Gizmodo Australia » hsdpa

Vodafone Extends 3G Network To Most Of The Country Today

Nick Broughall — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:54:07 +0000

Voda’s flicked the switch on their regional 3G network today, bringing the joys of faster mobile to thousands more Australians.

The extended network – which is running on the 900MHz network has been flicked on today, so if you live in any of the towns listed below, expect a big speed boost – so long as your phone supports the 900MHz frequency for 3G. Vodafone reckon they have 18 handsets that will though, so it might be time to upgrade (or downgrade, depending on your handset). Still, considering they’ve jumped from 8% to 94% coverage, that new phone could be worth the cost if it’ll offer you a big boost in mobile speeds.

The full list of locations where the new service is available:

NSW: Sydney and surrounds, North Coast (from Newcastle to Evans Head), the Hunter Valley Region, Byron Bay, Lismore, Ballina, Kiama, Central North (including Tenterfield, Moree), Northern Rivers (including Lismore and Grafton), Northern Tablelands (including Armidale, Glen Innes and Inverell), the Blue Mountains, west to Orange, Bathurst and Parkes, Albury, the South West (around Goulburn and Yass), Snowy Mountains (including Comma and Perisher Valley), Central South (including Wagga Wagga, Yass and Young), Far South Coast (stretching from Sussex Inlet to Eden), Wollongong, Bowral, Nowra and Broken Hill

Victoria: Melbourne and surrounds, Geelong, Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula, South Coast (around Colac, Lorne and Apollo Bay), Gippsland (around Sale, Traralgon and Stratford), Central West (around the Grampians, Horsham, Stawell and Nhill), West (around Warrnambool and Portland) and Central (around Shepparton, Seymour, Bendigo, Wodonga) and Bendigo

Queensland: Brisbane and surrounds, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, from Noosa to Gladstone, Caboolture, Ipswich, Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville, Toowoomba, along the coast from Mackay to Cairns (including Rockhampton, Emerald) and Central Queensland (around Roma and Mt Isa)

Western Australia: Perth and surrounds, including Mandurah, south including Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River, Augusta, Albany and Esperance, east including Narrogin, Northam, Merredin and Kalgoorlie, north including Geraldton and West End, Kalbarri, Carnarvon, Karratha, Dampier, Port Hedland, Broome (including Cable Beach) and Kununurra.

South Australia: Adelaide and surrounds, the Barossa Valley, along the coast (from Mt Gambier to Victor Harbor), around the Spencer Gulf (including Whyalla), the Riverland (from Berri to Mildura) and the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula (including Port Lincoln)

Tasmania: Hobart and surrounds, Launceston, Wynyard, Devonport, Ulverstone, Exeter, Ross, Burnie and Deloraine

Northern Territory: Darwin and surrounds, Alice Springs, Uluru, Katherine and Jabiru

Australian Capital Territory: Canberra and surrounds

IPhone 3GS Upstream Speed Limited To 384Kbps

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:20:00 +0000

While the iPhone 3GS got a download speed boost—to 7.2Mbps—it didn’t get any upload power-up. According to PC World, its upstream speed is limited by its hardware to 384Kbps. But don’t get out the torches and pitchforks yet.

Most GSM-based mobile phones suffer the same problem: No matter how fast they are at download, they will upload at only 384Kbps. This is because the hardware doesn’t support the HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) standard, created by Nokia—the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) refers to this standard as Enhanced Uplink.

Some would say that this is not needed because Enhanced Uplink—which runs at 1.4 and 1.9Mbps—is not supported by AT&T yet, but in Europe there are networks that already support this standard. I would imagine that users of the popular JesusPhone would love to upload their photos and videos to Facebook and YouTube as fast as possible.

On the other side, with AT&T still struggling to get 7.2Mbps off the ground and most of the other networks having problems and slowdowns everywhere, I would be happy if they all just managed to actually deliver their advertised download speeds. [PC World]

Telstra Boosts Next G’s Uplink Speed To 5.8Mbps

Nick Broughall — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:00:36 +0000

You’ve got to give it to Telstra: Even though you pay for it dearly, their Next G network keeps advancing leaps and bounds beyond what any of the other networks have to offer. First there was the speed bump to 21Mbps download speeds, and now they’ve bumped up the upload speeds to 5.8Mbps.

Like the 21Mbps figure, the 5.8Mbps is only a theoretical maximum – in the real world you’re more likely to get speeds of 300Kbps to 3Mbps in capital cities, or up to 1Mbps everywhere else. For comparison, Optus’s HSPA network has a theoretical maximum of 2Mbps uplink, with real world speeds in metro areas varying between 150Kbps and 1.5Mbps (or 1.1Mbps in regional areas). Telstra reckon that this speed boost makes uploading stuff about 3 times faster than before.

The uplink speed boost will work with the Telco’s 21Mbps HSPA modem straight away with a firmware upgrade available from Sierra Wireless’ website, while other NextG and BigPond customers will have the update made available in the coming weeks.

[Telstra]

AT&T Executive Hints at MacBook With 3G

Matt Buchanan — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret AT&T wants its 3G inside everything. But talking to Fortune about the future of netbooks and 3G, AT&T Emerging Devices president Glenn Lurie hints that they’re cooking up something Apple-flavoured.

