iPhone Original Works 3G … Anywhere But America
DH | Aug 29, 2008 | Comments 80
Here’s a headline for you — the original iPhone works on 3G data networks, and works just as fast as the new iPhone 3G. In fact, the iPhone original is a quad-band cell phone, and capable of operating on 3G networks.
But in America, however, original iPhones are throttled back by Apple’s software and forced to operate only on AT&T’s aged, outdated and antiquated Edge data network where the data stream runs at about 80k or at dial-up speeds, even though users pay a premium for the service. If you take an original iPhone anywhere else in the world, it will rock along at blazing speeds on the latest 3G networks. I have personally experienced the fast service while using my older iPhone in Europe on the Vodaphone and Orange mobile networks.
According to my sources inside AT&T, when Apple collaborated with AT&T on the original iPhone last year, the old Edge network (which AT&T acquired from Cingular) was the only data network available; the 3G network had yet to be built. AT&T’s 3G data network, in fact, is still under construction and only available in major metropolitan areas in the U.S.
But, it’s a different story in Europe, Asia, Russia, the Middle East and many so-called “third world” countries which all have state-of-the-art high speed 3G+ data networks. Use an older original iPhone there, and it will rocket along. That’s why original iPhones are today in such great demand – because they are 3G-capable and can be hacked to run on those networks.
In most parts of the world, mobile phone companies have been smart and have collaborated to build one universal high-speed wireless phone system. Except here in America, we have a hodgepodge of aging cell phone networks. Not one standard but many. And, that results in uniformily poor service for customers of nearly any cell phone company, except perhaps Verizon, which has invested in building a strong network.
Incidentally, the reason the new iPhone 3Gs are dropping so many calls at the aggravation of customers is simply because AT&T’s 3G network lacks the high speed capacity. When an individual cell phone tower, for example, in a city gets overloaded with iPhone 3G calls, it bumps them back to the slower Edge network, dropping the call. Apple’s upcoming software fix that we should see in a week or two will make the iPhone 3G transition smoother to the Edge network, like taking a giant step backwards for customers who had paid for faster, not slower, service.
We cell phone customers in America pay for the shortsightedness and quest for short-term greed of the mobile phone companies, which have stupidly invested in building multiple networks rather than one universal national network to serve customers. The poor cell phone service, my friends, is only in America.
The original iPhone was not built for 3G. You need specific chips and radios for it. Maybe they work better because of better network infrastructure overseas, but it is most certainly not from different hardware.
Tom,
You very well could be right but others would disagree, including people at AT&T and Apple.
My point is this – the original iPhone is capable of working on ANY 3G network today, including in the U.S. It already works perfectly on 3G networks globally, and that’s why it’s in such demand worldwide.
David
I have an original iPhone and I live in the UK, I’m interested as to how my phone “can be hacked” to run on a 3G network. I guess I would need to have a 3G data plan to get access to the 3G network?
David, your message in your article, and your message in your comment are different.
Tom is correct, the original iPhone does not have the hardware to use 3G, however it can be on the same network as they are backwards compatible, not because someone hacks it to ‘go faster’. The overall networks overseas are much better as well. The US is so backwards with cell phone technology it may as well be in the dark ages still.
As for why the original iPhone is in demand world wide, it has more to do with the fact that you can get one for $300 ish, with no plan or contract. Unlike the new phone which requires a contract or is much higher price to buy outright.
You seem to be taking two fairly unrelated facts, and mashing them together to support your own point, when they obviously do not.
You may be missing my point, and it is this – the original iPhone is a quad band phone capable of working on a 3G network. Whether it was “built” specifically for the 3G network or not is splitting hairs. The fact is that when only the 3G service is available, not Edge, the iPhone original is forced to run at 3G and 3G speeds, and does an amazing job.
I cannot speak to the service you are on in the UK.
David
Wow!
This is so wrong!
It isn’t capable of a true 3G connection because it lacks the necessary hardware.
It is possible if a better edge network is present it might be much faster.
Also if you don’t like the situation in the US the government must also be blamed for this as it has caused a lot of the problems with 3G spectrum (ie not allowing the rest of the european 3G standard).
Verizon suck also, so your entire article is fully discredited.
Rand,
I understand what you are saying but it is not David Henderson who is saying this but an expert at AT&T who is familiar with the technology.
