Reception on a 850mhz only phone

**B407** · 07-21-2012, 10:10 PM

Does anyone have any experience using a phone on Telus or Bell that only supports 3G on the 850mhz band. If so, how is the reception in the Toronto area?

**o2qc418** · 07-22-2012, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by B407

Does anyone have any experience using a phone on Telus or Bell that only supports 3G on the 850mhz band. If so, how is the reception in the Toronto area?

No problem in many area ... And never see difference in ontario - quebec ...
I have used a motorola defy xt with only 850 mhz...
I think you can t get signal where telus have only 1900 mhz like manitoba ... But no probem for anothers province for the moment

**intlbizman** · 07-22-2012, 11:10 AM

you can see what towers are.avail if your area. in Scarborough there are only 1900 towers near me. no 850s.

**B407** · 07-22-2012, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by intlbizman

you can see what towers are.avail if your area. in Scarborough there are only 1900 towers near me. no 850s.

Do you mind posting a link as to where I can see what towers and frequencies are available in my area? The phone in question will actually be used primarily in Scarborough so if there's only 1900 that would be a problem.

**intlbizman** · 07-22-2012, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by B407

Do you mind posting a link as to where I can see what towers and frequencies are available in my area? The phone in question will actually be used primarily in Scarborough so if there's only 1900 that would be a problem.

http://www.arcx.com/sites/TelusGoogle.htm

**intlbizman** · 07-22-2012, 04:06 PM

there's another site I'm trying to find

**B407** · 07-22-2012, 07:59 PM

Thanks for posting that!

**o2qc418** · 07-22-2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by B407

Thanks for posting that!

Just want add precision ... Many 1900 mhz tower is for the old evdo network ...

**intlbizman** · 07-22-2012, 10:29 PM

i can't find... it might have been the same arc site i posted above, although I recall before, i can click on each site and it will tell me whose tower it is and what frequencies it operated on. I noticed all the BELLUS towers in my neck of Scarborough were 1900Mhz only.

anyway, even if this is true, it doesn't definitively answer your original question as to how well it will work. Since 850Mhz has better distance, maybe they don't need so many towers...

good luck trying and if it doesn't work, get a proper phone for canada.

**B407** · 07-22-2012, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by intlbizman

good luck trying and if it doesn't work, get a proper phone for canada.

Thanks the reason I asked is because my grandmother is on Telus prepaid and has a ridiculous balance so we don't want to switch but she needs a new phone as the current one is dying and is a bit too complicated for her as she did not grow up with technology and does not speak English. We want to get her one of those super simple phones with huge buttons. In Canada the only ones that fit the bill is the Doro but it doesn't support HSPA. I found the perfect phone for her on eBay but it only supports 3G 850mhz. Anyone know of any phones that are EXTREMELY simple and have large buttons that work with Telus HSPA?

**intlbizman** · 07-23-2012, 12:05 AM

SGS3 has huge buttons for dialing. lol

**cmstlist** · 07-23-2012, 12:18 AM

There are a few basic dumbphone Nokias with 850/1900 3G such as 3120 classic, 3710 fold, C2-01, 6555.

Go to GSMArena's phone finder and select:
UMTS 850 and 1900
Operating System: Feature phones
QWERTY keyboard: Without QWERTY
Touchscreen: No touchscreen

I get 63 results. Some of them must be available used cheap.

Future Shop is selling the C2-01 for $55 prepaid, locked to Bell but should be unlockable. Telus is selling the Samsung C414 and LG A341 on prepaid at FS for cheap.

(On a mostly unrelated note WOW FS is selling the Xperia Ray for $150 prepaid on Telus? And it's been upgrade to ICS too.)

**o2qc418** · 07-23-2012, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by cmstlist

There are a few basic dumbphone Nokias with 850/1900 3G such as 3120 classic, 3710 fold, C2-01, 6555.

Go to GSMArena's phone finder and select:
UMTS 850 and 1900
Operating System: Feature phones
QWERTY keyboard: Without QWERTY
Touchscreen: No touchscreen

I get 63 results. Some of them must be available used cheap.

Future Shop is selling the C2-01 for $55 prepaid, locked to Bell but should be unlockable. Telus is selling the Samsung C414 and LG A341 on prepaid at FS for cheap.

(On a mostly unrelated note WOW FS is selling the Xperia Ray for $150 prepaid on Telus? And it's been upgrade to ICS too.)

Don t buy nokia ... Is very hard ti unlock !
Offtopic : xperia ray was @ 129.99 last week ...