As the title suggests, if a phone is listed as FDD-LTE 700MHz compatible, would that imply it'll work on T-Mobile's 700MHz Band 12? I am often confused with this band as it seems there's various other bands within the 700MHz frequency. So there's no positive way of knowing if it supports the band 12. For instance, I've been looking to find a cheap alternative phone (from China mainly) that might have support of LTE 700MHz so I can take advantage of T-Mobile's latest band, but I'm not sure on if it'd work. Couple examples of some phones are here:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Foxconn-Infocus-M2-Phone-4G-LTE-FDD-Qualcomn-MSM8926-Quad-Core-Android-4-4-4/32323996202.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Iocean-M6752-4G-FDD-LTE-Mobile-Phone-MTK6752-Octa-Core-5-5-Inch-1920X1080FHD-3GB/32297288429.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Huawei-Ascend-Mate-2-Unlocked-4G-FDD-LTE-Android-Mobile-phone-Quad-Core-IPS-HD/2043526871.html
That's just 3 out of a list of them found on Aliexpress. They all say FDD-LTE 700MHz. My gut is telling me the 700MHz it lists is for some frequency that China uses and wouldn't make a difference if used in the US. Just needed some helpful clarification. Thanks.
brian117 said:
As the title suggests, if a phone is listed as FDD-LTE 700MHz compatible, would that imply it'll work on T-Mobile's 700MHz Band 12? I am often confused with this band as it seems there's various other bands within the 700MHz frequency.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't. Most probably not, anyway.
When a frequency is listed as "700MHz", it's actually an approximation. For example, T-Mobile's band 12 is 700MHz Block A, which is 728–734MHz, whereas Verizon's band 13 is 700MHz Block C, which is 740–746MHz. This might vary from region to region too.
Most likely the phones you're looking at are compatible with 700MHz band 28, since this is commonly used in SE Asia and Oceana, along with the other bands they're listed to support. The Ascend Mate 2 you linked to however appears to support band 17 700MHz, which is an AT&T band, which would make sense as it also supports band 4, common in North America.
If you want a cheaper phone that has band 12 support, the newer ones from T-Mobile support it (or will, with a software update). Galaxy Avant, ZTE ZMax, the upcoming LG Leon LTE, for example.
Planterz said:
It won't. Most probably not, anyway.
When a frequency is listed as "700MHz", it's actually an approximation. For example, T-Mobile's band 12 is 700MHz Block A, which is 728–734MHz, whereas Verizon's band 13 is 700MHz Block C, which is 740–746MHz. This might vary from region to region too.
Most likely the phones you're looking at are compatible with 700MHz band 28, since this is commonly used in SE Asia and Oceana, along with the other bands they're listed to support. The Ascend Mate 2 you linked to however appears to support band 17 700MHz, which is an AT&T band, which would make sense as it also supports band 4, common in North America.
If you want a cheaper phone that has band 12 support, the newer ones from T-Mobile support it (or will, with a software update). Galaxy Avant, ZTE ZMax, the upcoming LG Leon LTE, for example.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that is exactly what I thought. I understand the phones from T-Mobile will support the new band but I was looking for maybe possible cheaper alternatives than brand name phones to take advantage of it. I haven't heard of the LG Leon though, I will check that out. Thanks for the kind reply. I was expecting some "lol no dumbass it won't work" reply as this in General discussion.
brian117 said:
Thanks, that is exactly what I thought. I understand the phones from T-Mobile will support the new band but I was looking for maybe possible cheaper alternatives than brand name phones to take advantage of it. I haven't heard of the LG Leon though, I will check that out. Thanks for the kind reply. I was expecting some "lol no dumbass it won't work" reply as this in General discussion.
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Click to collapse
The Leon isn't out yet, and only vague specs are available. No specifics on what the processor is, but I'd guess SD400 or 410. I'd expect it to be around $200-250, but that's just a guess. If it's more than $250, I'd say it's not worth it considering the low-res FWVGA screen.
It also occurs to me that the new 2015 Moto E LTE has band 12 support. 64bit Snapdragon 410, 1gb RAM, 8gb storage, microSD slot, qHD screen, and a relatively large battery. Honestly, I'd rather have this than either of those cheapo Chinese ones (yes, I know Motorola is Chinese now...). For $150 from Amazon, it's a pretty damn good deal.
As usual, a major phone maker from Asia is screwing over USA, by disabling US carrier compatible LTE bands in their flagship phone series. If anyone from US, or other parts of the world, left in the cold by Asus purchased this phone and would like to try this LTE unlock and report the results - that would be very much appreciated.
If anyone knows of an online store, which took the liberty of unlocking US compatible LTE bands (T-Mobile: 2,4,12, AT&T: 2,4,5,17) in Zenfone 3 Ultra - please post the link to the store.
Will Asus make a separate US version and sell it here, or will this phone be international only? I'm in the US on AT&T and would certainly like LTE capability, but I've been buying overseas phones for a while now and HSPA+ is certainly fast enough for my needs.
