[off-topic] [Fwd: dual band 3g reception]

[Tim White]

Hey Gavin.

Short of doing lots of research, you can't know if the dual band tower 
actually has 2100Mhz or just 900Mhz. A dual band phone just means it can 
use ether frequency. If you are in an Optus "Extended Coverage" area, 
it's probably only 900Mhz, not both (but they say you need a dual band 
phone as there are other areas that are just 2100Mhz, so you need dual 
band to get best of both worlds).
 From memory, most Rural towers are 900Mhz unless they are along a major 
highway, in which case you might get 2100Mhz directed towards the 
highway (for city people driving along) and 900Mhz directed away from 
the highway.

If you give me your location (off list if you want) I can check the 
coverage maps for you to interpret them correctly.

Judging from your dual band phone working, and your single band phone 
not working, the tower is most likely just 900Mhz. It's unfortunate if 
the Optus website/sales people can't properly communicate their network, 
but not surprising. Some Optus sales people still don't fully understand 
the network they have built.

Tim
p.s. If the tower is near a major highway or town, again it may have 
2100Mhz directed towards the town, but you may be on a different antenna 
on the tower (pointing away from town) that only has the 900, so you may 
get some reception, just poor reception. Also, 900Mhz travels better 
over distance and through objects than 2100Mhz

On 26/08/11 12:49 AM, Gavin Chester wrote:
> Hi people,
>
> I had hoped that someone could clarify this issue for me. I've done some
> more reading but still can't determine the answer. Perhaps I asked the
> question badly since I was confused at the time. Here it is:
>
> Q/ Should a 3G HSDPA 2100MHz (single band) mobile handset work with
> optus 900 + 2100MHz dual band tower?
>
> FYI: IOW, the handset only gets one band, and doesn't work with the dual
> band tower. Anyone know this to true of all phones or is it faulty?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Gavin.
>
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
>> From: Gavin Chester<gavin.chester at gmail.com>
>> To: off<off-topic at plug.org.au>
>> Subject: dual band 3g reception
>> Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:27:48 +0800
>>
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> Can someone clarify for me the expected reception with dual band
>> 900/2100mhz '3g' networks when using a single band 2100mhz phone? I live
>> in a rural area where dual band is now very good, but the single band
>> 2100mhz coverage is non-existent.
>>
>> I bought a single band 2100mhz 3g phone and expected that the phone
>> would get signal in my area by using the 2100mhz portion of the signal.
>> Seems that is not the case. Another phone I have is dual band
>> 900/2100mhz and gets very good signal, whereas the single band phone
>> gets nothing.
>>
>> 1/ Is it possible that the single band phone I have bought is faulty if
>> not getting reception in a dual band area?
>> 2/ Am I totally misunderstanding how it should work and that the optus
>> dual band tower is actually only transmitting 900mhz?
>> 3/ does a phone have to be dual band to work in a dual-band-only
>> reception area (where it can't fall back to 2g because none avail)?
>>
>> Thanks
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