3G Mobile Phones Buying Guide

Buyers' Guide to 3G Mobile Phones Contents

• Techs & Specs
• Features
• Plans & Pricing
• Handsets
• Glossary

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The third-generation mobile phone network is billed as a giant leap forward for mobile phone technology, with more services and features on offer than ever before. Handsets are becoming portable multimedia messaging and playback devices that can send and receive email, grab content from the internet without waiting and have personalised information and entertainment services delivered right to the hand, the ear and the eye of the user.

While there are a number of 3G networks operating in Australia, some services are still getting started and many prospective users are taking a wait-and-see approach for pricing and service offerings before discarding their current handsets and plans. But the mobile companies see a big (read: lucrative) future in multimedia and internet content for users hungry for faster, feature-rich mobile services that they can enjoy anywhere ― so expect to see more services and competitive pricing bundles.

Techs & Specs

The 3G mobile phone network uses a different frequency band than its predecessors to deliver increased data transfer rates. The 3G network uses the 2100MHz frequency, while the existing 2G network operates at the 900MHz frequency band (GSM) and 800MHz (CDMA). This high-speed data capacity enables more content to be sent to and from mobile handsets through calls, messaging and internet-based content. For example, 3G phones can be used for video phone calls, video message bank, internet and email, real-time interactive gaming and media streaming, such as news, weather and dedicated TV shows.

The original analog network was the first-generation cellular mobile phone network which was operational in the 1980s when handsets resembled 'bricks' rather than the tiny feature-packed devices they've become today. The next major development was the digital cellular mobile phone network that started to offer data as well as voice services and was considered the second-generation mobile network. The 2G network has a data rate of between 9.6Kbps and 14.4Kbps and the 2.5G network boosted rates to between 56Kbps and 144Kbps. The 3G network will deliver data rates up to 2.4Mbps. But the future is 4G that will deliver data transfer rates of between 20 and 40Mbps, comparable with ADSL and cable internet transfer speeds. However, the 4G network is only in development and is still some time away from trials and commercial release of services.

In Australia, the 3G network uses the UMTS standard, which is built on the GSM network and all four operators - Vodafone, Telstra, 3 and Optus - use this standard. The other 3G standard is CDMA2000, which has a number of variations, but only Telstra has a version for mobile broadband packages. (See Networks & Data Rate box below for speeds and the Glossary for technical terms related to 3G networks.) Theoretically, any UMTS 3G-compatible phone will work on the UMTS network with any operator, although limitations or restrictions may be imposed by the operators as the service develops. But the phone companies are offering a selection of handsets with plans, which limits choice but avoids compatibility issues.

In Australia, the 3G network is up and running with a number of companies offering services, some with their own network infrastructure and some sharing a network. Hutchison, which goes under the marketing name of 3, Telstra, Vodafone and Optus, all offer 3G phone services. Hutchison was the first to launch its 3G service in Australia back in 2003. It built its own network and covers around 96 per cent of the population (note: this is population density not geographical) and has around 540, 000 subscribers. Telstra, which shares its 3G network with Hutchison, recently launched its service. Not to be left out, Vodafone and Optus banded together to build their own 3G network. Optus launched a business 3G offering in early 2005 and has continued its rollout into the consumer market. Vodafone launched its 3G service in late 2005 with a range of services and plans.

Features

Essentially, the 3G network brings the world of the internet to a mobile phone with the addition of enhanced messaging and multimedia functions. Each mobile company offers specially chosen TV, music, multimedia and internet content, such as news, sport and weather.

Video Talk - With 3G, standard phone features are enhanced with video calls, video message bank, video ring tunes and multimedia messaging. Users can make video calls to other users with a compatible handset and network. It's also possible to leave video messages and add images to contacts so their image appears when they're calling. Using Vodafone, it's possible to send video messages to compatible phones as an MMS or email. Hutchison offers videotalk, a video phone call from the handset to a PC with a web camera using Microsoft NetMeeting over broadband internet connection.

Internet & Email - 3G handsets can send and receive email as well as browse the internet. The Telstra offering allows users to access BigPond email directly to the handset inbox, with Hotmail to be added shortly. Hutchison and Vodafone offer email access through a dedicated email address that sends and receives messages directly to the inbox. Hutchison also provides for email forwarding for POP3 accounts from Yahoo!, BigPond and iPrimus.

Multimedia - The enhanced data transfer rates of 3G means that multimedia and gaming has come alive. Handsets can be used to play back music files, movie trailers, TV shows and a vast array of multimedia files available through the internet. Hutchison has a mobile TV service with cricket coverage, cartoons and news available in broadband internet zones. Handsets will play a variety of music files (MP3, AAC, AAC+) and video formats, including MP4, as well as playing polyphonic ring tones and loading and viewing digital photos online. Games can be downloaded straight to the handset and come with 3D graphics and enhanced sound and some can even be played in multi-player format in real-time.

Personalised Content - There is also specialised content available on each network, depending on what licence and sharing agreements the mobile carriers have made with content providers, such as publishing, TV or internet providers. For example, Hutchison offered Big Brother content, while Telstra offered video clips from Australian Idol and the ABC. Vodafone is offering financial market information and satellite radar images with the weather. The other content services that are on offer with 3G include interactive communities, group chatting, dating, movie trailers, horoscopes, weather and adult content.

