[netnative]

I do not have Verizon where I live. I am an AT&T subscriber and my choices to get a new BlackBerry Bold are as follows:

1. An HPSA+ (so-called 4G) 9900 which means

(a) Waiting for AT&T to release it; or

(b) Becoming a T-Mobile subscriber on August 31st.

2. An CDMA/EV-DO (3G) 9930 and become a Sprint subscriber on Monday.

I would appreciate your thoughts. I know Sprint would become a Sprint subscriber today, but I am concerned about getting a new phone with 3G technology at at time when 4G is becoming the network standard.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Parthery]

How about a 9810? The HSPA service on ATT is quick, if you have it in your area.

[netnative]

I do not have Verizon where I live. I am an AT&T subscriber and my choices to get a new BlackBerry Bold are as follows:

1. An HPSA+ (so-called 4G) 9900 which means

(a) Waiting for AT&T to release it; or

(b) Becoming a T-Mobile subscriber on August 31st.

2. An CDMA/EV-DO (3G) 9930 and become a Sprint subscriber on Monday.

I would appreciate your thoughts. I know Sprint would become a Sprint subscriber today, but I am concerned about getting a new phone with 3G technology at at time when 4G is becoming the network standard.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

There is an additional consideration. I have read that a phone with EV-DO technology will have a shorter battery life than the corresponding model with GSM technology.

[bigbmc26]

I do not have Verizon where I live. I am an AT&T subscriber and my choices to get a new BlackBerry Bold are as follows:

1. An HPSA+ (so-called 4G) 9900 which means

(a) Waiting for AT&T to release it; or

(b) Becoming a T-Mobile subscriber on August 31st.

2. An CDMA/EV-DO (3G) 9930 and become a Sprint subscriber on Monday.

I would appreciate your thoughts. I know Sprint would become a Sprint subscriber today, but I am concerned about getting a new phone with 3G technology at at time when 4G is becoming the network standard.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

4G is really not the network standard yet and really won't be for some time. There has just been a lot of advertisement and marketing for it. The truth is, LTE and WiMAX are still very new. You will find yourself using 3G more than 4G due to battery life and sometimes coverage.

There is really no reason to jump on the 4G band wagon if you aren't replacing your home cable service. With wi-fi and EV-DO data, the 9930 is a very fast and capable device. EV-DO will be around for a long time.

[netnative]

How about a 9810? The HSPA service on ATT is quick, if you have it in your area.

I have the Torch 9800. Once that you have a Bold 9900/9930 in your hand, you are not likely to want a Torch 9810.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

There is an additional consideration. I have read that a phone with EV-DO technology will have a shorter battery life than the corresponding model with GSM technology.

This has been true in the past, but not any longer. Not with the 9930. It's actually rated for longer battery life than it's 9900 counterpart.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tcbower]

I am a Sprint customer and just got the 9930. I used to have an Epic 4G (Android) for work and found that 4G drained the battery way too fast. Also, it wasn't like I was surfing the net on my phone just because I had 4G. The 9930 is awesome and very fast. For me, when it comes down to it I need a reliable phone that I can communicate with. I am not so concerned about the games and the internet (although whatever BB did with the web browser on this phone has made it very fast....almost the same as my Android phone was). The 9930 is one awesome phone and does everything I need it to do..after all I am an adult, not a 12 yr old.

[netnative]

This has been true in the past, but not any longer. Not with the 9930. It's actually rated for longer battery life than it's 9900 counterpart.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is very helpful. I checked the exact specifications of both BlackBerry Bold models and, according to RIM, the Battery Life ratings are as follows:

BlackBerry Bold 9900
6.3 (GSM)
5.9 (UMTS)
up to hours of talk time

BlackBerry Bold 9930
6.6 (CDMA)
6.3 (GSM)
5.9 (UMTS)
up to hours of talk time

[flash24]

"4G" drains your battery anyway

[imiller]

I have an EVO 3D and I don't really use the 4g that much at all. I'm thinking about picking up the 9930 and returning to the addiction. LOL

[Masahiro]

HSPA and HSPA+ are battery draining enough, never mind LTE.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Bold9930]

This is the FASTEST phone I've every used to be honest. 3G or not, it's speedy and even has WiFI which is on all the time when I'm at home. Works GREAT!

[BergerKing]

Besides which, Sprint has put WiMax on hold and will be going LTE, so getting a WiMax device would be of limited use, anyway.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[gtessier]

I am on the T-Mobile US "4G" and it is fast. No complaints, especially at $80 per month for unlimited everything and no overages.

[Supervillain24]

I used the 9930 at the verizon store and it was pretty quick, besides Ive heard that 4G burns through the battery (ref. the Thunderbolt) lol

[cbreze]

4G is really not the network standard yet and really won't be for some time. There has just been a lot of advertisement and marketing for it. The truth is, LTE and WiMAX are still very new. You will find yourself using 3G more than 4G due to battery life and sometimes coverage.

There is really no reason to jump on the 4G band wagon if you aren't replacing your home cable service. With wi-fi and EV-DO data, the 9930 is a very fast and capable device. EV-DO will be around for a long time.

I agree. Eventually 3G will be replaced by 4G/LTE but not yet. I recall when 3G first started coming out folks had battery usage issues with it gobbling up power and everybody kept it turned off until needed. Well same with 4G. if your spending most of your time within reach of 4G/LTE or one of the other flavors then great just keep a charger handy, but if on the other hand your in a non coverage area, just be happy 3G is everywhere on verizon's network or nearly so. I'm always amazed where I find 3G service so far away from anyplace or on a mountain trail.
And as far as RIM getting a 4G device up and out there. They need to work on getting bigger capacity oem batteries first. Isn't the 9900/9930's batteries the smallest yet?

[The_Kills]

First off there is no true 4G yet. Secondly 4G will drain your battery (last thing you want on this device). Third these are Blackberries that have all their info proccessed by BIS servers anyway, so the benefit of 4G won't be noticable to the degree you hope, certainly if this was any other phone and works like a desktop and loads the page itself, but there is no point when 95% of data is proccesed through their servers anyway.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[SCrid2000]

I wouldn't worry about it. True 4G doesn't really exist yet, and even what there is almost certainly won't be the standard within the next two years. 3G is deeply entrenched and will be around a while yet.

[waterfrontmgmt]

Some of this regarding 4G is BS. If you live and an area with VZN 4G LTE, it is very fast. You can turn 4G on and off and it does not drain the battery that bad at all. even the Thunderbolt has had an OS upgrade to improve battery.

I had the Droid Charge and LOVED the 4G part of the phone and the 4G mobile hotspot because I like to stream music. I can't do that with VZN 3G. But I love the 9930 for everything else.

So I just boosted my 9930 to 4G old school

[DannyAves]

I am on the T-Mobile US "4G" and it is fast. No complaints, especially at $80 per month for unlimited everything and no overages.

That is a lot of money. My T-Mobile plan is 1,000 minutes + unlimited text + unlimited data for $39.99. If I wanted unlimited minutes + unlimited everything else it would have been $44.99