Looks like TMO is going to decide on the 3G network. Will we need to replace our BB for the new network? Link posted below for proof

T-Mobile USA making announcement about 3G on December 6? - Engadget

moved to Rumor Mill ... this hasn't been confirmed / published by the carrier directly

"... according to a CS rep..." How many BS tales have we heard that started that way?

I dont think that the gov has freed up enough space for a nationwide launch. Hope to be wrong though...

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My understanding is TMO will start rolling out 3G end of 1st quarter nest year! Won't have to replace you BB for service but BB at this point doesn't support 3G

I have the 8130 and it says clearly n the bottom of the back "qualcomm 3G cdma"

Technically 3G is GSM and that is what the previous poster was mentioning. There is no 3G GSM BB. Many don't consider EVDO as 3G since it is CDMA. Speeds are about the same with GSM 3G being a bit faster.

Since our BB's are not compatible with 3G, it will not make any difference.

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CDMA2000 1X and EV-DO are 3G as defined by ITU. 3G is not only about speed, but increases capacity too.

There is a blackberry that is 3G.... Just not a current model. The 8707g released in europe is a 3G GSM device.

You are correct, I should have qualified that statement with There are no GSM 3G BBs available in the US. Plus the 8707, as I understand it, is only GPRS capable here in the US making it somewhat useless IMHO.

I currently have a curve and the 3g network is abou to be announced, as far as buying a new blackberry thats going going to be an issue with the tmobile curves, 8700's & pearls, ive been told its going to be just like a firmware update.

No. It is not a matter of a firmware update. New phones must be designed and approved by the FCC to use the new frequencies of T-Mobile's 3g.

The only current T-Mobile phones that will be able to access 3g are the Samsung T639 (launched last month) and the Nokia 6263 (launching early december).

What technically is tmobiles 3G network going to be. AT&T is going to start as of December its 3.5G network aka HSUPA.

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It is true you will need to purchase a new phone. The current BB's do not have a radio installed to support it.

T-Mobile will be launching HSDPA. AT&T (and T-Mobile eventually) can easily upgrade from HSDPA to HSUPA as it is a software only upgrade at the cell site. Once they have the additional bandwith in place and devices that can use HSUPA it is a simple upgrade.

will 3G improve phone service as well? or is it strictly data/internet?

3g has more bandwith, so there is less pressure on the carriers to use low bit rate voice codecs.

So it has the potential to allow increased voice quality. Anecdotally AT&T (then cingular) customers with 3g phones reported better voice quality in 3g areas when they rolled out 3g. (although anything would be better then the AMR-HR garbage they use on the GSM side)

This doesnt mean you will be able to use 3G. It just means they will roll it out. It will take a few years to deploy it to all markets. Its not a matter of *snap* everyone can use 3G. It will be limited to a few areas at first, then grow from there. And ... your in Virginia Beach. I would not hold my breath on getting it this year at all.

i just wish they would upgrade to EDGE in my area

My point exactly. Soooo many people read the articles that talk about Tmobile rolling out 3G and show excitement because they think it directly effects them. Like they will magically have a full 3G network that works NOW. It will take several years. And by the time Tmobile rolls out their 3G network to most markets a few years from now, the other manufacturers will be on 4G. Verizon has already settles on LTE for their 4G network, and I read an article with an interview of an AT&T official stating that they would go LTE for their 4G.

Regardless, Tmobile will always be behind everyone else. In the future we will be in the EXACT same boat, with Tmobile people complaining of slow 3G because the rest of the world is streaming and doing video conferencing on their higher speed 4G network.

Unless of course, Tmobile decides to raise rates so they can finally have the revenue of the bigger boys and catch themselves up. Tmobile will always be the slow one with data unless they do that.

soooo.... no update on this "announcement" that was suppose to be mad eon Dec 6...

The 'Dec 6th' rumor was started by one blog which talked to a CSR who said there would be some kind of 3g related anouncement on the 6th. There was, the Nokia 6263 3g capable phone was released.

The hype over this nonexistent 'launch date' is a perfect example of the telephone game as applied to the internet. Once T-Mobile gets use of the spectrum it bought from the government they will launch 3g. Until then they are silently installing equipment so they can cover as much as possible on launch day.