AT&T - GSM 900 and 1800?

S

Stephii [:

New member
Hi,

I heard that most of the US runs on GSM 800/850 and GSM 1900...but I just called AT&T/Cingular and asked what frequencies they run on. The sales rep said they're on GSM 900 and 1800. Which is true? I was really intent on buying the Sony Ericsson K800i, until I was told that "without the 800/850 band, you'll probably get spotty reception in the US." I would use AT&T/Cingular's service if I was to buy this phone. According to gsmarena.com, the network on the K800i is:

UMTS/900/1800/1900 MHz

and phonescoop.com says it also has WCDMA 2100 (for use in Japan, which is what I need). I'm mainly looking for a phone that has a good camera (3+ megapixels) and works well in the US and Japan, so I really have my heart set on this Sony Ericsson phone...but if I get spotty reception in the US, I don't think I want to buy it.
 
Did this rep sound like they might be talking to you from another country (or another planet?!?) That's the only logical explanation for them making such a dumb mistake... because the USA providers are all on 850/1900mhz and practically all the rest of the world uses 900/1800mhz.

"AT&T operates at a network frequency of 850/1900 MHz."
-Source: Visiting the U.S. and coverage | AT&T wireless services

Furthermore, AT&T's coverage nationwide has a much heavier saturation with the 850mhz band than the 1900mhz, and that means a tri-mode phone without 850 might get no service in some areas where AT&T doesn't have 1900mhz coverage... so I recommend making sure you get a phone with both 850mhz AND 1900mhz... the other 2 bands are only important if you want to use your phone outside the USA.
 
ATT operates at 850/1900. They have to, these are the only frequencies allocated by the FTC for cell phone use. Period.
Your phone will probably work pretty good in the us, but be aware, that since it is not a cingular phone, except when you go to areas that are not covered with the 1900 towers.
An easier solution is to buy an 8525 or treo 750, both of which have the 2100 mhz frequency for Japan
 
You meant FCC for Federal Communications Commission and not FTC for Federal Trade Commission. The FCC is implementing frequency assignments allocated by international bodies.
 
As of 2010-06-29, AT&T wireless still uses frequencies in the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz ranges. See the "what you need to know about your network" page on the AT&T wireless web site.
 
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