RIM releases a quad-band 3G Bold… in Japan
Not to rub salt in the wounds of T-Mobile customers who are still crying out for a 3G BlackBerry, but not even the Mighty Magenta could pull off a feat the likes of what Japanese carrier DoCoMo did: convince RIM to add in a fourth band of 3G on the Bold. That’s right, the Japanese Bold that went on sale over the weekend is a quad-band 3G device containing the 2100, 1900, 850 and 800 MHz bands of UMTS/HSDPA. It was wise of RIM to omit this intel from its English press release of course, because it would definitely cause T-Mobile customers to start complaining about the Bold’s lack of of AWS 3G. And just for those of you who are wondering, the 800MHz UMTS/HSDPA band is a part of DoCoMo’s FOMA Plus Area network which is used in rural areas where the low-frequency spectrum is better able to navigate long distances and mountainous terrain. Tell us, T-Mobile 8900 users, are you green with envy that Japan got a special HSDPA band put into the Bold or is UMA enough for you?
Thanks, Jeff!
There’s nothing special about this – the band configuration for Bold is I/II/V/VI, the “new” band you’re talking about is Band VI, which is just a subset of Band V. Physically speaking it’s the exact same device being sold everywhere else, it is just that no one but Japan uses Band VI. This is pretty common for “Triband” UMTS phones. Having to add in Band IV support for AWS would mean physically changing the device.
They must mean 850 and 900. Most people refer to 800 and 850 as the same band. Unless it’s some special network for the DoCoMo network, but typically they use 2100 if i remember correctly.
Since I’m assuming you’re referring to T-Mobile USA since I believe they’re the only ones to use AWS, they never received the Bold. They received the Curve 8900 which doesn’t offer 3G for anyone.
- VDubb
I have been a curve user since the thing first came out. As a high demand/power user I needed to be able to multi-task more and the Bold seemed like the way to go. After the AT&T relase disappointment of the Bold, on election day I gave back my two-week old iPhone and got my Bold. At first look the keyboard ‘looked’ 88xx’ish but once in my hands I must say it is the best keypad I have tried. Last week I got to ‘play’ with an 8900 for a few days. My conclusion, the Bold is the Flagship for a reason. The 8900 is a very good device but if you demand the best…
The Bold Rocks!
PS: I tried a Storm too but just like the iPhone, I’m just not that fast on a touch screen. Especially when I do all my college classes (online) and papers on my Bold.
I recently lived in Kobe, Japan for 3 months. While there I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc. and only saw ONE BlackBerry….in 3 months! I didn’t see any carriers selling them, and I didn’t see any people using them. The only one I saw was an American trying to get her Bold to work in an airport in Tokyo.
The more I think about it, I didn’t really see people using any PDA-type phones. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, has a mobile, but the vast majority are flip phones. Texting is huge (since talking on the phone in public is considered rude).
Seems odd that in a place where BB usage seemed very low that they would release this device.
Just my $0.02.
Oh yea, and at least for the DC area, the 8900 T-Mo EDGE proved frustrating when trying to do online research on the go. 3G should be the standard. With all other things being equal, T-Mo’s customer service is something all other carriers should imitate; nothing short of outstanding.
Not to nitpick, but is this post about the bold (which never went to tmob) or the 8900 (which did)? Just trying to understand the story.
i agree with vdubb. the article makes it seem like t-mobile usa received the BOLD with no 3G and is trying to rub that in. but this doesnt make any sense cuz tmobile usa never gotten the bold, so i dont see why they would be upset that japan got one. If japan got the curve 8900 in 3g, okay then you can rub it into tmobile since they only have the edge curve 8900.
looking at it from a different point of view, maybe since this japanese bold includes tmobile’s 3G band, yet it was not given to tmobile but to japanese carrier, then i can see why tmobile would be upset.
If the 8900 came out on TMO with 3G then that would be great, but I really dont miss it. The KILLER APP is UMA. Free calls when outside of the US and connected to wifi? Are you kidding? Thats great stuff. As for the web when using EDGE, NYTimes.com load fast as hell and google responds as quickly as my laptop. 8900 is the shit.
I’m actually jealous of the Tmobile guys with the new curve. My Bold drops sooooo many calls its unbelievable. “More dropped calls in more places” should be AT&T’s slogan. Fkin 3G isn’t there yet and I cant revert to Edge.
Fuck you AT&T, fuck you hard.
If they can add the extra chip for japan (and I know I will be killed for this questio) but why not add cdma and make it a world phone for Verizon. I passed on the storm (need physical keyboard) and I am dying for the bold to hit vzw.
