Nokia N95 in the US 2Q but will it have 3G?
We already knew that the Nokia N95 is shipping in select markets and now Brighthand has confirmation that the U.S. will see the multimedia smartphone as early as the second quarter of this year. According to a Nokia spokesperson, the device will run between $500 and $600, which we generally expected. Aside from the killer specifications of this high-end device, I’m mainly concerned with the Nokia statement about the 3G capabilities: the N95 initially sold in the US "will be the global variant that supports 2100 MHz UMTS and not the US 3G bands".
That’s not good news when you’re paying two to three times what a 3G-capable smartphone currently runs. However, I’m wondering aloud here: isn’t 2100 MHz one of the two frequency ranges that T-Mobile purchased via auction for their expected 3G rollout? Again, just thinking out loud since I’m new to the GSM / UMTS scene; I’m hoping many of the "smarter than me" readers will chime in with thoughts, clarifications and impacts, especially if the phone isn’t compatible with the US 2100 MHz spectrum. If the N95 won’t support 3G in the US, would you still buy it?
Kevin,
I am confused by the whole T-Mobile 3G 2100 MHz UMTS plan too since many articles (like this one http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2024016,00.asp) state that the US frequencies are different than in Europe. How is 2100 MHz different than 2100 MHz? Am I missing something here?
Matt
The N95 is a phone I would buy in a heartbeat if it were 3G capable in the US (and I would switch carriers to use it). I presently have 3 different Nokia E series S60v3 phones. I love each, and can’t decide just one to settle on. But I have vowed not to buy another phone unless it supports 3G, so no Apple iPhone for me, either (at least, not the first one).
I tried Windows Mobile, but the S60 is just so much better for my tastes.
I will buy one when it becomes available because 2100 MHz UTMS is what is used in Japan.
I travel to Japan frequently, and I can use UTMS there and GSM back here. I do that already with my N80, but I’m lusting after the N95’s improved camera, so I guess I’ll have to trade up when it become available. As far as 3G goes, it would be nice if the phone supported US UTMS frequencies, but since I’m with T-Mobile, I’m not expecting much of anything to be happening 3G-wise anytime soon.
There is a great explanation on this and everything else you wanted to know about our wireless spectrum here:
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/aws
There are apparently “2 halfs” to each frequency band and here’s the key explanation from the “Bands” section in the above linked article on why exisiting European (or Japanese) 2100 MHZ devices won’t connect to our version of 2100 MHZ
“The FCC wanted to harmonize its “new” AWS spectrum with Europe’s UMTS 2100 band, since both would be used for new “3G” phone service. Unfortunately,….the lower half of Europe’s UMTS 2100 band almost completely overlaps with our PCS band, so complete harmonization wasn’t an option.”
However, Phonescoop also reported not long after the AWS article
http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=1965
that Qualcomm is coming to the phone OEMs rescue late this year with a chip that is compatible with all 3G frequencies and need only be “tuned” to connect to the appropriate carriers network. I say hurry up with that chip so HTC/Nokia/Samsung can test it already!!!!
I just spoke with T-Mobile last week. They are going to launch a 3g here in the US but it will be 2100 HSDPA so it will be right on for the N95, and I also think I remember the rep saying that UMTS 2100 will work as well. I am recieving a call once they launch the N95 here in the US, which should be soon as I travel to Japan as well and getting ready to settle there for three years.
Brucery how does your N80 work in Japan? I am torn between the N95 and the N80, But if the N80 works well over there I might save some cash for now.
