Database Info

N5 chooses hspa+ over LTE ??

This is my first time with LTE phone and it seems like at times I have to go into mobile networks and select 3g then select LTE again for the LTE symbol to pop up? I'm on straight talk and just didn't know if this was normal or if the phone will select hspa signal if its better than the LTE signal ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

i think by default it will when idle fall back to the strongest network cause it saves battery.
but when you need data it will attempt to switch to the fastest available.
cant say for sure but this is what appears to happen on all my phones falls back to 3g and when data is needed it shifts to HSPA+

newtonfb said:
This is my first time with LTE phone and it seems like at times I have to go into mobile networks and select 3g then select LTE again for the LTE symbol to pop up? I'm on straight talk and just didn't know if this was normal or if the phone will select hspa signal if its better than the LTE signal ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm getting the same behavior on T-Mobile. My Nexus 4, which was never intended to have its LTE radio used, would stay on LTE, come hell or high water, while I'm in the city and fight to keep it as I left. The Nexus 5 seems picky about it's LTE and only uses it if it deems it good enough. If LTE gets 2 bars or lower, it goes back to HSPA. If you force "LTE only" under the secret dialer menu, it will use its LTE, but when you switch it back to LTE/GSM (PRL), it drops LTE and uses HSPA+. I'm like, "The hell is your problem, your highness?"
I had high hopes driving into work today. I was expecting it to get on LTE much sooner, but it didn't switch until I was deep within the city until I entered the parking structure (which my N4 would still have LTE). While I sit here at work, it refuses to switch to LTE while in the building where my N4, in the same spot, would be happily on LTE.
I just don't get it. I thought LTE would be much better on this device, instead it is worse. I feel like this is a bug of some sort. We are in an age where carriers will begin shutting down their legacy networks (of course, T-Mo is nowhere near as ready), and this phone treats LTE like Sprint WiMax!

Not sure about straight talk but I'm in lte with att if I'm in a lte area.
Sent from the jaws of my Hammerhead!

Just took mine right out the box and as it booted it went right into LTE.
On tmboile.
---------- Post added at 07:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 PM ----------
Just took mine right out the box and as it booted it went right into LTE.
On tmboile.

AndroidKills said:
Just took mine right out the box and as it booted it went right into LTE.
On tmboile.
---------- Post added at 07:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 PM ----------
Just took mine right out the box and as it booted it went right into LTE.
On tmboile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose I should re-flash my phone then. It's just silly how my phone keeps preferring HSPA+ over LTE. When I had LTE enabled on my Nexus 4, my battery life really didn't change. I suppose it had, but it wasn't perceptible to me.

I've had really good luck with it connecting to an LTE network when inside of a LTE area.
However this morning I was streaming from soundcloud while driving and I was 10 minutes into the city with LTE coverage and it would switch. As soon as I ran speedtest it switched. So I believe what was said up above to be true. It needs a good reason probably too switch if your current network mode is doing fine for your current data needs/battery.
I did read this phone is using Qualcomm s news LTE chip which saves power. That could probably play a role.
Either way I'm totally fine with it because it responded to my need of a lot of data instantly by switching to LTE when I ran speed test.
So hey if it saves me battery and h+ is enough for streaming from soundcloud I'm not going to argue with it.
Hold this helps.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

Couple of things to keep in mind.
One, your phone will say 3g when not using LTE or HSPA+. This is to save battery, it only shows LTE or H when you are downloading something, or loading a webpage.
Secondly, I have noticed my phone will choose a strong HSPA+ signal over a weak LTE signal. At home, I have a solid LTE connection, so it always says LTE, but at work it switches back and forth from 1 bar of LTE to full bars of HSPA+. Speed wise, they are still comparable, at around 5-6mb/s. At home though, my LTE is around 40mb/s.
Hope this helps.

ArkAngel06 said:
Couple of things to keep in mind.
One, your phone will say 3g when not using LTE or HSPA+. This is to save battery, it only shows LTE or H when you are downloading something, or loading a webpage.
Secondly, I have noticed my phone will choose a strong HSPA+ signal over a weak LTE signal. At home, I have a solid LTE connection, so it always says LTE, but at work it switches back and forth from 1 bar of LTE to full bars of HSPA+. Speed wise, they are still comparable, at around 5-6mb/s. At home though, my LTE is around 40mb/s.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, my Nexus 4 keeping its LTE active all the time except for when making/receiving calls was a "bug" of the hacked radio then? I'm not being sarcastic, I just never owned a true LTE phone before, but my friend who has a Nexus 5 says his LTE has been staying on. It really doesn't make sense for LTE to behave this way as it will replace the legacy networks at some point in the future in which you won't have anything else to fall back to.

