[Q] Why does my Sensation only show 4G and 2G? - HTC Sensation

Hey guys,
I have a T-Mobile Sensation 4G and was wondering why does the phone only show 4G, 2G, and G as a my service? I used to have the Samsung Vibrant and I would get 3G, Edge, and G. Does this mean everytime there is no 4G I automatically go down to 2G? Does the Sensation not support 3G? Is there a way to change this?
Thanks for your help guys. Hoping to figure this out.

Mine does the same. It's perfectly normal too since t-mobile's "4G" is technically just a beefed up 3G which means you're connected to the same towers that you were before with your old phone. If you have 4G in your area it means that your 3G towers are your new 4G towers. So if you have no 4G then you literally have no 3G and with switch to 2G. Make sense?

snarestud940 said:
Hey guys,
I have a T-Mobile Sensation 4G and was wondering why does the phone only show 4G, 2G, and G as a my service? I used to have the Samsung Vibrant and I would get 3G, Edge, and G. Does this mean everytime there is no 4G I automatically go down to 2G? Does the Sensation not support 3G? Is there a way to change this?
Thanks for your help guys. Hoping to figure this out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me go a step further to describe/explain our new signal layout.
4G = 4G, H or 3G
2G = Edge
G = 1G, 1x
I hope that makes it a bit easier to understand,.

Related

Why does my phone say 4G?

