Dave writes in with an excellent question!
Since pre is a web device, what will the Pre do when its accessing the
internet and a call comes?i can think of (3) answers..., but i'm not sure.
a) close the app(s) accessing the internet
b) save the app(s), as is, until the call is completed
c) direct incoming calls straight to voicemail, follewed by an alert,
just like my sprint treo 650.
Before we get to the answer, there's some context to help understand this issue. Sprint runs on a CDMA network, specifically data and calls now go through EVDO (or EVDO Rev A). The issue here is that before EVDO, simultaneous voice and data couldn't happen on these networks -- it was only possible on GSM technology like HSDPA. In fact, as Dave notes, back in the 1xRTT days if you had an active data session going (as in, downloading a file), your calls would get routed straight to voicemail.
So, as Dave asks, what's going to happen on the Sprint Palm Pre? We don't know for sure, but we have some good educated guesses. Read on!
Here's a handy chart:
Sprint's Network Capabilities | |||
| 1xRTT | EVDO | EVDO Rev A | |
| Data Speed: | SLOW. 50kbps - 100kbps down and up | Pretty fast 400-1000kpbs down, 500-800kpbs up. Bursts are faster on occasion. | Crazy fast 600-1400kpbs down, 500-800kpbs (or more) up Bursts are faster on occasion |
| Simultaneous Voice and Data | Snicker. Snort. No. | No. | Possible in theory, but not in practice (see #1 below) |
| How incoming calls are handled | Voicemail | Optionally interrupts data session, or voicemail (see #2 below) | In theory, wouldn't interrupt. In practice, same as EVDO. |
The Pre and most modern Sprint smartphones all run on Rev A. EVDO Rev A theoretically can do voice and data at the same time. In practice, though, Sprint has not made that happen for reasons that are mysterious to us -- best guess is that it's harder than it looks and Sprint prefers the tradeoff of less functionality instead of more bugs. That's #1 from the chart above.
There was hope that the Pre would allow simultaneous Voice and Data, hope that was mercilessly quashed mid-February. Instead we're guessing the Pre will handle voice and data in the same way other Sprint EVDO Rev A smartphones do, which leads us to #2 from the chart.
Let's work with the Sprint Touch Diamond. By default, when a call comes in it interrupts your data session so you can hear it ring and answer the call if you like. If you wouldn't like, you can ignore the call and when it stops ringing, your data session starts up again fairly quickly. Since it multitasks, your browser window (or whatever app you're using) stays open.
The situation, by default, will likely be the exact same on the Pre, with the added benefit of the Pre's excellent notification system. Which is to say that except for the data interruption, the incoming call won't immediately toss you out of what you're currently doing, as seen below:
In other words, we fully expect the answer to your question is option B. When a call comes in and you ignore it, your activity will only be interrupted by a brief cessation of your data connection. If you take the call, that will just pop up in another card and when it's done, you can go back to your browsing card.
There's one more option: Palm may give you the chance to customize this via something called "DDTM Mode." DDTM stands for "Data Dedicated Transmission Mode" and "Mode' usually gets appended to it in the same way most people say "ATM Machine" (sigh). Here's a screenshot of the DDTM setting on the Sprint Touch Diamond (found under Settings - > Phone -> Services -> DDTM Mode. Sometimes it's just called "Data Settings" too -- thanks Mal!).
As you can see, it's pretty self explanatory. If data is more important to you than some silly person actually trying to speak to you, you can switch the phone over to behave in the old school way: if data's a rockin, callers can't come a knockin. These settings appear on most Sprint EVDO phones (even the Instinct) someplace, so it's not a crazy bet to say that they will on the Palm Pre as well.
....phew! There you go, chances are that incoming calls will temporarily kill data, but won't close out what you're doing. A slightly smaller chance is you can set the phone to send everything to voicemail if you have an active data session.
One last thing: When the GSM Palm Pre hits, it will sport HSDPA and, well, handle simultaneous Voice and Data with nary a problem (unless it's stuck in an EDGE area, in which case you're looking at another ball-o-wax.)
Comments
First!!!!
I have a Sprint Centro, and calls come in while doing data. Just tried it again to be sure. Brought up browser, loaded new site, called it, and rang no prob.
I think B. This is what my curve does. And would Palm create such a hi-tech device that would make your internet search or whatever close just because of a call..... It will probably disconnect and keep the card and app open. Then when done with the call you can come back and refresh the page or possible it could resume on its own.