I have wonder why my iPhone original is so fast on mobile networks in Europe, and it is because my phone is “forced” into 3G mode, I am told, on those networks as a quad band phone.
I am not trying to “mash together” anything; it’s a reality.
David
All I can say is … fly to Europe with an older iPhone, and give it a try. What you will find is that the iPhone original is 3G capable. Whether it was made with the right chips or radio or whatever, it works on 3G networks at 3G speeds.
When you return, I’d love to hear from you.
David
Not sure why some of you seem so defensive because what Henderson asserts in his blog posting is pretty accurate.
HM
Amsterdam
Living in Germany, I have found this to be true. I have no complaints with the speed of my iPhone that I bought late last year. Friends in the U.S., however, complain about Edge.
I live in Denmark. I have an “old” iPhone, and I have a handful of friends that have iPhones. I travel regularly, mostly in Europe, as do my friends.
None of us have experienced our iPhones running on the available 3G networks – anywhere. Having said that, they run pretty adequately on the available 2.5G (EDGE) networks in Europe.
I would like to see a comment – or an article – from a European that describes how he got his iPhone to run on 3G, and where he can do it. Screendumps to verify it would be nice…
The fact that it is a quad band phone doesn’t imply that it’s a 3G device, so I’d like to see more persuasive evidence – and of course I’d love to be proven wrong. Who wouldn’t want to have a 3G phone?
(in Europe, that is!
)
Regards,
P.
Peter,
I am not sure whether you are pulling our legs or full of “b-s.” 2.5G networks in Europe?! If such a thing does exist, it is gnats difference in speed from 3G.
I think you are missing Henderson’s point – that in Europe, when no other network is available, the older iPhones from America are “forced” into 3G and run at comparable 3G speeds. That is absolutely true.
Any questions?
If i buy the new iphone 3g in america and i bring it in europe can i use it(in europe)..?or what do i have to do in case it doesnt work>?
Savito,
First, I suggest you visit an Apple store and ask that question. But if you live in Europe and intend the use the phone mostly there, you may want to buy it there.
David
Do you know how much the iphone 3g 16gb cost in America?(only the phone)
Savito,
I don’t know where you are located in the world so I can only suggest starting by visiting http://www.apple.com.
Good luck!
David
Ridiculous!
I live in the UK. I have a 3g iPhone, and a friend of mine still has the old model. Mine ALWAYS runs way faster than his. So, at the end of the day. It makes no difference. The 3g IS faster. Simple as that.
How incredibly embarrassing. The worst possible sort of journalism – reporting verbatim the words of an individual without bothering to do any sort of research whatsoever.
Stop stating nonsense as fact.
Mr Henderson – it really doesn’t matter what some numpty from AT&T has told you. The original iPhone does NOT work at 3G speeds on 3G networks in Europe.
Period.
The end. Finito. Fini. Terminar. Afwerking. Fertig stellen. Wykończenie.
ok-clue in the UK, I have a 2g and 3 g iphone here. using them both, it takes my 2g 38 Seconds to download a 400kb file, while the 3g downloads It in 12 Seconds
Sorry’ mean I’m in the UK, ion using a tables, So it’s Still learning my hand writing
ARGH! TABLET
Gerald,
May I ask your location? All I can express are my findings, and I suspect that my sources are far, far more credible than your subjective accusations.
David
Mr. OHare,
You are in the UK; I was in Germany and Switzerland.
David
David, please, it cannot access 3G networks at 3G speeds because the hardware isn’t inside the iPhone. That means it’s impossible to access it at those speeds – that’s right, impossible. Your sources? Where are they exactly?
Many people have dismantled the iPhone and the hardware is not in there. I’ve used a 2G and 3G iPhone side-by-side in the UK and the 3G one is three to four times faster on download times. That’s it. This news article isn’t news, it’s fabricated nonsense.
Adam,
No one is slamming your iPhone 3G, if you have one. Read my posting … READ it. I was astonished by the speeds while in Germany and Switzerland and checked with my sources at Apple and AT&T here in America. It’s about the speed at which older iPhones operate in America versus Europe. Sorry you did not get it.
David
David -
I don’t have sources. I have first hand experience of using the original iPhone in the following countries:
UK
Netherlands
Germany
France
United Arab Emirates
Kuwait
Bahrain
Saudi Arabia.
Stop this nonsense. It’s embarrassing.
David -
Emailing me the exact same comment that you replied to Adam with is incredibly lazy.
