G3 phone working outside G3 coverage?

[JumboBeef]

Hello,

I am considering buying an unlocked G3 phone (Blackberry Bold) and using it on Orange but where I live and where I work both do not have G3 coverage.

Two questions:

Would a G3 phone work for voice calls and texts in a non-G3 coverage area, where other 'normal' phones work?

Would this phone work at home (in G3 mode) using UMA? (I'm on BT broadband).

Thanks!

 

[timskemp]

3G phones mostly (and including the Bold) work on 2G if coverage is not available, so as long as you have 2G coverage everything but high speed data will work. Push email, SMS, phone calls etc are fine regardless of 2G or 3G service. On blackberry depending on service provider email will work over wifi too.

 

[MikeL]

Hello,

I am considering buying an unlocked G3 phone (Blackberry Bold) and using it on Orange but where I live and where I work both do not have G3 coverage.

.....

One point of note - you say the phone is unlocked, that doesn't mean unbranded. A friend of mine had a 3 phone, branded to the 3 network (can't remember the handset).

The 3G signal was poor at his home but because the phones (branded) firmware wouldn't allow you to turn of the 3G reception - the phone (i.e. network) tried to keep a lock onto the 3g signal for way too long (before auto switching to 2G) to the detriment of call quality.

So make sure you can manually disable 3G if required.

If the phone had been unbranded then 3G could have been disabled in weak signal areas.

Mike

 

[Sp!ke]

I assume you already have a blackberry contract - yes? If not the handset is worthless to you.

Blackberrys are rarely unlocked too. They handset PIN and SIM need to be registered by the telecoms provider with RIM in Canada in order for the service to work. For this reason you'll need to get an orange Blackberry and not one from another network provider.

As for 2G data... this will be fine, in fact you'll probably want to leave it on 2G anyway as 3G flattens the battery in 24 hours as opposed to 5-6 days on 2G.

 

[JumboBeef]

Ah, OK. It seems like this was a bad idea.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Dryce]

One point of note - you say the phone is unlocked, that doesn't mean unbranded. A friend of mine had a 3 phone, branded to the 3 network (can't remember the handset).

Three work a bit differently because their network is based on 3G. They used to have a deal with O2 whereby their phone would (reluctantly) fall back to O2 2G if they couldn't carry the call. This wasn't too much of an issue in distinct Three and non-Three areas but in situations where the phone had weak Three coverage could cause problems as it switched back and forth.

When it comes to data Three have no GPRS fall back whereas the other networks that started with GPRS and then went to 3G will normally fall back if there is no 3G coverage and use GPRS if it is available.

And the other aspect is that if you have an older non-3G phone then it won't connect to Three any more.

 

[JumboBeef]

Just for the record, it was one of these I was interested in (I'm on just normal PAYG Orange at the moment).

 

[camerafodder]

I have a bold and the 2g 3g is selectable. Remember though as Spike says you'll need a blackberry tariff or it will be no more than just a fancy phone.

 

[RichardM]

As for 2G data... this will be fine, in fact you'll probably want to leave it on 2G anyway as 3G flattens the battery in 24 hours as opposed to 5-6 days on 2G.

Although 3G does drain the battery much quicker I still have no problems getting 48 hours out of mine with moderate-high usage.

 

[Stratman]

I have a firm's Blackberry on O2 and my own Sony Ericsson 3G phone. I have switched off the 3G facility on both of them since, as Sp!ke says, the battery life is dramatically increased.