I understand that 2G and 3G has more to do with data speed. However does the voice quality differ between the two??? I can't find much consensus on the subject. Thank you.
unless your operator have strange equipment it would be 100% the same
A wireless communications guy who is a fanatic with cell phones on youtube (aka absalon3) once said that his Nokia E90 kept dropping calls because it did not support the U.S. 3G frequencies at his carrier.
So yes, if you don't have 3G access or subscription, than your phone is more likely to have a weaker signal--hence the dropped calls.
poetryrocksalot said:
A wireless communications guy who is a fanatic with cell phones on youtube (aka absalon3) once said that his Nokia E90 kept dropping calls because it did not support the U.S. 3G frequencies at his carrier.
So yes, if you don't have 3G access or subscription, than your phone is more likely to have a weaker signal--hence the dropped calls.
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i dont think so. gsm 3g devices can have simultaneous voice and data connections 3g and voice are totally separate.
josefcrist said:
i dont think so. gsm 3g devices can have simultaneous voice and data connections 3g and voice are totally separate.
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Check out Absalon3's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNrRNUZfqkQ
He says that the lack of 3G hardware meant that he got dropped calls.
On another video he claims to have a degree on some sort of communications thing. I haven't looked for the video because I don't know which one it is on the top of my head. Anyways it sounded as if his 'degree' made him an expert on cell phones.
I also have a Nokia E90 and the reception isn't as good as my North American version of Xperia X1. However, I do understand that reception is also determined by the other hardware factors.
Well thank you guys, this is why I had trouble finding out definitive info on this. It seems that there are no hard fact, just anecdotal evidences.
I am trying to decide whether I have to go with a higher price Telus HTC Hero (3G on ATT), or I can stick with a cheaper price HTC Hero (2G on ATT). I don't give a crap about data, however, voice is very important, after all it is a phone.
"gsm 3g devices can have simultaneous voice and data connections 3g and voice are totally separate."
not just gsm 3g devices
gsm since gprs (1g) have supported simultaneous voice and data
that is if the operators equipment support it too
had simultaneous data and voice on all my 1g gsm smartphones
Many 3G operators have their 2G service provided by another operator in low coverage areas, so when moving between 3G and 2G and vice versa there can sometimes be line drops.
The actual voice quality between a 2G phone call and a 3G phone call is no different.
Research your desired operator's coverage in your area for both 2G and 3G, then decide.
From what I've seen, and also from the maps on their websites.
If you have a phone with 2G and 3G you have the most coverage.
Now if you have a 2G device you will only have coverage in the 2G area, so if there are places that only have 3G in their area, you will get a dropped call.
This is practically useless for the large decent carriers like AT&T and Verizon who have a lot of coverage. But maybe it's a problem for some other carriers.
Also from the maps it looks like most 2G area have 3G.
Just my .02, I have nothing really to back this up. Best thing you can do is make sure you have good coverage.
ATT's Webpage for Coverage
There are other places where you can find a carriers coverage.
Related
Has anyone successfully used a tri-band phone (specifically 900/1800/1900) on the Cingular AT&T network for long periods, and found all of the points below to be true?
1. Good phone (voice) coverage (Subjective yes, but I'm looking to know if not having 850Mhz causes considerable problems with voice quality and/or dropped calls).
2. No roaming charges due to your phone using the T-Mobile tower instead of an AT&T tower if for instance the T-Mo 1900 signal was stronger where you might be standing, than the signal coming from the nearest AT&T tower.
3. Ability to move about in a 200 mile radius and still not incur roaming charges. (In either case if you'd like to share your general location I would appreciate knowing.)
This is not about 850/1800/1900 tri-band phones. What I'm trying to learn is whether or not phones like the O2 Flame would work for me in the US on the AT&T network. And work well enough to provide good coverage without attaching to the T-Mobile towers on a regular basis.
I am not interested in data, just voice.
Thanks!
Tref said:
Has anyone successfully used a tri-band phone (specifically 900/1800/1900) on the Cingular AT&T network for long periods, and found all of the points below to be true?
1. Good phone (voice) coverage (Subjective yes, but I'm looking to know if not having 850Mhz causes considerable problems with voice quality and/or dropped calls).
2. No roaming charges due to your phone using the T-Mobile tower instead of an AT&T tower if for instance the T-Mo 1900 signal was stronger where you might be standing, than the signal coming from the nearest AT&T tower.
