3G Mobile Phones Test

Reviews on 3G Mobile Phones

"Nokia E66"

Issue: 78

On test: Nokia E66

New, up to date and gleaming but is it for everybody? → More

"O2 XDA Orbit 2"

Issue: 73/2008

On test: O2 XDA Orbit 2

There is an argument that O2's XDAs are the lynch pin of the PDA world. The XDA was around at the start of the whole Windows Mobile thing, and O2 has consistently kept the brand alive, adding new models to update and upgrade things as time has gone on. → More

"E-TEN Glofiish M800"

Published on: 11/2007

On test: E-TEN Glofiish M800

HTC has ploughed its own furrow in the world of smartphones over the past year or so. While most other manufacturers have managed to produce one, two or possibly three new models, the Taiwanese manufacturer has hit us with a succession of new devices, one hot on the heels of the last. Compatriot E-TEN looks as if it wants to follow in HTC's footsteps, and the new M800 is a direct attempt to steal some of its rival's thunder. It is, essentially, E-TEN's take on the hugely successful - at least in terms of press reaction - HTC TyTN II, aka Orange HTC TyTN II, HTC P4550/Kaiser, and T-Mobile MDA Vario III. It's roughly the same size, give or take a few millimetres, has a sliding QWERTY keyboard under the screen, and it's based on Windows Mobile 6 Professional. But is the M800 a quality cover version, full of novel interpretation, or a rotten tomato, sprinkled liberally with karaoke-night bum notes? → More

"HTC TyTN II"

Issue: 12/2007

On test: HTC TyTN II

HTC's TyTN II is the follow-up to the TyTN (pronounced 'Titan'), which was also branded as the T-Mobile Vario II, Orange SPV M3100 and O2 Xda Trion. Like the TyTN, it's a Windows Mobile smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but HTC has made some significant changes to the original design. → More

3G Mobile Phones

3G mobile phones use the third generation UMTS network to send more data and operate at faster speeds than previous phones were capable of.

This increased bandwidth allows owners of a 3G phone to not only make and receive voice calls, but also take part in two-way video conferencing and to view and download video and audio from the internet or specially designed television stations.

The data rate of 3G is around 384kbps which is faster than some basic fixed line broadband packages. Speeds of up to 2Mbps are also promised which, due to the fact that a stipulation of the contract for 3G networks stated that there had to be 80% coverage of the UK by 2007, gives the owner of a 3G mobile phone broadband equivalent internet access speeds from anywhere in the country.

However 3G phones did not take off as anticipated but the technology will continue to advance. In Japan work on 3.5G has begun which will offer users downlink speeds of up to 3Mbps.

The main 3G operator in the UK is 3, this is a global network which operates in five countries on 3G UMTS networks but also has agreements with 2G network operators to use their infrastructure as a fallback in cases of low coverage or signal loss, providing an important backup for customers when leaving the big cities most will be based in.

If you would like to use video calls from a mobile or are interested in downloading web content then a 3G mobile is the smallest device supporting all of these functions and to be thoroughly recommended.

This category contains tests on UMTS phone, UMTS Mobile, UMTS phones, UMTS Mobiles.