GPRS / EDGE / 2G data connections dropping during, or blocking, voice calls - maemo.org

schlinkey | # 1 | 2009-12-11, 18:39 | Report

Got a weird bug. When I make a phone call while using edge (2,5g), the connection is lost. This does not happen when I'm using 3g. Anyone else notice this?

Ghule | # 2 | 2009-12-11, 18:42 | Report

I noticed that my edge turns itself off when I go to make a call. I am with AT&T so all I have is edge.

hitec | # 3 | 2009-12-11, 18:42 | Report

I think that is normal for edge. 3g works on a different set of frequencies than voice. I am new to GSM myself but in the CDMA world you can not do data and voice at the same time.

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neowolf | # 4 | 2009-12-11, 18:45 | Report

That's behavior as normal for edge, and one of the features of 3G. If anything I've noticed that my N900 is more verbose about it's network status than any phone I've had before.

go1dfish | # 5 | 2009-12-11, 18:48 | Report

Yes this is quite normal, Edge operates over the same frequencies as GSM voice so you can't do both at once.

A wifi or 3g connection will persist though (I called my mom while downloading my debian chroot image for instance)

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schlinkey | # 6 | 2009-12-11, 18:50 | Report

Ahaa. never noticed it on other phones before. But as you say, the n900 announces it.

Thanks!

sljonson | # 7 | 2009-12-11, 19:35 | Report

Yeah. It's standard behaviour on GSM/EDGE situations. GSM 3G allows both data and voice at the same time. Verison and Sprint have the same problem even on their 3G networks. No voice and data at the same time.

wierdo | # 8 | 2009-12-11, 19:41 | Report

Some networks/phones are capable of doing simultaneous voice and data on EDGE, but it's not supported by many networks or many phones. (It requires the network to carefully schedule the voice and data timeslots for the particular phone on the same radio channel)

I don't know if the N900 has support for it or not. Not that any US networks support it anyway (for those of us in the US).

tso | # 9 | 2009-12-11, 19:41 | Report

with edge (basically a upped bandwidth version of gprs, itself a packet variation on gsm) you also risk that if your doing a extended data transfer, and someone tries to call, they cant reach you.

that, or the transfer will, if possible, suspend, and the call get through, or in the worst case the transfer will fail and need restarting...

tso | # 10 | 2009-12-11, 19:50 | Report

Originally Posted by wierdo View Post

Some networks/phones are capable of doing simultaneous voice and data on EDGE, but it's not supported by many networks or many phones. (It requires the network to carefully schedule the voice and data timeslots for the particular phone on the same radio channel)

I don't know if the N900 has support for it or not. Not that any US networks support it anyway (for those of us in the US).

sounds to me like such a setup would take up the equivalent of two calls in the cell one is connected to at the moment, not surprising if not many operators make said feature available, if it exists (first i have heard of it).