Develop Bugs

Read this before you ask questions about phone versions/ supported fequencies.

So basically I got fed-up with seeing so many questions about TP2 models and their supported frequencies.
I'm an American so most of this information is geared towards helping other Americans- but it may also be of use to people in other parts of the world.
If you aren't a big tech-wiz, READ THIS before you buy your Touch Pro 2.
Here is the low down:
There are two different prominent cell phone technology standards in the world today: GSM and CDMA.
Most of the world runs their 3G cellular networks on GSM. However some carriers such as Verizon, Sprint, Bell, and Telus work on CDMA.
GSM= Sim Card
CDMA= No sim card
-Note however that CDMA "world phones" have sim cards because they also include GSM tuners.
Here are the Mobile Telecommunications Standards that matter to you:
GENERATIONS:
1st Generation (1G):
~don't worry about it, only primitive cell phones operated on this standard.
2nd Generation (2G):
~here we go this is GSM!!! This is what matters
~this is also where current CDMA networks really started rolling out.
2.5G:
~EDGE, this is the GSM that you use if you aren't on 3G. EDGE is important, memorize the name!!!
3rd Generation 3G):
~now we are talking, UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). In Europe UMTS may also be called "W-CDMA" although it is GSM (sim cards!!!) This is 3G that the Iphone was named after. It is GSM.
~EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized), this is the 3G of CDMA. this has revisions such as EVDO rev "A" or "B" that can be considered 3.5G
3.5G:
~HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access)= HSDPA/HSUPA. The "D" in HSDPA stands for downlink, the additional "U" in HSUPA stands for uplink.
~ EV-DO revisions.
4G:
~LTE, blazing mobile broadband. This is GSM and what most of the world is migrating to, EVEN CDMA carriers.
~WiMAX. No sim card, because it is not a GSM technology. Think of it like Wi-Fi on steroids. Compare it to LTE like we can compare HSPA to EV-DO today. Understand WiMAX now?
Whew, now that we have all the standards explained, lets talk about what this means.....
DON'T BUY a phone and expect to get 3G on it UNLESS it SPECIFICALLY states that you can get 3G for your carrier on it.
Some common hints:
"European Version"= 3G for many carriers in Europe, EDGE everywhere else, nothing at all for CDMA.
"World Phone"= a CDMA phone that is also capable of GSM. Only capable of 3G (EV-DO) on the carrier that the phone is branded for. Will work on EDGE everywhere else for GSM carriers.
"US Version"= a GSM phone that works on AT&T's 3G network but NOT T-mobiles.
~~Phones that you buy from your carrier will work on your carrier's 3G bands. (Unless your carrier doesn't have 3G yet in your area)
JUST BECAUSE A PHONE SUPPORTS THE SAME BAND DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CAN GET 3G ON IT.
MANY 3G BANDS ARE SHARED, BUT ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. This means that even though carriers such as T-Mobile and AT&T share bands, the phones that support 3G on each are not interchangeable with carriers. EDGE, on the other hand, works interchangeably.
Lastly, 3G support and other wireless standard compatibilities have nothing to do with the software of your phone. You will never find a magic ROM that will enable 3G on a carrier that does not support the phone. It is all HARDWARE DEPENDENT.
Questions?
Also if you need more information, read the posts after this one. There are lots of smart people on xda-developers. I'm sure some will write additional information, clarify, or even correct something that I wrote.

somebody should sticky this, its useful for newcomers

skyler17 said:
2.5G:
~EDGE, this is the GSM that you use if you aren't on 3G. EDGE is important, memorize the name!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily true. EDGE can actually technically be classed as 3G (though it almost always sits in the higher end of the 2.5G tier). 2.5G would more correctly refer to GPRS rather than EDGE, with EDGE being more of an enhancement to GPRS.

skyler17 said:
. . . .
Most of the world runs their 3G cellular networks on GSM. However some carriers such as Verizon, Sprint, Bell, and Telus work on CDMA.
GSM= Sim Card
CDMA No sim card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When it comes to PDA/WinMo phones "CDMA = No SIM card is false". There are actually a couple of CDMA phones with SIM cards including the Touchpro2.

