A Sign of Things to Come? T-Mobile Offers 1st EDGE GPRS Phone

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000497043697/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000497043697/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"We’re hitting this up because we know it doesn’t happen very often that T-Mobile gets a new phone, so if you’re in the market to trade up that crappy T-Mo handset from ages long past, peep Moto’s V330, successor to their ever-popular V300. Oddly (and hopefully indicatively) it’s got EDGE support, so maybe their high(er) speed networks aren’t totally out of the question for the near future."</i><br /><br />I wouldn't normally post on a new T-Mobile cellphone (as monumental as that might be), but in this case, the EDGE GPRS capable Motorola v330 just might be indicative of something greater. Of the major cellphone providers here in the US (Verizon, Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile), only T-Mo doesn't offer high-speed data. Certainly, T-Mobile can't expect to compete with the big boys much longer with the current pitiful data infrastructure (especially in the enterprise/corporate market where data access requirements grow more important by the day). T-Mobile users curious about this phone can find out more on their <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/products/default.asp?class=phone">phone selection page</a> (though no direct mention is made of EDGE).

[ricksfiona]

How fast is GPRS w/EDGE?

At the personal level, I'm quite happy with current T-Mo GPRS service. It usually does the job when it comes to eMail.

Professionally, I ache for a hotspot when I want to IM and surf! Though to send/recieve data that comes from forms, GPRS is barely adequate, but it does the job. For $20/month. I find it a good bargain for a small buisness owner.

[R K]

How fast is GPRS w/EDGE?
It's as fast as 1xRTT (80 - 100Kbps).

[ShivShanks]

Keep dreaming ... T-Mobile doesn't have any EDGE coverage nor does it plan any in the near future. T-Mobile's only value proposition is cheap rates due to the low coverage they have (compared to all the other providers).

[ShivShanks]

How fast is GPRS w/EDGE?
It's as fast as 1xRTT (80 - 100Kbps).

In real world independent tests conducted by Deutsche bank securities in SF area, CDMA 2000 1xRTT fared better than EDGE. Seems the CDMA folks' touted numbers are closer to reality than what the GSM camp claims.

[cubed]

I am placing an order to test one of the 330's out. Since I am anxious, I'll go ahead and ask here...

Can anyone verify that DUN is available on the bluetooth profile on this handset?

[possmann]

T-mo USA needs an enima... look at what they are doing with phones and features in the EU as compared to here in the USA - it totally blows anything here away. Granted the marketplace is a bit different, but come on T-mo - take the lead. It's true that they don;t have EGE - in fact the onlye EDGE people on the block (I think) are Sprint (yuck) and I think Verizon may be building that technology out as well.

T-mo has cheap rates and a poor selection of high-feature phones... They have every opportunity to lead the pack with the cheap rates if only they started to get some of the devies they currently use in the EU over here in use in the USA - but it seems that the senior T-mo US leadership has a great love affair with the blackberry devices so unless something changes...

It's off to Cingular I go...

[Don't Panic!]

Is anyone using the PDA Connect plan from cingular? It looks attractive at $44.99 per month Unlimited but from their web page I cannot tell what is required. I've been a loyal t-mobile user for years now but faster data speeds at a comparable price is very tempting.

I'm spending $50 a month with t-mobile if I can get better data speed at $85 a month I'd be interested but if the only way to get unlimited data through cingular over bluetooth is with the $79.99 data connect plan paying $120 a month is way to high for me. I'm just a guy you know?

[arebelspy]

I use T-Mobile because of their $5/month unlimited data access. Faster would be nice obviously, but hell for $5/month I'll take the slow regular GPRS speeds.

-arebelspy

[cubed]

Just picked one up...it's a pretty nice phone.

[bbarker]

I use T-Mobile because of their $5/month unlimited data access. Faster would be nice obviously, but h-ll for $5/month I'll take the slow regular GPRS speeds.

-arebelspy
How are you getting it for $5/month? I'm paying $20.

[brightppc]

Actually, the V300 is not the first EDGE enabled cell offered by T-Mo.
The Nokia 3220 is an EDGE phone too.

bbarker, $5/month = t-zones ... that lets you browse and check emails (some ports are blocked vs Unlimited internet @ $20).

[bbarker]

bbarker, $5/month = t-zones ... that lets you browse and check emails (some ports are blocked vs Unlimited internet @ $20).
So they have been ripping me off?

What, if any, services do I lose by switching to just t-zones for Internet and email access through my Pocket PC (via Bluetooth)?

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

bbarker, $5/month = t-zones ... that lets you browse and check emails (some ports are blocked vs Unlimited internet @ $20).
So they have been ripping me off?

What, if any, services do I lose by switching to just t-zones for Internet and email access through my Pocket PC (via Bluetooth)?
It's funny. This was kind of a long-known secret that you could do the $4.99/month plan and still get unlimited data access thru to your laptop/PPC then at some point earlier this year, they took it away (at least in the areas I was in) and I had to upgrade back to the $19.99/month plan.

With a recent job change that has me travelling a lot less, I recently switched back from my $19.99/month plan to the $4.99/month plan b/c GPRS connectivity to my laptop/PPC was not as important to me, but lo-and-behold, the cheaper plan still works for laptop/PPC connectivity.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I use T-Mobile because of their $5/month unlimited data access. Faster would be nice obviously, but h-ll for $5/month I'll take the slow regular GPRS speeds.
From a personal standpoint, I would too, but at an enterprise level (where the biggest potential profit is), I think T-Mobile is going to miss out on a lot of potential opportunties. Our company is looking to expand our use of mobile technology for remote connectivity and the current GPRS plans for T-Mobile would make it a difficult choice to go with as a corporate carrier.

[mbabischkin]

Keep dreaming ... T-Mobile doesn't have any EDGE coverage nor does it plan any in the near future. T-Mobile's only value proposition is cheap rates due to the low coverage they have (compared to all the other providers).
Not quite. There are reports on Howard forums of EDGE on T Mobile in parts of Atlanta, DC, and California. While not a Nationwide rollout by along shot. Progress is definally being made.

[brightppc]

In FL. and NJ as well ..... can't wait to get EDGE in NYC :)

$5 t-zones doesn't allow you to view secure sites for ex.
Check on HowardForums.com for more information.

FYI, I am posting this from my ipaq 4150 using t-zones ;-)

[aristoBrat]

but it seems that the senior T-mo US leadership has a great love affair with the blackberry devices
Now why on earth would they be in love with devices that require a $20-$30 month data plan that for the most part mask the fact that GPRS is slow as heck? :D

[aristoBrat]

Keep dreaming ... T-Mobile doesn't have any EDGE coverage nor does it plan any in the near future.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002259577_tmobile02.html
T-Mobile has fallen behind on its deployment of EDGE, considered a 2.5G technology. In 2002, the company said it would have it running in all its markets by the end of 2003. Today, it is deployed in California, and the company expects to complete its rollout by the end of the year. So far, it offers two phones for the service: models from Nokia and Motorola.

[digital843]

If T-Mobile gets EDGE does that mean it might be able to handle hp6500s as well as cingular? (If we ever get it..set back to Sep, maybe Nov now.)

[aristoBrat]

AFAIK, any EDGE device should pretty much work on any EDGE network (T-Mobile, Cingular) so long as the device supports the frequencies the network uses. (i.e. 850 and 1900 in the US)

[fmcpherson]

Doesn't an EDGE device also work on the older GPRS networks? I think that just because a phone has an EDGE radio that doesn't mean it won't work on the older GPRS data network until EDGE is available.