22 ms·

Spec for US GSM model doesn't list 2100 band, which makes the 1700 band kind of useless. It's only needed for T-Mobile HSPA+ which is on 1700/2100 or 1900/2100

by wffurr 13y ago

Spec for US GSM model doesn't list 2100 band, which makes the 1700 band kind of useless. It's only needed for T-Mobile HSPA+ which is on 1700/2100 or 1900/2100 if you're in a re-farmed area. I'm hoping that's an error, because otherwise this phone will be limited to 2G speeds on T-Mobile.

pkulak 13y ago
I thought T-Mobile was quickly moving LTE to AWS (1700/2100) and HSPA+ to PCS (1900)? That would mean that this phone would work as fast as possible in any "re-farmed" area, which I think is most of them at this point.
- wffurr 13y ago
  They are, and the international version of the Moto G will have HSPA+ in refarmed areas, and EDGE service elsewhere. My Motorola Razr i has the same band support as the international Moto G, and I get HSPA+ in a lot of places in Boston but not all. Whereas my wife's penta-band Galaxy Nexus gets HSPA+ everywhere. What's confusing is that the US GSM version has the 1700 band, but not the 2100 band, and T-Mobile to my knowledge requires 1700/2100 (everywhere) or 1900/2100 (areas that have been refarmed for iPhone support).
- yapcguy 13y ago
  I think you're right but it's confusing as to what exactly is happening and the effect on devices... https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/39361?start=0&tstart=0 https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/39361?start=0&tstart=0
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
maxsilver 13y ago
> otherwise this phone will be limited to 2G speeds on T-Mobile. I'm not sure what your reading, perhaps it's been changed. T-Mobile HSPA+ is fully supported on both bands on the US GSM Moto G phone, according to the spec sheet on their website at http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pdp-ways-to-buy.html http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pd... (It explicitly mentions PCS 1900 support, so AT&T HSPA+ and new T-Mobile HSPA+ works, and it explicitly mentions AWS 1700/(2100) support, so old T-Mobile HSPA+, Wind, Mobilicity, ect will also work)
- wffurr 13y ago
  Where do you see that? When I click that link, I see this for frequency band support: US GSM Model: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) UMTS/HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps (850, 1700 (AWS), 1900 MHz) Doesn't mention the 2100 band at all, either PCS or AWS. 2100 is only listed for the international model, which lacks the 1700 AWS band. Is there a link to a more detailed spec sheet? The Motorola Razr i I am using now works with PCS on T-Mobile, but also explicitly lists the 2100 band, which I believe is required for T-Mobile HSPA+: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_razr_i_xt890-4998.php http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_razr_i_xt890-4998.php
  - maxsilver 13y ago
    > Doesn't mention the 2100 band at all, either PCS or AWS. AWS is the proper notation, and that's the phrase your looking for when looking for T-Mobile USA phones. When Motorola claims it supports "AWS", they're explicitly telling you that T-Mobile USA HSPA+ works on both bands. You won't see "1700/2100" often listed on USA phones, specifically because of the problem you just mentioned -- the 2100 band is used unpaired internationally, so it's confusing to see it listed twice, especially when those two uses are completely incompatible.
    - wffurr 13y ago
      OK - That's confusing, but it sounds confusing either way. The difference is whether it can only receive on 2100 or also transmit. Also a bit disappointing, because I'm about to travel to the UK and Europe, and it would be awfully nice to have proper support on all bands. I guess that's another selling point for the Moto X.
nerdtalker 13y ago
The US GSM model appears to trade WCDMA on Band 1 (2100 MHz) for Band 4 ("AWS" 1700 Tx/2100 Rx). Global GSM includes Band 1 since that's a very popular band internationally, but doesn't have Band 4. Keep in mind, T-Mobile USA is predominantly Band 4 for WCDMA and LTE, and Band 2 (1900 MHz) with at most a single WCDMA carrier in markets for roaming, iPhones, and improved in-building coverage. So no, it isn't useless to T-Mobile, and won't be limited to 2G speeds. There's no Band 1 (2100 MHz) deployed inside the USA. Band 4 tried to align itself with Band 1, but manages only to align some of the downlink (tower->handset) spectrum (2110 to 2170 MHz for B1, 2110 to 2155 for B4), the uplink/duplex spacing is entirely different (this is the 1700 MHz "band"), 400 MHz below downlink for B4 as opposed to 190 MHz below it for B1.
- wffurr 13y ago
  Thank you for the thorough explanation. I see the difference now between full 2100 support and receive-only 2100 support. A little disappointing, since I'm about to travel to the UK and Europe, and it would be awfully nice to have WCDMA everywhere. I guess that's another selling point for the Moto X, or I could just deal with T-Mobile's PCS support.