The conversation is all about netbooks and other gadgets as the next big 3G game for AT&T. After discussing the success of selling the Acer Aspire One for $100 with an AT&T data contract, Lurie oh-so-casually namedrops interim Apple CEO Tim Cook, and the fact he had a meeting with him a few minutes before talking to Fortune.

Asked if AT&T will ever sell a subsidised MacBook, Lurie replies: “We’re having conversations with lots of folks…I would very much like to do more business with Apple, and hope that we do.” Cagey response because there’s nothing happening? Or because there IS? Would Apple tie itself to AT&T all over again? HMM. [Fortune]

3G MSI Wind U120 Available in January, More Promising Models in the Works

Mark Wilson — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:43:00 +0000

MSI has outed some of their plans to Laptop before the CES 2009 info-rush. And their big news is that 3G/WiMax enabled laptops will go on sale in the US this January.

The new U120, out now overseas with HSDPA and WiMAX options, will be available for an undisclosed price next month. Simultaneously, the U110 and U115 will see a refresh with the latest Atom Z530 (still 1.6GHz) processor and a standard hard drive that can be turned off, allowing the system to run at lower power with a smaller SSD.

There will also be a touchscreen Wind on display at CES, along with a very thin and light 13.3-inch U300 that’s promised to be both affordable and jaw dropping.

That’s the big news, but any real MSI junky should probably check out the link for more. [Laptop]

BlackBerry Storm Doesn’t Need Wi-Fi or Tri-Band HSDPA Because Verizon Says So, Ok?

John Herrman — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:20:21 +0000

Though the omission of two all-but-standard smartphone features from BlackBerry’s Storm is disappointing, it isn’t totally inexplicable. BGR has confirmed through a “really top-level” Verizon source that the crippling was — surprise! — carried out at the behest of the wireless company. Few wireless providers are innocent of phone neutering, but this blatant promotion of their data service and the added network anchor that the lack of tri-band HSDPA adds protect interests that, well, don’t really need much protecting. Even with Wi-Fi, who the hell is going to buy a Storm without a data plan? Stop baiting us, Verizon. We like you. [BGR]

Updated Eee PC 901 to Ship in October with Built-in 3G

John Mahoney — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:45:00 +0000

In a stunning move, the folks at Asus appear to be adding a fairly significant feature to one of their netbooks–built-in 3.75G HSUPA connectivity to the Atom-powered 8.9″ Eee PC 901–without spinning off another 5 different model designations. The 3.75G chip will be in all 901s that ship from October onward.

Claiming 7.2 Mbps down/2 Mbps up over the air, the updated 901’s chipset should work with AT&T’s network here in the States. Currently the 901 goes for around $US500 in its various flavours–and Asus is not mentioning any price changes at the moment for the 3G-packing models.

Coupled with All-day Battery Life, 3.75G Capability Puts Eee PC’s™ Status as the Ultimate Travel Companion Beyond Question

Taipei, Taiwan, September 24, 2008 – ASUS today announced that it will be adding 3.75G connectivity* to its hugely-popular series of Eee PC™ netbooks, enabling convenient and high-speed access to the Internet anytime, anywhere. The inclusion of 3.75G is a perfect addition to the Eee PC’s™ existing set of travel-friendly features such as its high portability, shockproof data storage and all-day battery life–strengthening its reputation as the ultimate solution for computing on the go.

With 3.75G, the Eee PC™ will be able to deliver on its promise of borderless one-day computing better than ever before. No longer bound to Internet hotspots, 3.75G-equipped Eee PC™ users will be able to enjoy low latency mobile broadband Internet access at high downlink and uplink speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps and 2 Mbps** respectively, regardless of where they are–ensuring a seamless connected experience on the go. The Eee PC’s™ 7.5-hour battery life*** provides more than ample power to keep it up and running during extended outdoor excursions.

Frequent travelers will particularly welcome the timely addition of 3.75G support, which comes as service providers around the globe are ramping up their adoption of 3.75G High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). This means that they will be assured of a reliable, high-speed mode of Internet access in many destinations around the world.

3.75G will make its first appearance in Eee PC™ 901 netbooks released to market from October 2008 onward.

[Asus]

Samsung’s Armani 2 Night Effect Mobile Phone Forgets to Include Stylishness

Kit Eaton — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:24:00 +0000

Samsung’s original Armani phone was a tiny, touchscreen, haptic-feedback gizmo, and actually not bad looking at all: so I’m confused about the upcoming Armani 2 Night Effect. It’s a plain candybar mobile phone, emblazoned with large Emporio Armani emblems and it seems to have totally forgone attempts at simple stylishness. Get this—around the edge of the phone there’s a red, green or blue-LED glowing strip, presumably the “night effect” part. Maybe it’s my impression of what style is, but that’s just tacky. The specs of the phone aren’t too amazing either.

