Ask PreCentral.net: Pre, Voice, and Data -- What's the Story?
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.)
