3G or HSDPA?

What is NextG? Is it 3G or HSDPA?

My Samsung A501 can display two icons. One is "3G" where it says that it is
connected to a 3G (UMTS) network. The other icon is similar but says "3G+" and
says that it is Accessing Services in a HSDPA network.

What am I supposed to be seeing? There is no 3G network out where I live, only
NextG, GSM and CDMA.

> What am I supposed to be seeing? There is no 3G network out where I live, only
> NextG, GSM and CDMA.
NextG IS 3G. More precisely, its UMTS 3G. I believe there are HSDPA base
stations in some places too but I dont know if every NextG base station has
HSDPA or if some only have UMTS.

On Dec 24, 6:38*pm, Jonathan Wilson <jfwf...@tpgi.com.au> wrote:
> > What am I supposed to be seeing? There is no 3G network out where I live, only
> > NextG, GSM and CDMA.
>
> NextG IS 3G. More precisely, its UMTS 3G. I believe there are HSDPA base
> stations in some places too but I dont know if every NextG base station has
> HSDPA or if some only have UMTS.

Every NextG base station has 14.4Mbit HSDPA and 2Mbit HSUPA active.

UMTS / 3G / 3.5G / HSDPA / HSPA / HSUPA / 3GSM
all describe various aspects of the NextG network.

Jonathan Wilson wrote:
>> What am I supposed to be seeing? There is no 3G network out where I
>> live, only
>> NextG, GSM and CDMA.
> NextG IS 3G. More precisely, its UMTS 3G. I believe there are HSDPA base
> stations in some places too but I dont know if every NextG base station
> has HSDPA or if some only have UMTS.

Unlike the other 3G networks, NextG had HSDPA enabled on every base
station from day 1 (it was fully compliant and built to 3GPP Release 5
standard). In February this year the entire network was enabled to the
3GPP Release 6 standard which provides HSUPA as well.

davmel wrote...

> Unlike the other 3G networks, NextG had HSDPA enabled on every base
> station from day 1 (it was fully compliant and built to 3GPP Release 5

Why aren't I seeing HSDPA being detected on the phone?

Mine's not the only one either. A few mates have NextG phones and I checked with
theirs. They show only a "3G" connection.

Marts wrote:
> davmel wrote...
>
>> Unlike the other 3G networks, NextG had HSDPA enabled on every base
>> station from day 1 (it was fully compliant and built to 3GPP Release 5
>
> Why aren't I seeing HSDPA being detected on the phone?
>
> Mine's not the only one either. A few mates have NextG phones and I checked with
> theirs. They show only a "3G" connection.

The shared HSDPA channel is only used when you have an active data
session in progress.
It's irrelevant what it actually shows if it's a HSDPA enabled handset.
Even whilst using HSDPA you're still connected to a 3G network - that
being UMTS.
If it said GPRS or EDGE then that would be entirely different as you
would be connected to the 2G GSM network.

davmel wrote...

> > Mine's not the only one either. A few mates have NextG phones and I checked with
> > theirs. They show only a "3G" connection.
>
> The shared HSDPA channel is only used when you have an active data
> session in progress.

Thanks for the info. Makes a bit better sense.

> If it said GPRS or EDGE then that would be entirely different as you
> would be connected to the 2G GSM network.

Nah, haven't seen that. But if I'm ever out of a NextG area and GSM just happens
to be present, I'll see if it changes and I still have a service to connect to.

"Jonathan Wilson" <jfwfreo@tpgi.com.au> wrote in message
news:476f61ec$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> What am I supposed to be seeing? There is no 3G network out where I live,
>> only
>> NextG, GSM and CDMA.
> NextG IS 3G. More precisely, its UMTS 3G. I believe there are HSDPA base
> stations in some places too but I dont know if every NextG base station
> has HSDPA or if some only have UMTS.

every NextG base station does HSDPA

"Marts" <marts_57@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:h8u0n3dmempl44bd06c1m92iamkjvn96pq@martz_57.c om...
> davmel wrote...
>
>> Unlike the other 3G networks, NextG had HSDPA enabled on every base
>> station from day 1 (it was fully compliant and built to 3GPP Release 5
>
> Why aren't I seeing HSDPA being detected on the phone?
>
> Mine's not the only one either. A few mates have NextG phones and I
> checked with
> theirs. They show only a "3G" connection.
>

CYS

Michael wrote...

> > NextG IS 3G. More precisely, its UMTS 3G. I believe there are HSDPA base
> > stations in some places too but I dont know if every NextG base station
> > has HSDPA or if some only have UMTS.
>
> every NextG base station does HSDPA

Since upgrading my Treo to WM6 it now displays the "H" symbol whenever there is
internet based activity and data is being transfered. When the phone is
connected to the internet the "3G" symbol changes to a smaller version and a two
way arrow next to it is displayed. It stays like that til data is requested,
then the symbol changes to a "H".

I am assuming that when it's connected and the small "3G" with the arrows is
being displayed that no data is being transfered either way and hence (or maybe
hopefully) that no charges are being incurred.

And when the phone's on standby (not making a call) a "3G" symbol is displayed.

In the past all it displayed was a "U" symbol to indicate that it's picked up a
network and when a call was being made a funny looking arrow through it was
displayed. You could not tell whether any internet activity was or was not
occuring under WM5.

Looks like WM6 correctly displays what is actually going on.

One thing that I've noticed is that unlike the Samsung A501 it (the Treo)
doesn't display the name of the cell that it's currently connected to.