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[Q] 4G/H+ Toggle

Is there anyway to toggle H+? I'm using an inspire for work and we need the ability to test tethering over 3G (to compare it to other devices non-tethered) and I can't figure out howto force the Inspire to use 3G(UMTS i think) instead of 4G/H+

paladin732 said:
Is there anyway to toggle H+? I'm using an inspire for work and we need the ability to test tethering over 3G (to compare it to other devices non-tethered) and I can't figure out howto force the Inspire to use 3G(UMTS i think) instead of 4G/H+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no 4G currently it's all 3G. Actually the inspire is slower than 3G phones because of AT&T. Compare it to another phone thats not "4G" it will be slower.

pachkamil said:
Compare it to another phone thats not "4G" it will be slower.
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If you install a custom ROM, you can increase your data speeds.

kirk123 said:
If you install a custom ROM, you can increase your data speeds.[/QUOTE
Even if you do that it will only go on par with 3G nothing close to 4G
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Click to collapse

pachkamil said:
kirk123 said:
If you install a custom ROM, you can increase your data speeds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if you do that it will only go on par with 3G nothing close to 4G
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Click to collapse
Right, but I was only commenting on what you said about 4G phones in 3G mode being slower than 3G phones. Once you edit the build.prop, your speeds will become the same as 3G phones.
4G is available in some areas. They say by the end of the year, they will have 4G in 2/3 of US.

kirk123 said:
Right, but I was only commenting on what you said about 4G phones in 3G mode being slower than 3G phones. Once you edit the build.prop, your speeds will become the same as 3G phones.
4G is available in some areas. They say by the end of the year, they will have 4G in 2/3 of US.
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Click to collapse
Oh I thought you meant that editing it will cause faster than 3G speed.

pachkamil said:
Oh I thought you meant that editing it will cause faster than 3G speed.
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Click to collapse
Nope. It will just increase it to 3G speeds.
If you do some reading in this thread, you will see that different values will get different results. So it MIGHT be possible to get faster speeds than other 3G smartphones. I mean let's think about how many other smartphones have some sort of data limitation done via the OS?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=982082

paladin732 said:
Is there anyway to toggle H+? I'm using an inspire for work and we need the ability to test tethering over 3G (to compare it to other devices non-tethered) and I can't figure out howto force the Inspire to use 3G(UMTS i think) instead of 4G/H+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of build.prop...
The ro.ril.hsxpa= setting in build.prop indicates the phone's target network. From what I understand, when set to 0 the target network is UMTS/R99 (3G). When set to 1 the target network is HSDPA (3.5G), when set to 2 the target network is HSDPA/HSUPA (3.5G with HSDUP enabled), and when set to 3 the target network is HSPA+ ("4G"). So I'm thinking setting this to 0 in build.prop will only allow it to connect to 3G

[q] hsupa/3g/4g.

I know that 4g is better than HSUPA and 3g.
I recently upgraded my phone to Gingerbreadman.
That upgrade made my phone from HSUPA (HSPA) to 3g connection.
Im not quiet sure if it made my connection slower or its the same.
can anyone tell me more informations about this connection? The 3g word has been bothering me(maybe because ive been so used to looking at the HSPA)

P00t said:
I know that 4g is better than HSUPA and 3g.
I recently upgraded my phone to Gingerbreadman.
That upgrade made my phone from HSUPA (HSPA) to 3g connection.
Im not quiet sure if it made my connection slower or its the same.
can anyone tell me more informations about this connection? The 3g word has been bothering me(maybe because ive been so used to looking at the HSPA)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What were your speeds like before you did this "upgrade", and what are they like now?
HSUPA has to do with upload
HSDPA has to do with download
HSPA is 3G
HSPA+ is 3.5G which is what at&t calls "4G"
LTE is true 4G and at&t doesn't offer this as of now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wireless_data_standards

mine used to be HSPA+ now its not..

