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Nokia 6121 Classic - WCDMA 900 enabled

Published by Rafe Blandford at 10:42 UTC, June 18th 2007

Nokia have announced the Nokia 6121 Classic, a variant of the previously announced Nokia 6120 Classic . The 6121 supports WCDMA bands 900 and 2100 in contrast to the 850 and 2100 in the 6210. The other specifications remain the same with quad band GSM and HSDPA connectivity, a 2.0 megapixel camera, microSD support, QVGA screen and use of S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1. Read on for the explanation.

Like its sister product the 6121 is competitively priced for a S60 phone. At 105 x 46 x 15 mm (that's a volume of just 66cc) it is also one of the smallest.

The support for the 900 WCDMA band is particularly interesting as it promises improved 3G coverage in rural areas and indoors. At the moment most 3G networks use the 2100 MHz (Europe and Asia) or 1900 MHZ (America) band. Although some handsets support the 850 MHz band there are very few networks using this frequency (Telestra in Australia is one). There are often legal limitations as to which frequencies can be used (radio frequencies are typically licensed for specific uses). The 900 MHz band may be attractive to carriers since many already run GSM 900 networks and therefore have the license for the appropriate spectrum.

One of the main benefit to being able to use a lower frequency band, such as 900MHz, compared to bands around 2 GHz band, is that radio wave propagation path-loss is lower. It is therefore possible to achieve the same coverage using less base station (estimates suggest it may be up to 60% less). This means it becomes economically feasible to cover more areas, in particular this applies to rural area where lower population densities means cellular traffic is lower.

Because of the same propagation properties the use of the 900 MHz band should also improve coverage indoors in urban areas.

Potentially UMTS 900 could take over the GSM 900 band, although it may be possible to run them concurrently in sandwich mode. It is also possible to convert existing infrastructure (base stations and aerials) to UMTS 900 from GSM 900.

From the press release:

The Nokia 6121 classic, a fast and versatile smartphone in a compact design, supports quadband GSM and WCDMA 900/2100 technology. With a 2-megapixel camera and 4X- digital zoom, flash and panorama mode, taking high-quality photos is fast and easy. Additionally, the Nokia 6121 classic also features a second camera in the front that adds a personal touch to calls by making use of the video call feature. The Nokia 6121 classic utilizes HSDPA technology providing faster and easier downloads, Internet browsing, video streaming and receiving emails with attachements. The Data Transfer application allows consumers to transfer contacts, calendars, photos, videos and files from their previous Nokia to their new Nokia 6121 classic. The anticipated retail price of the Nokia 6121 classic is EUR 260, before taxes and subsidies.

"With the introduction of these thress new devices, we are expanding our mid-range offering to give consumers even more choice when it comes to mobile connectivity," said Peter Ropke, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "Whether they are looking to capture moments, share music or utilize the Internet, they can always find a stylish Nokia phone that meets their needs."

You can view our preview gallery of the Nokia 6120 here.

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Platforms: S60 3rd Edition

Categories: Hardware