HSPA is a catch all name for HSDPA and HSUPA, 3.5G techs.
The 3G implementation is UMTS.
If you are talking about worldwide use, EDGE is pretty much not used in the UK... O2 have it on a couple of base stations but its extremely rare, so here you just get:
1G - Analogue phones, Vodafone and O2 had analogue networks but they are now shut down.
2G - GSM with CSD (Circuit Switched Data - make a phone call for data) and HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data - basically make multiple phone calls and bond them, was only availible on Orange). O2 and Voda use both 900MHz and 1800MHz. Orange and Tmobile have no 900MHz license and use just 1800MHz. 3 Do not operate a 2G network and these days use Orange for coverage where they don't have their own network, they used to use O2...
2.5G - GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) This is the lowest speed you'll get on any network now, up to about 115kbps, on all four 2G networks, indicated by a G on the screen near the signal metre.
2.75G - EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) initially capable of 236kbps, only O2 ever did anything with it, and they did very little with it, for all intents and purposes it is unused in the UK.
3G - UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service). This is what is known as 3G in the UK. It uses WCDMA - yes, it is CDMA based, not TDMA as 2G GSM is. Capable of 384kbps, this is needed for video calls (which all UK networks support). Indicated by a 3 onscreen, all UK towns and cities are covered by this or better these days by all networks (advantage of a small country with dense population). All 5 big operators have 3G licenses. At the moment 3G means 2100MHz, Ofcom want to have some of Voda and O2's 900MHz allocation back and allow 3G on it. High frequencies mean short range, making the current band good for getting alot of transmitters (and hence capacity) in cities, but crap for covering rural areas with 3G, you need too many transmitters for cost effectiveness. If Ofcom reallocate some of the 900MHz band and allow 3G on it, it could massively improve 3G reception in rural areas.
3.5G - HSPA (HSDPA and HSUPA). Up to 14.4mbps down (Voda in trial at this speed) other networks 7.2mbps and 3.6mbps. Indicated by a H on screen. Will see this in most major towns and cities.

Say you have an European TP2, which, as we know, does not support AT&T's 3G. Will it support US HSDPA?

dementio said:
Say you have an European TP2, which, as we know, does not support AT&T's 3G. Will it support US HSDPA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, its all or nothing. Even though it supports the downlink band, since it is missing the uplink band it will not support US 3G.
It will give you EDGE however.

Looking for a TP2, any recommendations wrt the model? (between carriers)

Hi
Im looking for a TP2, I will use it outside USA mainly, is there any differences in the phone model between what is offered by the carries (I mean the case, the colors, the device modules as gps, radio or whatever, the keyboard)
As i have noticed that the T-Mobile unit is another color from the at&t and have differences in the keyboard, are there any recommendations on what to look for on this phone?
It seems that the only current options are T-Mob and At&t as they are GSM (it seems that t-mob dont have the chrome bezel or 3g support, and at&t has those but dont have camera)

There are some minor differences between the two , there was alink that gave a great deal of info on both phones that is better then this one below
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=573092

ahh here it is
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacom...&id3=1792&id4=1829&id5=1766&id6=1989&id7=1751

thank you very much for the links
I see that the cdma phones (verizon, sprint) have a gsm sim port, is that true? can a TP2 cdma phone (when unlocked) be used with any sim on a gsm network? (mostly because im not very fond on the t-mob version)

