[Vanhackspace] Motorola Milestone, Rogers data plan?

[Hubert Figuiere]

On 10-06-10 10:11 AM, Sean Hill wrote:
> Just curious to see if this discussion on phones and carriers can be
> expanded a bit.
>
> Anyone have any other thoughts on Milestone vs Nexus One?
> What about other Android devices? (I've been drooling a bit over the
> Samsung Galaxy S Pro specs)
> Is Nexus One the most open/hackable Android?

Definitely the Milestone is not for developers. Motorola locked it and 
said "if you want to develop, get a Nexus One"

Also unless you are really drooling only on Android, there is the Nokia 
N900. It also allow hacking, both software and hardware, as it can, for 
example, become USB Host easily (more easily than that Nexus One), etc.

> I'm thinking about this mostly from a software hackers POV. I want to be
> able to write and install what I want for my device. That also makes me
> wonder about carriers. I've been watching Wind Mobile get going and like
> the unlimited data option, but I understand they've got a very limited
> number of ports open which really blocks development and usage. Thoughts
> on best carrier for a powerful Android?

It is hard to make a judgement on the quality of service, but choosing 
between RoBeLus[1] or WIND will lead to ultimately modify the choice of 
available handsets, and possibly lock you in (RoBeLus vs WIND) for 
compatibility reason.

WIND require a handset that does UMTS in 1700MHz (Band IV or AWS).
Rogers will work with GPRS/EDGE 850/1900 and UMTS 850/1900.
BeLus will only work with UMTS 850/1900.

So basically you'll see that a handset that works on WIND will not work 
in 3G on Rogers, and not work at all on BeLus. And vice versa (like the 
Motorola Milestone).

Nexus One come in two versions. The T-Mobile version, that will work on 
WIND (and only GPRS/EDGE on Rogers), and the AT&T version that will work 
only on RoBeLus.

And if you try to buy an unlocked handset from one of the various 
resellers in Canada, be careful of the frequencies the phone support as 
lot of them are imported from Europe, and may not support any of the 
UMTS band in use here.

(if anybody know of a handset that support UMTS 850/1700/1900. Beside 
the Nokia N8 which is a Symbian, I don't know any)



Hub

[1]Rogers - Bell/Telus, the only two nation wide networks of cellular 
telephony