Oddly, I haven't noticed this at all. I'm on t-mobile, and my nexus 5 defaults to LTE when I have LTE selected as preferred connection. It doesn't switch to 3g during dormancy as far as I can tell (when I turn the screen back on, its already on LTE).

dijit4l said:
I'm getting the same behavior on T-Mobile. My Nexus 4, which was never intended to have its LTE radio used, would stay on LTE, come hell or high water, while I'm in the city and fight to keep it as I left. The Nexus 5 seems picky about it's LTE and only uses it if it deems it good enough. If LTE gets 2 bars or lower, it goes back to HSPA. If you force "LTE only" under the secret dialer menu, it will use its LTE, but when you switch it back to LTE/GSM (PRL), it drops LTE and uses HSPA+. I'm like, "The hell is your problem, your highness?"
I had high hopes driving into work today. I was expecting it to get on LTE much sooner, but it didn't switch until I was deep within the city until I entered the parking structure (which my N4 would still have LTE). While I sit here at work, it refuses to switch to LTE while in the building where my N4, in the same spot, would be happily on LTE.
I just don't get it. I thought LTE would be much better on this device, instead it is worse. I feel like this is a bug of some sort. We are in an age where carriers will begin shutting down their legacy networks (of course, T-Mo is nowhere near as ready), and this phone treats LTE like Sprint WiMax!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't mind, would you share how to force LTE only under the secret dialer menu?
Thanks.
[EDIT]
I think I found it with the code *#*#4636*#*# -> phone information -> set preferred network type: LTE only
When I do this and reboot, my bars just disappear, and my APN in my mobile network settings disappears too. I'm using net10.
Anybody know a fix to this?

Megiddo2000 said:
If you don't mind, would you share how to force LTE only under the secret dialer menu?
Thanks.
[EDIT]
I think I found it with the code *#*#4636*#*# -> phone information -> set preferred network type: LTE only
When I do this and reboot, my bars just disappear, and my APN in my mobile network settings disappears too. I'm using net10.
Anybody know a fix to this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have to reboot, myself. When I force LTE only, the phone drops HSPA and goes to LTE.
I'd say put it back to GSM/LTE Only (PRL) and then reset your APN settings.

dijit4l said:
I don't have to reboot, myself. When I force LTE only, the phone drops HSPA and goes to LTE.
I'd say put it back to GSM/LTE Only (PRL) and then reset your APN settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when i try dialing that number it says "Connection problem or invalid MMI code."
What's wrong?

_untitled_ said:
when i try dialing that number it says "Connection problem or invalid MMI code."
What's wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
woops, my bad. the code is:
*#*#4636#*#*
(forgot to flip the hashtag asterik in the back)

T-Mobile LTE Issue

I have a LG Nexus 5 and i have a strong LTE signal in my area along side HSPA+ if i make a Phone call LTE drops and HSPA is activated while the phone call is over it goes back to LTE in 20 seconds or so.
However if i use data while on HSPA+ mode it seems it wont handoff to LTE seamlessly
Like if you're on Verizon using 3g streaming consistently (not pandora something consistent downloading/upload like tunein radio) it would secretly bump you back to 4G LTE without any problems and stream would continue without even you noticing
T-Mobile however on the other hand doesn't until you stop the data usage and then it bumps back up to LTE
test it out download Tunein radio and stream a station make sure you're on HSPA+/HSPA then while streaming go to a location with like full or best LTE signal. (I went to the mall and drove right under the tower and phone still insists HSPA+)
not sure whats going on here? the Network not telling the phone to handoff? or some internal network issue or an issue with my nexus 5
by the way i am stock android 4.4.2 no root or recovery or whatever
So my question is is there a way to fix this? or is this something i need to email John Legere about?

I have similar issues but for Verizon losing eVDO and going to LTE is probably because EHRPD is making the switch more seamless. However, when my phone switches from HSPA to LTE I drop down to GPRS for a few seconds.
Sent from my One X using xda app-developers app

How do you force LTE mode and not HSPA?

on the device the preferred network type is LTE but most of the time it falls back to HSPA mode and not LTE how do you force the LTE mode only? My location get's 3-4 bars for LTE coverage and all 5 bars for HSPA but LTE is faster

Dial *#*#4636#*#* on the keypad and under phone settings there is LTE only. Your phone won't work for calls possibly after you do this and you won't get data outside of an lte area.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

coorsleftfield said:
Dial *#*#4636#*#* on the keypad and under phone settings there is LTE only. Your phone won't work for calls possibly after you do this and you won't get data outside of an lte area.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You. Yes it did work but changed it back since I need my cell phone to be a cell phone for calls

sillyshyme said:
Thank You. Yes it did work but changed it back since I need my cell phone to be a cell phone for calls
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you change it back? Mine keeps reverting back to LTE only and I am unable to make and receive calls.