3. Ability to move about in a 200 mile radius and still not incur roaming charges. (In either case if you'd like to share your general location I would appreciate knowing.)
This is not about 850/1800/1900 tri-band phones. What I'm trying to learn is whether or not phones like the O2 Flame would work for me in the US on the AT&T network. And work well enough to provide good coverage without attaching to the T-Mobile towers on a regular basis.
I am not interested in data, just voice.
Thanks!
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depends on where you are...
at some places with good coverage..you dont miss the 850 band
at others they have predominantly 850 towers..
i am not sure about roaming...though you can manually set the operator to at&t only
i'm in florida and both t-mobile and cingular service is crappy here
So how do you manually set it to at&t only? I've looked but have not found that option. If I could do that I might take a chance on buying an unlocked device.
Thanks
I notice that forcing 2g, calls get that kinda pulsating GSM radio interference noise whereas forcing 3g it does not occur!!!
Anyone else notice this?!!
strung said:
I notice that forcing 2g, calls get that kinda pulsating GSM radio interference noise whereas forcing 3g it does not occur!!!
Anyone else notice this?!!
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i thought 3g, 4g, 2g or what ever was for data purposes only....
laker666 said:
i thought 3g, 4g, 2g or what ever was for data purposes only....
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From what I understand, 4g is 3g, they are HSPA and HSPA+. 2G is GSM. So there are two separate radios in your phone and on the towers.
I just tested this on my phone and can confirm that 3G is a lot less noisier call-quality wise than 2G.
Voice uses 3G as well. TMO throttled back 2G a while back to make 3G faster, so using any phone on 2G mode nowadays is gonna suck more than it would otherwise.
zaventh said:
Voice uses 3G as well. TMO throttled back 2G a while back to make 3G faster, so using any phone on 2G mode nowadays is gonna suck more than it would otherwise.
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if that is the case how come i can turn of my data and stilll make crystal clear phone calls? not saying you are wrong just trying to understand
strung said:
I notice that forcing 2g, calls get that kinda pulsating GSM radio interference noise whereas forcing 3g it does not occur!!!
Anyone else notice this?!!
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Yep.. 2G / EDGE uses the older GSM data transmission standard, while 3G/4G uses CDMA technology to transmit data.
T-Mobile uses all GSM technology. CDMA is something totally different and is used by Verizon/Sprint in the US.
I'm not a radio engineering expert, but the main difference between 2G and 3G is the protocol. 3G uses more efficient algorithms to compress/decompress the audio (and data) signals. This is the primary reason 3G is faster than 2G to begin with. T-Mobile uses 3G for voice, which means that, in general, calls will LIKELY sound clearly and crisper on 3G than 2G, on average. This is all dependent on network conditions, your 2G signal, your 3G signal, your particular handset, and your own hearing capabilities and preferences. But the idea is like an Mp3 encoding... 3G is 320kbps and 2G is 128kbps... maybe sometimes they sound the same to some people, but technically 3G is "better" under ideal circumstances.
But the 2G throttling I was remembering was actually AT&T, not T-Mobile, though they likely have done something to a similar effect by now.
http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/512.html
wcdma is 3/4g
zaventh said:
T-Mobile uses all GSM technology. CDMA is something totally different and is used by Verizon/Sprint in the US.
I'm not a radio engineering expert, but the main difference between 2G and 3G is the protocol. 3G uses more efficient algorithms to compress/decompress the audio (and data) signals. This is the primary reason 3G is faster than 2G to begin with. T-Mobile uses 3G for voice, which means that, in general, calls will LIKELY sound clearly and crisper on 3G than 2G, on average. This is all dependent on network conditions, your 2G signal, your 3G signal, your particular handset, and your own hearing capabilities and preferences. But the idea is like an Mp3 encoding... 3G is 320kbps and 2G is 128kbps... maybe sometimes they sound the same to some people, but technically 3G is "better" under ideal circumstances.
But the 2G throttling I was remembering was actually AT&T, not T-Mobile, though they likely have done something to a similar effect by now.
http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/512.html
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my question is if 2g and 3/4g have any effect on call quality, how can i receive crystal clear call quality with my data turned off. im not sure 2g, 3g, or 4g have any effect on call quality
None of your voice goes through your data connection. The ONLY way there is any difference is if there is some kind of electromagnetic interference from inside the phone caused by 2G and not by 4G.
As stated above, All voice calls and SMS come through without a data connection at all.
r4d14n7 said:
None of your voice goes through your data connection. The ONLY way there is any difference is if there is some kind of electromagnetic interference from inside the phone caused by 2G and not by 4G.
