Expert: DebiN - 8/11/2009

Question
Hi, DebiN. You answered some questions for me about a week ago. I've discovered that what I want in a new cell phone - namely, a high resolution/high quality camera with flash, capabilities similar to an iPod for storing and playing podcasts, a GPS that can be used worldwide, and a swappable SIM card for when I go overseas - simply is not offered by any U.S. carriers on their 3G networks. I also want wifi, bluetooth handsfree for my car, and 3.5 mm headset jack. There's lots additional that I'd really love, but I think the aforementioned are my only absolute requirements. You suggest the iPhone, but, as you know, it falls short of several of my requirements. There are models available internationally that appear to meet all of my requirements, except it is not clear that any of them would work on a U.S. network and be able to take advantage of the 3G speeds of U.S. carriers. I have tried to confirm that one or more of them would, but the carriers hardly want to give me the time of day in this regard (since I would not be buying the phone from them), and I don't want to spend the money to by what appears to be a perfect phone and find out that it won't work as expected on the U.S.. I can't seem to find on any online forums hard proof that people have successfully gotten such phones to work on the AT&T network, which would probably be my first choice. I know that AT&T uses frequencies 1900 and 850 for its high speed data network, but it seems that buying an unlocked phone that advertises these frequencies won't necessarily guarantee that it will work when I put an AT&T SIM card in it, perhaps because they require additional firmware settings to work over their network in addition to the phone being capable of the correct frequency. Can you reassure me that this would work, or, conversely, that it is not possible, and that I am truly limited to what the major carriers have to offer here in the U.S., while only envying people overseas who can use cell phones with better cameras on them than we can here? Many thanks!

Answer
If the phone you are buying works on HSDPA (or UMTS) on bands 1900 and 850, then it will work on AT&T's highspeed network. Otherwise, if it only works on the 2100 band, then it won't. Fortunately, it's as simple as that. Check out the specs for the phone you want to buy and if it is a phone that works on those bands, it will work on AT&T's highspeed network in the US. I hope this helps! Thanks. DebiN