All Articles Tagged edge

iPhone 101: iPhone Connection Speed Symbols from O to E to 3G (or an Airplane)

3g

The S stands for speed, and the 3G stands for the third generation, HSPA (High Speed Packet Access – wikipedia link) data network, which is also supposed to bring broadband-like speed to your iPhone’s internet connection. When you’re on the 3G network, you can tell by the little 3G symbol at the top of left of your iPhone’s menu, right beside the signal strength bars and the name of your carrier (AT&T, Rogers, O2, Orange, etc.).

There are several other symbols your iPhone might show instead of 3G, however, depending on the type of connection and reception available in your area and sometimes specific spot.

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From the Forums: Camera Flash? EDGE Only iPhone?, BlackBerry Storm, iTunes Gift Card, and Sync Time?

Lately the forums have been on fire and leading up to another iPhone release it is bound to be one wild ride. So now is a perfect time to get yourself registered and join in on the conversation.

Just yesterday Rene started a interesting thread, Are You Running Your iPhone 3G on EDGE and Why? While I understand why some of you may choose to EDGE over 3G, for me, I like to live dangerously, 3G or go home. How about you? Stop by and let Rene know what you think.

This next thread was started by Crackberry veteran forum moderator, Duvi. He simply wants to know, do you think the next iPhone will come with a flash for the camera? Feel free to speculate all you’d like on that one. I’m going with no, it will not have a flash.

Next up we have a thread that yours truly started, it’s simply about the latest iPhone rumors. Is there an EDGE only iPhone in the works? How about a CDMA version for China? And before all of you Verizon hopefuls start to get exited – no, a CDMA version from China would not work on the Verizon network. They use different frequencies. Thoughts?

Poor RIM, I can’t remember such a hyped phone that pretty much just flopped from the very beginning. Enter the BlackBerry Storm. It seems like the in thing to do these days is ditch your Storm for an iPhone 3G. Not a bad move in our opinion and we welcome forum member whsingleton to the good side!

You heard that the App Store is approaching 1 billion app downloads right? Well you could win a $10,000 iTunes gift card and Dizzy wants to know, what would you do with a $10,000 iTunes gift card?!

Our last thread for today comes to us from Ivoryplum. Ivoryplum wants to know what is the average sync time with iTunes? I honestly can’t complain with my syncing. How about you?

So there you have it folks, some really good threads for all of you to check out. Just remember to register first!

See you on the forums!

Rumor: 3 New 3rd Generation iPhones Coming This Summer

Commercial Times is raising the bar on crazy rumors by claiming Apple will release not just one, not even two, but a whopping three new iPhones this summer.

  • First would be the next-generation iPhone previous rumors have pointed to, with beefed up processors and features like the camera.

  • Second would be a throwback of sorts to the original iPhone, dropping HSPA 3G in favor of EDGE 2.75G to lower costs and smash what little umbrella was left competitors.

  • Third would be a special version to support a CDMA carrier in China, allowing Apple to penetrate that last, largest of markets. (And with the mere mention of CDMA, cue baseless Verizon rumors in 3… 2… ) [Note: Chinese CDMA bands won't work on Verizon -- hence baseless]

While TiPb has been on the next-gen bandwagon as a long as anyone, I have to admit the other two I’m not as sure about. Even though I mentioned the possibility of an EDGE-again iPhone on Twitter this weekend, Sacha Segan from PCMag was quick to point out a problem: AT&T is cutting EDGE capacity in favor of 3G. And like Giz says in the link below, Apple’s never been a retro-embracing company…

Would anyone be interested in an uber-cheap (free on contract, low EDGE data plan) version of the iPhone? Or is it Next Gen or nothing? And could we see a world where people are smuggling CDMA iPhones out of China?!

[via Gizmodo via Slashphone]

Double EDGE’d: Nokia Boosts Data Speed

iphone_EDGEx2.jpg

Nokia Siemens Networks announced that they have developed new software which double the speed of existing EDGE data networks (the type of networks that currently supply carrier-based internet connections to iPhone users worldwide).

So, 2 x slow = how less-slow exactly? 592 kbps says Nokia, who estimates availability beginning Q3 2008. Of course, 3G rumormongers will have us long past EDGE by then, so not to be outdone, Nokia also revealed plans for a next-gen nitro punch called EGPRS 2, which they hope reaches speeds of 1.2 Mbps:

“By 2015, we expect to live in a broadband-IP world with five billion people ‘always on’ and therefore Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to protecting customer investments and continue to implement leading EDGE technology. Dual Carrier software upgrade is an easy and extremely cost efficient step to bring broadband user experience to GSM/EDGE networks”, says Ari Lehtoranta, Head of Radio Access Business Unit, Nokia Siemens Networks.

(via Gizmodo)


EDGE Data is Down in the Central US (Updated with Why)

Burnbaby

Ouch! According to this thread on the Apple forums (via TUAW), AT&T users from Chicago to Milwaukee to St. Louis to Kansas City aren’t able to get online via EDGE. That’s a major black-eye for AT&T — and of course it doesn’t just affect iPhone users. Things are supposed to get running again by the end of the day …unless it take until February 5th. I’m based down in Florida so everything’s in the clear.

You down?

Update: Gizmodo tells us what’s going on:

However, an insider who works on networks dropped me a line as to why AT&T’s 3G network is having these sporadic issues today: apparentely, six GGSNs “rolled over”. (GGSNs are gateways between wireless and regular networks.)

British iPhone Carrier O2 Upgrading Network

the Edge

Although there’s been no official announcement, O2 has long been rumored as the carrier that will be selling the iPhone in the United Kingdom. They’ve recently announced that they’re building out their EDGE network; something they hadn’t ever bothered to do previously. Actually, most of Europe hasn’t bothered installing the EDGE portion of their network; carriers (sorry, operators) activating EDGE in Europe is tantamount to tacit admission that they will be carrying the iPhone. I leave you with this gem from a Nokia Siemens marketroid:

“A typical upgrade for a country-wide network would be measured in weeks”