Best cell phone company for 3G

[zoe305]

Who's best for 3G? [already have iPhone]

[zoe305]

oh yes to clarify, must be a GSM cell service

[James 1077]

Only 3G and GSM is Vodafone.

Telecom don't have a GSM network - only 3G.

2 Degrees only have a GSM network - not 3G.

Any particular reason you need to have the GSM as well?

[mattandjax]

Only 3G and GSM is Vodafone.

Telecom don't have a GSM network - only 3G.

2 Degrees only have a GSM network - not 3G.

Any particular reason you need to have the GSM as well?

2 Degrees are about to launch their 3G service, however they did say early 2010 so I wonder if it is delayed for some reason?

[Duncan74]

Will the I phone work with either extended 3G? I though most phones were Either 900/2100 OR 850/2100. With Vodaphone NZ on the 900/2100 and XT on 850/2100.

Not wishing to perpetuate myths, but everything I've seen about XT didn't inspire confidence if you want to rely on your phone for calls. May be worth checking.

[James 1077]

Will the I phone work with either extended 3G? I though most phones were Either 900/2100 OR 850/2100. With Vodaphone NZ on the 900/2100 and XT on 850/2100.

Not wishing to perpetuate myths, but everything I've seen about XT didn't inspire confidence if you want to rely on your phone for calls. May be worth checking.

According to the website the phone can do:

UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

This may only be the 3GS or they may sell different versions elsewhere.

I think that Voda's 3G network is only 2100 in the cities and outside of the cities is 900 so the iPhone won't work as fast outside of the main city centres.

The XT network is 850 / 2100 so the phone will have 3G access everywhere it gets a signal; but there isn't a GSM backup should the 3G network go down.

More on the iPhone in NZ here.

Unfortunately the XT network has gone down a few times (but has since had many millions spent on it) so the lack of GSM backup has been sorely missed (when Voda's 3G network goes down it barely makes the news as people can still use their phones and many don't notice it!)

That said XT has had quite a few millions spent on it recently and seems to be running OK now. But there are no guarantees that everything is now fixed and Alcatel continue to do lots of work on it!

[Note: I'm a Telecom employee so have a natural bias towards the XT network; which should be a great network once those blasted French can sort it out! ]

[dilanium]

We're on Vodafone with our iPhone. It's okay. But with all the horror stories I've heard about Telecom's XT network I wouldn't want to try it for awhile until they get the bugs sorted out.

Not sure about 2°.

Where are you coming from? Is your iPhone already unlocked (jailbroken?).

[victoria24]

Is your iPhone already unlocked (jailbroken?).

just to clarify: jailbroken and unlocked are 2 different things

[dilanium]

good point, but I believe (mind I'm not an expert) that in order to unlock your iPhone you may need to jailbreak it. I think I heard something about that. But I'm really tired today so I could be making things up.

[mattandjax]

good point, but I believe (mind I'm not an expert) that in order to unlock your iPhone you may need to jailbreak it. I think I heard something about that. But I'm really tired today so I could be making things up.

No not true at all. O2 unlocked my iphone via a web request in about 5 days for no cost as I was on a monthly plan.