Plans & Pricing

Like all other mobile accounts, the range of plans and pricing varies a great deal with 3G services. Telstra offers a range of 3G packages starting at $49 that include voice calls, message bank and text messaging. These are standard GSM offerings, but the 3G multimedia services come at an additional cost. Internet and email bundles start at $5 per month for 1MB download of data, with additional charges above this cap. Telstra also offers iMode, a mobile internet service that operate on both the 2G and 3G networks, although it requires an i-Mode-compatible handset. Service charges are 1.5c per kilobyte for email, multimedia messaging, browsing and download from the internet.

Due to its long market presence, the Hutchison 3G service is probably the most advanced with a range of packages of both prepaid (a rarity for 3G) and post-pay plans for the service. Of the post-pay plans, the cheapest starts at $29 and includes voice calls and voice mail with additional charges for SMS and MMS. In terms of the 3G services, national video calls cost 35c per 30 seconds with a 25c flag fall fee. Email is free to receive and costs 20c to send. Casual internet is charged at 0.4c per KB with bundles and special offers for high-use internet access. The top-of-the-line package is $149, although the same rates for video calls, email and casual internet access apply across all the plans. Prices for Planet 3 (its 3G content portal) vary according to the type of service, which can include news, sport, weather, event guides, music and adult content.

The Vodafone 3G offering, known as Vodafone Live!, runs through a dedicated portal and includes internet, email, picture messaging, polyphonic ring tones as well as news video downloads and "mobisodes", which are made-for-mobile TV shows. Vodafone also offers pay-per-download music files. The costs range from 75c for video messaging, 25c for email to $3 per month for a full-category news subscription service. Vodafone offers their 3G services across five different handsets - Sharp 903, Motorola V1050, Samsung Z500, Nokia 6680 and Sony-Ericsson V800.

Optus launched its 3G service in 2005 with a business package offering in Canberra. At the time, the company emphasised the high-speed data download service for business and government for files and applications. The 3G service is continuing to roll out across Sydney and Melbourne and Brisbane, with plans to extend the service to Adelaide and Perth in 2006. The Optus capped voice plans range from $49 to $89 per month with extra fees applicable to content specific packages such as its Mobile IM service. The Optus 3G service launched with five handsets: the Nokia 6680, Nokia N70, Samsung Z500, Samsung Z140 and the Sony Ericsson K600. Check the Optus site for changes to phones and plans.

Handsets

Most mobile phone companies are starting to release a range of handsets to suit different users and different budgets. Choices include Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and NEC. The phones can be purchased outright or with a plan from a particular carrier. To make the most of the 3G content on offer, it's important to put some time into researching particular handsets and their features. For example, a good size screen with at least 260K colours and resolution of at least 240x320 pixels will make the most of video calls and music clips.

A phone with sufficient memory and a storage card slot is necessary to maximise the amount of data and multimedia content that can be stored and played back. Consider 16MB of onboard memory a minimum with a card slot that is expandable up to 256MB. And, of course, a camera, preferably at least 1 megapixel, is a worthwhile inclusion for multimedia messaging with photos and video. It's also important that the 3G handset play back music in a range of formats, such as MP3, AMR and AAC. The keyboard is also vital with all the messaging and browsing, so select a phone with multi-press alphanumerical keyboard that's big enough for two-finger operation for speed and ease of input.

If wireless connectivity is important, look out for Bluetooth compatible models for hands-free dialling and wireless headsets. Battery life should start at no less than three hours talk time. The cost of a 3G phone will range from about $599 for a basic model to $1299 for a model with maximum storage capacity and features.

Glossary

CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access
A technology for encoding a digital signal over the wireless telephone transmission service, which allows multiple users access to the network at the one time.

CDMA2000 or 1XRTT (Radio Transmission Technology)
Another version of CDMA that uses a single radio channel to provide data rates up to 144Kbps.

GSM: Global System for Multiple Communications
The world's most widely used digital mobile phone network.

EDGE: Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution
A modulation scheme to increase data rates in existing GSM networks.

EVDO: Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimised
An evolution of the CDMA mobile network allowing for increased data rates.

TDD: Time Division Duplex
Uses a combination of time division and code division multiple access for the mobile phone network.

TDM: Time Division Multiplexing
The combination of numerous signals for transmission of a single communications channel or line with each signal broken into different segments of short duration.

TDCDMA: Time Division CDMA

TDMA: Time Division Multiple Access
A technology for delivering digital mobile services by dividing radio frequency into time slots and then allocating a slot to each call. A single frequency can support multiple, simultaneous data channels.

TD-SCDMA: Time Division Synchronous CDMA
Uses the TDD to transmit uplink and downlink traffic in the same frame in different time slots.

UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
This is a 3G packet-based transmission of text, voice, video and multimedia data rates higher than 2Mbps.

UTRA: Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
A standard for 3G mobile communications where the radio access components are based on WCDMA and TDCDMA access methods.

VHE: Virtual Home Environment
VHE is part of the IMT-2000/WCDMA and UMTS mobile phone network. With VHE, a user can take their home network on the road by emulating the same access and services they have within their fixed environment.

WCDMA: Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
A 3G technology that increases data transmission by using code division (CDMA) rather than time division (TDMA) technology.

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