Thanks Dieter Bohn and Precentral for answering my question!
- dave
Looks like the Pre will be able to do what the provider allows - on EVDO it behaves like an EVDO device and on a GSM network it behaves as we have come to expect a GSM device will behave.
Certainly no surprise there - since when does a new device automatically bring with it capabilities not supported by the underlying network?
-john
The holdup is, the voice would needed to be routed over a viop connection, it's not just the same cellular technology, with a slight tweak, it's an entire makeover.
Sprints QChat (push to talk) uses VoIP routed through EVDO, the technology is there. The question is, will Sprint enable it for voice calls?
NO. This drawback with Sprint will remain on the Pre.
Didnt I read somewhere that the Treo Pro DOES handle voice and data simultaneously for Sprint?
I have a BlackBerry Curve on Sprint now (Rev 0) and when I am in the middle of a call and get a text or email, I get a notification noise/icon during the call. (I've never tried looking at the email while on the call though.) Is this different from getting data and voice at the same time? What explains this?
Hmm, never mind. It's just text messages, not email. I suppose that uses something separate.
I wanted to say the same thing - I get texts during calls, and I can send/receive texts during call - Sprint EVDO Rev A, with a HTC Mogul/windows mobile device.
However, the internet is another story. I can multitask and have a web page up, but if I try to actually load a page during a call, I lose the call.
Wow this article was hard to read and understand!! Your sentence structure is strange! Commas in the wrong place, bad conjugation, etc... Did anyone else notice? Sorry to point that out.
Anyways... I would like to see an incoming call be a completely ignorable notification, similar to an event on your calendar popping up and resizing your browser/application card. Also it make senses for the ringer NOT to sound while the screen is ON, right? I mean, if you are looking at the screen (meaning that the touchscreen is unlocked), why would you need the ringer to sound as well??
This means that if you are working on an email or browsing the web, or even listening to a song (with the screen on), the app card will just resize with the ringer off to alert your eyes of the incoming call! Does anyone else think that this is sensible? Of course, Sprint will have to smooth out data and voice truly running concurrently.
If the screen was OFF and you are NOT currently listening to audio (music app, Sprint radio, etc.) the ringer sounds and the incoming call notification takes up the entire screen. But if a audio intensive app IS running while the screen is OFF, the incoming call DOES interrupt the the current audio and you must slide to ignore and the audio resumes to play and the screen turns back off.
Of course all this would mean that you can be on a call, hit the 'center button', and go look at an email or other data app, WHILE you are still talking/listening to the call. But of course this would mean, you wouldn't be able to start audio/video specific apps while on a call; AND music/video related apps would pause when starting the phone app.
Dieter Bohn, and everyone else, please tell me what I have explained is not that difficult to accomplish on the upcoming Pre and other Sprint smartphones!!
I was told by a Sprint Rep that their EVDO Rev A handsets are able to do voice and date simultaneously. Here is the email that I was sent:
Dear Kevin ,
Thank you for contacting Sprint regarding Sprint 3G handset's.
I am glad to inform you that Sprint 3G handset's are capable of voice as
well as data. You can enjoy both the feature all together.
Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
Angelina N.
Sprint
Save Money with our new Price Plans
Individual and Family Plans
We do offer following two data plans.
These are:
1 - The $15.00 Sprint data pack - the features of this pack are:
1. Unlimited Internet access
2. NFL Mobile
3. On Demand (EVDO phone)
4. Basic TV and Basic Radio
5. Sprint Mobile Email Work ($9.99 per month)
6. Sprint Navigation ($2.99 per day or $9.99 per month)
2 - $30 Power Vision Pro pack
- Unlimited Web/Data Access
- Unlimited Picture Mail and Video Mail
- Multimedia - Includes Sprint Basic TV and Sprint Basic Radio
- Unlimited Sprint Navigation
- On Demand
- Access to NFL Mobile and
- Sprint Mobile e Mail
There will be no extra charges with these data plans.
You can view all the plans offered by us by clicking the below mentioned
hyperlink:
http://www.sprint.com/index.html
Thank you again for contacting Sprint.
Sincerely,
Sara N.
Sprint
We'll see what happens when more details about the Pre are released.
They lied to you.
Actually, I think what we have here is a failure to communicate. It seems they thought you were asking, "Can your phones do both voice and data?" (Of course we all know they can.) It doesn't seem they understood that you meant, "Can I be using the voice CONNECTION and the data CONNECTION _simultaneously_?" That's what I get from the comment:
"I am glad to inform you that Sprint 3G handset's are capable of voice as well as data."