by wffurr 13y ago

pkulak 13y ago

I thought T-Mobile was quickly moving LTE to AWS (1700/2100) and HSPA+ to PCS (1900)? That would mean that this phone would work as fast as possible in any "re-farmed" area, which I think is most of them at this point.

wffurr 13y ago
They are, and the international version of the Moto G will have HSPA+ in refarmed areas, and EDGE service elsewhere. My Motorola Razr i has the same band support as the international Moto G, and I get HSPA+ in a lot of places in Boston but not all. Whereas my wife's penta-band Galaxy Nexus gets HSPA+ everywhere. What's confusing is that the US GSM version has the 1700 band, but not the 2100 band, and T-Mobile to my knowledge requires 1700/2100 (everywhere) or 1900/2100 (areas that have been refarmed for iPhone support).
yapcguy 13y ago
I think you're right but it's confusing as to what exactly is happening and the effect on devices... https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/39361?start=0&tstart=0 https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/39361?start=0&tstart=0

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

maxsilver 13y ago

> otherwise this phone will be limited to 2G speeds on T-Mobile. I'm not sure what your reading, perhaps it's been changed. T-Mobile HSPA+ is fully supported on both bands on the US GSM Moto G phone, according to the spec sheet on their website at http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pdp-ways-to-buy.html http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pd... (It explicitly mentions PCS 1900 support, so AT&T HSPA+ and new T-Mobile HSPA+ works, and it explicitly mentions AWS 1700/(2100) support, so old T-Mobile HSPA+, Wind, Mobilicity, ect will also work)

wffurr 13y ago
Where do you see that? When I click that link, I see this for frequency band support: US GSM Model: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) UMTS/HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps (850, 1700 (AWS), 1900 MHz) Doesn't mention the 2100 band at all, either PCS or AWS. 2100 is only listed for the international model, which lacks the 1700 AWS band. Is there a link to a more detailed spec sheet? The Motorola Razr i I am using now works with PCS on T-Mobile, but also explicitly lists the 2100 band, which I believe is required for T-Mobile HSPA+: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_razr_i_xt890-4998.php http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_razr_i_xt890-4998.php
- maxsilver 13y ago
  > Doesn't mention the 2100 band at all, either PCS or AWS. AWS is the proper notation, and that's the phrase your looking for when looking for T-Mobile USA phones. When Motorola claims it supports "AWS", they're explicitly telling you that T-Mobile USA HSPA+ works on both bands. You won't see "1700/2100" often listed on USA phones, specifically because of the problem you just mentioned -- the 2100 band is used unpaired internationally, so it's confusing to see it listed twice, especially when those two uses are completely incompatible.
  - wffurr 13y ago
    OK - That's confusing, but it sounds confusing either way. The difference is whether it can only receive on 2100 or also transmit. Also a bit disappointing, because I'm about to travel to the UK and Europe, and it would be awfully nice to have proper support on all bands. I guess that's another selling point for the Moto X.

nerdtalker 13y ago

The US GSM model appears to trade WCDMA on Band 1 (2100 MHz) for Band 4 ("AWS" 1700 Tx/2100 Rx). Global GSM includes Band 1 since that's a very popular band internationally, but doesn't have Band 4. Keep in mind, T-Mobile USA is predominantly Band 4 for WCDMA and LTE, and Band 2 (1900 MHz) with at most a single WCDMA carrier in markets for roaming, iPhones, and improved in-building coverage. So no, it isn't useless to T-Mobile, and won't be limited to 2G speeds. There's no Band 1 (2100 MHz) deployed inside the USA. Band 4 tried to align itself with Band 1, but manages only to align some of the downlink (tower->handset) spectrum (2110 to 2170 MHz for B1, 2110 to 2155 for B4), the uplink/duplex spacing is entirely different (this is the 1700 MHz "band"), 400 MHz below downlink for B4 as opposed to 190 MHz below it for B1.

wffurr 13y ago
Thank you for the thorough explanation. I see the difference now between full 2100 support and receive-only 2100 support. A little disappointing, since I'm about to travel to the UK and Europe, and it would be awfully nice to have WCDMA everywhere. I guess that's another selling point for the Moto X, or I could just deal with T-Mobile's PCS support.