Lioric said:
thank you very much for the links
I see that the cdma phones (verizon, sprint) have a gsm sim port, is that true? can a TP2 cdma phone (when unlocked) be used with any sim on a gsm network? (mostly because im not very fond on the t-mob version)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No CDMA and sim are two different things
The Major Carrier Technologies
By now, you’ve probably heard all of the acronyms in the alphabet soup of carrier technologies. The two major terms that pertain to cellular phone communication that you’re likely to run into are GSM and CDMA, the two major technologies service providers use to carry voice signals across the network. But what are they and why do they matter? Well, for starters, let’s define the terms.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). GSM is the “branded” term referring to a particular use of TDMA (Time-Division Multiple Access) technology. GSM is the dominant technology used around the globe and is available in more than 100 countries. It is the standard for communication for most of Asia and Europe. GSM operates on four separate frequencies: You’ll find the 900MHz and 1,800MHz bands in Europe and Asia and the 850MHz and 1,900MHz (sometimes referred to as 1.9GHz) bands in North America and Latin America. GSM allows for eight simultaneous calls on the same radio frequency and uses “narrowband” TDMA, the technology that enables digital transmissions between a mobile phone and a base station. With TDMA the frequency band is divided into multiple channels which are then stacked together into a single stream, hence the term narrowband. This technology allows several callers to share the same channel at the same time.
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). CDMA takes an entirely different approach from GSM/TDMA. CDMA spreads data out over the channel after the channel is digitized. Multiple calls can then be overlaid on top of one another across the entire channel, with each assigned its own “sequence code” to keep the signal distinct. CDMA offers more efficient use of an analog transmission because it allows greater frequency reuse, as well as increasing battery life, improving the rate of dropped calls, and offering far greater security than GSM/TDMA. For this reason CDMA has strong support from experts who favor widespread development of CDMA networks across the globe. Currently, you will find CDMA mostly in the United States, Canada, and North and South Korea. (As an interesting aside, CDMA was actually invented for the military during World War II for field communications.)
Domestic Travel
The cellular showdown: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) vs. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications).
Because you can find GSM and CDMA in use all across the United States, it might seem at first that it really doesn’t matter which technology you choose. This is not so. When you travel abroad, the likelihood that you will reach areas that do not have digital service is quite high. Anytime you travel between offices via car, train, or bus you will pass through rural and suburban areas that only offer analog access. Most CDMA cell phones include analog capability (also known as roaming), so a user can make calls when he is not in a digital cellular service area. GSM phones usually don’t offer this capability unless you purchase and use a specialty (read: expensive) handset. Of course in most of Asia and in Europe, this is not a problem because digital service is available almost everywhere you turn. This does become an issue for users in North America, however, because digital service is rarely available there.
Another difference between GSM and CDMA is in the data transfer methods. GSM’s high-speed wireless data technology, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), usually offers a slower data bandwidth for wireless data connection than CDMA’s high-speed technology (1xRTT, short for single carrier radio transmission technology), which has the capability of providing ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)-like speeds of as much as 144Kbps (kilobits per second). However, 1xRTT requires a dedicated connection to the network for use, whereas GPRS sends in packets, which means that data calls made on a GSM handset don’t block out voice calls like they do on CDMA phones.

If you care about 3G go for Tilt2, if not go for unbranded!
I think is the best design/look of all of them
----------------
Guys! go and vote please!
Rhodium needs you

yes, thank you very much for the detailed answers
But the Cdma version of the phones (TP2) claim to be "world phones", as in the sprint phone (cdma) in the feature list they mention that they support GSM when traveling outside of the US and that you can put a GSM sim
Sprint TP2 features:
Cellular_Networks: CDMA800, CDMA1900
Cellular+Data:Links: cdmaOne, CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Secondary-Cellularhone
Dual:Cellular+Network;Operation: Selectable cellular module
Secondary_Cellular_Networks: GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS900, UMTS2100
Secondary;Cellular Data:Links: CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
from h t t p://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1792&view=1&c=sprint_touch_pro2_htc_rhodium_w
I would prefer the unbranded phone but only the external case design (at least for me) don't justifies the 600 to 700 bucks price tag, sprint ot tmob can be find for 360
I think I will go with a Sprint or Verizon model, even when they are CDMA they seem be dual cell (cdam and gsm) and they will work just fine on any GSM network

[Q] GSM or CDMA Desire?

Hi all, Firstly iv got a O2 UK branded desire. Iv already rooted it and im now running leedriod2.2 but my problem is I wish to also install the psfMod But im confused at which file I need to download, as the titlle suggests I need to know if its GSM or CDMA or how can I find this out. Thanks in advance.

suprvibes said:
Hi all, Firstly iv got a O2 UK branded desire. Iv already rooted it and im now running leedriod2.2 but my problem is I wish to also install the psfMod But im confused at which file I need to download, as the titlle suggests I need to know if its GSM or CDMA or how can I find this out. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CDMA has no SIM, GSM does. Your phone is GSM.

Oh so thats the difference lol, I feel silly now. thanks for the reply.

Kalavere said:
CDMA has no SIM, GSM does. Your phone is GSM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im almost certain this is wrong.
Its to do with the type of network you operator uses.
Can be found on the HBOOT Screen.
Bravo = GSM
Bravoc = CDMA

Aldasa said:
Im almost certain this is wrong.
Its to do with the type of network you operator uses.
Can be found on the HBOOT Screen.
Bravo = GSM
Bravoc = CDMA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yes, it's down to the cellular network used, codecs used to transmit the data, different frequency and network structure. But in the most absolute laymans terms, GSM has a removable SIM card and CDMA doesn't.
He wanted to know what file to download for his Desire, not a comparative on the different standards adoped by each technology. So I gave him the most basic answer so he could go ahead and install the program to his phone, makes sense don't you think?