• Quadband GSM, HSDPA connectivity
• 2.2-inch reinforced glass AMOLED display
• 3.2 megapixel camera, without flash
• Built-in FM Radio
• Dedicated music player control buttons
• 120 MB of User Memory
• microSD memory card slot
• USB 2.0 and Bluetooth 2.0

Yup…120 megabytes of on-board memory, and we don’t know what sort of UI it’s got: is the haptic feedback still there?

It does look like it’s got a front-facing camera for 3G video calling at least, and I suppose the black metallic finish is quite interesting. The OLED screen should be good-looking too, but all in all the phone itself is a bit plain. It’s due in Europe for around $US430 (€300) in November with Asian and Middle East releases shortly after, but there’s no word on pricing or timing for a North American version. [OLED-info, Unwiredview and Gizmos.es]

HTC Touch 3G Pictures and Specs Leak: Touch 3G and Viva Officially Confirmed

Kit Eaton — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Looking a lot like original HTC Touch, this HTC Touch3G was found by Engadget hiding on the HTC Touch HD official page. It looks like it’s got Europe-style 3G, 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, AGPS, Wi-Fi and a 2.8-inch screen. The data also says it’s got the TouchFLO UI, and quad-band GSM. So this phone’s not the Opal, since that’s got EDGE and a Ti Omap processor and this has HSDPA and a Qualcomm chip. It’s not quite as simple as a 3G Touch update, since it’s also got GPS. We’ll have to wait for HTC to stump up official news. Update: It’s now official.

So it turns out it is a pretty decent upgrade/remake of the original Touch: it’s mentioned in the following official HTC press release, which also mentions the HTC Viva. That’s a new name, but you should recognise it: actually the HTC Opal we mentioned before, and it’s targeted at developing markets.

Taoyuan, Taiwan — September 16th, 2008 — HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today introduced the HTC Touch 3G and HTC Touch Viva.
Continuing HTC’s touch-phone tradition, the Touch 3G and Touch Viva utilise TouchFLO, HTC’s finger-touch optimised navigation experience enabling quick, one-touch access to the people, messages and information people want.
“The HTC Touch 3G and Touch Viva embody our commitment to build a family of touch phones that are powerful and stylish but also offer something to everyone,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corporation. “Whether you’re a professional or a student you can now get an HTC touch phone with a beautiful touch user experience.”

HTC Touch 3G
The Touch 3G offers an uncompromising touch phone experience with powerful Internet capabilities including wireless download speeds up to 18 times faster than standard 3G. As part of this browsing experience users can zoom and pan Websites with one-hand. This true mobile broadband experience allows users to navigate more easily, leveraging the mobile Internet in a variety of ways. With the Touch 3G, customers can search for and watch streaming video from YouTube, get directions and mapping using Google Maps for mobile and stay updated on the latest news with the integrated RSS reader.

HTC Touch Viva
The Touch Viva blends an affordable touch phone with the benefits of HTC’s TouchFLO, an easy to use phone and an optimised mobile Internet experience. In addition, with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, users can easily synchronise their calendar, contacts, emails and more with their personal computer.

Availability
Both devices will be available in early October 2008 in a variety of markets. The Touch 3G will be available in four colors: sophisticated black, noble gold, sparkle blue and modern brown while the HTC Touch Viva will be available in Storm Gray.

Product Specifications
HTC Touch 3G
• Size: 102 x 53.6 x 14.5 mm
• Weight: 96g
• Connectivity: GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz & WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
• HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
• Software/Operating system: HTC TouchFLO with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Display: 2.8 inch QVGA screen
• Camera: 3.2 megapixel
• Internal memory: 256 MB flash; 192 MB RAM
• Memory card: microSD™
• Bluetooth®: 2.0 with EDR
• GPS: GPS/AGPS
• Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
• Battery: 1100 mAh
• Talk time: WCDMA: Up to 360 minutes*** / GSM: Up to 400 minutes***
• Standby time: WCDMA: Up to 450 hours*** / GSM: Up to 365 hours***
• Chipset: Qualcomm® MSM7225™ 528 MHz
HTC Touch Viva
• Size: 104.5 x 59 x 15.75 mm
• Weight: 110g
• Connectivity: GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Software/Operating system: HTC TouchFLO with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Display: 2.8 inch QVGA screen
• Camera: 2 megapixel
• Internal memory: 256 MB flash; 128 MB RAM
• Memory card: microSD™
• WLAN: 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth®: 2.0 with EDR
• GPS: GPS/AGPS
• Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
• Battery: 1100 mAh
• Talk time: GSM: Up to 480 minutes***
• Standby time: GSM: Up to 270 hours***
• Chipset: TI OMAP 850, 201 MHz

[HTC via Engadget

Rumour Smash: Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Doesn’t Have Hidden 3G Powers (Yet)

Matt Buchanan — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:25:48 +0000

Even though Vodafone is gleefully selling Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 with built-in 3G, it turns out that Mini 9s sold in the US actually don’t possess latent 3G powers like that annoying kid on Heroes. A solid source close to the matter told us that while every Mini 9 uses the same motherboard with a port for integrated mobile broadband (’cause it’s cheaper than using two versions), the mini 9s sold so far in the US don’t have the antenna or radio for 3G. However, they will by the end of the year, with Dell’s usual range of mobile broadband options.