My new internet connection :-), hard to believe!

Frequency

Which GSM frequencies they use? The European or U.S. ? I ask because my phone is a European model HTC. I put a T-mobile chip in it and I can not get 3G.

singletravel said:

To be honest this is pretty hard to believe. I live in a community between Sosua and Cabarete and pay for the highest residential "Verizon" internet" about 2000 peosos a month and my speed is suppose to be 1.5 mps (which is normally what I get). But the problem is my phone goes out once a month (be it heavy rain or the guys messing with the line, they fix one guy and destroy another, welcome to the DR ).

So I was sitting on the beach the other day and heard about Oranges new Net 3g+ service. So I went into the local office in Sosua and inquired. They didn't have a clue if it would work for me, the girl didn't know what speed I would get (https://www.orange.com.do/web/guest/net-hogar) or understand what "unlimited meant." Oh well, but they do have a new Dutch manager and since Peter was infront of me (owner of Passions and a friend) he told me just take one and try it (wow). I left a 1000 deposit and took it home. Of course it didn't work, brought it back but unlike in the U.S (where I just drop it off and ask for my money back) I asked them to show me it worked in the office. It didn't . Apparently they had given me the wrong password (welcome to the DR) and again I went home to try it. IT WORKED AND DAM DAM DID IT WORK!!!


Now I was looking at the 10GB plan with unlimited speed (and again no-one knew what that was) and for 1500 pesos a month (about $40.00). There is a 10gb cap BUT UNLIKE THE U.S, THEY REDUCE YOUR SPEED TO 384.KBS RATHER THAN CHARGE YOU MORE. Since I don't download movies here that is fine (I do that at home with my unlimited 15 mps connection that plan was perfect).


Now, maybe I'm just in the right place but here is my result with Verizon and now my new Orange. Holly batman, it is almost 5 times as fast at less money!!! Also, this is not the USB adapter (which no-one can get to work) but a real w--fi router with a gsm chip inside. You can hard wire it to your main computer with a eithernet cable AND also serve up to 4 laptops iphones, whatever you like in your home. AND the box is gratis with a contract.

To be honest we don't have this kind of set-up in the states and I'm totally blown away. And if I travel I just can take the box with me (size of a paper back novel) and plug it in a hotel. Again, I'm all smiles this morning

My verizon connection this morning

and now my new Orange 3g+ connection this morning

enjoy the life

singletravel

Click to expand...

I use it as well since December 2010, very happy with it... Caressing the idea to upgrade to the "NetHogar Extra" plan, with a 25GB caps, instead of the 10 I enjoy now, but I would say Orange now the best Internet around, or rather the most user-friendly, no need for a landline...

can i get this in cabarete?

i am in cabarete staying at a place with wifi and it is awful and i cant even use skype. Where can I get one of these? Is there an official orange shop in cabarete?

People get the bands straight for 3G. Bought in Europe, US, it does not mean anyhting. What matters is the frequency not how the phone is called. HTC for Europe may not necessarily work in DR even though Orange in the DR uses European 3G system. Why it might not work? Because most 3G in Europe is 2100 MHz UMTS/HSDPA, which is supported by both "US" and "European" versions of 3G equipment.

US version of Equipment: 3G HSDPA 850 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2100 MHz
European version of Equipment: 3G HSFPA 900 MHz, 1700 MHz, 2100 MHz

If you BUY in the USA, if you buy AT&T 3G equipment, it will work on Claro. If you buy T-Mobile USA 3G equipment, it will work on Orange. ***

*** Make sure the T-Mobile equipment supports 900 MHz band. Most made-to-order equipment for T-Mobile might not as T-mobile uses 1700 MHz DL/2100 MHz UL band, but most 3rd-party equipment (Blackberry, Nokia, Samsung, etc.) will, because they have FULL 3G European spectrum. While T-Mobile USA uses only PART of 3G European Spectrum (1700/2100 out of 900/1700/2100 combination), most 3rd-party equipment manufacturers have all 3 bands.

NOW, go to GSMARENA.COM (or search on google "YOURMODEL specifications gsmarena") and see what it says under 3G. If it says 3G: 850/1900/2100 and you buy it from AT&T it will work on CLARO. if you buy the phone in Europe or elsewhere you have to ask the selling carrier the exact 3G bands. If GSMARENA says 3G: 900/1700/2100 and you buy from T-Mobile USA it will work on Orange. if you buy the phone in Europe or elsewhere you have to ask the selling carrier the exact 3G bands.

Also, ask several times, the first answer may not be necessarily the correct one. And again, UMTS/HSDPA (3G) bands have NOTHING TO DO with GSM bands. So if the phone says quad-band GSM 850/900/1900/2100 it only means your VOICE and SMS and EDGE/GPRS data will work in all quad bands. UMTS/HSDPA is a completely different animal and you have to look for 3G specs on the phone. Think of it this way: it's like two phone systems in one phone, one for voice and one for high speed data, and one has nothing to do with another one.

Claro uses 850 Mhz and 1900 MHz for VOICE, 850 MHz for 3G.
Orange uses 1900 MHz for voice, and 900 MHz for 3G.
In Europe, they use 900 MHz and 1800 MHz for voice, and 2100 MHz for 3G.

Complicated? Read read and read, and it will get down on you ... it takes some time to get a clear understanding of this topic, mainly because lots of people are uninformed/misinformed, even the sellers of equipment and store clerks at Claro/Orange outlets.

To finish up: A year ago I bought Nokia 5800 XpressMusic form Nokia USA. It never worked 3G on Orange even though it's a 3G phone. Why? Because Nokia USA sells US 3G version, with 3G bands 850/1900/2100 MHz. That phone does work 3G on Claro though, and I can perfectly use Claro Blackberry SIM card in that phone and get perfect 3G access with my 3G internet service (BIS). I can tether my laptop to Claro 3G service either via Blackberry 3G and BB Desktop manager, or via my Nokia 3G phone and Nokia Phone Tools.