As stated above, All voice calls and SMS come through without a data connection at all.
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Disabling data does not mean you disconnect from the 3G/4G network. Turn mobile data off and then look under Settings>About Phone>Status, and look at Mobile Network Type. You're phone is still connected to UMTS/HSPA/EDGE/GPRS ... or whatever other type of network it was connected to. And you're not connected to both 2G and 3G simultaneously. Its one or the other and all data and phone transmissions are sent over whichever network you're connected to.
phburks said:
Disabling data does not mean you disconnect from the 3G/4G network. Turn mobile data off and then look under Settings>About Phone>Status, and look at Mobile Network Type. You're phone is still connected to UMTS/HSPA/EDGE/GPRS ... or whatever other type of network it was connected to. And you're not connected to both 2G and 3G simultaneously. Its one or the other and all data and phone transmissions are sent over whichever network you're connected to.
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+ 1
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Ah, fair enough. I was under the impression that voice always went through a GSM connection, whether WCDMA was active or not. Has this changed in the last few years?
r4d14n7 said:
Ah, fair enough. I was under the impression that voice always went through a GSM connection, whether WCDMA was active or not. Has this changed in the last few years?
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Don't think it's ever been that way. Phones will switch from one type of mobile network to another depending on user settings and signal strength, but you're only connected to one type of network at any given time. GSM networks utilize 2G technologies to allow for voice and data, but not simultaneously. GSM networks also utilize 3G/4G technologies to allow voice and data simultaneously.
Here's a good source of info on different technologies used by GSM networks:
http://www.gsmworld.com/technology/index.htm
My bad. Thanks for the link though.
When on 2g my speakers of my surround sound and car audio will make static from the phone... 3g doesn't do this. 2g and 3g are different.
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So - on an Android phone, do I need to check "Data Enabled" for the better voice quality, or will the 3G/4G for better voice be enabled by default?
No, enabling or disabling your mobile data connection will not affect call quality directly. Your device will connect to the best network available regardless of data being enabled. The only setting you can look at is your preferred network type under mobile network settings.
Hi, I have an HTC Sensation. I live in Cleveland, OH, and went with a friend about 70 miles east towards Warren OH, mainly on Rt 422. He has Revol, which I assume is like Cricket, he had reception all the way. My service completely dropped about 15 miles east of Cleveland (South Russell - rural after that), with an X instead of any bars, till I got back about only 15 miles away again. I did get 1 bar off and on at Mosquito Lake where our cookout was, but only when right near the water, otherwise an X. I just looked up on T-Mo's website, and I should have had at least "good" to "moderate" service that whole trip. I just noticed under (Android) "Network Mode", my phone was set to "WCDMA Only". I thought this only affected data. Does this also affect voice range? I tried Googling, but couldn't really find an answer, except some sites saying WCDMA is better for rural areas, not what I really wanted to hear, given no rural reception on my phone. My other two choices are GSM Only, and GSM/WCDMA Auto, which I checked now. I don't know when I'll be out that way again, but that kind of worries me, as I just signed a new 2 year contract with T-Mo (for buying the Sensation), and I may be going out that way more, and have no service. Thanks.
WCDMA most certainly relates to voice as well as data. The only places I'd leave it on WCDMA only are metro areas and places where T-Mobile has indicated strong 4G/HSPA coverage, else always leave it on GSM/WCDMA auto or you'll be sorely lacking on reception.
T-Mobile uses WCDMA bands 1700/2100Mhz AWS for their 4G/HSPA, voice and data are combined regardless if you're on HSPA or GSM.
GSM bands are also much stronger and more effective at penetrating buildings and foliage. T-Mobile uses 850Mhz and 1900Mhz for GSM, also know as EDGE in data terms. This also means that if you happen upon an area where T-Mobile has a roaming agreement with At&t, you'll be able to get reception in those areas as well (e.g. T-Mobile has no coverage but At&t does, note this only applies in certain areas where AT&T has an agreement with T-Mobile)
EDGE/GSM is a 2G signal, so data speeds will be significantly slower in those areas. When you leave your device on GSM/WCDMA auto, it will select the optimal signal based in your location and reception quality and you'll see it change from 'H' or '4G' to 'E' often on your device.
This is normal, T-Mobile isn't going to invest HSPA in non-metropolitan areas.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
Thank you, TheMan42, I know now to keep it at the auto setting, as I only thought it affected data.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
When I make a phone call my data connection switches from LTE to 3g/hspa. Is anybody else seeing this?
