HTC Nexus One blessed by the FCC (updated)

Well lookie here. A little phone by the name of "NEXUSONE" just slipped through the FCC as model number PB99100 built by HTC. The filing also confirms a few more details including microSD expansion, 802.11b/g WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. But the real news comes from looking at the radios: quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE with UMTS/HSUPA on 850/1700/1900 frequencies. In other words, this 3G phone is capable of both 2Mbps up and 7.2Mbps down for both the T-Mobile and AT&T networks in the US of A. If this device is sold unlocked (as rumored), at a reasonable price (as hoped), and with a jaw dropping user experience (as tweeted), well, it could be very disruptive to the status quo. Then again, that's a lot of ifs.

Update: We're going to pull this back a bit. So far the FCC has posted a trio of reports this morning for the Nexus One but the outcome is inconclusive based on our own continued research and from the discussion in our comments. According to the bands listed (I, IV, and VIII) we're definitely looking at a T-Mobile USA device as well as applicability on European networks (among others). The whole AT&T range is in doubt as the test lab incorrectly lists 815-880MHz frequencies as part of band VIII. Hold tight as we dig deeper.

Update 2: Only WCDMA Band IV was tested in the Part 22H / 24E / 27 Report, leading us to believe that the Nexus One is going to be HSPA 900 / 1700 / 2100 (a pretty common tri-band 3G setup) plus quadband EDGE. Sorry, AT&T, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

[njsrikar Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:54AM]

\m/

[Marc Milestone Posted Dec 16th 2009 2:20PM]

@robertlibert Im waiting for the Test. It will be so impressive:
http://www.handy-faq.de/forum/nexus_one_forum/111859-nexus_one_test_testberichte_erfahrungsberichte.html
I think Nexus One Forum shows us the first test about this wonderful smartphone.
http://www.handy-faq.de/forum/nexus_one_forum/

[njsrikar Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:55AM]

lo ...i dont hv to change my carriers

[njsrikar Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:56AM]

@njsrikar
*carrier.....sry for double posts n errors ....am sleepy but excited

[jackculled Posted Dec 19th 2009 12:49PM]

@njsrikar Its always nice to know that somehow, a new android device could be available outside on USA as well. Looking at the frequency, hopefully that's the case! Google Phone for All? http://bit.ly/google-phone-frequency-for-all

[hq Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:56AM]

here we go. google is ready to fight

[CJ100570 Posted Dec 14th 2009 12:23PM]

All this attention for a noting

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2357081,00.asp

[rlamontjr Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:56AM]

BYE BYE iPHONE..!!
its official..

[glenskey Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:09AM]

@rlamontjr the iphone aint goin' anywhere buddy

[rlamontjr Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:21AM]

@glenskey mine is goin..lol..but its only a matter of time before it gets dethroned. dont get me wrong the iPhone is great at what it does but the competition is only advancing.

[El Jefe Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:49AM]

@rlamontjr
protip: this ain't hitting the market for another few months, at which point, it will only be a few months before an iphone update. Also, android sucks balls.

[rlamontjr Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:52AM]

@El Jefe thats all iPhone has is updates..one phone..one carrier. when i see apple use a new design, major OS enhancements, and a better network. ill consider keeping it. iPhone set the bar, and the bar has been raised.

[BadApple Posted Dec 14th 2009 7:45AM]

@rlamontjr yea they keep saying that as the iPhone grows stronger lol

[IO Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:28AM]

@El Jefe I wish Android sucked balls, I'd be a much happier person.

[Alan Strangis Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:36AM]

@rlamontjr what's with the iPhone dethroning comments?

Last I checked, Blackberry had more marketshare AND grew at a faster rate than the iPhone over the past year.

Unless you mean 'dethroned' from the top spot in tech blogger hearts.