Let me quote back to you exactly what you say in the very first sentence in your post:
“Here’s a headline for you — the original iPhone works on 3G data networks, and works just as fast as the new iPhone 3G. ”
If you want, I’ll fly to the US and debate the matter with you face to face on national television. You can even bring along your “sources” if you so wish.
You appear to have not gotten my post either, the iPhone 3G is not mine, I have no personal interest in it one way or another.
You state it works at 3G speeds (the 2G iPhone); guess what? It simply doesn’t.
Original iPhones aren’t throttled back, they physically cannot run at 3G speeds so they use the EDGE network; however, what you’re referring to is akin to the PlayStation, where the newer console (such as the PlayStation 2) could play the previous console’s games, i.e. Backwards compatibility. It does not run at 3G speeds.
David – I’m unsure as to why you are now deleting perfectly reasonable comments on your blog.
You emailed me the exact same text that you posted above to Adam.
I responded quoting your very first sentence -
“Here’s a headline for you — the original iPhone works on 3G data networks, and works just as fast as the new iPhone 3G.”
- and that I would be perfectly happy to fly to the US to debate this matter with you on national television, and that you were welcome to bring along your “sources”
Why delete that perfectly reasonable comment?
“in America, however, original iPhones are throttled back by Apple’s software and forced to operate only on AT&T’s aged, outdated and antiquated Edge data network where the data stream runs at about 80k or at dial-up speeds, even though users pay a premium for the service. If you take an original iPhone anywhere else in the world, it will rock along at blazing speeds on the latest 3G networks. I have personally experienced the fast service while using my older iPhone in Europe on the Vodaphone and Orange mobile networks.”
What is actually happening is that your phone is operating on the fast European 2G/2.5G networks, which are not limited to 80K. EDGE is capable of over 200K. That doesn’t mean it’s 3G and it doesn’t mean your older iPhone is using a 3G network, as it can’t.
David, you took the time to e-mail me personally your response to my first message on this news article.
Then you did something so petty, you deleted my last post – are your sources really not as good as you previously proclaimed?
PWNED!
Makes no difference! We have numerous very good 3g networks in the UK. And STILL the 3g iphone is 3 or 4 times faster than the old model! So it doesn’t matter if you are in Germany, Switzerland, or on Jupiter! The old iPhone WILL NOT run 3g. I’m very suprised you’re actually still trying to argue this fact.
Do you know why Apple put the plastic back on the 3g model? Oh, that’s right, because the aluminium back would have witheld 3g signals from the NEW 3g antenna!
Don’t use logic, you won’t win.
Adam,
Four of your comments were caught in the spam filter; two of the four are not being posted. You know why.
DH
Reading this has got me thinking. If I were to bypass my XBox 360 Powerpack & just let 240 volts straight into the machine. I think it might run like 5 times faster. It will become a 356 bit machine instead.
Here in San Jose, you would be surprised by the number of Apple employees who travel abroad and see no reason to get the 3G. All of this is silly – Fact: Edge in the U.S. is pathetically slow. Fact: Networks around the world are faster. Henderson’s post has called attention to that here in the US, and that’s good.
Go back to your games, boys, and grow up.
Raj,
You got it!
David
But he was claiming that it can use a 3g signal.
It can’t!
End of story.
Oh, and quite simply, as I already said…. yes those of you suffering the terrible at&t network would indeed think there is no reason to get a 3g after experiencing the European 2g speeds. BUT, those of us using 3g phones over here are still running 3 or 4 times faster than those “fast” 2g connections.
Unfortunately, Mr. O’Hare, you are so very, very inaccurate and uninformed. The older iPhones can use the 3G signal in Europe, and in doing so, their speed increases dramatically.
Wow! You really are disillusioned!
THEY HAVE NO 3G CAPABILITY!!!!!!
Their speed increases because our 2g network is around 4 times faster than the AT&T 2g network. THAT is why your speed increases.
You’re clearly finding it hard to admit you were mistaken!
My posting was to make a point here in the U.S. about the sorry state of EDGE.
With all apologies, I do not really care about how fast your networks are in the UK. It’s all subjective, anyway, because it varies widely, minute by minute.
At the end of the day, it’s a gnat’s difference that I really don’t care about. I am thrilled that the UK and Europe have faster networks. But the intent of my posting was to drive home the point that in the U.S., AT&T’s EDGE isn’t much better than wireless dial-up.
