# 3G iPhone in Canada?



## switch (Mar 17, 2004)

Hi,

I was looking through a magazine and saw an ad for a 3G phone offered by Fido. On their website, they are offering a 3G LG phone. I thought we didn't have 3G cell networks here? Do you think we'll get a 3G iPhone through Fido, rather than Rogers directly?

It'd be nice.


Switch


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## htdub (Sep 11, 2007)

switch said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was looking through a magazine and saw an ad for a 3G phone offered by Fido. On their website, they are offering a 3G LG phone. I thought we didn't have 3G cell networks here? Do you think we'll get a 3G iPhone through Fido, rather than Rogers directly?
> 
> ...


Rogers launched the "3g" network earlier this year. Just they are pushing it Fido marketing dept to help Fido.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Why do you want a "3G" phone?


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Script Kiddie said:


> Why do you want a "3G" phone?


To go faster than 2.75G ?

3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## switch (Mar 17, 2004)

I thought the 3G network is supposed to be way faster than the current GSM "edge" network. I would think that this would definitely help the iPhone when using the cell network for data rather than wifi.

Well, I'm hoping all this delay in bringing the iPhone to Canada is because Rogers wants to hold out for a better version of the iPhone.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Yes, we all know its faster - my question, reworded - what do you want to do with all that speed? Download video? Music? Video telephony?
This is not tech bashing, I'm just curious what you actually want to do.


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## acorscadden (Nov 26, 2007)

The iPhone currently doesn't work on 3G. It only has support for 2G. I would hope that Apple will be releasing a 3G version in the future.


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## jasonwood (Oct 19, 2003)

Script Kiddie said:


> Yes, we all know its faster - my question, reworded - what do you want to do with all that speed? Download video? Music? Video telephony?
> This is not tech bashing, I'm just curious what you actually want to do.


The same thing we'd do with less speed, only faster!;-)


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Good answer, but I'm quite skeptical about the whole thing. 
I'm not the only one. 
Read on: Why Apple's iPhone Doesn't Need 3G - Seeking Alpha

One thing the author of the article does not mention is the fact that to get the advertized 3G speeds there cannot be too may people connected to the base station. Its like high speed internet - if all your neighbours are downloading movies you won't get the maximum speed.


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## Patchfoo (Oct 3, 2007)

I am with you. I think there is no need for 3G on the iPhone (especially in Canada where any data over the phone is too expensive). It is not worth the poorer battery life and the extra thinkness.


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

Wonder what "G" my 5 year old Audiovox (Telus) is??


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## htdub (Sep 11, 2007)

It's not the sustained d/l speeds, i'm missing on the phone, like all edge phones, the lag and response from clicking a link to screen refreshing kills the surfing experience.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

ooooorrrrr you could just save the really big stuff for WiFi.

Just saying.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Ah WiFi - my 2nd favorite thing to rant on...
You know why having WiFi turned on drains your battery? Because WiFi was *never designed* for mobile handsets. Listen. The GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio spends a huge majority (99.99% ?) of its idle time in powered down state, which saves a boatload of battery life. Every 2 seconds or so it wakes up to check for any incoming call or data push. NOT SO WITH WIFI. It spends way more time busily checking for this and that - the result being battery drain. Hopefully WiFi will be shot, killed, and pissed on once the other faster radio links come to maturity.

So if 3G and WiFi "suck", whats the alternative?
Google "Evolved Edge" or start here:
Evolved EDGE is Emerging as an Attractive Alternative to 3G | Press Release | ABI Research

Quoting:
"GSM operators are increasingly focused on *Evolved EDGE* as a viable alternative to 3G network upgrades in 2008 and beyond, following the forthcoming release of a new 3GPP standard. With spectral efficiency similar to HSDPA and 1xEV-DO, *Evolved EDGE promises to deliver data rates equivalent to 3G * [... snip ...] Evolved EDGE provides better coverage and delivers higher data rates, using a new handset, *with power efficiency equivalent to a GSM handset.*"

Emphasis from your Script Kiddie


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## Visnaut (Jul 22, 2004)

Script Kiddie said:


> Ah WiFi - my 2nd favorite thing to rant on...
> You know why having WiFi turned on drains your battery? Because WiFi was *never designed* for mobile handsets.


That's not entirely true. It was certainly designed with mobile devices in mind. Initially that meant only laptops; why else would you need wifi, if you can just hook up a bunch of desktops to a cheap ethernet hub?

But through better implementation and refinement of the electronics involved, they've lowered the power consumption dramatically. Hence, while not initially designed _specifically_ for small handsets, it's been made possible.

Just like normal web pages that you access through a browser on a desktop were never designed for handsets. But through a marriage of efficient processors, touch-screens and excellent software, Apple made it possible and even easy to use on the iPhone.



Script Kiddie said:


> Listen. The GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio spends a huge majority (99.99% ?) of its idle time in powered down state, which saves a boatload of battery life. Every 2 seconds or so it wakes up to check for any incoming call or data push. NOT SO WITH WIFI. It spends way more time busily checking for this and that - the result being battery drain.


Well, that's not true either. Firstly, when you put the iPhone into Sleep mode (or it does it on its own after a bit), WiFi is completely turned off. It will only turn WiFi on if you wake the device, or if you set it to auto-check email. And even then, Apple has made the shortest interval between checks at 15 minutes. So at most, the wifi will turn on for a few seconds every 15 minutes. And that's _if_ it's a known network.