P00t said:
mine used to be HSPA+ now its not..
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Are your data speeds slow? Are you in an area where theres HSPA+?

kirk123 said:
Are your data speeds slow? Are you in an area where theres HSPA+?
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i cant tell the difference but yes im in the area where HSPA+ works

P00t said:
i cant tell the difference but yes im in the area where HSPA+ works
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Click to collapse
Does the ROM you are using have the H+ symbol or does it just show 3G or H?
I think, regardless of what it shows, as long as your data speeds are not affected, then its normal.

kirk123 said:
Does the ROM you are using have the H+ symbol or does it just show 3G or H?
I think, regardless of what it shows, as long as your data speeds are not affected, then its normal.
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Click to collapse
im using the gingerbread ROM
when its connected to wifi it only shows H but when its not it shows 3g.

P00t said:
im using the gingerbread ROM
when its connected to wifi it only shows H but when its not it shows 3g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you can try this? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=966172

Only 2g or 4g.. never seen a 3g symbol!

Since purchasing my phone almost 2 weeks ago I have never gotten 3g. I have replaced my sim and also upgraded data. I have one day left to return and I'm wondering if you guys too are having this issue. Or perhaps is it a tower/radio issue?
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App

It won't ever show 3g
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

Yeah i saw the same thing. I think it's has a lot to do with TMO's 4G not actually being a different technology than it's 3G. So in most cases if you have 3G you also have 4G. Are there any areas where you know that TMO's HSPA+ network doesn't have coverage but the normal 3G coverage does? I'd be interested in that. I couldn't test in my area because the 3G coverage is the exact same as the 4G so the indicator would only change if I entered an edge only area.
The G2 only displays an H which can either be 3G or 4G but it's not differentiated on the phone. So I think it's just because of TMO's network not being a separate technology that requires a different radio. So the phone won't go from 4G to 3G to Edge. It goes straight to 2G because 3g and 4G is the same in technology. Only difference is speed and that that's with any network where you have different speeds in different places.

The 4G is a souped up version of their 3G so you won't see 3G ever AFAIK.

Thought i was the only one that noticed

As a t-mob tech rep I can confirm that this is true. The phone will either display 2 or 4. It was even in the brief training we received. No need to return it

Get Mobile Signal Widget if you want to see it go between 3G(UMTS) or H(HSPA+)
It will not show 3G/4G because it would flip between the two too much.

Yesterday I saw it just said "G". Phone was slow as ****. I love this thing.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App

joeyklatzko said:
The 4G is a souped up version of their 3G so you won't see 3G ever AFAIK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the same on the G2x that I had briefly.

good to know cause im in love with my phone and didnt wanna chance a exchange! its really not enough good about this phone on here but for any of you on the edge its a great phone coming from a hd2 which was also the SH!T !!

Just a little extra info on this. EVERY 3G cell site in T-Mobile's network is HSPA capable so whenever you are on a 3G site your have HSPA access BUT not every site is HSPA+ (4G speeds). With that said, your phone does not know the difference so even if we wanted an icon to show the difference we couldn't have it. There is one more mode and that is UMTS. This only shows when your phone is idle and not doing data (not very often). It does NOT mean your don't have HSPA access on that site, it just means your phone is not currently doing data. So, we could have a 3G icon for when your idle but your phone would be constantly switching from 3G icon to 4G or H (whichever you have) and that would be annoying. Hope this helps.

setzer715 said:
There is one more mode and that is UMTS. This only shows when your phone is idle and not doing data (not very often). It does NOT mean your don't have HSPA access on that site, it just means your phone is not currently doing data. So, we could have a 3G icon for when your idle but your phone would be constantly switching from 3G icon to 4G or H (whichever you have) and that would be annoying. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what it did for the HD2 & it let me know when I was actually pulling down data, just look for 3G or the H

xnifex said:
That's what it did for the HD2 & it let me know when I was actually pulling down data, just look for 3G or the H
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will still know with the data activity arrows.

setzer715 said:
You will still know with the data activity arrows.
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Click to collapse
On the Sensation yes, HD2 running WM though it was about the only way to know

Its a lie. It just says 4G instead of 3G. Never 3G. Its a ploy to make you believe they have 4G everywhere.