Now, I will bow-out and let all of you debate it.
Cheers,
DH
Well, at least you finally “borderline” admit you were wrong.
Yes, the US offers a very substantial 2g service considering the amount they charge for it. And therefore it is certainly noticeable when travelling to Europe that there is a very noticeable speed increase due to the faster services available over here. But, of course, a 2g phone of any variety cannot be “forced” onto a 3g network if it doesn’t detect 2g. It will simply show there is no available service.
All in all, AT&T need to offer a better service with both their 2g and 3g networks. It’s not like they can’t afford to do so. Perhaps they can look at the European service providers and see what a difference there is. which, in many cases is being offered by companies a whole lot smaller than themselves, too.
oooops. Sorry….. I meant “substandard” 2g service, not “substantial” lol!
I must add that what I wrote is absolutely accurate – that when an original iPhone from the U.S. is used in Europe when nothing but a 3G network is available, the iPhone will be “forced” into a 3G mode and operate at relative 3G speeds. That is according to AT&T head of wireless networks in Annapolis, MD, and confirmed by Apple.
I encourage you to do you own investigation.
DH
This is the part that you clearly don’t understand. It has no way of accessing or recognising a 3g network. This is the reason for releasing a 3g iphone. Plus there are no areas in europe where there is only a 3g network & no 3g. The 2g network is still far wider, covering all the 3g areas & further afield. At the end of the day, it is impossible….. yes, IMPOSSIBLE for a 2g phone to access a 3g network in any way, shape or form. I have emailed apple, and at&t with a link to this page and will see what reaction comes back from that. I’ve also contacted o2 who exclusively deal with the iphone here in the UK. So we shall watch as they state the obvious for you!
David -
A wise man once said that when you find yourself in a hole, you should stop digging.
You should have stopped digging hours ago.
Surely as an Emmy award winning former CBS news correspondent you have a reputation that you care about?
(Kind of you to reinstate the posts that you earlier removed though.)
Here’s a link to the datasheet for the Infineon PMB 8876 chip that resides inside the original iPhone acts as its modem.
It might be worth highlighting to the AT&T head of wireless networks in Annapolis, MD, that this chip HAS NO 3G CAPABILITY.
(warning – PDF link)
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheets/208/464709_DS.pdf
Still, I guess having such individuals in charge of things over that side of the pond goes some way to explaining the state of your networks.
Again, I highlight the irrefutable fact that the very opening statement in your blog post is demonstrably false:
“Here’s a headline for you — the original iPhone works on 3G data networks, and works just as fast as the new iPhone 3G”
I really am not sure why you are so in insistent on arguing this very, very, very inaccurate point despite being told in no uncertain terms that you are talking nonsense.
I do not know the speeds at which the 2g/Edge network runs at in the states. I do however know these facts to be true:
1 – the original iPhone does not have 3g capable components or software. Not even with the new firmware can it activate hidden features -there simply is no equipment within the phone that will run on a 3g network. It’s completely impossible for the device to understand 3g data
2 – Theres no such thing as a 3g only network. Such a thing would be completely impratical unless the entire world was covered in 3g only equipment, something not feasible either economically or technologically.
3 – If you try to connect to a 3g compatible network with a non 3g phone, you will not be able to connect – the phone will not see the 3g part of the network. The network will connect the phone to 2g equipment that is part of the same network. This does not mean it connects to the 3g part of the network! They operate as different systems but are linked so that users can use whatever system they are able to – 3g users will get the 3g part with faster data IF and ONLY IF they have 3g equipment such as the iPhone 3g. If they have a 2g phone such as the ORIGINAL IPHONE or can not get a stable 3g signal, they will ONLY connect to the 2G network.
4 – Europe etc may well have faster EDGE/2g, but that does not make it 3g. The two technologys are completely different
5 – If the original iPhone runs on 3g at 3g speeds, why are you the only person blogging about it? Why was there no outcry when Apple announced the 3g iPhone when the original iphone already did it? Simple, because it never has and never will.
By reporting this and being incredibly stubborn, you are only hurting your own reputation. Instead of insisting we do our research, why don’t you do justice to that emmy win you proudly mention at the top of your page and act like a journalist
Raj is right. Clearly the point is that the EDGE service offered by AT&T is substandard.
But it should still be noted, it’s EVEN FURTHER behind what a decent 3G signal can provide than using a first gen iPhone in Europe would lead you to believe.