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.
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...and nobody at AT&T can tell me why. In fact, when I showed them the phone with the H and 3 bars at the Device Service Center, they claimed they'd never seen such a thing.
The backstory is this: I've had good service at my home for a dozen years. I've always gotten solid E reception. About a month ago, 3G reception started to creep into the picture, although at a very low signal strength. It bounced between E and 3G every few moments and I started getting lots of dropped calls, no dialing, missed calls, etc. where that never happened before. I did some research here at xda and decided to drop Airplane Mode from my settings and add a 3G on-off switch using Advanced Config. After some futzing around, that worked pretty good but now whenever I try to switch to 3G, I get HSDPA. Go figure? Not that I'm complaining, because it's pretty darn fast.
But what the heck...only one Device Service Center in a city this size (San Antonio) and they've never seen a phone showing HSDPA? None of this really means anything, I'm just looking for explanations/comments.
pretty simple man...
3G = HSDPA
kevindena said:
pretty simple man...
3G = HSDPA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why do my bars read H, not 3G? Actually, based on some online research, HSDPA appears to be a superset of 3G...a.k.a. 3.5G. At any rate, the "tech wizards" at the DSC had never heard of it.
I've got a Touch Pro running on T-Mobile network. Their 3G seems to be a different
frequency than the TP can receive. If I turned on HSDPA and then wander into an AT&T 3G zone and my TP picks up their 3G network, will it overpower my T-Mobile Edge and put me into roaming?
The H is the same as 3G like the other guy had said. Plus if you went into Advance Config. to change the setting then that will replace the 3g with the H. Which is not a big deal. All the phones in Europe use the H symbol in the US we get that damn 3G. Personally I like the H ova the 3G. H=High speed
So really and truly you have nothing to worry about. Should be happy you have the H showing up than the 3G to me H is a lil faster on some phones!!!!!!
att hides their hspa icon under the 3g icon. so you never know the difference between hspa 3.5g or umts 3g. if you flashed a new rom, updated your phone canvas, changed some icons, enabled it, or who knows, chances are you are back to the standard way the rest of the world has it, with the h icon.
So I know all the issues with older 2g sims affecting speeds, I called tmobile, and they said that I was in fact registered with a 2g sim, so I had them activate the sim that came in the box, but I have no improvement in speed. I'm still getting nowhere above 2mbps, most of the time around 1. I know I have a 4g data plan, they added that when I got the phone for immediate activation, not next billing cycle. Even in areas where my old mytouch 3G slide got 4 mbps on the 3G HSPA network, I can't get much above 2 on the HSPA+ network. What gives? If the new 4g sim and data plan aren't working, what's the issue here? Anyone else having issues?
Are you sure that you're connected to HSPA+? And, even if you are connected with good reception to a HSPA+ tower, that doesn't mean that the tower has good bandwidth backhaul. If its a low traffic tower, T-Mobile might not want to pay for a large amount of bandwidth for it.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda premium
I suppose I can't be positive, but the icon says 4G. Although I've never seen a 3G icon, only G, 2G, and 4G, meaning they probably just replaced the 3G icon with the 4G icon since the phone can't technically display a different icon for HSPA and HSPA+, can it? I've never seen a 3G icon so I might just be connected to 3G. But even in populous areas, like downtown, at night, I top out at 4, MAYBE 5 mbps. I've heard people getting 4 or 5 on a bad day, 7-8 average and 10-12 if they're lucky. I'm wondering where that's at, maybe it's a flaw in the stock rom and an AOSP or other custom rom would be better. I seem to remember having bad speeds on sense on my Slide too.
During data transfer, I went to the about phone>network menu, and mobile network type reads HSDPA and then reverts to UMTS after a period of inactivity. It does not specify HSDPA+ though, it just says HSDPA. I understand that the 3g and 4g networks on tmobile are technically one and the same, HSDPA+ is just an advancement of the 3G technology, but I'm wondering if something just isn't clicking and the phone isn't taking advantage of HSDPA+. I checked the coverage map, and the entire region I live in, minus a few rural areas, are supposed to be covered by 4G data.
So my two year contract is up and I wanted to see what network was best to go with, my biggest concern is LTE and wich network is better that means T-mo is out, Sprint not ready in my area so that leaves AT&T and Verizon. Now I talked to reps at both AT&T and Verizon and nither one knew what they were talking about making outragous statements about why their LTE network was better than their compettitors. On my way out of the AT&T store the rep said one of their techs just came in and can explain it all to me. The tech seemed to know what he was talking about he showed me they are testing LTE in my area right now and showed me it was working on his phone. He told me if I got a LTE phone right now today I would get the fastest LTE around because no one is the network in the area right now unless they have an LTE phone already and have it turned on for LTE. He also told me once LTE is offically turned on here that I will lose LTE speeds because of all the other devices plugging into it but even with speeds being reduced after testing I would still get LTE speeds faster than Verizons LTE because LTE is a GSM technology and works better with GSM phones and GSM networks. Verizons network is CDMA and has to be reworked to make it compatable with LTE and right now isn't all that stable and it crashes all the time, and since the phones are set for CDMA/LTE the phone has to work harder causing more/faster battery drain. I forget all the technical words he used but the guy really seemed to know his stuff and did say that Verizon is working to make it's LTE stable and believes theyt would have everything fixed by the end of year but because it's CDMA/LTE it can never be as fast as GSM/LTE.
Anyway my question is Is he correct and AT&Ts LTE is faster than Verizons? or is that more BS with alot of technical terms thrown in?
For the most part, the number of devices connected to the network is the biggest factor. The more devices connected, the slower it will go.
There might be some truth to the fact that Verizon's LTE network is newer and therefore unstable (as we've seen in the past) but that doesn't mean it will be necessarily slower while it's working for that reason, and AT&T's LTE network is newer so I don't see how that would be a plus for them. It's true that AT&T phones are GSM, and LTE is based on GSM, but implying that strong UMTS/HSPA+ network coverage is going to magically supplement LTE coverage sounds like BS to me. This might make it easier for AT&T to roll out their LTE network for that reason, but that doesn't mean that they've even come close to meeting Verizon in coverage yet.
So, in a nutshell, there's some truth to it. It's faster for the time being since there's no one on it, but there's nothing technically BETTER about AT&T's LTE as far as I know. LTE is LTE; it just depends on the carrier's infrastructure (internet connections to towers, tower locations and coverage, etc) to determine the the quality and speed of connection.
Besides, if AT&T's abilities to keep up with new subscribers on their 3G network is any indication, it won't be long before their LTE networks is slower than Verizons
Thanks
Thank you for clearing this up for me so your saying there is no difference between Verizon and AT&Ts LTE other than Verizon having a Larger Network right now.
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..
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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?
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..