Cellular GSM Technology - GSM frequencies in Brazil, is 900Mhz common/needed?

Author

GSM frequencies in Brazil, is 900Mhz common/needed?

B.M. Wright

2005-09-23, 5:48 am

If anyone has experience and can give some advice on this I
would appreciate it. I want to know if 900Mhz only coverage is common
in Brazil or if a phone that does 850/1800/1900 (the crappy version of
tri-band with 2 US only frequencies) will be ok? Will likely be in the
northeast mostly but can't rule out the possibility of travel anywhere
in Brazil and I want to make sure this isn't a problem. The carrier is
probably going to be TIM, Claro, or Oi and will definitely be a
pre-pay/pay-as-you-go, not a contract phone.

I do have a non-US tri-band (900/1800/1900) phone but prefer to
use my other, which probably means I'll end up dragging both along just
to be safe. I realize there are quad band phones but I haven't seen any
that fit my needs and not interested in wasting cash on a phone I don't
really like, waiting until there are more quad band options before I
buy one.

DevilsPGD

2005-09-23, 5:48 pm

In message <dh07u1$8jm$2@news.xmission.com> "B.M. Wright"
<bmwright@xmission.xmission.com> wrote:

> If anyone has experience and can give some advice on this I
>would appreciate it. I want to know if 900Mhz only coverage is common
>in Brazil or if a phone that does 850/1800/1900 (the crappy version of
>tri-band with 2 US only frequencies) will be ok? Will likely be in the
>northeast mostly but can't rule out the possibility of travel anywhere
>in Brazil and I want to make sure this isn't a problem. The carrier is
>probably going to be TIM, Claro, or Oi and will definitely be a
>pre-pay/pay-as-you-go, not a contract phone.
>
> I do have a non-US tri-band (900/1800/1900) phone but prefer to
>use my other, which probably means I'll end up dragging both along just
>to be safe. I realize there are quad band phones but I haven't seen any
>that fit my needs and not interested in wasting cash on a phone I don't
>really like, waiting until there are more quad band options before I
>buy one.
>

Most of Brazil is 1800MHz, but parts are 900MHz. 850MHz/1900MHz isn't
used at all.

As far as coverage goes, you should probably check with the carrier
you're planning to use to find out whether or not they have coverage
and/or have roaming agreement with other carriers in the area.

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John Riggs

2005-09-23, 5:48 pm

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 06:38:57 +0000 (UTC), "B.M. Wright"
<bmwright@xmission.xmission.com> wrote:

> If anyone has experience and can give some advice on this I
>would appreciate it. I want to know if 900Mhz only coverage is common
>in Brazil or if a phone that does 850/1800/1900 (the crappy version of
>tri-band with 2 US only frequencies) will be ok? Will likely be in the
>northeast mostly but can't rule out the possibility of travel anywhere
>in Brazil and I want to make sure this isn't a problem. The carrier is
>probably going to be TIM, Claro, or Oi and will definitely be a
>pre-pay/pay-as-you-go, not a contract phone.

This link may be of some help to you:

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_br.shtml

It would suggest that GSM coverage is 900 and 1800 Mhz.

--

Regards

John Riggs

B.M. Wright

2005-09-24, 5:48 pm

John Riggs < jororiggs@removethis
gmail.com> wrote:

> This link may be of some help to you:

> http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_br.shtml

> It would suggest that GSM coverage is 900 and 1800 Mhz.

Hi, thanks for the reference, I had actually already checked
there before posting though. I know both are used but was hoping to get
some idea from experiences. Some carriers, I believe, actually limit
certain types of service from roaming frequencies (i.e. pay as you go
can't roam to some frequency operated by a partner carrier, but contract
phones can not). I think both of my phones are coming with me just to
be safe.

Donald Newcomb

2005-09-24, 11:48 pm

"B.M. Wright" <bmwright@xmission.xmission.com> wrote in message
news:dh36lg$96k$1@ne
ws.xmission.com...
> Hi, thanks for the reference, I had actually already checked
> there before posting though. I know both are used but was hoping to get
> some idea from experiences.

Well, I have not been there but I understand that the first GSM adopted in
Brazil was 1800. Even though they use TDMA/CDMA 850 they opted for 1800 MHz
so as not to hose up the 3G band. I also understand that in Brazil using the
"+" as the default international dialing prefix may not work. I've read that
there are no default LD carriers in Brazil and you must prepend the code of
the LD carrier you want to use before each number you dial.

--
Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

mrcamp

2005-09-24, 11:48 pm

It seems like you should be okay with a 850/1800/1900 phone as most of
brazil is 1800.

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_br.shtml

--
mrcamp

B.M. Wright

2005-09-25, 5:48 am

Donald Newcomb <DRNewcomb@attglobal.not.net> wrote:

> "B.M. Wright" <bmwright@xmission.xmission.com> wrote in message
> news:dh36lg$96k$1@ne
ws.xmission.com...
[color=darkred]
> Well, I have not been there but I understand that the first GSM adopted in
> Brazil was 1800. Even though they use TDMA/CDMA 850 they opted for 1800 MHz
> so as not to hose up the 3G band. I also understand that in Brazil using the
> "+" as the default international dialing prefix may not work. I've read that
> there are no default LD carriers in Brazil and you must prepend the code of
> the LD carrier you want to use before each number you dial.

Hmmm.. strange, I found this while looking at some plans:

http://www.timnordeste.com.br/asp/r...ing_alianza.asp

It looks like a lot of other South American countries are using
1900 too, thought the US was about the only place using 1900. According
to www.gsmworld.com some of these same places are using 850 too. I
realize 3G isn't GSM compatible, but curious, what frequency is it using
and is it standard across the globe? If so, that would be amazing that
everyone finally agreed on a single universal frequency, somehow I doubt
it.

I believe you're right on the long distance thing, according to
this you should pre-pend 41 (of course, the code for TIM, and they claim
you'll get the best rates, for their benefit I'm sure):

http://www.timnordeste.com.br/asp/r...m_comofazer.asp

I wonder how they charge the call if you pre-pend a different
long distance carrier while initiating it on their network/service plan.
Also, apparently, from what I've read, it seems if you're in another
state you might not only be paying roaming charges to the network you're
on, but also the long distance for the leg of the call from your local
area (i.e. where your phone number is) to wherever you are. Sounds like
a rape job to me, kind of like the people who get charged for every leg
of a GSM call when roaming internationally and the call diverts to
voicemail due to "no answer" or "busy".

Donald Newcomb

2005-09-25, 5:48 pm

"B.M. Wright" <bmwright@xmission.xmission.com> wrote in message
news:dh5geh$pt0$1@ne
ws.xmission.com...
> Hmmm.. strange, I found this while looking at some plans:
>
> http://www.timnordeste.com.br/asp/r...ing_alianza.asp
>
> It looks like a lot of other South American countries are using
> 1900 too, thought the US was about the only place using 1900. According
> to www.gsmworld.com some of these same places are using 850 too. I
> realize 3G isn't GSM compatible, but curious, what frequency is it using
> and is it standard across the globe? If so, that would be amazing that
> everyone finally agreed on a single universal frequency, somehow I doubt
> it.

South America is a good place to have a quad-band GSM phone. Chile and
Argentina are 1900. Brazil is 1800. Venezuela is 900. Ecuador is 850-only.
There is no single GSM or 3G band that works everywhere. Long story, no time
to rehash it now. That's why we have quad-band phones.

--
Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

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