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Sheolrock said:
When I make a phone call my data connection switches from LTE to 3g/hspa. Is anybody else seeing this?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727
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Same here on AT&T Downtown Los Angeles, drops to HSPA+. Honestly to me, it doesn't really matter.
thats what its supposed to do.
when on a call, it goes into HSPA/3G, then after the call ends, LTE should kick back in.
thats how AT&T LTE works. there is no VOICE over LTE yet
Pirateghost said:
thats what its supposed to do.
when on a call, it goes into HSPA/3G, then after the call ends, LTE should kick back in.
thats how AT&T LTE works. there is no VOICE over LTE yet
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Well said. I couldnt of said it better lol
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Oh
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LTE is a Data only network, No voice calls should go through it.
The LTE standard only supports packet switching with its all-IP network. Voice calls in GSM, UMTS and CDMA2000 are circuit switched, so with the adoption of LTE, carriers will have to re-engineer their voice call network. Three different approaches sprang up. Most major backers of LTE preferred and promoted VoLTE (Voice over LTE, an implementation of IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS) from the beginning. The lack of software support in initial LTE devices as well as core network devices however led to a number of carriers promoting VoLGA (Voice over LTE Generic Access) as an interim solution.[13] The idea was to use the same principles as GAN (Generic Access Network, also known as UMA or Unlicensed Mobile Access), which defines the protocols through which a mobile handset can perform voice calls over a customer's private Internet connection, usually over wireless LAN. VoLGA however never gained much support, because VoLTE (IMS) promises much more flexible services, albeit at the cost of having to upgrade the entire voice call infrastructure. While the industry has seemingly standardized on VoLTE for the future, the demand for voice calls today has led LTE carriers to introduce CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback) as a stopgap measure. When placing or receiving a voice call, LTE handsets will fall back to old 2G or 3G networks for the duration of the call.
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Source
Yesterday I received an email from my carrier (Pure Talk USA, using ATT towers) telling me that it's time to buy a new phone. They're (presumably ATT) sunsetting 2G service, rendering my phone unusable. I know the "4G" in the name is probably meaningless, but is the Relay really that old? Has anyone else received notifications like this?
We've never had data service in the US. We were in England a few weeks ago, on a travel SIM which did have data. I found it almost unusably slow, and saw "G" and "E" by the signal bars.
Is it really time?
EDIT - After a little searching, I find that the Relay does both GSM (2G) and UTMS (3G). I had a setting limiting it to GSM, which is the right thing to do to save power, though once I had data in London I should have opened it up to either, in order to get decent speeds. I have only ever used it with GSM in the US, which might be why they think it needs to be replaced. This afternoon I switched to the "either" setting, and I'll need to write to my carrier about this. They sell data also, so I may want to pick that up for a month, and see how well it works with UTMS enabled. It was certainly close to worthless with just GSM.
I've also seen some reference to the phone doing HSPA+, with is either 4G or partial 4G, or at least better than 3G, but that doesn't show on the Cyanogenmod page.
https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Apexqtmo_Info
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility#Radio_frequency_summary
The relay is a 3g phone, but it also supports 2g networks as a fallback. Pure Talk probably just broadcasted that message across the 2g network, and any phone that could receive it, did.
I got an email back from their support, and it's basically as you say. Some time later I plan to disable GSM and make sure I can still talk over 3G.
More information here...
As mentioned previously I had limited the phone to GSM - 2G. The menus in the phone were a bit confusing, because it gave the option of GSM-only, WCDMA-only, GSM/WCDMA-auto, or GSM/WCDMA-preferred. When I first bought SIMs and service for the phone, I looked at WCDMA and said, "That's a Verizon thing, irrelevant for my GSM phone," and set it to GSM-only. In reality that labeling is misleading, because it's not WCDMA, it's UTMS/HSPA - 2G or 3G+. When the phone calls itself "4G" it's not LTE, it's HSPA+, which is better than 3G, but not as good as LTE. So it's a bit disingenuous. However I did test it, and though I don't have data service, when I turn data on, even with no registered APN, it tells me I have HSPA+ service available. ("H+" on the status bar)
I just wish I'd known this before going to England, where I had a travel SIM with data service, tried it, and thought it unusably slow. I was getting "G" or "E" on the status bar, which I have now learned is essentially dialup or a bit faster.