I know niagara, but When??? With the economy in the crapper, I don’t get why bb is not releasing a sure fire hit on the nations largest carrier???
We want our bold too…
Doh! US 3G is no where to be found (except NYC, yes I know some other places) with t-mobile frequency. That would be a waste of time to add this band for t-mobile.
RIM betrayed and rimmed t-mobile after all, even T-Mobile is a major bb service provider
Everyone blames Verizon Wireless for not having wi-fi in their Blackberrys, but when t-mobile doesn’t have a 3g Blackberry its rims fault? Interesting.
@ concept: Just look @ this for what it REALLY is: a chance to talk shit about T-Mobile. I’m beginning to think one or more of these so-called “reporters” were low-tier CSRs or RSCs who were fired because, frankly, they suck at whatever they did and now have a permenant grudge against T-Mo…
Just my $0.02
Have someone proof read your articles before they go up.
I’m not even following since you’re mixing up two different phone models.
@shadymanny: man, that was some funny post. ATT 3G does drop a lot of calls. I’ve tried to keep up with OS updates (running .241 now) and things do get better but far from perfect.
All you dumb dumbs who are complaining about not understanding the article should not blame the author, but instead submit yourselves to an intensive remedial reading class.
LOL @shadymanny I feel your pain!
@AndGuz, where does one find said .241 update? All I could find was .237. I’m not gonna go through the hassle if .241 turns up in a day or two.
Seriously though, you’d think AT&T would give the option to turn off 3G–fuckers. I hate them, I really, really do. $183 month for service which drops about every 4th call. I hope they have to spend my $183 in Tylenol, Lypitor and even chemo meds. That’s how much I hate them. Fuck you AT&T, fuck you hard.
@ Michael: I guess this story could have easily been pointed to Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro PCS or any other carrier that doesn’t currently carry the Bold.
Sounds like a cheap shot @ T-Mobile this time.
They haven’t built out their AWS network in full yet but I’d expect them to launch a product from RIM with this capability by the end of this year.
T-Mobile is really focusing on prepping their voice part of the HSPA network to avoid the problems that ATT is having: (dropped calls, garbled calls, failed handoffs) etc.
I’d expect the newer form of the Bold series to be available by then; hopefully much more refined and less bulky with UMA of course.
Verizon ROUTINELY strips down features.
Tmobile is the step child who gets left overs. Tmobile will support any handset you show up with. They make no qualms about activating, adding appropriate features, and even will try to give tech support for a phone they don’t sell you. Why would they be deliberately procrastinating on Bold adoption?? Its probably not RIM, either -its more likely an agreement with ATT to have exclusivity for 6 months or so, which means may release on tmo, plus 2 months for standard debacle. July?
Tmobiles 3g efforts are lagging, but they undoubtedly expect revenue FROM the US to create infrastructure IN the US. It’ll get here.. albeit when sprint is on wimax/xohm heaven.
Verizon has always stripped features out. Thats why people blame them for these choices.
Ive been with TMO for a long time, and really like the company vis a vis pricing and customer service. Unfortunately they always seem to put almost no effort in obtaining desirable handsets (the curve being an exception). There are a lot of great units coming in the near future but again it appears TMO will not get any of them. I live/work in Manhattan, and in my 4th floor office near humongous window I get no service (yes, in the center of manhattan) which makes my curve all but useless during the work day. I think it is only a matter of months before I switch carriers just to get 3G and a modern handset (LG Arena perhaps). TMO USA, seriously, what gives – it’s as if you want to drive users away and focus on the sidekick-wielding teeny boppers.
Well, the author succeeded in turning this into a T-Mobile war if that was his intent.
*waits for comments about T-Mobile service sucking or not sucking in ones apartment, basement, office etc*
But verizon took out wifi from their storm intentionally, because
1. They always cripple their phones. 2. So people would use vzw network for data instead of wifi so vzw could charge them for overages and data roaming. Tmobile’s 8900 only has edge because that is what bb work best with, it is what they always have used. The reason why ATT and vzw have 3g blackberries is because those networks really pressured rim into putting 3g into their phones, even though the are best used with edge.
P.S. when I asked a few vzw rep why the storm didn’t have wifi, one told me it was because wifi was “unsecure” and could be easily hacked. (Which is total bullshit, phones aren’t hacked through wifi like computers are, and you can always turn the wifi radio off)
Another rep told me it was because “you don’t need it” because vzw “covers everywhere”
The last rep just plain outright said “why give internet for free when you can charge for it” at least he was honest