I'll give ya that one. :)

[Frankenstein Black Posted Dec 14th 2009 10:54AM]

@rlamontjr - iPhone would only really be challenged if the N1 looked like the Legend (wt thin bezel and metal frame):
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/13/htc-legend-still-looking-good-as-a-render-anyway/
and came in under $99 unlocked and supporting all frequencies. Imagine? It would really be the first modern GAME CHANGER and would break the strangle hold that the "Phone/Operator Syndicate" has on the whole industry.

To be even more outrageous imagine if the phone had LCR (Least Cost Routing) via VoIP? That is VoIP first/prefered (over WiFi hotspots) then cell towers second over the mobile operator’s 3/4G networks when VoIP is unavailable with hand offs to boot. YIKES!!!

This would truly be Google's FU device. Just Sayin...

[rlamontjr Posted Dec 14th 2009 11:11AM]

@Frankenstein Black i like your idea too..lol..

[HardToBelieve Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:05PM]

@El Jefe

And then what? The iPhone has to do something different if it ever wants to be the boss. To do something different it would no longer be the thing that is selling so well. That's how the entire universe works.

And nobody cares about how bad you think Android is. I think that BlackBerry isn't user friendly enough. It's still the top seller.

Snow Leopard is teh failz! See, I cna spout nonsense too.

[Ariel Bender Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:36PM]

@rlamontjr: Yes, indeed. The Dandy Andiboi's have a brand new best friend.

If you like T-Mo. And you don't like games. Even better if you like your every call, message, photo, url, search – your entire life, sucked out and shared for a pretty penny. You only have to pay $500 for the privilege. Mint.

You had a nice run, Google. Better luck in the next life.

[rlamontjr Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:42PM]

@Ariel Bender in the end ill be paying less a month..sure a high one time phone price..thats a one time investment. and Tmo plans kicks AT&T's ass..and they wanna up the price of data use..HA..hello Magenta

[Millah Posted Dec 15th 2009 1:48AM]

@rlamontjr
Of course, just like the other 9 or 10 times tech bloggers hyped the death of the iPhone.

[TheGM Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:56AM]

Fuck Yes. Finally AT&T.

[jashsu Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:39AM]

@TheGM

UMTS Band VIII is commonly referred to as "900", not "850".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMTS_frequency_bands

[bradsh Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:04AM]

@TheGM What jashu is trying to say here is that Engadget is wrong, this phone will not work on AT&T 3G, according to this FCC filing. Perhaps they have another version of it in the works for AT&T.

[TheGM Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:09AM]

Bullshit, It better come to AT&T. The freq for Band VIII DOES say 815-880 MHz, so I think it is coming to AT&T.

[bradsh Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:17AM]

@TheGM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMTS_frequency_bands
The bands listed above are Band I, IV, and VIII. This means 900/1700/2100, which is the 3G radio setup for *EVERY* released T-mobile USA 3G device.

There is not in existence a device which can do both T-mobile USA 3G and AT&T 3G. It was kind of silly for people to think such a radio would be invented just for this phone. This doesn't mean an AT&T variant won't be released, it just means that this particular device is T-mo USA

[jon Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:19AM]

@TheGM

Unfortunately, 815-880MHz aren't really 850 frequencies either.

Also I think the fact that those frequencies are the only ones using whole numbers is telling.

[TheGM Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:24AM]

Damn it, stop killing my hopes. All I want is an AT&T Android phone. How long will I have to wait. They're the only damn carrier left in the US without one, even though they promised numerous times that they would have one.

[darex Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:36AM]

@TheGM
AT&T's anguish is T-Mobile's pleasure because of the selfish manner in which AT&T hoged the iPhone distribution in this country. FIVE YEAR exclusivity? To hell with that!!

N'Yah, N'Yah :-)

[darex Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:38AM]

@(Unverified) I mean "hogged"

[JMichels Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:34AM]

@TheGM

Dammit! AT&T never gets the good phones. No speculation, no hoping, no deal. This phone is too good for AT&T, and that's why it's not coming. The network wouldn't support it anyway. Keep up with your map commercials there AT&T (Luke Wilson is fat and stupid), you're not gaining or keeping any customers until you fix your lame ass network so HTC will make better phones for it. Believe that!

