Why don't all manufacturers just make pentaband phones?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I don't get it. The primary reason for me buying a Nexus is because it has the ability to be used worldwide. From a manufacturer standpoint wouldn't it make sense to make a pentaband phone so you can sell it, uh, worldwide? It would increase your possible market size greatly.

There's a Chinese phone called the Meizu MX2. It is absolutely beautiful and solidly built. All the specs easily trump anything from Samsung. I played with it yesterday and it's not that expensive either ($450 USD). The downside is that it hardly supports any frequencies. If it was pentaband I would toss my Nexus for the Meizu in the blink of an eye.

http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx2-5142.php

2G Network GSM 900 / 1800
3G Network HSDPA 2100

 

[ImDonly1]

The Meizu MX (first one) was pentaband. Seems like they made the MX2 only have 2100Mhz to focus on Chinese sales only?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

The Meizu MX (first one) was pentaband. Seems like they made the MX2 only have 2100Mhz to focus on Chinese sales only?

Perhaps. Maybe they want to avoid the pitfall of growing too fast? If they don't have a support structure in the US for their phones their reputation could be bungled before they even get off the ground from people who have issues but inadequate support. Or something.

It's a shame. It is an absolutely beautiful, elegant phone.

 

[Bateluer]

You think just because you build a phone you have the right to sell it on US carriers? Lolz. Thats not how it works.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You think just because you build a phone you have the right to sell it on US carriers? Lolz. Thats not how it works.

I don't give a shit about US carriers. It's all the other carriers across the globe that you'll now be able to use since you have pentaband hardware. I'll buy it in China if I have to if it were pentaband.

I like your explanation of "that's not how it works" with "lulz." Since when did the advice on these forums turn to such shit?

 

[GTaudiophile]

A main reason why I bought a GNEx.

 

[grkM3]

I'd rather have a nexus 4 with quad s4 pro

 

[dagamer34]

There's no pressure to build a pentaband phone. The rest of the world isn't crazy enough to allow exclusive bands to just one carrier.

 

[Dannar26]

There's no pressure to build a pentaband phone. The rest of the world isn't crazy enough to allow exclusive bands to just one carrier.

Exactly. It's a US carrier problem.

 

[corkyg]

It might also be useful to understand how worldwide frequencies are allocated and controlled. This is an easy read . . ,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_allocation

 

[SilthDraeth]

Also, not sure how that phone trumps any of Samsung's. I just got a Note 2, and I don't see anywhere were the Meizu is superior.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

That thing looks 99% like an iphone 4s lolchina

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

because no one gives a rats ass about tmobile and AWS frequencies?

i mean its unfortunate and all, but at least AT&T's 850/1900 is used in more places.

Perhaps. Maybe they want to avoid the pitfall of growing too fast? If they don't have a support structure in the US for their phones their reputation could be bungled before they even get off the ground from people who have issues but inadequate support. Or something.

It's a shame. It is an absolutely beautiful, elegant phone.

You realize that 2100 covers europe, asia, and practically everywhere NON US? Furthermore, unless they planned on partnering with the US carriers, even building pentaband unlocked means a TINYASS market in the US. Not worth it to them. Makes business sense to me. Really,the only way to penetrate the US market is to either have a wildly popular phone or to partner with the US carriers. The lackluster Nexus sales in the past has shown this. It takes razor thin margins and low prices to attract US consumers to unlocked phones.

 

[Bateluer]

Since when did the advice on these forums turn to such shit?

You weren't sking for advice. You were ranting.

 

[s44]

You weren't sking for advice. You were ranting.

In a totally uninformed way, no less.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

You weren't sking for advice. You were ranting.

You see the thread title? That's called a "question." I was asking a "question." And where in the actual OP did it seem like a rant other than the way you read it to yourself in your head using your little angry voice?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

because no one gives a rats ass about tmobile and AWS frequencies?

i mean its unfortunate and all, but at least AT&T's 850/1900 is used in more places.



You realize that 2100 covers europe, asia, and practically everywhere NON US? Furthermore, unless they planned on partnering with the US carriers, even building pentaband unlocked means a TINYASS market in the US. Not worth it to them. Makes business sense to me. Really,the only way to penetrate the US market is to either have a wildly popular phone or to partner with the US carriers. The lackluster Nexus sales in the past has shown this. It takes razor thin margins and low prices to attract US consumers to unlocked phones.

I see that: http://www.worldtimezone.com/gsm.html

But as far as the GSM frequencies are concerned, only having 900 and 1800 also eliminates them from the entire continent of North America and most of South America. That's a big market.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Also, not sure how that phone trumps any of Samsung's. I just got a Note 2, and I don't see anywhere were the Meizu is superior.

I've played with all of them since China has just a better selection of phones than the US.

With specs being equivalent, the Meizu has much better build quality, better aesthetic design IMO, and a really really good price point compared to a GS3 or Note2.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I see that: http://www.worldtimezone.com/gsm.html

But as far as the GSM frequencies are concerned, only having 900 and 1800 also eliminates them from the entire continent of North America and most of South America. That's a big market.