I am in a 3G only area, why does my phone say 4G? The speeds are inline with 3G.
mycomputerisjunk said:
I am in a 3G only area, why does my phone say 4G? The speeds are inline with 3G.
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Click to collapse
I don't think the phone can tell the difference as it's technically the same towers, and internal radio being used. Your phone can however tell the difference between HSPA(+) and edge, and would show you that in a heartbeat.
3G is read as 4G on the phone
Weird.
Paging Dr B said:
I don't think the phone can tell the difference as it's technically the same towers, and internal radio being used. Your phone can however tell the difference between HSPA(+) and edge, and would show you that in a heartbeat.
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Click to collapse
It can tell the difference. Not sure about the TMO branded one because they use the "4G" icon and the unbranded ones show H but just yesterday I saw my unbranded one go from H to 3G a few times when I was in one area
Kinda pisses me off because I was stoked to see 4G on the phone and was looking forward to speeds above 500k.
T-Mobile or HTC really made this confusing. Because I have seen 4G, 2G, E, and G as data speeds. You would think they would be able to simplify it a little?
So, someone enlighten me..
4G = HSPA+ (up to 14mbit)
2G = ?
E = Edge (dial-up speeds)
G = GPRS (2.5G? 2x E?)
Ive seen a 3G icon on mine before...
mycomputerisjunk said:
So, someone enlighten me..
4G = HSPA+ (up to 14mbit)
2G = ?
E = Edge (dial-up speeds)
G = GPRS (2.5G? 2x E?)
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Click to collapse
I believe so. HSPA+ can get more than 14 but the sensation can get 14. TMO just set up much higher speeds in a bunch of cities.
mycomputerisjunk said:
Kinda pisses me off because I was stoked to see 4G on the phone and was looking forward to speeds above 500k.
T-Mobile or HTC really made this confusing. Because I have seen 4G, 2G, E, and G as data speeds. You would think they would be able to simplify it a little?
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Click to collapse
Have you talked to t-mo to see if those speeds are normal for your area? Even 3G speeds shouldn't be that slow. With t-mo 3g speeds you should be seeing between 1Mb - 6Mb down.
mycomputerisjunk said:
So, someone enlighten me..
4G = HSPA+ (up to 14mbit)
2G = ?
E = Edge (dial-up speeds)
G = GPRS (2.5G? 2x E?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the tmo version 2G= Edge I have yet to see it show an E mine goes from 4G, 3G to 2G no E
mycomputerisjunk said:
So, someone enlighten me..
4G = HSPA+ (up to 14mbit)
2G = ?
E = Edge (dial-up speeds)
G = GPRS (2.5G? 2x E?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It goes GPRS < EDGE < 3G < 4G
EDGE is also known as Enhanced GPRS and they are both considered 2G. EDGE would be the 2.5G if you want to use that notation.
GPRS = 2.5 g (114 kbps)
EDGE = 2.75 g (250 kbps)
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App
I'm pretty sure this is just like all of tmo's other 4G phones. The stock ROMs don't show 3G, even if you have a 3G signal. It will only ever show 4G, 2G or G on our phones. My G2 and MT4G were like this too, except it showed H instead of 4G, but never 3G. I had to root and get a custom ROM for it to differentiate between 3G and 4G.
That being said, I saw a few people in this thread say they have seen 4G on their phone... Screenies? On my rooted Glacier I saw it switch from 3G to 4G all the time in my house, and now with this phone I only see the 4G icon even with 3G speeds...
Edit: I would imagine the whole not showing 3G thing is a Tmous thing, so if you have the international version and you are seeing 3G, that would not surprise me. I think it's its a marketing thing, they don't want to sell these high end "4G" phones and then have the user see 3G if they live in a 3G area only.
TJBunch1228 said:
I'm pretty sure this is just like all of tmo's other 4G phones. The stock ROMs don't show 3G, even if you have a 3G signal. It will only ever show 4G, 2G or G on our phones. My G2 and MT4G were like this too, except it showed H instead of 4G, but never 3G. I had to root and get a custom ROM for it to differentiate between 3G and 4G.
That being said, I saw a few people in this thread say they have seen 4G on their phone... Screenies? On my Glacier I saw it switch from 3G to 4G all the time in my house, and now with this phone I only see the 4G icon even with 3G speeds...
Edit: I would imagine the whole not showing 3G thing is a Tmous thing, so if you have the international version and you are seeing 3G, that would not surprise me. I think it's its a marketing thing, they don't want to sell these high end "4G" phones and then have the user see 3G if they live in a 3G area only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I remember you from the mt4g forums. I think I hooked you up with the keyboard manager app that let you switch kb's based on landscape or portrait
TJBunch1228 said:
I'm pretty sure this is just like all of tmo's other 4G phones. The stock ROMs don't show 3G, even if you have a 3G signal. It will only ever show 4G, 2G or G on our phones. My G2 and MT4G were like this too, except it showed H instead of 4G, but never 3G. I had to root and get a custom ROM for it to differentiate between 3G and 4G.
Edit: I would imagine the whole not showing 3G thing is a Tmous thing, so if you have the international version and you are seeing 3G, that would not surprise me. I think it's its a marketing thing, they don't want to sell these high end "4G" phones and then have the user see 3G if they live in a 3G area only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same thing happened with the HD2 as well. It would never change unless you swapped out for different taskbar icons
It probably depends on the 3G network type.
To the OP: You're probably in an HSDPA 3G area (which is also used for 4G if the phone is capable of HSPA+), if you're in a UMTS 3G area the 3G icon will show. 2G = Edge, G = GPRS.
Not a big deal...
graffixnyc said:
I remember you from the mt4g forums. I think I hooked you up with the keyboard manager app that let you switch kb's based on landscape or portrait
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Click to collapse
Haha yep that was me! I was just talking about that app in a different thread last night. It was seriously the best app ever. Now Swype 3.0 has included better support in landscape, with a good autocorrect dictionary, so I am able to survive without KB now. Thanks again for hooking me up back when.
4G = HSPA+ (up to 14mbit)
2G = ?
E = Edge (dial-up speeds)
G = GPRS (2.5G? 2x E?)
4G= WiMaX/LTE/HSPA+(generally over 1mbps up to the phones theoretical max of 14 mbps)In the USA T-mobile and AT&T use HSPA+, Verizon and AT&T use LTE, sprint uses WiMaxx
3G/H= Regular HSDPA/HSPA
2G/Edge= Speeds similar to dial up= the speed your data is throttled to on T-Mobiles "UNLIMITED DATA PLANS"
G/1G/GPRS=Really slow spleeds alot of the time you cant even surf data on these speeds
I'm always in the city and I have only seen it switch from 4G to a 2G icon, nothing between.
rawr4dj said:
4G= WiMaX/LTE/HSPA+(generally over 1mbps up to the phones theoretical max of 14 mbps)In the USA T-mobile and AT&T use HSPA+, Verizon and AT&T use LTE, sprint uses WiMaxx
3G/H= Regular HSDPA/HSPA
2G/Edge= Speeds similar to dial up= the speed your data is throttled to on T-Mobiles "UNLIMITED DATA PLANS"
G/1G/GPRS=Really slow spleeds alot of the time you cant even surf data on these speeds
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Click to collapse
HSPA+ actually still falls under 3G but thanks to great American marketing everyone & their mother now thinks it's 4G.

