Where do GSM phones get their time/date data from?

[ctmagnus]

This morning(ish) I picked up my SMT5600 to ogle it and noticed that the date on it said April something, 2005 and the time was 5:17 p.m. My question is, where do GSM phones get their time and date data? From the carrier as CDMA phones do (iirc), or does it have to be set by the user either manually or by an ActiveSync?

[Jerry Raia]

That's a great question. As far as I can tell I have to set it. I either use Active Sync or Fizz Traveler (via atomic clock) every day.

[Mike Temporale]

Well, my understanding - and I'm no expert, is that the GSM standard allows for the phone to get the time from the celltower. In theory, your phone could automatically adjust for time zones and daylight savings.

the problem is that many of the carriers haven't implemented this feature. So Microsoft setup the phones to get the time from your PC duing sync.

With that said, I did notice my phone had totally lost track of time the other day. I just sync'd up and everything was good again. But the time was more than 5 hours out. :?

[Sven Johannsen]

Well, my understanding - and I'm no expert, is that the GSM standard allows for the phone to get the time from the celltower. In theory, your phone could automatically adjust for time zones and daylight savings.

That's my experience in real life. I have travelled with a T-Mobile phone, got to a new area and the phone update the time zone and time. I returned home and had to reset the zone manually. So it appears to be possible, but not universally implemented. I haven't noticed that same feature with Cingular at all.

[ctmagnus]

Well, my understanding - and I'm no expert, is that the GSM standard allows for the phone to get the time from the celltower. In theory, your phone could automatically adjust for time zones and daylight savings.

I guess I'll see how Rogers has that implemented here in a week and a bit.

[Mike Temporale]

I wouldn't count on it. We are talking about Rogers after all. ;)