I have an unbranded Asian Sensation and it shows 3G once and a while. There is this one area I notice it switches from the H(4G) to 3G. I know TMO changed the H icon with a 4G one so maybe they removed the 3G one show it always shows 4G even if on 3G??

Ive seen it switch to 3g and its like not having internet. Speeds around 50-100 kbps . A friend with mt4g confirmed.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App

~~Tito~~ said:
Its a lie. It just says 4G instead of 3G. Never 3G. Its a ploy to make you believe they have 4G everywhere.
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Click to collapse
Tito, long time no see!
LOL, true that t-Mob is trying to brainwash the XDA gang

DeezNotes said:
Yesterday I saw it just said "G". Phone was slow as ****. I love this thing.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You were on a regular GSM connection, those are old and slow. Not your phones fault, it was basically trying to use data over a rotary phone.

Is your device from tmobile?

[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.
Click to expand...
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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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

[Q] Nexus 5 LTE & HSPA

Hello everyone,
Just got my Nexus 5 with carrier AT&T and got my LTE activated using the IMEI that came with the N5 and everything works great. Just a quick question regarding the icons that are shown depending on which network you are on. When on LTE it will show LTE above the signal bar. When not on an LTE band it will switch over to H. My understanding is that the H stands for HSPA+. Would this be the equivalent of 4G? I was under the assumption that the H was basically 3G. I also thought then when using LTE it is considered LTE/4G, so wouldn't the LTE switch to a 4G symbol, or does the Nexus 5 not have this and that would be what the H is referencing.
Thank you.

H is hspa+ which is faster than 3g but not as fast as lte. I am usually on H+ or lte. I rarely get the 3g symbol on AT&T. I also found that H+ is almost as fast as Verizon LTE. I think it is due to do many devices on their network.

eevingsa the
jm700wx said:
H is hspa+ which is faster than 3g but not as fast as lte. I am usually on H+ or lte. I rarely get the 3g symbol on AT&T. I also found that H+ is almost as fast as Verizon LTE. I think it is due to do many devices on their network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, so basically you won't get the 4G symbol on the Nexus 5 using AT&T? Mainly what happens is i'm on LTE, then when I make a phone call it switches to H (HSPA+). I thought AT&T is able to do voice calls over a 4G network. I may be wrong.

celphtitle said:
Thanks, so basically you won't get the 4G symbol on the Nexus 5 using AT&T? Mainly what happens is i'm on LTE, then when I make a phone call it switches to H (HSPA+). I thought AT&T is able to do voice calls over a 4G network. I may be wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may have to manually add in AT&T's LTE apn (which you can find with a quick google search) if your phone doesn't automatically pick it up. Also make sure your SIM card has been provisioned to work with the LTE bands (use with another 4G phone ex. S3, HTC One)

k3anan said:
You may have to manually add in AT&T's LTE apn (which you can find with a quick google search) if your phone doesn't automatically pick it up. Also make sure your SIM card has been provisioned to work with the LTE bands (use with another 4G phone ex. S3, HTC One)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I get LTE, I just don't get 4G. I figured the phone doesn't show a 4G icon, but if it does, then I'll check my sim in another device.

Google just changed the "4G" icon to "LTE". On jelly bean, LTE would show "4G" if you had the hybrid N4 radio flashed. hspa+ has always shown "H" on the stock ROM. Some custom ROMs have you the "H+" symbol though.
As for voice calls on at&t, they go over their hspa+ network, at&t uses their LTE for data only at this time. BTW, at&t considers their hspa+ to be "4G".
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

gotzaDroid said:
Google just changed the "4G" icon to "LTE". On jelly bean, LTE would show "4G" if you had the hybrid N4 radio flashed. hspa+ has always shown "H" on the stock ROM. Some custom ROMs have you the "H+" symbol though.
As for voice calls on at&t, they go over their hspa+ network, at&t uses their LTE for data only at this time. BTW, at&t considers their hspa+ to be "4G".
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, exactly the answer I was looking for. So I am good to go then, I see the LTE icon, and H when making voice calls.
Thank you very much.

