo's 3G.
But if T-Mobile has 1700 & 2100 bands for their 3G, and the iPhone 3gs has 850, 1900, 2100 ... then why is this the case?
Click to expand...

Can we have a sticky on this? 2100 refers to the euro band which uses 1900 for upload (part of the 2100 radio not the seperate 1900 part for US) and 2100 for downlink. T-Mobile USA uses 2100 for downlink and 1700 for uplink. You need both because it's a frequency division duplex meaning that both frequencys play an important role, when you request to view a website/upload your sending over 1700 and recieving over 2100. The way the different bands are listed can be confusing if i idnt have knownledge on the tec. I would be just as confused. There now calling it the 1700 band instead to clear things up.
 
Wow, hello and welcome to 2 years ago :D

Now lets try to actually answer the OP's question.
I doubt you'll see much of a difference but you can always put an iphone 2G and an iphone 3G side by side with tmobile and check the signal.

superflush said:
Ah, okay. Different bands of 3G.
So that means that everyone unlocked on T-Mobile is only using EDGE. Thats a bummer.
Click to expand...
 
Reguarding the "saving 50 dollars a month". You're saving money because you're paying for less. You get less coverage than you would on AT&T and you don't get 3g. It's simply less expensive because your carrier provides less.
 
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