VisorCentral.com - Minstrel S and 3G networks? (Might be inoperable)

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-- Minstrel S and 3G networks? (Might be inoperable) (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=13843)

Posted by Brooklyn on 04-08-2001 03:49 AM:

Will the Minstrel S become inoperable with third-generation networks that major U.S. carriers plan to start using this year? I read that Nokia may have to recall millions of cell phones due to a software glitch that renders them inoperable with this upcoming technology. Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless are definitely upgrading to this new network. And since Verizon seems to be the network Yada Yada uses, will Minstrel S users be affected? If there is a problem' lets hope its just a software problem and not hardware one.

Posted by critic on 04-08-2001 05:20 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Brooklyn
Will the Minstrel S become inoperable with third-generation networks that major U.S. carriers plan to start using this year?

Probably, but I doubt it will become totally useless. See below.

quote:
I read that Nokia may have to recall millions of cell phones due to a software glitch that renders them inoperable with this upcoming technology. Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless are definitely upgrading to this new network.

Correct. Sprint, Verizon and others are upgrading their systems to CDMA2000 1X, which will allow for increases in voice and data capabilities.

quote:
And since Verizon seems to be the network Yada Yada uses, will Minstrel S users be affected? If there is a problem' lets hope its just a software problem and not hardware one.

Well, you're talking about apples and oranges, really. The network upgrades, as I mentioned earlier, step-ups from the current CDMA to CDMA2000. The Minstrel S (and the forthcoming WIPclip) use CDPD, which is a data-only format. After the CDMA2000 upgrades, the CDMA network will be able to carry data connections of up to 1.44mbps, as opposed to the current limit of 14.4 kbps. CDPD can only carry 19.(something) - which means that after the changeover, CDMA will probably be the preferred method to carry data. Whether the Minstrel will become useless will depend on whether Verizon et.al. continue to support their CDPD networks, which aren't anywhere near as comprehensive as their CDMA coverage.

Posted by Bret Snyder on 04-08-2001 07:57 AM:

According to this CNet News Article:

"Nokia's problem involves how the Finnish company interpreted a standard known as CDMA (code division multiple access) when it was doing research on phones nearly a decade ago."

This should not affect the Minstrel unless Novatel made the same sort of mistake.

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Posted by Celchu19 on 04-08-2001 07:03 PM:

I think what realy is great about CDPD is that you get unlimited plans for dicent prices, which 3g cdma won't get you, I can garentie.

3g won't in and of itself render CDPD in opperable, It is an analog service which may be phased out soon, But unless the carrier's take down the analog services, then you'll still be able to use it, and my guess is that analog prices for air time will go through the floor...

sam

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Posted by pjs on 05-11-2001 12:17 AM:

Yes, CDPD rides on top of AMPS -- good old analog. I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.

I'm very tempted to take advantage of the omnisky offer. If there is something better in a year, like affordable 3G, it will likely be offered integrated into a new pda. Maybe a SB module, but I have a strong suspicion that PalmOS5 devices are going to be very comfortable on 3G networks. Using anything prior to that may be doable, but it might not might not make much sense. At least the free minstrelS modem means I won't feel like I haven't gotten my money's worth out of it. Kinda like Nokia 5100's today.

Here's a link about CDPD for wire-heads:
http://www.ednmag.com/ednmag/reg/1994/101394/21df1.htm

Posted by swendor on 05-14-2001 05:28 PM:

quote:
originally posted by brooklyn:
Will the Minstrel S become inoperable with third-generation networks that major U.S. carriers plan to start using this year?

This year? We'll be lucky if we see it next year. 3G is soo expensive that wireless providers are trying to decide if there should be such a hurry to upgrade. Besides the demand for video on your phone isn't there. 3G building has all but stalled in Europe. This new technology is not what everybody anticipated--yeah it's gee-whiz but it is so expensive that companies are now talking about rolling out 2.5G networks, and only Sprint is working on that now.

Has any seen how depressed telecom stocks, Cisco, Lucent, Qualcomm, et. al., are lately?

I think we can all rest comfortably for a while, at least until our one year contracts are up. And then some.

Posted by Toby on 05-14-2001 05:59 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by pjs
Yes, CDPD rides on top of AMPS -- good old analog. I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon. [...]

ISTR reading something about CDPD being able to be deliverable via TDMA as well. I'll have to see if I can find it for specifics...

Posted by pjs on 05-14-2001 07:58 PM:

Thanks for the tip, Toby. I did a bit more research and you're right, CDPD can work with TDMA. I actually hadn't realized that AMPS and TDMA share spectrum. More interesting stuff at:

http://163.18.14.55/datapro/41015-1.htm#TAG8

-pjs

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