celphtitle said:
Well I get LTE, I just don't get 4G. I figured the phone doesn't show a 4G icon, but if it does, then I'll check my sim in another device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4G and LTE are the same thing. LTE is a denotation of the network standard just like 3G is EDGE. If you're getting LTE above the signal indicator you are on the 4G network.
EDIT: gotzaDroid explained it much better than I did.

k3anan said:
4G and LTE are the same thing. LTE is a denotation of the network standard just like 3G is EDGE. If you're getting LTE above the signal indicator you are on the 4G network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea my concern was that when I would make a phone call, the LTE would switch to H. I didn't know that H was basically AT&T's "4G".

celphtitle said:
yea my concern was that when I would make a phone call, the LTE would switch to H. I didn't know that H was basically AT&T's "4G".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it is the same on T-Mobile. When they refer to 4G, they are referring to HSPA+ (or H). I like to call AT&T and T-Mobile's 4G, fauxG since it is really just an improvement upon 3G. I don't know who shot first, but I wish the marketing teams would have called it 3G+ or something instead of lying to everyone or at least referred to LTE as 5G. So now everyone has 4G and 4G LTE and really LTE deserves more as it isn't a hack job to get more speed. It will replace all the legacy networks and even eventually be used for voice transmission.

Yes it switches because they're currently you cannot surf the web while being on a phone call with LTE, so it auto switches to hspa+ so you can surf the web while talking
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda premium

dijit4l said:
Yeah, it is the same on T-Mobile. When they refer to 4G, they are referring to HSPA+ (or H). I like to call AT&T and T-Mobile's 4G, fauxG since it is really just an improvement upon 3G. I don't know who shot first, but I wish the marketing teams would have called it 3G+ or something instead of lying to everyone or at least referred to LTE as 5G. So now everyone has 4G and 4G LTE and really LTE deserves more as it isn't a hack job to get more speed. It will replace all the legacy networks and even eventually be used for voice transmission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's no big deal. I considered HSPA+ more or less 3G+ anyway. All is well, you guys are great help. Got my phone unlocked the bootloader and set everything up, got my LTE (which I did not get with the nexus 4). Time to play around with the phone some more now.

I have had my Nexus 5 for a few days now and I have noticed quite a difference in reception between lte and hspa on T-Mobile. I will have lte marked and have one maybe two bars. Then I switched to hspa and then my bars went all the way up. Why is this?

dijit4l said:
Yeah, it is the same on T-Mobile. When they refer to 4G, they are referring to HSPA+ (or H). I like to call AT&T and T-Mobile's 4G, fauxG since it is really just an improvement upon 3G. I don't know who shot first, but I wish the marketing teams would have called it 3G+ or something instead of lying to everyone or at least referred to LTE as 5G. So now everyone has 4G and 4G LTE and really LTE deserves more as it isn't a hack job to get more speed. It will replace all the legacy networks and even eventually be used for voice transmission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You realize LTE is also not REALLY 4G...
4G is a communications standard, that currently no one meets. In fact, many people report that T-Mobile HSPA+ is faster than Verizon LTE in their areas. Of course, now AT&T and T-Mobile both offer LTE and HSPA+. Which puts them above Verizon in my eyes, because when LTE goes out, you have HSPA to fall back on.

gotzaDroid said:
Google just changed the "4G" icon to "LTE". On jelly bean, LTE would show "4G" if you had the hybrid N4 radio flashed. hspa+ has always shown "H" on the stock ROM. Some custom ROMs have you the "H+" symbol though.
As for voice calls on at&t, they go over their hspa+ network, at&t uses their LTE for data only at this time. BTW, at&t considers their hspa+ to be "4G".
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with Australian network provider Telstra, and my phone shows 4G all the time(regardless whether it is transmitting data or not) when I'm in 4G coverage, 3G when I'm not in coverage and not having data acativity and H when it is transmitting data. Do you think it is the different device model and/or the network provider contributed to the difference between mine and what you guys have in the State?