LISTEN TO THIS! I PURCHASED A NOKIA N95 MADE IN ASIA. EVERYTHING WORKED WELL EXCEPT I COULD NOT GET A 3G CONNECTION THROUGH CINGULAR. OF COURSE, THAT MADE ME MAD AS A FIRECRACKER. CINGULAR TOLD ME THAT THE EUROPEAN AND ASIAN MARKET N95′S WOULD NOT WORK HERE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THE 2100 MHZ PROBLEM YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING. SO THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GET THE “US VERSION” OF THE PHONE FOR IT TO WORK ON 3G IN THE USA. CINGULAR TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IN THE USA, CINGULAR USES 1900 MHZ FOR 3G AND THAT THE PHONE HAD TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ON THAT BAND! I SOLD THE FIRST PHONE AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE AND ORDERED A US VERSION PHONE MARKED AS SUCH, AND HAD IT SHIPPED OVERNIGHT TO ME FROM FLORIDA TO HERE IN ATLANTA. IT ARRIVED! GUESS WHAT, IT DOES NOT WORK EITHER THOUGH IT IS CLEARLY MARKED AS NOKIAUSA AND MADE IN FINLAND. YOU WOULD THINK THAT NOKIA WITH A REPUTATION LIKE IT HAS WOULD HAVE CLEARED THE WAY FOR ITS PHONE INTRODUCTION INTO THE USA MARKET. THEY HAD TO KNOW THAT TO BE USED HERE PEOPLE WOULD WANT THE 3G SPEED AND THERE IS BASICALLY ONLY CINGULAR OFFERING IT!
NOW I HEAR THERE WILL BE A PATCH SENT TO UNLOCKED OWNERS LATE IN THE YEAR. CAN I BELIEVE THAT FOR PETE’S SAKE. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A NOKIA N90, NOKIA N93 AND NOW THE N95. I WANT TO SAY THAT THE NOKIA N90 WAS THE BEST ENGINEERED FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. LOOKS LIKE ALL WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THRU CINGULAR AT LEAST UNTIL THE LATTER PART OF THIS YEAR (AT BEST) IS EEDGE SPEED, WHICH IS NOT SO REALLY BAD. BUT WHEN ONE PAYS A LOT ONE WANTS A LOT, NO?
There is no “US Version” of the N95.
Hello,
i have lots of Nokia N95 for sale at a good price.
serious buyer should contact me by email.
nokiaslot4@yahoo.de
http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=141828
US 3G 1900mhz frequency
Hi Guys,
Planning to spend some time in Europe during summer, does my N95 (US purchased) will work there ?
Thanks fo help.
JP
hey guys, heres some info for you on T-mobile AWS UMTS frequencies. They are gonna use the 1700/2100 bands..as far as i know there is only two phones out there which havent even been released yet by nokia so yeah..the phones you buy wont work when the UMTS network launches at the end of this year. sorry
This is a really sore issue for me having spent a considerable amount of time in Europe and enjoyed their mobile offerings.
I had high hopes for real 3g services on standard bands. T-mobile has won 1700mhz spectrum (no one uses 1700) as well as 2100mhz spectrum. 2100mhz shows promise, however like the others have mentioned above its either not yet active, or has different sub bands or whatever. I have also heard rumors that the US Government still has satellites that use that auctioned off band, and they have yet to vacate those frequencies. Who knows what the real problem is.
What I do know is that I have a nokia e51:
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Unlocked-Smartphone-Slot-U-S-Warranty/dp/B000W3QHDE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&tag=bby-20&s=electronics&qid=1222277030&sr=8-2
which had full HSDPA support (3.5g) in Europe with local operator sim. Very fast broadband speeds, even in the most rural areas, or underground in the metro. Here in the Washington, dc metro area on T-mobile, EDGE is the best I can do.
The root of the problem is not the FCC, its not the phone makers, its the consumers. We are willing to put up with operator imposed restrictions (e.g., network locking) which allows them to keep screwing us over and over again. We pay for rintones, we pay to receive text messages, we vote on American idol at 99/cents each vote. We pay to receive incoming calls (they are free in Europe). The whole system is just awful, and to complicate it further, we have two different standards in use WCDMA and CDMA-2000.
In Europe I walked into a gas station, threw down the equivalent of 2 dollars and walked out of the store with a local sim and 10 minutes of airtime. I put the sim in my unlocked phone and could instantly receive calls.
We just don’t know any better. When you ask the average person who makes their phone they reply “at&t” or “t-mobile” or “Verizon”.
Hopefully Android will get people excited about the mobile space again, and they will educate themselves on what is out there.
Well. Android is already here, and it is one ugly phone. It is made of a cheap plastic. It looks and feels horrible. It is heavy, bulky and plain ugly.