[yourstrulee]

I am planning on getting a T-Mobile (USA) Blackberry Curve 8320 and I was wondering since T-Mobile is making a transition to 3G, will my Curve be able to support 3G or will I have to get a new Blackberry that supports 3G?. If my Curve doesn't support 3G, will there be an upgrade made for the Curve in order for it to support 3G?


Also, is there anything that I need to know before I spend my money on the Curve? Is the Curve worth getting?

[Adlen]

Well first of all, welcome to CrackBerry. 3G is dependant on the handset as well as the carrier. I don't think the Curve-20 has 3G and the only BlackBerry planned to have 3G so far is the 9000 series. I have no idea if the 4.5 update could give us 3G but otherwise the Curve won't have it. I'd recommend getting the Curve but personally, I don't like the gold-20, whatever floats your boat I suppose but you can't fault BlackBerrys.

Hope I've helped...
ADLEN

[Kebero]

Curently, the only 3G BlackBerries are the CDMA models. 3G capability is dependent upon hardware, not software.

[nextgates]

3G is great and all, but I think EDGE on AT&T is pretty much same.

I have a Blackberry and a Blackjack (3G Phone), and the internet connection times are pretty much the same. The only time 3G might be a little faster would be if I'm downloading a large file. However, just for cruising the net and stuff, EDGE will do just the same.

[aoprods]

Is 3G also dependent on your location? I live in a small town and was told by the AT&T rep that 3G service was not available where I live so I would not benefit from a 3G capable phone. Yes/No?

[nextgates]

Yes, 3G is only available in areas where 3G is supported by towers.

[tomdick]

the 8320 does have wifi and if you live in the states you can spend 10 $ a month on the "talk forever" plan well worth it

[jcj1]

talk forever is great and no curve 8320 does not support 3G. would be nice though

[DeadAim]

3g you can also be on the fone and surf the net AIM. or w.e else you have to do internet related. thats the only thing i liked about it when i had the blackjack2(red) but battery life on 3g fones usually suck so ive heard and experienced. thats why i have a blackberry curve go with the curve lol.

[Kebero]

With 3g you can also be on the phone and surf the net, use AIM. or whatever else you have to do internet related.

(edited for clarity).

This only holds true for GSM phones. CDMA architecture does not allow for the simultaneous use of data and voice.

[joshforde]

CDMA=3g=EVDO=VERIZON&SPRINT

[DaDragonChild]

battery life on 3g fones usually suck so ive heard and experienced.

This is either because you keep switching between 3g and edge phones or if you have 3g and an unlimited data plan you'll just overkill it with usage. i heard if you set it so that it only uses edge (if you barely have any 3g areas near you) it'd be more efficient that way.

but anyway, we know 3g is only better for downloading large files but is edge and 3g equal when it comes to streaming video and radio???

[GMJeff]

I have 2 3G phones (AT&T 8925 Tilt and a Treo 750) as well as a 8310 Curve. While I do live in a 3G area, the only plus is as noted before in that large files can be downloaded faster. This does include streaming audio and video.

If you stream video over the Edge network, the image is usually grainy and a lower resolution, to allow for faster download. As for the 3G network, you can stream video at a larger resolution. Audio is the same. You can stream CD or better quality music to the device usually without a lot of re-buffering.

Oh yeah, and it is also nice to be able to talk on the phone as well as browse the internet/download data at the same time.

As mentioned before, though, if you do not live in a 3G area, it does not matter, as a 3G phone will default to Edge anyway.

[Kebero]

Oh yeah, and it is also nice to be able to talk on the phone as well as browse the internet/download data at the same time.

This is only true for GSM models. EVDO is also 3G, but does not allow for simultaneous voice/data/

[coletrickle]

what bbs have 3g capeabilty

[rpsinisi]

I have the Bold. I will say that some data intensive apps (pandora) do perform faster. but it also depends on the phone. it's hard to tell right now because currently the only phones that have 3g are ones that have faster processors as well, so the data is computed more quickly. i tried out the curve 8900 for a few weeks before getting the bold, it was a wonderful phone. be warned though, the Bold has problems of it's own, check out the forums on it's limited App Memory.

[smnc]

what bbs have 3g capeabilty

The Curve 8330 on Verizon/Sprint have Ev-DO which is a type of 3G, as does the Tour and the Storm.
The only AT&T/T-Mo BlackBerry with UMTS/HSDPA 3G so far is the Bold, but the 9700 will be 3G as well.

Remember that Ev-DO (Sprint/VZW) is MUCH slower than UMTS/HSDPA too, even though both are technically 3G.
In real world use, the 3G 8330 is not much faster than the 2.5 8320.