Kalavere said:
Well yes, it's down to the cellular network used, codecs used to transmit the data, different frequency and network structure. But in the most absolute laymans terms, GSM has a removable SIM card and CDMA doesn't.
He wanted to know what file to download for his Desire, not a comparative on the different standards adoped by each technology. So I gave him the most basic answer so he could go ahead and install the program to his phone, makes sense don't you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i have to give u right the CDMA is only operating in
2G Network CDMA 800 / 1900
3G Network CDMA2000
GSM in
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
4G in
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100
here is a little about it
In cellular service there are two main competing network technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Cellular carriers including Sprint PCS, Cingular Wireless, Verizon and T-Mobile use one or the other. Understanding the difference between GSM and CDMA will allow you to choose a carrier that uses the preferable network technology for your needs.
The GSM Association is an international organization founded in 1987, dedicated to providing, developing, and overseeing the worldwide wireless standard of GSM. CDMA, a proprietary standard designed by Qualcomm in the United States, has been the dominant network standard for North America and parts of Asia. However, GSM networks continue to make inroads in the United States, as CDMA networks make progress in other parts of the world. There are camps on both sides that firmly believe either GSM or CDMA architecture is superior to the other. That said, to the non-invested consumer who simply wants bottom line information to make a choice, the following considerations may be helpful.
Coverage: The most important factor is getting service in the areas you will be using your phone. Upon viewing competitors' coverage maps you may discover that only GSM or CDMA carriers offer cellular service in your area. If so, there is no decision to be made, but most people will find that they do have a choice.
Data Transfer Speed: With the advent of cellular phones doing double and triple duty as streaming video devices, podcast receivers and email devices, speed is important to those who use the phone for more than making calls. CDMA has been traditionally faster than GSM, though both technologies continue to rapidly leapfrog along this path. Both boast "3G" standards, or 3rd generation technologies
also known as CDMA2000, is CDMA's answer to the need for speed with a downstream rate of about 2 megabits per second, though some reports suggest real world speeds are closer to 300-700 kilobits per second (kbps). This is comparable to basic DSL. As of fall 2005, EVDO is in the process of being deployed. It is not available everywhere and requires a phone that is CDMA2000 ready.
GSM's answer is EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), which boasts data rates of up to 384 kbps with real world speeds reported closer to 70-140 kbps. With added technologies still in the works that include UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Standard) and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), speeds reportedly increase to about 275—380 kbps. This technology is also known as W-CDMA, but is incompatible with CDMA networks. An EDGE-ready phone is required.
In the case of EVDO, theoretical high traffic can degrade speed and performance, while the EDGE network is more susceptible to interference. Both require being within close range of a cell to get the best speeds, while performance decreases with distance.
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards: In the United States only GSM phones use SIM cards. The removable SIM card allows phones to be instantly activated, interchanged, swapped out and upgraded, all without carrier intervention. The SIM itself is tied to the network, rather than the actual phone. Phones that are card-enabled can be used with any GSM carri
The CDMA equivalent, a R-UIM card, is only available in parts of Asia but remains on the horizon for the U.S. market. CDMA carriers in the U.S. require proprietary handsets that are linked to one carrier only and are not card-enabled. To upgrade a CDMA phone, the carrier must deactivate the old phone then activate the new one. The old phone becomes useless.
Roaming: For the most part, both networks have fairly concentrated coverage in major cities and along major highways. GSM carriers, however, have roaming contracts with other GSM carriers, allowing wider coverage of more rural areas, generally speaking, often without roaming charges to the customer. CDMA networks may not cover rural areas as well as GSM carriers, and though they may contract with GSM cells for roaming in more rural areas, the charge to the customer will generally be significantly higher.
International Roaming: If you need to make calls to other countries, a GSM carrier can offer international roaming, as GSM networks dominate the world market. If you travel to other countries you can even use your GSM cell phone abroad, providing it is a quad-band phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). By purchasing a SIM card with minutes and a local number in the country you are visiting, you can make calls against the card to save yourself international roaming charges from your carrier back home. CDMA phones that are not card-enabled do not have this capability, however there are several countries that use CDMA networks. Check with your CDMA provider for your specific requirements.
According CDG.org, CDMA networks support over 270 million subscribers worldwide, while GSM.org tallies up their score at over 1 billion. As CDMA phones become R-UIM enabled and roaming contracts between networks improve, integration of the standards might eventually make differences all but transparent to the consumer.
The chief GSM carriers in the United States are Cingular Wireless, recently merged with AT&T Wireless, and T-Mobile USA. Major CDMA carriers are Sprint PCS, Verizon and Virgin Mobile. There are also several smaller cellular companies on both networks.

janielsen said:
well i have to give u right the CDMA is only operating in
2G Network CDMA 800 / 1900
3G Network CDMA2000
GSM in
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
4G in
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this, I don't really care either if you'll excuse my bluntness. The question was simple enough and I gave a very simple answer.