"... what we have here is a failure to communicate."
thats a pun.
It's also a line from an excellent movie.
Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke."
On my sprint mogul, (Evdo revA) will favor voice over data. Apps using data seem to end up with broken sockets. When the voice call is done with, the data session resumes almost immediately.
With good caching, it's not too annoying. What can be annoying is getting a voice call (i.e. 'family tech support'), and I'd be unable to look up a website for information, while on the line with the caller.
I'm expecting the pre to be the same way. Whats sad is that LTE is due in 1-2 years, which makes the whole GSM vs CDMA argument moot. It'll all be VOIP by then.
I'm gonna put up with it tho', if the pre 'in hand' is as cool as it looks on stage.
On the upside, even on the phone the data session still runs fine if the wifi is up. (Also a Moguler.) Yeah, we don't always have wifi which is why we love our phones, but as a sometimes-handy workaround for this limitation it's nice. Reckon this should work the same on the Pre.
My feeling is that we won't see simultaneous voice/data ever on CDMA2K networks. Why? Because they don't have separate radios for the voice and data channels like HSDPA does. So.... that means that the only way to implement it is to do VoiP, and my personal gut feeling is that current 3G networks like EVDO Rev A just don't have the bandwidth to suppport VoiP with a quality level that's on par with what we currently have. (my Vonage quality is decent, but not as good as traditional landline - and this is using Comcast cable which is waaaay faster than EVDO)
So when you see articles from Sprint and Qualcomm claiming that Rev A supports simultaneous voice and data, it's a little misleading. What they really mean is that it supports data and data simultaneously, since that's what VoiP is. :)
It is a simple software upgrade, Sprints QChat (push to talk) devices are basically EVDO phones with VoIP software which enable them to send oneway voice communications by the push of a button via VoIP. The VoIP is routed through EVDO. Last year EVDOinfo did a test call via VoIP over EVDO, the call quality was great.
It may very well be a software upgrade, but I'm still skeptical that it will work. (or work well, rather) And I'm guessing that's the reason we haven't seen any phones support it yet. Also, I think Sprint needs to have their entire network get upgraded to EVDO before they start supporting this service. Because like I said before, what happens if you're on a Voip call and you drive into a 1x only area? I'd bet that your call will drop. Not cool.
Don't get me wrong, if this truly works then I'd love to see Sprint roll it out. But I remain highly skeptical.
By the way, you're correct about the "data and data" part, the calls will show up as data.
I was told by a Sprint Rep that their EVDO Rev A handsets are able to do voice and date simultaneously. Here is the email that I was sent:
Dear Kevin ,
Thank you for contacting Sprint regarding Sprint 3G handset's.
I am glad to inform you that Sprint 3G handset's are capable of voice as
well as data. You can enjoy both the feature all together.
Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
Angelina N.
Sprint
I am of the Opinion the Sprint Rep realy didn't understand the Question and just let you know that the 3G phone from Sprint will do All the features of Voice and Data all in one device...Some phones would not be able to take advantage of all of the Power Vision Features ike the Q not able to do NAV and Picture Mail or even the NFL MObile anymore for some reason???....hehe I know that is a duhhhhh obvious thing but sometimes the ansers they give you are idiotic to say the least!!
I personally don't mind my data connection being interrupted when a call comes in as long as it gets restored right after the call ends. This is not where I see the real problem. What does bother me is not being able to open up the browser and look up some information online while on a call so that I can give the other person this information or we can both look at it together. That would suck!
actually my treo755p and my centro have the option of sending calls straight to VM, if you go to prefrences - network - menu - prefrencences u should find an option of sending all calls to VM while a network connection is active.
I found it that people have a hard time getting trough to me when I'm using the internet even when the phone is set to favor voice over net, does anyone else have that issue?
I Hope voice and data work together simultaneously
I'm running a Sprint HTC Touch Pro. I have installed Skype and use it occasionally when I need voice and data at the same time and it works with excellent voice quality.
So what's the deal? Simultaneous voice and data or not?
Want to leave a comment? Register for free!
In an effort to reduce comment spam, you need to log in to comment. Registration is fast, free, and easy and gives you access to comment, discuss the Palm Pre on the largest Pre forums on the 'net, enter contests, and much more. Join now!