Did you get calling back?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

sillyshyme said:
on the device the preferred network type is LTE but most of the time it falls back to HSPA mode and not LTE how do you force the LTE mode only? My location get's 3-4 bars for LTE coverage and all 5 bars for HSPA but LTE is faster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
man, i grepped a whole thread in relation to this very issue, it's a very imformitave read on LTE network overlays on legacy & upgrading cellular & the intro to these single chip, single pathed qualcomm snapdrgon families, but it got closed;
the nexus 5 only has one chip to handle all networking, from wifi, voice calls, to bluetooth;
it's doing quadruple duty, a question, what technology are you using, gsm, or cdma?
~edit~
nevermind it, you mentioned hspa, so it is gsm..
i'm reading up on lte to gsm handover right now.. lol

j'vai said:
man, i grepped a whole thread in relation to this very issue, it's a very imformitave read on LTE network overlays on legacy & upgrading cellular & the intro to these single chip, single pathed qualcomm snapdrgon families, but it got closed;
the nexus 5 only has one chip to handle all networking, from wifi, voice calls, to bluetooth;
it's doing quadruple duty, a question, what technology are you using, gsm, or cdma?
~edit~
nevermind it, you mentioned hspa, so it is gsm..
i'm reading up on lte to gsm handover right now.. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5 month old thread that was necro'd

Zepius said:
5 month old thread that was necro'd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
issue solved?

What does this mean?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

rraicu said:
What does this mean?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's what i'd like to know.. lol
necro'd as in meaning; left'd to wither inthe wind, or because it's 5 months old, it's not worth posting to anymore..
that's why i asked if the issue was solved, there's threads, & posted STILL asking about LTE faulty connections scattered all over the place, so i guess the issue isn't solved in relation to this handset..
i'm in the school of thought, that like a car, or any tool one would use, it's best to grasp a critical understanding of what it's being used ON..
(am i wrong in this assessment?)
from there, once you understand the build of your tool, you compare it what it's being used on, with it's pros & cons; heighten it's pros, lessen it's cons..
wen i went to mexico just two weeks ago, i ordered two telcel prepaid sim cards to use for that 5 day stretch, i noticed i only got version 5 sim cards that didn't do lte that telcel provided, i called back & asked why, & was told that yes, telcel DID provide lte, but not in the area i was visiting, the highest i would get was hspa+, & only in mexico city & within cancun proper would lte be utilied..
knowing this, & knowing i would be off the beaten path on the beach & not in the major city, i opted for the cards sent, settling for the highest hpsa+ speeds..
maybe not all of us, but many of us, purchase our vehicles (& phones) based on critical knowledge of the phone & network in unison, **if we want more utilization from our hansets**
remember that scene - http://nilvideos.blogspot.com/2008/09/transporter-bank-robbery_17.html

I don't want to try disabling the hspa and calling without knowing I can flip it back on easily..
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

rraicu said:
I don't want to try disabling the hspa and calling without knowing I can flip it back on easily..
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey, are you on tmobile?
if so, tmobile's roaming is set within it's sim, *unless you manually select a particular nework*
"The device detects and registers on wireless networks inside T-Mobile’s calling area, but roaming networks are usually restricted to T-Mobile SIM cards. You can manually select a network only in areas where T-Mobile does not own GSM spectrum." - ~attachment~
our nexus 5s use single chip, single pathed radios, only one path is used at one time, right?
on the network side, things can be set up pretty differently -
3.3 SUBSCRIBER DATA ASPECTS: USIM/ISIM
Coexistence of LTE with WCDMA/HSPA and GSM Network requires a smooth transition of home location
register HLR towards HSS based on 3GPP specifications. This also helps in providing next generation
Data Layered Architecture that addresses operator’s needs regarding centralization of subscriber data
used for authentication across multiple layers of the same session.
The SIM/USIM is the security token in 2G/3G networks for authenticating a subscriber in the operator’s
HLR. The USIM will continue to provide user authentication function at the access level to the LTE
network.
However, it is necessary to define a mechanism for service level authentication as well, for services such
as the IMS. The ISIM (an application on the UICC) is defined to hold both the user’s access level
credentials and the IMS Private User Identity that is stored in the HSS. The ISIM enables the user to
authenticate to the LTE operator’s IMS network and access its services.
3.4 ROAMING SCENARIOS
There are two roaming scenarios based on home tunneling compared to home tunneling with the
possibility of local breakout as shown in Figure 9. The 2G/3G networks refer to legacy CS or PC based
accesses like GSM/WCDMA in the network
http://www.4gamericas.org/documents/4G_Americas_Coexistence_of_GSM_HSPA_LTE_May%202011x.pdf
to set up domestic roaming on this type of handset ACTUALLY make you roam moreso on other US networks, even though the sim card is provisioned with what network is OK'd?
we're not talking from an older, dual pathed chip paradigm, when that meant exactly *that*..
these newer phones are different beasts..

