WiFi or 3G for regular phone calls?

[steve6163]

I'm getting great battery life with my Inc2....except when it's used as a (*gasp*) actual phone. Is there a preferred mode for just regular phone calls, as far as going easy on the battery?

 

[valorian]

WiFi is for data only. So even if you have WiFi enabled the phone will use 3G for the calls.

 

[victek]

I'm getting great battery life with my Inc2....except when it's used as a (*gasp*) actual phone. Is there a preferred mode for just regular phone calls, as far as going easy on the battery?

As valorian noted calls use 3g. The exception is Skype in which case you'd want to use wifi for better quality and to avoid burning data if you're on a limited plan, but I don't know that it would be easier on the battery. By the way I use Juice Defender (free) and it does a nice job of extending the battery without causing problems.

 

[bik2101]

hmmm... don't think that that's right. calls don't need 3G or wifi. you can even turn off mobile data to test this. but you should make sure your phone us set to cdma and not global. several people have mentioned it helps a lot

 

[victek]

hmmm... don't think that that's right. calls don't need 3G or wifi. you can even turn off mobile data to test this. but you should make sure your phone us set to cdma and not global. several people have mentioned it helps a lot

While voice calls use minutes instead of data this may be an arbitrary distinction. Voice calls are still using the network which technically is CDMA2000 1x EV-DO and these fall under the 3g umbrella. Have a look here:

3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is very complicated and will require someone with more expertise than myself to explain with certainty, but just because you can turn off the mobile data setting on the phone doesn't mean you're not using the 3g network when you make voice calls. Perhaps we have some radio frequency engineers here who can weigh in?

 

[steve6163]

I'm in a bit of a weak reception area, although I do get a signal and can make phone calls. Maybe it's because it's a weak area that it uses the battery so quickly, if it's always on 3G for a call.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[bik2101]

While voice calls use minutes instead of data this may be an arbitrary distinction. Voice calls are still using the network which technically is CDMA2000 1x EV-DO and these fall under the 3g umbrella. Have a look here:

3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is very complicated and will require someone with more expertise than myself to explain with certainty, but just because you can turn off the mobile data setting on the phone doesn't mean you're not using the 3g network when you make voice calls. Perhaps we have some radio frequency engineers here who can weigh in?

so then that would mean that non-smartphones also have 3G? because all phones can make voice calls.

 

[valorian]

so then that would mean that non-smartphones also have 3G? because all phones can make voice calls.

Yes, even non-smartphones are 3G. They just are not capable of using as much of the data portion of 3G.

 

[bik2101]

ah i see.

 

[victek]

so then that would mean that non-smartphones also have 3G? because all phones can make voice calls.

Have a look at the wiki article. 3g isn't one particular technology. It's a standard that includes multiple technologies. The Verizon feature phones I used before getting the inc2 would display EVDO/1x in the notification area. These are transmission technologies that are included under the 3g standard. We simplistically say our phones use 3g, but this is inaccurate.

 

[grvthang]

I don't know about this phone, but on my last Android smartphone (an Eris), if you shut your mobile network off you still could send and receive phone calls and text messages; you just couldnt get on the web.