maolin95 said:
I'm with Australian network provider Telstra, and my phone shows 4G all the time(regardless whether it is transmitting data or not) when I'm in 4G coverage, 3G when I'm not in coverage and not having data acativity and H when it is transmitting data. Do you think it is the different device model and/or the network provider contributed to the difference between mine and what you guys have in the State?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It wouldn't surprise me that the North American 820 model had the "LTE"symbol cooked in at the request of service providers here.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Simer03 said:
Yes it switches because they're currently you cannot surf the web while being on a phone call with LTE, so it auto switches to hspa+ so you can surf the web while talking
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This confuses me. Can't the nexus 5 use both at the same time? You're getting text messages over HSPA(+) with LTE on.
I'm still puzzled why when I make a call why LTE goes away and HSPA+ shows up. This is on T-Mobile.

phoneman09 said:
I have had my Nexus 5 for a few days now and I have noticed quite a difference in reception between lte and hspa on T-Mobile. I will have lte marked and have one maybe two bars. Then I switched to hspa and then my bars went all the way up. Why is this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I have some good news to report. I was having the same issue as you and really getting down about it. I went to my nearest T-Mobile store and told them of my situation. The rep called tech support and he did some sort of reset to my account, I am not sure what exactly. I also asked if I could get a new SIM. I was given that new ISIS SIM and as soon as my phone fired up, it started using LTE. After I left the store, from being in my pocket, it was on HSPA for a few moments and then it finally chose LTE and stuck with LTE the entire time I was within its coverage. I am really happy with my phone now, it now behaves like my hacked Nexus 4 on LTE did.

jm700wx said:
H is hspa+ which is faster than 3g but not as fast as lte. I am usually on H+ or lte. I rarely get the 3g symbol on AT&T. I also found that H+ is almost as fast as Verizon LTE. I think it is due to do many devices on their network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This isn't *entirely* true.
You'll see the LTE symbol when you're on LTE, that's easy.
You'll see the H when you're on HSPA or HSPA+, which means you'll see it when you're on the network that old phones used to just call 3G.
The other symbols are specifically for Edge. I know it doesn't seem like it, since one is a 3G symbol, but do a speedtest and you'll see it. Modern phones display things poorly for connections because of the differentiation of HSPA and HSPA+. It's obnoxious.
---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 PM ----------
Zandeer said:
You realize LTE is also not REALLY 4G...
4G is a communications standard, that currently no one meets. In fact, many people report that T-Mobile HSPA+ is faster than Verizon LTE in their areas. Of course, now AT&T and T-Mobile both offer LTE and HSPA+. Which puts them above Verizon in my eyes, because when LTE goes out, you have HSPA to fall back on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, that's not correct.
ITU-R said:
On December 6, 2010, ITU-R recognized that these two technologies, as well as other beyond-3G technologies that do not fulfill the IMT-Advanced requirements, could nevertheless be considered "4G", provided they represent forerunners to IMT-Advanced compliant versions and "a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE, and even HSPA+, are considered 4G.
As for the 'Why does it switch from LTE to HSPA+ when I make a call?' question, LTE does not support standard switch-based telephony, meaning you cannot make voice calls using the network. Some carriers (I think Verizon is ahead, but I don't remember) are going to be supporting VoIP soon (voice over IP), which allows calls to be made using the LTE network, but they're all data-based (think Skype). As such, current phones will switch to HSPA+ or CDMA to make the phone call and then switch back once it's done.

hotleadsingerguy said:
As for the 'Why does it switch from LTE to HSPA+ when I make a call?' question, LTE does not support standard switch-based telephony, meaning you cannot make voice calls using the network. Some carriers (I think Verizon is ahead, but I don't remember) are going to be supporting VoIP soon (voice over IP), which allows calls to be made using the LTE network, but they're all data-based (think Skype). As such, current phones will switch to HSPA+ or CDMA to make the phone call and then switch back once it's done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not really accurate. Verizon's newer phones (Galaxy S3 for example) will let you call while on LTE. That's why I'm having such a hard time understanding why the N5 won't let LTE stay on while making a call. Doesn't it have a radio for data (LTE) and and radio for voice? Seems like both should be working in parallel like on VZ.