Secondly, WiFi uses much less power than GSM EDGE because in almost all cases you're much closer to a base station than you are to a cell tower. In fact, if you surf the web on EDGE, you will waste 25% more battery than you would with WiFi. You can read more about that here.



Script Kiddie said:


> Hopefully WiFi will be shot, killed, and pissed on once the other faster radio links come to maturity.


Obviously I welcome faster and more efficient cell networks, and I do agree that they will gradually replace WiFi in many applications; but WiFi will always have its place in the home and office, especially for those that want to set up secure networks.

On a side note, I'm curious: were you beaten with a wireless router as a child or something? ;-)


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## Veej (Feb 16, 2006)

Script Kiddie said:


> Yes, we all know its faster - my question, reworded - what do you want to do with all that speed? Download video? Music? Video telephony?
> This is not tech bashing, I'm just curious what you actually want to do.


Porn -there seems to be a lag between the moaning and money shot on the Edge


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## switch (Mar 17, 2004)

Well, I'm glad I asked. Learning so much here. Thanks for all the article links. Being a consumer of technology, my ears do get easily tickled with talk of "Faster, Better". In the end, with faster and better, I just end up checking my emails "faster".


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Visnaut said:


> That's not entirely true. It was certainly designed with mobile devices in mind. Initially that meant only laptops; why else would you need wifi, if you can just hook up a bunch of desktops to a cheap ethernet hub?
> 
> But through better implementation and refinement of the electronics involved, they've lowered the power consumption dramatically. Hence, while not initially designed _specifically_ for small handsets, it's been made possible.
> 
> ...


If you turn off your WiFi then yes, it is __very__ power efficient :lmao: 
I'm talking about 'always on' operation, knuckle head!  
That link with the guys comparing WiFi on the iPhone and 3G the Blackjack - probably not a meaningful comparison. 

1) With WiFi you're needing to drive the electronics at about 5GHz (vs 1.9Ghz). This trumps the the radio power savings for the smaller WiFi transmission distances! 

2) Then we have to consider what the radio is doing between the 10's or 100's of milliseconds between speech or data bursts. WiFi is happily burning the bandwidth, while any cellular radio, be it GSM or 3G is taking measures to conserve.

3) finally there is already mentioned lack of power savings measures when there is no session in progress.


WiFi has its place - connecting devices which are either wall powered or which have large batteries intended to power large screens, rotating disks, and other power requirements which outweigh radio needs. Mobile handsests do not fall it this category.


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## green_ears (Feb 26, 2005)

switch said:


> I'm hoping all this delay in bringing the iPhone to Canada is because Rogers wants to hold out for a better version of the iPhone.


That would be too sweet... I am holding out for the 3G iPhone even if it comes out next year... Why would I ever so much for a piece of hardware and service plans if it runs slower than any other new phone on the market?!

Here's hoping for the 3G iPhone in the near future... :greedy:


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

I don't think you want a 3G iPhone if the battery is going to last 3 hours. Thats called a _laptop_ and it has at least a 13" screen


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

3G iPhone next year?

Possibly. The new Broadcom chip sounds awesome.


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## switch (Mar 17, 2004)

Hopefully we'll get an iPhone whether 2+G or 3G soon. The battery life of the 3G iPhone really worries me...


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## krug1313 (Apr 27, 2007)

I was just going to post the confirmation on the 3g iphone. They announced it on Attack of the show which is on Tech TV.


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## switch (Mar 17, 2004)

I've been reading about Sprint upgrading their networks to 4G... I wonder if apple would jump on that and completely skip 3G. It wouldn't be out of character for them to adopt a bleeding edge tech... since 4G would be able to downgrade its connection to 3G and 2G...


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

switch said:


> I've been reading about Sprint upgrading their networks to 4G... I wonder if apple would jump on that and completely skip 3G. It wouldn't be out of character for them to adopt a bleeding edge tech... since 4G would be able to downgrade its connection to 3G and 2G...


Ah, science fiction reading. How nice.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

AT&T says, "3G iPhone in 2008":

Bloomberg.com: News


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## darrenlovesmac (Apr 29, 2008)

Script Kiddie said:


> Yes, we all know its faster - my question, reworded - what do you want to do with all that speed? Download video? Music? Video telephony?
> This is not tech bashing, I'm just curious what you actually want to do.


I like 3G for the simple fact that I can be online looking for something, like a map, and still able to get a phone call come through. To me, not missing an important call while looking for directions is important.

Darren


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

switch said:


> I thought the 3G network is supposed to be way faster than the current GSM "edge" network. I would think that this would definitely help the iPhone when using the cell network for data rather than wifi.
> 
> Well, I'm hoping all this delay in bringing the iPhone to Canada is because Rogers wants to hold out for a better version of the iPhone.


yeah, the 3G network was rolled out last year in the GTA by Rogers but there were only a few phones that could use it.. there was a rash of people using the Treo 750 on it because of the 3G etc. 

I doubt the delay is/was because Rogers wanted to get a 3G phone for us.. Rogers is known to bring phones to market late, but occasionly get some more quickly... ie. They recently got the N95 - (8GB Version) The HTC TyTN came to market here about 1year after it was readily available overseas and the TyTN II was released. To make it worse they want 3yr contracts etc.. 

Rogers will want to make the most $$$$ they can.. its called doing business. Prices dont ever get cheaper here with the competition, it gets more & more... 

<end rant>


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