Quad-band 3G iPhone to 'qonquer' the world?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Friday, 16 May 2008 13:19

Your IT - Mobility

In my previous 3G iPhone article, noting that Optus and Vodafone had officially announced they were both independently bringing the iPhone to Australia, I looked at three 3.5G frequencies, but forgot a fourth which any iPhone should also support. In addition, Vodafone answered some of my 3.5G frequency questions...

Well, it’s the end of another week, and so far, Telstra has still been silent, both officially and unofficially on any Australian iPhone release, whether 2G, 3G or any G.

But with Optus and Vodafone both official iPhone resellers “later this year”, and with June 9 drawing ever closer when Apple CEO Steve Jobs is fully expected to drop the 3G iPhone bombshell, the topic of whether one 3G iPhone – or several – will appear on the global stage, is one big question.

Already, the latest rumours suggest the new 3G iPhone will come in several colours, being white, silver and black.

But of greater importance than a colour scheme is the 3.5G frequencies the 3G iPhone will support, especially given that three colour models already introduces the need to carry that much more stock if this rumour is true.

In my previous iPhone story, “3G iPhone to be a tasty-triple band treat?” I looked at the different 3.5G HSDPA frequencies in use around the world – 850MHz, 900MHz and 2100MHz.

But as iTWire reader “Chris C” pointed out in the comments section of that previous article, 3G and 3.5G is also available in the 1900MHz frequency, with AT&T installing third generation mobile networks in that frequency in the US, in addition to equipment using 850MHz frequencies, and suggested that AT&T’s priority would actually be an 850/1900MHz 3G iPhone.

Given that there are indeed four 3.5G frequencies in use worldwide, and given that Optus and Vodafone are busily rolling out 900MHz 3.5G phone towers across Australia, alongside existing 2100MHz equipment, I can only come to one (two-part) conclusion...

Please read on to find out, plus see what Vodafone's answers are to my 3.5G frequency questions - and to see if they elicit any hints about the type of iPhone they'll be selling "later this year"...