[Q] Sensation cant connect to 3g

Hello all,
I recently bought the HTC sensation with tmobile service. Im having a problem with the phone connecting to 3g service. It will connect to 4g then in the same location within my house it will drop to 2g. When i have 4g the signal strength is very low around 1 bar. I understand that it would go to a lower speed when it loses the connection but shouldn't it go to 3g before going to 2g? I used to have the HD2 (screen sensor broke) and it always had a strong 3g signal so i do have 3g coverage in my area. When the phone goes down to 2g it has full bars but as you probably know 2g is practically worthless when using the internet.
I talked to tmobile and they said the recent software update fixed some connectivity issues but after installing it, i still have the same problem and now tmobile is saying they dont have any further troubleshooting ideas. So i thought i would turn the the real experts at xda. Thanks in advance for your response!
I'm not even sure if the Sensation has a 3G option?
Nope only 4g and 2g buddy. 3g does happen but no icon for it. I know stupid!!!!!
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e
Yea that is stupid. How hard would it be to add that? Thanks for your help!
brentr678 said:
Yea that is stupid. How hard would it be to add that? Thanks for your help!
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Click to collapse
Well if you flash a euro rom you get an h for high speed and thats your 4g and a 3 thats 3 g and then an e for 2g i believe.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e
I guess its really not that big of a deal. I actually turned off the 2g capability so it always gets 4g. sometimes its only 1 bar but thats much better then 5 bars of 2g. I guess if i go outside the 4g range ill have to turn it back on but hopefully they will have an update when i do.

[Q] question about 4g on T-Mobile

I had HTC HD2 with t-mobile 3g plan but now I brought a g2x from ebay and now the phone connects to 4g? Is it same as HDSPA+? On HD2 Im using H now its 4g. Im scare tmobile will charge me extra
T-Mobile's 4G is HSPA+ .. If you go to Settings > About phone > Status it will tell you what kind of network you're connected to -- HSPA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS

[Q] ATT Inspire to Tmobile - will 4g work?

My friend got an HTC Inspire and then his dad changed them over to tmobile while he wasn't looking. He is only getting 2G speeds on the data side of the Inspire, is it at all possible for him to see 4g speeds on the Inspire by flashing something? Been trying to find out if it is possible or not. Apologies if this is an obvious answer.
this has been covered a 100times and even mentioned on tmobiles website. you can only get 2g because of the frequency bands.
derp 10chars
Djspinister said:
My friend got an HTC Inspire and then his dad changed them over to tmobile while he wasn't looking. He is only getting 2G speeds on the data side of the Inspire, is it at all possible for him to see 4g speeds on the Inspire by flashing something? Been trying to find out if it is possible or not. Apologies if this is an obvious answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As Darunion said it´s because of the 3G bands. T-mobile and AT&T 3G bands are not the same, so T-Mobile 3G phones won´t get 3G on AT&T network and vice versa.

[Q] Is there a way to switch between 3G and 4G?

Hey is there a way to switch between using 3G and 4G? I know there is a use only 2G networks option but what about 3G/4G? Thanks
I don't think so...
To my understanding, T-Mobile uses the same network technology for both 3G and 4G (HSPA+) so turning off 4G would also turn off 3G. And if that isn't the case, it still wouldn't make sense to turn it off. It's only affect would be slower internet speeds. I could be wrong here though, lets see what the other posts say.
BioRivet said:
To my understanding, T-Mobile uses the same network technology for both 3G and 4G (HSPA+) so turning off 4G would also turn off 3G. And if that isn't the case, it still wouldn't make sense to turn it off. It's only affect would be slower internet speeds. I could be wrong here though, lets see what the other posts say.
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Click to collapse
I think you're right BioRivit. Unlike the switch between 2G and 3G, which involved totally different frequencies and underlying technology, 4G is basically the same technology as 3G, except with a few modifications that allow a faster speed.
XD
andrewNY said:
I think you're right BioRivit.
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Click to collapse
It's been a long time since I last heard that... Lol
Ok thanks guys. I guess my real question was supppsed to be how do you tell if you are on tmobile's 3G or "4G". I feel like I've never seen a 3G icon in the status bar, only 4G. Thoughts?
T-Mobile uses the 3g network to transmit 4g. Unlike Verizon or Sprint which have a structural difference between 3g and 4g, T-Mobile is using the 3g network with data compression. This is how they expanded from 3g to 4g instantly, no change in network structure. You won't see 3g again if you have a 4g phone like the G2x. You can only use Edge (2g) or 4g. Hope that helps.
Alright thanks guys

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