[almonpoole Posted Dec 14th 2009 11:47AM]

@bradsh

Sorry but your incorrect.

The Pharos Traveler 137 handles 3G on T-mobile and ATT.

[suland Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:57AM]

Do you guys feel that HTC might one day become owned by Google?

[level67 Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:33AM]

@suland The same was said for Microsoft... when it made all MS phones and MS phones only!!

[darex Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:41AM]

@suland HTC has been making phones for a very long time. Long before the word "Android" was thought up by Google. Only in recent years have they started trumpeting their own brand name forth. They were OEM manufacturer for all the PDA's before that, like iPAQ and Axim, I believe.

[HardToBelieve Posted Dec 14th 2009 8:37PM]

@suland

I hope not. I'd like it better if Google would buy Apple. Fat chance, I know. But I can dream, right?

[MegaMan X Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:57AM]

I think data-addon pricing for these smartphones are getting a little out of hand now. I'm so glad I still have my grandfathered $2.99 tzones unlimited web add-on with my plan still.

I hope I'm never forced to get an android or blackberry or iPhone or WinMo specific data plan in the future.

[bradsh Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:13AM]

@MegaMan X Get Ready. T-mobile has required android data plans for every android phone ever

[LIve2Lin Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:57AM]

Wait, I'm confused...I see no mention of 2100 MHz USPA...T-Mobile US needs both 1700 and 2100 to use its 3G...clarification?

[Adam Miarka Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:13AM]

@LIve2Lin Tmobile 3g is only 1700.

[LIve2Lin Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:24AM]

@Adam Miarka : really? I was under the impression that T-Mobile's AWS uses one frequency to upload and the other to download, therefore requiring both frequencies. Could be wrong though...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:27AM]

@Adam Miarka Incorrect. It uses both. Paired frequencies. One upload, one download.

[thedesp Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:28AM]

@LIve2Lin
WCDMA Band IV = 1700 Upload , 2100 Download

[LIve2Lin Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:29AM]

@thedesp: Now see, that's what I'm talking about. Helpful answer, and I emerge a little smarter on the other end. Thank you.

[Adam Miarka Posted Dec 14th 2009 6:37AM]

@LIve2Lin I stand corrected. Sorry guys! :-)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2009 3:52PM]

@LIve2Lin

Presumably they only need to test uplink frequencies, since the device does not produce any emissions on the downlink frequencies.

Always use the band names as Engadget did here - the frequency numbers are ambiguous (e.g. bands I and IV both use 2100MHz, but are not compatible; bands I and II both use 1900MHz but are not compatible.

T-Mobile USA is 100% band IV (AWS) for UMTS. T-Mobile uses the PCS band exclusively for GSM. AT&T is a mix of bands II (Cellular) and V (PCS). AT&T uses the same bands for UMTS/HSPDA as GSM/GPRS/EDGE, although they don't overlap. AT&T uses separate parts of the bands for GSM and UMTS, or in some cases GSM is on the Cellular band and UMTS is on the PCS band or vice-versa.

[ale Posted Dec 14th 2009 4:57AM]

crap. so much for Verizon getting an Android version of the HD2
Verizon Passion my assho..... anyway!

so there's no chance is there? I mean of another Android super phone coming to Verizon

[jon Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:00AM]

@ale

The Bravo, Maybe.

Looks better than the passion anyway.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 14th 2009 5:16AM]

@jon
I wish Verizon gets the Bravo. This thing is ugly

[1ofdakoolkidz Posted Dec 14th 2009 9:07AM]

@ale This phone(the g-phone) has nothing to do with the Bravo/passion, although I believe it is a variant in style. Google is making this phone on purpose, 1 to climb the later here in the US but mainly to get Android out in Europe, hence making a GSM phone. Verizon is still getting a hot HTC phone quarter 1(Jan) with all the bells and whistles just not this phone. Google, unfortunately will learn though it's only a matter of time before a shitty network starts taking the shine off of a good product. Apple is learning a very valuable lesson!!