UMTS 850 in USA

[inquisitor]

It seems like my assumptions above are wrong. Wikipedia says:

AT&T Wireless launched UMTS services in the United States by the end of 2004 strictly using the existing 1900 MHz spectrum allocated for 2G PCS services. Cingular acquired AT&T Wireless in 2004 and has since then launched UMTS in select US cities. Cingular renamed itself AT&T and is rolling out some cities with a UMTS network at 850 MHz to enhance its existing UMTS network at 1900 MHz and now offers subscribers a number of UMTS 850/1900 phones.

So you either need another phone or settle for 2G only.

[DaveRo]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

It seems like my assumptions above are wrong. Wikipedia says:...

I think it may be more complicated than that. Googling reveals there there are a lot of areas of the USA that AT&T has UMTS on 850 only. I think it depends on which original company (Cingular aka AT&T mobility, old AT&T, other?) was prevalent in an area. And I also read that AT&T is 'moving towards' 850. Many posts say 'You need an 850 phone for AT&T' - but it's often not clear whether that's for GSM (2G) or UMTS.

I found this site
WirelessAdvisor
which tells you (IIUC) who licenses the spectrum where. Plugging in a random place in Virgina: Shanadoah tells me that AT&T use UMTS 850. Or does it?

I assume that all US phones have 850 and 1900 - it seems odd that this one only has 850 if that's an unusual frequency. Maybe I'll try emailing AT&T.

@Photojim: thanks for the comment about prepaid - I would not have guessed that it matters. AT&T prepaid (aka Gophone?) reception seems OK in the area I mentioned in my OP. The phone does have EDGE.