Can the i600 (with Verizon) do data and voice at the SAME time?

[ChrisWalker]

Okay, quick question:

As I understand it, one can receive an SMS message while talking on the phone (voice), right?

So if I have a data application running checking e-mail, can my phone ring? And if so, can I answer it? And if so, does the phone continue checking my e-mail in the background?

If so, a big dream of mine has been answered. Do some SmartPhones allow this? All of them? Some carriers? All of them?

So curious . . .

Chris

[timdavey]

As I understand it, you are not supposed to be able to talk and have a data session at the same time. However, since upgrading to 2003 my phone seems to have done it a couple of times. I don't know what the deal is because most of the time I get a warning message saying it can't make a data call while I am in a call.

[ChrisWalker]

timdavey,

The new Windows Mobile 2003 supports "dormant data sessions." Basically, you can do data over a non-phone-call when you're doing non-intensive stuff that can be interrupted (like IM, web views, etc.). If a phone call comes in, it takes over the whole phone.

But if you're on a phone call, you can't do data.

Of course, Verizon only updated the PDA side of my phone, so I can't do the dormant data sessions yet :)

Chris

[Kris Kumar]

The new Windows Mobile 2003 supports "dormant data sessions." Basically, you can do data over a non-phone-call when you're doing non-intensive stuff that can be interrupted (like IM, web views, etc.). If a phone call comes in, it takes over the whole phone.

Cool stuff..

I wonder if it is a CDMA only feature or can be done on GSM phones also, provided we have WM2003 on it?

[Kris Kumar]

I don't know what the deal is because most of the time I get a warning message saying it can't make a data call while I am in a call.

I see that on both SP2002 and WM2003 phones. Its because the Email client is trying to sync mails. You have either set it to check mails every x mins/hours or have setup wireless sync.

I think its a bug on Microsoft's part. I mean the Email client should check to see if the line is free, I mean no voice call is taking place, so that the data connection can be established.

[Bugwart]

Cool stuff..

I wonder if it is a CDMA only feature or can be done on GSM phones also, provided we have WM2003 on it? GPRS should technically be able to do this, if your provider will give you enough time slots. You would need two slots for the voice call and at least two for the data session.

There is a major difference between TDMA and CDMA in how a data session is identified. In TDMA (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) you have a minimum of two time slots for a data session. The slots must be used at some frequency or the network will give them to someone else.

CDMA has a tag identifiying the packets. Therefore, the network can recognize the sending handset's data even if the tranmissions are separated by long dormant periods.