Any advantage to 3g for non-data user?

[beartrack]

Are there any advantages to 3g for someone who doesn't currently utilize data plan?

If you use cell phone for voice only -- should we wait to get a new 3g phone or go ahead with any of the other phones?

From what I can understand 3g will have little bearing on use-- at least until we upgrade to a data plan?

[greenblood]

3G has cleaner sound (no GSM hiss)
and 3G has slightly better reception than GSM1900

[AbsoluteEvel]

UMTS also improves on the security offered by GSM...

GSM and UMTS Security

[analogs]

As 3G trickles through the US, I'm hoping that people will report on any difference in reception from GSM. As I've lamented a number of times, I'm stuck in a cell phone dead zone in my apartment, forced to use UMA/Hotspot @ Home. The edges of my apartment get a weak signal but I get nothing toward the center. I'd love to know if 1700 MHz waves are of any help in sketchy areas like this.

[AbsoluteEvel]

Originally Posted by analogs

As 3G trickles through the US, I'm hoping that people will report on any difference in reception from GSM. As I've lamented a number of times, I'm stuck in a cell phone dead zone in my apartment, forced to use UMA/Hotspot @ Home. The edges of my apartment get a weak signal but I get nothing toward the center. I'd love to know if 1700 MHz waves are of any help in sketchy areas like this.

T-Mobile will have upstream and downstream on separate frequencies.... 1700 and 2100... If you can't get 1900, I doubt you'll get 2100... :-)

[nath12]

I think that part of the problem with cell phone reception is the phones transmit power is limited more than the transmit power of a tower. Usually when my signal gets low the other person can't hear me, but I am usually able to hear them fine.