Ok let me preface this by saying this is COMPLETELY UNSUBSTANTIATED, so I'm not saying this for a fact and don't jump on me for accuracy. I'm expecting you guys to do some legwork to find out if this is true.
I have heard strong rumors that the Infineon 3G chipset that the iPhone 3G is using DOES infact support TMO's AWS Band IV 1700/ 2100 UMTS 3G frequency. I have heard that this is infact the Infineon chip being used;
The more I look at the above article I linked, the more inclined I am to believe that that is infact the Infineon chipset being used. If that was mainstreamed in Q4 2006, you have to believe that that is the chipset being used. Somebody needs to tear open a 3G iPhone and confirm. But I have heard rumors that they are one and the same.
I will email the Dev team first thing tomorrow from work and alert them to this possibility.
Two things we need to do in short order:
1) Have them tear it open and let us know which exact Infineon 3G chipset is being used.
2) If it is the chipset above, have them work on software unlocking it as part of their process.
If any of you who are more technically aware can tear one open and let us know which chipset, all the better. Post it in this topic.
PS It might be a crappy Infineon chipset folks, but if its the chipset with hidden Band IV that I have heard it is it will be like Christmas for us all!
Not sure what I'm looking for, but here is a high res shot of the 3G's guts.
You're the f'in man dude. Can somebody look at the picture he pasted above and identify which Infineon model number that chipset belongs to? In the diagram it just says Infineon 3G. I need a model number. There are some ID numbers on that Infineon chip which should make it easy! If I have to call Infineon tomorrow, I will.
Folks I don't want to be premature here, but I've done some more research and it sure as f*ck appears that the iPhone 3G has an Infineon Smarti 3GE chipset!! And that frickin means it DOES have hidden Band IV UMTS!!!! I need to confirm tomorrow!
OMG the iPhone 3G probably secretly supports TMO's AWS!!
No doubt an iPhone supporting AWS would be cool, but why be so excited about a phone with "massive problems?"
Dude. It doesn't matter if it has chipset issues or not. I'm telling you that the frickin iPhone 3G probably has an Infineon Smarti 3GE chipset. Do you realize the enormity of this news? That means that the iPhone 3G almost likely supports frickin 1-1.5 Mbps(real time) AWS TMO 3G native. My heart is literally racing. This wouldn't just be big news, this is probably the biggest event in this message board's history if true. This would mean that regardless of any other 3G handset that was released for TMO, we would have the pre-eminant 3G handset (flaws and all) available to us!
I think you're overreacting just a bit. Besides, the iPhone is still locked to AT&T, and even if you unlock it you will get no support from T-Mobile for it since it's not a T-Mobile phone. As mentioned already, the chipset it buggy. People have been returning the iPhone 3G and trading them in for a different phone because of how unreliable they are. If you want a phone that drops calls for the heck of it and gets stuck on EDGE speeds when 3G is available, then by all means get excited and enjoy your buggy phone. I'll have to pass.
Wouldn't this have already been discovered though? Especially with the popularity of the iPhone 3G, unlocking it, etc.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I hope its true & appreciate you taking the time to check it out. Just seems someone would have caught on by now.
Is T-Mobile USA the only carrier that uses that 1700 band for their 3G??
This is what is interesting. In my research, people have actually identified the chipset as the one I named above. Further research clearly indicates that if it is that chipset, it DOES support Band IV UMTS, which is AWS or the standard that TMO uses. The only people that have put it together so far are the ones I got this tip from. Read the link I posted when I created this thread. You will see a description of that chipset dated 2006 and even then it included Band IV which was an officially approved UMTS Band and was known would be deployed. For whatever reason, Apple chose to advertise this as a UMTS 850/1900/Euro 2100 handset, but if it is infact using the chipset above, which I now think is likely, it DOES also support Band IV. To my knowlege, Infineon does not make a chipset that only has 850/1900/Euro 2100 and the model number the iPhone 3G uses matches that of the only chipset they do produce, which DOES support Band IV. I want you all to read this info again about the Infineon SmartI 3GE. This chipset is as old as 2006 and has ALWAYS included Band IV:
This is infact big news if it is true! This proves that Apple MIGHT be bringing Iphone 3g to T-mobile after the 3g launch. Very smart move for Apple indeed. They will only have to create new wireless drivers for the iphone in order to have it work with T-mobile in the future.
Good job!
The largest chip in the top left corner is an Infineon 337S3394 WEDGE baseband marked SP836175 G0822.
Small chip to the right of the NOR: Infineon BGA736 (Tri-Band HSDPA LNA). Just beneath that is an Infineon UMTS Transceiver marked 338S03532Z 60814.
Skyworks power amplifier SKY77340 (Power Amplifier Module Quad) on the top right.
The chip in the top middle is SMP 3i 6820, Infineon SM-Power3i . From Infineon: the part is "optimized to support modem and data card applications based upon X-GOLD208 and X-GOLD 608, with features ranging from EDGE up to 3G and HSDPA."
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Originally Posted by peestandingup
Besides, the iPhone is still locked to AT&T, and even if you unlock it you will get no support from T-Mobile for it since it's not a T-Mobile phone. As mentioned already, the chipset it buggy. People have been returning the iPhone 3G and trading them in for a different phone because of how unreliable they are. If you want a phone that drops calls for the heck of it and gets stuck on EDGE speeds when 3G is available, then by all means get excited and enjoy your buggy phone. I'll have to pass.
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