Kalavere said:
I know this, I don't really care either if you'll excuse my bluntness. The question was simple enough and I gave a very simple answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont excute anything
im just pointing out that u are right
an i explaine to the person ho ask fore it
what an how about GSM an CDMA
it has nothing todo whit u or ur answer

In most cases I've seen, GSM are European variants of the device and CDMA are usually US devices.
That is just from my own experience though, so I could be wrong..
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App

Kalavere said:
CDMA has no SIM, GSM does. Your phone is GSM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
o yeah?? how comes mine have sim card slots?
yess the CDMAs ussualy not having sim card slots we must injection the number to the phone, but mine have the slots.
for not trying for making another thread, i also want a help from you guys here.
my phones are HTC desire ADR6275,
android ver 2.2
baseband version (also called radio ver) 2.15.00.09.88
kernel 2..6.32.21-g7a207a4
build number 2.11.573.5 CL325935
PRI version 1.70_027
i have trouble for read and access my SIM card for reading phone book and also having call from my SIM card.
is it because the radio version or the OS version or ??

How tell whether you are on the pcs (1900mhz) band or 800mhz band

It's my understanding sprint uses the 1900 and 800 mhz bands for it's towers. I frequently go to a location where the signal is poor and wanted to install an amplifier. Is there any way to tell whih band the phone is using?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure you can legally use an amplifier, except for something like the airrave which is fcc licensed.

Even if it were illegal no one will enforce the law. I remember those naive fears I had back when I used gmrs on a walkie talkie without a license. The fcc will only enforce their rules on big guys like radio stations, tv stations and cell phone companies.
That being said, if it were illegal wilson electronics would be in big trouble because they have been openly selling kits for years.
Back on topic, does anyone know how to find what signal i'm on? I know historically sprint "pcs" uses the "pcs" 1900mhz band but I also know they label their products as being compatible with the 800mhz network, so I think there still may be a chance that the nearest tower is not pcs. Any ideas on how to figure out what the frequency is?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

lynyrd65 said:
Even if it were illegal no one will enforce the law. I remember those naive fears I had back when I used gmrs on a walkie talkie without a license. The fcc will only enforce their rules on big guys like radio stations, tv stations and cell phone companies.
That being said, if it were illegal wilson electronics would be in big trouble because they have been openly selling kits for years.
Back on topic, does anyone know how to find what signal i'm on? I know historically sprint "pcs" uses the "pcs" 1900mhz band but I also know they label their products as being compatible with the 800mhz network, so I think there still may be a chance that the nearest tower is not pcs. Any ideas on how to figure out what the frequency is?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kind of reminds me of dual band routers and such. Is it possible voice is on the lower and data on the higher or vice versa?

I know best buy sells a cell amp that works within 2 feet.

done12many2 said:
Kind of reminds me of dual band routers and such. Is it possible voice is on the lower and data on the higher or vice versa?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so. I know that the spectrum was auctioned off and 800mhz was more desirable than 1900 mhz due to better building penetration and coverage area per tower. As a result 800mhz was expensive so sprint opted to buy up all the 1900 mhz spectrum instead and verizon bought the 800mhz spectrum (mostly). I doubt verizon would share the 800mhz towers with sprint except for roaming purposes. However, I read an article about sprint using 800mhz to improve coverage, so I was wondering how to figure out which signal they use in this particular area.

lynyrd65 said:
It's my understanding sprint uses the 1900 and 800 mhz bands for it's towers. I frequently go to a location where the signal is poor and wanted to install an amplifier. Is there any way to tell whih band the phone is using?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
goto "solidsignal.com" they make a device they call a signal booster.
Wi-Ex zBoost YX500-CEL Cell Phone Signal Booster (800 MHz Only)
800 band is voice only and 1900band is for data btw. My parents live way out in country. poor reception outside and none inside. we installed two there. one on each end of the house. not how a solid 3 bars all over the house. no dropped calls.

lynyrd65 said:
I don't think so. I know that the spectrum was auctioned off and 800mhz was more desirable than 1900 mhz due to better building penetration and coverage area per tower. As a result 800mhz was expensive so sprint opted to buy up all the 1900 mhz spectrum instead and verizon bought the 800mhz spectrum (mostly). I doubt verizon would share the 800mhz towers with sprint except for roaming purposes. However, I read an article about sprint using 800mhz to improve coverage, so I was wondering how to figure out which signal they use in this particular area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon Just Purchased in the 700 MHz band, which is where over the air analog TV was before they converted. but think about this though they only bought a few MHz in the 800, 1900, etc bands they don't own the whole 100 MHz spectrum. Nextel IDEN runs in the 800's also.

