3G is more than video calls. Video calls is just one of many services that are made possible with the 3G network. It's not the primary use of 3G though. The primary use of 3G is for mobile internet on your laptop, as well as accessing online services like e-mail on your phone without it taking too long. 3G, as opposed to GSM, can transfer data at way higher speeds. Within that confinement, there are many things that could be done.
Without 3G it would still take 5-10 seconds to send an MMS. 3.5G is already launched in Norway, with a potential speed of 7,2mbps. That's fucking fast, and even though practically it will probably cap at about 3,6mbps, it's still an amazing speed. So soon as there's enough coverage, you can use a GSM card reader in your laptop and have broadband in your car or boat, or on the street.
yeah but currently there are other technologies that doesn't use 3g fe. 2g EDGE (most 3g phones support speeds up to 400kbps - same as over the good old EDGE).
umts in this case only matters if you have a mobile internet card in your laptop. It's pointless in mobile phones.
We also have 7.2 mbps "3.5g" (HSDPA which in fact works a bit better than UMTS) now but even if you have a 15meg internet over the same system it will still work like shit. There are many factors that make it lag, load websites slooowly and just plain suck. In no way it can be compared to cable broadband, it's pretty close to edge except faster download speed (if you have a laptop). I was also able to make Skype calls using 3g and it worked terribly.
I mean it's cool that they used a new standart but I hope they won't put too much money in it and work on something better instead. They could use advantages of wlan-like technologies (p2p, based on multiple servers).
Also UMTS wastes batteries terribly fast.
SE k800i which is known for a decent battery life handles max 2days (or 1.5 damn hour of talk time) over UMTS network.
Turning umts off you get at least 4-5 days standby or 6-7 hours talk time over casual gsm network.
I also had a Motorola v1050 that lasted.. 3/4 day with umts on..
I think that video calling is the main advantage of 3g that was made possible because of faster data transfer but it's imo unbelievably useless.
Nowadays most phones are umts based, with 2 cameras and other stupid stuff.
I don't like it because:
1. phones with 2 cameras look gay
2. they eat batteries faster because of umts (sometimes it's impossible to turn umts off)
3. they are bulkier
4. they are more expensive
5. they replace good 2g phones - so it's harder to get a good 2g phone these days
6. nobody uses video calls on the streets, while at home people have Skype and such.
7. UMTS suxxxx major balls
