HTC Touch Diamond gets GSM 850MHz with a custom ROM update

18 July, 2008
Thanks to some ingenious developer GSM 850MHz band is now unlocked for use on the HTC top-of-the-shelf Touch Diamond. Obviously hardware support...

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  • h
  • hgh
  • S9J
  • 20 Jul 2008

good

    • h
    • hofo_mofo
    • kxD
    • 20 Jul 2008

    Sorry should have added that I am in Canada and of course I NEED the 850 band!

      • h
      • hofo_mofo
      • kxD
      • 20 Jul 2008

      I love the look of the Touch Diamond (especially the touch diamond pro as I NEED a KB)...but was so bloody disappointed when HTC decided to make these "Region" specific devices, as I do a lot of travelling now and like being able to go a country i'm visiting, buying a prepaid SIM, and plopping it into my device without having to think about what band I need (like with my present HTC Prophet Qtek S200). This is great news though and gives me a glimer of hope.

      If however, as the article says, can activate the dormant 3G bands (if they are indeed dormant) i will be a very very VERY happy mofo!

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • nTS
        • 20 Jul 2008

        Anonymous, 20 Jul 2008hey everyone just for the info the new nokia touch screen i... moreyou saw the Dark Night?? man i'm dying to see it.....the first one was amazing!!! and the tubes in it? noway man nice

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • v0g
          • 20 Jul 2008

          John, 19 Jul 2008The guy who said that 850MHz has better penetration through... moreThank you John

          Its always nice to know that in this arena of false, petty and down right stupid comments. There is someone who actually knows something about telecommunications and the reason they are how they are.

          Its a breath of fresh air :D

            • G
            • GSMRULES
            • paG
            • 20 Jul 2008

            John, 19 Jul 2008The guy who said that 850MHz has better penetration through... moreAbout frequency bands: the lower the frequency the longer the wavelenght so is easier to penetrate trought walls. that's why high frequencies are often used for what is called micro cell layer (small coverage areas), however, lower frequencies are used for macro layers (more coverage).

              • b
              • bj
              • vkT
              • 20 Jul 2008

              John, 19 Jul 2008The guy who said that 850MHz has better penetration through... moreI didn't think the issue was radio energy. the lower the frequency the longer the wave length so the steel reinforcing in the concrete acts less like a faraday cage.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • 4qC
                • 20 Jul 2008

                hey everyone just for the info the new nokia touch screen is coming out soon and trust me guys the phone is hot its just banging . you can see it in the batman movie .its just amazing

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • 0HG
                  • 20 Jul 2008

                  lol, great comment John. Pretty informative to say the least!

                    • d
                    • darkmax
                    • TIE
                    • 20 Jul 2008

                    I knew it, just look at the way the report is written. These reviewers and reporters at the GSMarena are simply bias. This device is so flawed it makes the iPhone 3G look like a perfect machine.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • 46a
                      • 19 Jul 2008

                      Ya 850Mhz has WAY better penetration then 1900. Because the waves of 1900 are very close together compared to 850, therefore the signal has to travel through so much more "wall" as its going up and down way more times then the 850 has to go though in the same "wall". I know thats a very simple way of describing it its true.

                        • J
                        • JEEVAN
                        • utk
                        • 19 Jul 2008

                        John, 19 Jul 2008The guy who said that 850MHz has better penetration through... moreHigher freq doesnt mean better penetration... Higher freq. is ok.. but the wave lenght wud be less... Hence the carry of the waves wud be less... Networks with higher freq need to have higher density of towers man, for that 'better penetration'... you check out physics, chemistry or whatever...

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • 4vs
                          • 19 Jul 2008

                          Anonymous, 18 Jul 2008Thank you for your reply. I have Tmobil, and it probably d... morein response to the sluggishness try updating the rom. htc updated the rom to deal with the sluggishness and make it snappier.

                            • J
                            • John
                            • 47%
                            • 19 Jul 2008

                            The guy who said that 850MHz has better penetration through buildings needs to brush on his physics. The higher the frequency of a wave, the more energy and thus, better penetration through walls. That's why they use really thick concrete and lead in nuclear bunkers. Therefore, in city conditions higher frequency (1900MHz for GSM operators) is preferred. In rural conditions on the other hand, lower frequency waves are preferred, because waves with really long wavelengths (low frequency) can follow the landscape. That and the legacy from Cingular on the West Coast are the reasons AT&T use 850MHz still. And since T-Mobile doesn't have network at certain areas in the US, their users roam on ATT network there, and therefore need 4 band phones. It was allocated for cellular use back in the 80s, so talking about how new, or how old it is is really irrelevant.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • Y1U
                              • 19 Jul 2008

                              Anonymous, 18 Jul 2008There are still some areas where GSM 850 is active in North... more850 is the newer/better frequency for gsm, not an outdated one. You get better building penetration with 850. Thanks for trying though

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • qp3
                                • 19 Jul 2008

                                basically the 850 band gives u a wider coverage area.
                                especially indoors, that 850 gives u better coverage.
                                used to have triband motorola razr v3x. would lose signals inside big buildings. swithced to quad band phones, great coverage even when indoors.

                                  • R
                                  • Raghavan Santhanagop
                                  • ijK
                                  • 19 Jul 2008

                                  Is it not time International standards were made mandatory by all the countries to include Quad band and Triband HSDPA on all the newer mobile phones which boast of 3G. It is after all not that costly. China made battery charging through USB mandatory a long time ago. I think governments should understand the hand in glove connivance of mobile telephone operators and mobile phone manufacturers to fleece people and make them buy newer and multiple phones and multiple connections in this global age of seamless roaming across continents. This is to be taken up by all.

                                    • T
                                    • The Administrator
                                    • Ycp
                                    • 19 Jul 2008

                                    Anonymous, 18 Jul 2008You might be using the 1900Mhz frequency band, but with the... moreThat's if your carrier has 850mz bands tho... AT&T & Rogers are fine, but if you are on T-Mobile and Fido, it's not important. But this "custom ROM update" does get better battery life so why not =P

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • jJe
                                      • 19 Jul 2008

                                      Thanks for the replies and the explanation. It's nice to know that upgrading that 850mhz to my phone can give me better coverage in some areas. But I really have no issues with signal at all, but more on the phone's performance, but oh well, it's not really that bad. I observed that it freezes up or slows down when you move your finger/stylus fast, you have to take your sweet time with this phone to avoid getting freezed.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • k1e
                                        • 18 Jul 2008

                                        'all the more shinier' wouldve been a better note to end with.