Well thats why most phones are quad band. It covers everything but T-Mobile and WIND in Canada. Given that the US is the major market at stake by adding more frequencies besides 2100, that's really the main loss. I'm not so sure about the South America market and how they like unlocked phones, but in general given the US is almost impenetrable to unlocked phones, even adding quad and pentaband doesn't give the phone manufacturers that much more of a market.

The state of frequencies is sad though. I will probably be singing the same tune when LTE becomes a necessity and I'm wondering when we'll have a global phone that works with AT&T's or Verizon's stupid LTE bands.

 

[ImDonly1]

I did some googling, the phone isn't released or was just barely released yet. There are no reviews. I did find some thread on the Meizu forums where they asked an engineer if the phone was pentaband and he said yes. Maybe it is pentaband, but they just didn't bother to list it/incorrectly listed it on their website?

http://forum.meizu.com/viewthread.php?tid=13922

Here is the engineer's post
http://bbs.meizu.cn/viewthread.php?tid=4117262&page=3&authorid=2858010
and translated
http://translate.google.com/transla...hread.php?tid=4117262&page=3&authorid=2858010

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Well thats why most phones are quad band. It covers everything but T-Mobile and WIND in Canada. Given that the US is the major market at stake by adding more frequencies besides 2100, that's really the main loss. I'm not so sure about the South America market and how they like unlocked phones, but in general given the US is almost impenetrable to unlocked phones, even adding quad and pentaband doesn't give the phone manufacturers that much more of a market.

The state of frequencies is sad though. I will probably be singing the same tune when LTE becomes a necessity and I'm wondering when we'll have a global phone that works with AT&T's or Verizon's stupid LTE bands.

Interesting. So if I had an unlocked phone from another country I wouldn't be able to use it in the US? The carrier would refuse to let it be used? How do travelers do it with their foreign phones then? EDIT: nevermind, it's not officially released. My friend got it as a pre-order or something.

I did some googling, the phone isn't released or was just barely released yet. There are no reviews. I did find some thread on the Meizu forums where they asked an engineer if the phone was pentaband and he said yes. Maybe it is pentaband, but they just didn't bother to list it/incorrectly listed it on their website?

http://forum.meizu.com/viewthread.php?tid=13922

Here is the engineer's post
http://bbs.meizu.cn/viewthread.php?tid=4117262&page=3&authorid=2858010
and translated
http://translate.google.com/transla...hread.php?tid=4117262&page=3&authorid=2858010

Gah. Well, it is released because I held it in my hand yesterday and someone had just bought it that week.

 

[Bateluer]

You see the thread title? That's called a "question." I was asking a "question." And where in the actual OP did it seem like a rant other than the way you read it to yourself in your head using your little angry voice?

Forgive my mistype, 'sking' instead of 'asking'. Was in a hurry.

To your response, your entire post was complaining in a rant. You weren't seeking advice, simply complaining about the major device manufacturers.

You should know, however, that most Meizu phones are not well built. The cheap plastic they use is every cheaper and flimsier than what Samsung used in the GS1 models and their current sub-budget models. Every review from a reputable source mentions this. You get what you pay for.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Forgive my mistype, 'sking' instead of 'asking'. Was in a hurry.

To your response, your entire post was complaining in a rant. You weren't seeking advice, simply complaining about the major device manufacturers.

You should know, however, that most Meizu phones are not well built. The cheap plastic they use is every cheaper and flimsier than what Samsung used in the GS1 models and their current sub-budget models. Every review from a reputable source mentions this. You get what you pay for.

Let me quote my original post:

I don't get it. The primary reason for me buying a Nexus is because it has the ability to be used worldwide. From a manufacturer standpoint wouldn't it make sense to make a pentaband phone so you can sell it, uh, worldwide? It would increase your possible market size greatly.

There's a Chinese phone called the Meizu MX2. It is absolutely beautiful and solidly built. All the specs easily trump anything from Samsung. I played with it yesterday and it's not that expensive either ($450 USD). The downside is that it hardly supports any frequencies. If it was pentaband I would toss my Nexus for the Meizu in the blink of an eye.

http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx2-5142.php

2G Network GSM 900 / 1800
3G Network HSDPA 2100

What words or phrases do you feel is a rant? The part where I say "I don't get it?"

I'm here. In China. I played with the Meizu again 5 minutes ago.

The construction quality is WAY better than my Nexus, than the GS3, GS2, Note, and feels solid. The plastic is not cheap by any means. Even has a metal ring around it. The weight is solid. The iPhone is still more solid though since it's completely glass and metal.

Although to be fair this is a recent development. Talking to the others here, Meizu *had* some cheap construction issues. The MX2 is their best one yet, and it shows. The original MX wasn't bad either, but the MX2 is better.

 

[Infrnl]

Looks like apple has another company to sue. Looks exactly like an iphone to me but made in china. Everyone has their opinion, but I do not see this being any better than any other phone. Just buy it if you like it so much