It’s the most commonly asked question whenever we write a story about 4G — if I buy one, where else will will my 4G phone work?
At the time of writing, if you’re after an Aussie 4G phone, your choices are limited by both network and handset. There’s one 4G LTE carrier — Telstra* — and one handset — the HTC Velocity 4G. We’ve seen what it’s like. We’ve tested it against other 3G phones. But where does it work for 4G coverage?
If you’re after Australian coverage, Telstra’s coverage map should give you a rough indication of where you can get 4G coverage. Bear in mind that radio waves are temperamental little sods, so just because the map says it’s covered doesn’t automatically make it so.
What about international coverage? Telstra’s answer on this is pretty definite; it doesn’t have any international 4G roaming arrangements available right now, but then, given the wide variety of services sold internationally under the banner of “4G” — something we’ve complained about previously — that’s hardly surprising.
What you should be able to do with the Velocity 4G is roam onto 3G HSPA+ networks where Telstra does have a roaming arrangement. That’s not going to give you 4G speed, and there are plenty of horror stories of international roaming gone awry, especially given the high price of roaming charges, but it’s a start.
What about international visitors with 4G-capable phones? The story is, if anything, worse in reverse. The same variety of “4G” labels that get put on differing 4G phones and devices means that there’s no guarantee that your device will connect to anything at all on Aussie shores; you’ll have to check with your carrier about roaming arrangements and check the exact specifications of your device prior to travelling.
*Yes, I know Unwired exists, and that it touts its WiMAX solution as 4G. They don’t sell phones, OK?
Kim
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:07 AMWhat happens when you use a phone like the HTC Velocity in rural areas. What frequency is it working on for calls and data. If you have an external antenna to boosts reception what frequency range does it need to cover. Will the sim card out of a HTC Velocity fit other blue tick handsets when travelling in remote areas?
Alex Kidman
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:57 AMIn rural areas it *should* drop to 3G, same as any other phone, as long as there is coverage; the SIM card shouldn’t make a difference and should work identically in other handsets.
Pete
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 8:13 PMI saw a number of years ago, that people needed a Next G sim for their phone to work when there was only Next G coverage or possible they needed it enabled on their account… but just because your phone can use the frequency and you are with a telco that has that frequency available in the area doesn’t automatically mean it will work.
Nicholas
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:41 AMWhat other countries actually use 1800MHz frequency for 4G anyway?
Ozoneocean
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 4:08 PMThis is more interesting to me.
Roaming is crap, putting in a local SIM is usually way better, so it’d be more useful to know who uses the same sorts of 4G as Tesltra.
In the US the two main networks I know of who you can easily do the SIM thing with are T-Mobile and AT&T. So how do they compare?
Currently 3G phones from Vodaphone, Optus etc are pretty compatible with US T0mobile and Telstra 3G phones are apparently more compatible with AT&T, but I’ve no idea about 4G.
Nick
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 5:53 PMMost 3G US phones will work in Australia but usually not vice versa, typical of Americans, they attempt to sidetrack away from international standards and implement their own unique frequencies only realising the rest of the world aren’t sheeps anymore. Most if not all US 3G/GSM phones will work on the 2100mhz Optus and Vodafone network but none of the US LTE phones will work in Australia. As fair as I know, Australia is currently the only country that uses the 1800mhz spectrum for it’s LTE network. This may change as the 700mhz analog television frequency shuts down over the years and US LTE phones slowly become compatible with Australian networks.
apple fanboy in android world
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 6:40 AM2100 is almost like world standard for UMTS. TMobile USA is 700mhz which almost no body else uses and hence iPhone doesn’t work on their network. Probably the only UMTS network in the world iPhone 4/4S doesn’t work in.
Brendan
Friday, March 9, 2012 at 1:44 PMTalking about 4G (LTE
In North America, 700/ 800 and 1700/ 1900 MHz …
Europe 800, 1800, 2600 MHz
Asia 800 and 2600 MHz in;
Australia 1800 MHz
(Wikipedia)
China uses 2.5 GHz.
Japan uses 2.1 GHz.
(CNET)
Seems there is no 4G phone that will work every where, and no, Australia is not the only 1800 4G