Was it a mistake bringing this phone to Israel?

I live in Israel. I used to live in the US. Last time I was in the US I bought this phone and brought it over. I did my research beforehand and knowingly purchased the phone assuming I would have full compatible with Israeli service providers...
Now, I'm not so sure anymore. I just tried the phone today.. maybe 5 hours of use. Still have the default OS installed. No root or anything. The signal seems to fluctuate going between Edge and higher speed networks.
Here's what it says about Cellcom on wikipedia:
Cellcom eventually sought to replace the 850 MHz TDMA frequencies it owns with standard 900 MHz GSM frequencies but Pelephone and Partner (Orange) petitioned the Ministry of Communications to deny this for technical reasons. This put Cellcom at a disadvantage since though most of its users had converted to GSM, they were not able to make use of the lower frequency's better in-building penetration and greater cell reach.
With its entry into 3G wireless services Cellcom demoed the first mobile video call in Israel. Since the beginning of 2006, Cellcom began deploying a 3G UMTS-2100 network nationwide which by the end of 2007 covered than 87% of the population. Cellcom was the first in Israel to launch an HSDPA network (also called "Generation 3.5") nationwide. In 2011, Cellcom began to deploy UMTS services in the 850 MHz band, employing unused capacity in that frequency range since it had very few TDMA customers remaining. The Israeli Ministry of Communications has approved Cellcom's plan to shut down the TDMA-850 network on 31 December 2011.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It supports the following networks:
GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, SMS, MMS, iMode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just put the SIM card back in my old international Galaxy 2 i9100T and it'll fluctuate between HSDPA: 8 and HSPA+:15. Also it displays an H icon in the status bar (I don't think Resurrection rom is capable of displaying an H+).
Anyway, I'm going to put the SIM back in the Galaxy 3 t999. It now fluctuates between EDGE: 2, HSPAP: 15, HSPA: 11, and UMTS: 3. The signal is shifty and only displays a 3G at the top, no H like the international Galaxy 2.
Here's what wikipedia lists as the differences between the two models of the Galaxy 3 (standard international i9300 and my t-mobile t999):
Model GT-I9300;
2G networks: 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900 MHz GSM / GPRS / EDGE
3G networks: 850, 900, 1,900, 2,100 MHz UMTS / HSPA+
no 4G of course
max speed: 21 Mbit/s HSPA+
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Click to collapse
and
Model SGH-T999;
2G networks: 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900 MHz GSM / GPRS / EDGE
3G networks: 850, 1,700 (AWS/Band IV), 1,900, 2,100 MHz UMTS / HSPA+ / DC-HSPA+
no 4G either
max speed: 42 Mbit/s DC-HSPA+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and this is what gsmarena.com says about the cellular capabilities of Israel:
2G capabilities: Required GSM 900 Recommended GSM 900 and GSM 1800
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3G capabilities: Required UMTS 2100 Recommended UMTS 850 and UMTS 2100
Click to expand...
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So what do you think is going on??? Doesn't the t-mobile Galaxy 3 t999 support all the networks that Israel currently has operating???

I took my T999 to Israel about a week after buying it in the States.
While vacationing there, I got an Orange SIM with a local number and a 5GB plan.
Everything was working fine. My phone was on 3G almost everywhere in the country, and it rarely dropped below three bars.
Is your phone unlocked? Could it be a Cellcom problem? Try borrowing a friend's Orange SIM and see if it works any better.

Yea it's unlocked. Even despite the speed issue I'm starting to think maybe I should have gotten the international version, there's nowhere near as much development for this version. Maybe I can trade?

PhrostB said:
Yea it's unlocked. Even despite the speed issue I'm starting to think maybe I should have gotten the international version, there's nowhere near as much development for this version. Maybe I can trade?
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But we have a more functioning Jellybean.