Yes I'm on T-Mobile.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

rraicu said:
Yes I'm on T-Mobile.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE has an all IP backbone, with no circuit switching mechanism, the network would provide that, & from my understanding from reading up on it, wcdma provides the **IP flattening** for voice on the gsm networks, just as ehrpd does for cdma networks..
what would happen if you switch on domestic roaming in -
APN & data settings
To set the Access Point Name (APN) and turn on data settings, follow these steps:
1.From any Home screen, tap the All appsAll Apps.pngicon.
2.Tap Settings.
3.Under 'WIRELESS & NETWORKS," tap More... to display more options.
4.Tap Mobile networks.
5.Check the Data enabled check box.
6.Check the Data roaming check box to receive data when roaming domestically
7.Uncheck the Data roaming check box when roaming internationally to avoid incurring roaming charges.
8.Tap Access Point Names
9.Choose from the following:•MetroPCS - fast.metropcs.com
•T-Mobile GPRS
•T-Mobile GPRS - fast.t-mobile.com
do you think you'd simply, roam on another provider?
i suspect it would aid your phone in it's LTE to GSM voice handling..
i suspect strongly.. setting it to *LTE* in -
Switch 2G / 4G / LTE
To change the band between 2G, 4G, and LTE, follow these steps:
1.From any Home screen, tap the All appsAll Apps.pngicon.
2.Tap Settings.
3.Under 'WIRELESS & NETWORKS," tap More... to display more options.
4.Tap Mobile networks.
5.Tap Preferred Network Selection.
6.Choose from the following:•LTE
•3G
•2G
..........................
on yet another note,, your handset may be functioning more properly than you could imagine; in your OP
"on the device the preferred network type is LTE but most of the time it falls back to HSPA mode and not LTE how do you force the LTE mode only? My location get's 3-4 bars for LTE coverage and all 5 bars for HSPA but LTE is faster"
tmobile's LTE may simply be having issues for a spell, to be worked out at a later date, & you're falling back on hspa+ asa failsafe..
you may not have to change a darn thing..

In the Palo Alto area LTE doesn't always stay on and the HSPA+ does not actually transfer any data. Sometimes hspa+ is on when weak LTE is available. In situations where I want wreak LTE over strong but useless hspa+ I need to force LTE not just prefer it
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

LTE Only Searching For Service Battery?

Hi everyone. Quick question. I searched but didn't find much, but I was wanting to use LTE only (*#*#4636#*#*, Phone, LTE Only), and it does work but on Sprint, it disables 1x and pretends like the phone has no coverage and then does the "Searching for Service" and the battery drains like crazy. Any ideas?

MrObvious said:
Hi everyone. Quick question. I searched but didn't find much, but I was wanting to use LTE only (*#*#4636#*#*, Phone, LTE Only), and it does work but on Sprint, it disables 1x and pretends like the phone has no coverage and then does the "Searching for Service" and the battery drains like crazy. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That mode disables all voice and texting abilities, I don't think you can use that on a phone, especially not a phone on Sprint.
turn it back, if the phone doesn't think it has a good enough signal to use LTE, trust it and drop to 3G you'll be better off.

