[tuffdeal]

I'm a business owner but I do business all over the globe. I need quad band but Palm doesn't seem to be interested in including that, even at a premium.
The thing that attracts me to the Pre is the ability to switch between apps.
It will takes quad band to close the deal

[jhoff80]

Considering they haven't even said anything about the GSM version of the Pre, this is a little premature. Let's wait and see at the MWC if they announce a quadband version or not.

[ADGrant]

Palm's existing GSM phones all have quad band radios so I would expect any GSM Pre to be the same. I would suggest holding off purchasing a Pre until a quad band GSM version is available in the US.

[ipsi]

I'm assuming you're talking about Quad Band 3G, which doesn't seem at all common. I would really like it if it did provide 4 3G bands - give us more choice of carrier. Though I wonder if that would make battery life worse, by adding a 4th 3G frequency?

[ADGrant]

I'm assuming you're talking about Quad Band 3G, which doesn't seem at all common. I would really like it if it did provide 4 3G bands - give us more choice of carrier. Though I wonder if that would make battery life worse, by adding a 4th 3G frequency?

No, I am talking about Quad band GSM/Edge. Supporting all 3G bands would be nice of course but the phone will still work if it can pickup a GSM signal.

[ipsi]

In which case I'm slightly confused - most Palm phones support all four GSM/Edge bands, as far as I'm aware. My 680 did, and my Treo Pro does. Which ones don't?

[berdinkerdickle]

In which case I'm slightly confused - most Palm phones support all four GSM/Edge bands, as far as I'm aware. My 680 did, and my Treo Pro does. Which ones don't?

I think the OP is just hoping the Pre will be Quad Band.
The other posters said it's most likely to be Quad Band.


Although this comment is a little confusing:

I need quad band but Palm doesn't seem to be interested in including that, even at a premium.

[Gaurav]

personally I hope Palm releases a dual mode cdma/gsm Pre...that would be awesome

[ADGrant]

In which case I'm slightly confused - most Palm phones support all four GSM/Edge bands, as far as I'm aware. My 680 did, and my Treo Pro does. Which ones don't?

The ones that are only available on Sprint or Verizon (eg 800W, 755P).

[Q]

In which case I'm slightly confused - most Palm phones support all four GSM/Edge bands, as far as I'm aware. My 680 did, and my Treo Pro does. Which ones don't?

All of Palm's GSM phones (since the 600 and except for the 500v) have supported 850/900/1800/1900. The 750 and Treo Pro have also had 3G support on 850/1900/2100. T-Mobile, in the US, uses 1700, is the only carrier worldwide to do so, and few non-T-Mo-branded phones support it.

I also found this, from palm.com:

scheduled to be available first in the United States exclusively from Sprint in the first half of 2009, and will be followed by a world-ready UMTS version for other regions.

While it's hard to be sure, I'm hoping that means a comparable radio to the 750 and Pro.

[Jonathan Downer]

I'd would appear as though the GSM version of the phone will be released sometime after the Sprint CDMA version, but will be restricted to overseas markets for the foreseeable future. I'd honestly be surprised if we see a US Pre with a GSM radio before Q4 of this year (and thats being optimistic). That said, depending on the radio Palm puts in the overseas GSM Pre, you may be able to import the device and run it on AT&T's 3G network (since T-Mobile 1700 band support is unlikely, though possible).

[Q]

I'd would appear as though the GSM version of the phone will be released sometime after the Sprint CDMA version, but will be restricted to overseas markets for the foreseeable future. I'd honestly be surprised if we see a US Pre with a GSM radio before Q4 of this year (and thats being optimistic). That said, depending on the radio Palm puts in the overseas GSM Pre, you may be able to import the device and run it on AT&T's 3G network (since T-Mobile 1700 band support is unlikely, though possible).

It obviously won't be sold in the US while Sprint's exclusive is in effect. The question is whether the unlocked one will be available overseas during Sprint's exclusive.

I'd hope we'll see it on other US carriers than Sprint before Q4, though that obviously depends on whether Sprint's exclusive is 3 or 6 months.

[Jonathan Downer]

It obviously won't be sold in the US while Sprint's exclusive is in effect. The question is whether the unlocked one will be available overseas during Sprint's exclusive.

Well unlocked may be a good question, though its generally not too terribly difficult to unlock a GSM phone if needed.

[Q]

Well unlocked may be a good question, though its generally not too terribly difficult to unlock a GSM phone if needed.

There are two other benefits of a factory unlocked one: 1) no carrier junk apps and 2) the GPS will most likely work with or without a cell signal (like the GSM Treo Pro).

[santas]

personally I hope Palm releases a dual mode cdma/gsm Pre...that would be awesome

I would love that. I'm thinking of trying a Blackberry Storm to get that kind of a radio.

[theswami]

I would love that. I'm thinking of trying a Blackberry Storm to get that kind of a radio.

As a current Storm owner and former 700P owner looking into the Pre for my wife, I can tell you having CDMA/GSM radios is fantastic.

I had an opportunity to use my Storm (unlocked after a 10 min. call to VZW)in a GSM area overseas 3 weeks after I got it and having the radios was great. I landed and got to my hotel. Had the receptionist hand me an envelope, in it a SIM card from a local carrier (pre-arranged before leaving the US), popped open the Storm took about the battery and took out the VZW SIM and inserted the local carrier SIM. It was sweet. I had voice but needed to use my VZW SIM for data (VZW voice was WAAAAAAYYY too expensive). The next time I will research how to use the local carrier for data as well so I do not need to do the switch each time I want to use the other type of service.

Anyway..back to my Pre research for wifey.

[ADGrant]

The next time I will research how to use the local carrier for data as well so I do not need to do the switch each time I want to use the other type of service.

www.callineurope.com

[machx]

LOL @ this thread... even worse than the microSD support group crew

[meyerweb]

personally I hope Palm releases a dual mode cdma/gsm Pre...that would be awesome

Not likely they could fit both radios inside the existing Pre form factor.

[Aero]

LOL @ this thread... even worse than the microSD support group crew

yeah you are right, why would anyone care when the version usable by 88.5% of the market will come out?