Use global setting for Sprint
Sent from my Nexus 5

I don't want 3g though because my phone has the power to get a signal but if it gets down to 1 bar roughly (driving between towers and I'm in a fairly big city so it's not a coverage/reception issue) and it drops to 3g, despite the fact that it'll get stronger if it waits 5 more seconds.

you can not get/make phonecalls on lte only, period. its for data only.

indeed. setting it through the dialer to lte only, makes that lte data channel the only channel, it kills the ehrpd / 1x cdma 200 ip hand-off needed for voice paging to & from the network..
but NOW i know WHY you were forcing lte only via the dialer (didn't know at 1st)
but where you are (if you're on srpint) this is what' was reported happening -
Sprint used to have "same-as-native" 3G service in the western half of Kansas via those carriers, and even used to show it as Native on their coverage maps. Then it changed to Off-Network roaming a couple years ago. They even stopped Native service along I-70 through most of Kansas and eastern Colorado. Sounds like some of those carriers aren't being too accommodating to Sprint nowadays.
via the HoFo App
i didn't know, the hometown of sprint, was having such a hard time covering, it's own home state..

j'vai said:
indeed. setting it through the dialer to lte only, makes that lte data channel the only channel, it kills the ehrpd / 1x cdma 200 ip hand-off needed for voice paging to & from the network..
but NOW i know WHY you were forcing lte only via the dialer (didn't know at 1st)
but where you are (if you're on srpint) this is what' was reported happening -
Sprint used to have "same-as-native" 3G service in the western half of Kansas via those carriers, and even used to show it as Native on their coverage maps. Then it changed to Off-Network roaming a couple years ago. They even stopped Native service along I-70 through most of Kansas and eastern Colorado. Sounds like some of those carriers aren't being too accommodating to Sprint nowadays.
via the HoFo App
i didn't know, the hometown of sprint, was having such a hard time covering, it's own home state..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's inaccurate for me as I'm in central KS. That only applies for west KS. I'm in a native market with LTE, NV, and band 25 and 26.

MrObvious said:
I don't want 3g though because my phone has the power to get a signal but if it gets down to 1 bar roughly (driving between towers and I'm in a fairly big city so it's not a coverage/reception issue) and it drops to 3g, despite the fact that it'll get stronger if it waits 5 more seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok.. central ks..
what were your settings prior, to lte only?

Just LTE/CDMA. There are times I want to set LTE only so I don't drop 4g. Of course I have service with that setting.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

you know, that going via the keypad to set LTE only you'll kill the fall back bridge to 1xrtt voice & evdo 3g, right?
& every time you want to have voice service you'd have to do the toggle to undo LTE only , then when you want it back LTE only ..
you say "you don't want evdo 3g" but the devil in the details are, you'll not have voice service ither, that way..
is it worth that trouble?

[Q] OnePlus One LTE BAND selection?

Is there a way to see and change the LTE BAND that my phone is on? Rogers support aws, 2600, 700. So I was wondering if I could manually change between them. The S5 has that option in the hidden menu, so I'm hoping I could do the same on this one.
Thanks.

The phone choose the band himself, if he don't find bands authorized by your phone company, he can't use them.

tonymtl said:
Is there a way to see and change the LTE BAND that my phone is on? Rogers support aws, 2600, 700. So I was wondering if I could manually change between them. The S5 has that option in the hidden menu, so I'm hoping I could do the same on this one.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*#*#46363#*#* > Phone information > Set Preferred Network Type > 'LTE/GSM auto (PRL)'
That's as far as you can get in telling it what network to operate on. It won't let you select specific bands (at least not stock). Mine was set to 'TD-SCDMA, GSM and LTE' out of the box (international version) and since I don't plan to use my phone in China anytime soon, it didn't make sense for the phone to waste resources searching for a TD-SCDMA (China's homebrew 4G) signal. Haven't noticed much improvement to my LTE signal though, still the weakest radio I've seen in a 'flagship' in a while.

Thanks.
I am also on Rogers.
Does that mean when I am on the phone, it will revert to EDGE instead of 3g by using the LTE-edge setting?

I have major issues with reception on this phone.
LTE Works Fine but the 3G/H+ signal is awful, absolute disaster on this phone. It is extremely, extremely weak. And I lose coverage often and over 50% of the times my calls go straight to voicemail because Rogers uses 2g/3g for calling. The phone can't drop back to 2G or 3G in time to receive calls when on LTE
Rly frustrating. Have tried playing with all the settings.

Same issue
hashim71 said:
I have major issues with reception on this phone.
LTE Works Fine but the 3G/H+ signal is awful, absolute disaster on this phone. It is extremely, extremely weak. And I lose coverage often and over 50% of the times my calls go straight to voicemail because Rogers uses 2g/3g for calling. The phone can't drop back to 2G or 3G in time to receive calls when on LTE
Rly frustrating. Have tried playing with all the settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having issues with 3G H+ too. Dont know its CM issue or not coz I had nice H+ signals on Color OS...
Can't even use internet data. most of the time network drops after using internet for a bit.. Network just suddenly gone and after that it comes back with no internet. Internet comes back online after a while...
Really worried.. and annoyed coz can't seem to find any solve for this. Even Mahdi rom had this issue..