If Asus isn't planning on a US version i'll just get the international one...
omniphil said:
Will Asus make a separate US version and sell it here, or will this phone be international only? I'm in the US on AT&T and would certainly like LTE capability, but I've been buying overseas phones for a while now and HSPA+ is certainly fast enough for my needs.
If Asus isn't planning on a US version i'll just get the international one...
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Click to collapse
Just get a Mi Max, it's cheaper. My friend picked me up a 4gb/128gb version when he was in China for $313. I don't see a reason to spend top dollar on the Zenfone 3 if it won't support LTE here. I'd love to see Asus support LTE here but it's a shame they always disable the US LTE bands.
ajsmsg78 said:
Just get a Mi Max, it's cheaper. My friend picked me up a 4gb/128gb version when he was in China for $313. I don't see a reason to spend top dollar on the Zenfone 3 if it won't support LTE here. I'd love to see Asus support LTE here but it's a shame they always disable the US LTE bands.
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I want the larger screen of the Zenfone. Thats really the only reason im not picking up a Mi Max...
ajsmsg78 said:
Just get a Mi Max, it's cheaper. My friend picked me up a 4gb/128gb version when he was in China for $313. I don't see a reason to spend top dollar on the Zenfone 3 if it won't support LTE here. I'd love to see Asus support LTE here but it's a shame they always disable the US LTE bands.
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I heard that the Mi Max only supports some of the T-Mobile bands so you won't get full LTE (only HSPA). Do you know what network your friend uses his on and if he gets full LTE?
Techngro said:
I heard that the Mi Max only supports some of the T-Mobile bands so you won't get full LTE (only HSPA). Do you know what network your friend uses his on and if he gets full LTE?
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Click to collapse
None of these phones support any LTE bands in the US. You'll only get HSPA+ or 3G. My thought is why pay 400+ for a phone with no LTE capabilities here. My friend picked up the Mi Max for me, I own it.
Techngro said:
I heard that the Mi Max only supports some of the T-Mobile bands so you won't get full LTE (only HSPA). Do you know what network your friend uses his on and if he gets full LTE?
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you can consider huawei mate 8 for USA LTE support (ATT & T-Mo), it is however a 6 incher 'only' .. my only gripe is the kirin 950 SoC, while on par with other top-tier silicon in terms of performance, it is none the less huawei in house and they are not known for releasing source code, meaning no 3rd party roms and probably no upgrade beyond nougat ..
http://www.anandtech.com/show/9878/the-huawei-mate-8-review
omniphil said:
Will Asus make a separate US version and sell it here, or will this phone be international only? I'm in the US on AT&T and would certainly like LTE capability, but I've been buying overseas phones for a while now and HSPA+ is certainly fast enough for my needs.
If Asus isn't planning on a US version i'll just get the international one...
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Click to collapse
I purchased my Asus Zenfone 3 ultra (ZU680KL) from EBay (593.00 factory unlocked), thru Never -Msrp, out of Houston Texas, but I believe it's still the global version.
I purchased a Bring Your Own Phone Plan thru Cricket, which is owned by AT&T. So they use their towers. I have not notice any problems with getting 4g/Lte.
Getting very good call reception and internet download speeds thru Cricket. I have a HTC 10 that I gave to my wife. The download speeds are similiar on 4g with the HTC 10 and the Asus. Both phones have many of the same 4g/lte bands. Just a little faster with the HTC 10, which might be due to the HTC having a faster processor. Depending where I am at in my area, I can see the H+ changing to 4g up in the status bar of the Asus phone when driving. Consistent 4g speeds where I live here in WV. I am also not to far from an AT&T tower.
XDA has always helped me with valuable information over the years of many of my phone ownerships, so I hope this information helps.
Slbtrb79 said:
I purchased my Asus Zenfone 3 ultra (ZU680KL) from EBay (593.00 factory unlocked), thru Never -Msrp, out of Houston Texas, but I believe it's still the global version.
I purchased a Bring Your Own Phone Plan thru Cricket, which is owned by AT&T. So they use their towers. I have not notice any problems with getting 4g/Lte.
Getting very good call reception and internet download speeds thru Cricket. I have a HTC 10 that I gave to my wife. The download speeds are similiar on 4g with the HTC 10 and the Asus. Both phones have many of the same 4g/lte bands. Just a little faster with the HTC 10, which might be due to the HTC having a faster processor. Depending where I am at in my area, I can see the H+ changing to 4g up in the status bar of the Asus phone when driving. Consistent 4g speeds where I live here in WV. I am also not to far from an AT&T tower.
XDA has always helped me with valuable information over the years of many of my phone ownerships, so I hope this information helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just so people aren't confused... 4G and LTE are 2 different things.
4G = HSPA+ and is around 5-10Mbps.
LTE can be 20-30Mbps and also has much less latency.
Most people are looking for LTE in the USA and these international phones only support 4G (Which is slower than LTE but works good enough for me)
omniphil said:
Just so people aren't confused... 4G and LTE are 2 different things.
4G = HSPA+ and is around 5-10Mbps.
LTE can be 20-30Mbps and also has much less latency.
Most people are looking for LTE in the USA and these international phones only support 4G (Which is slower than LTE but works good enough for me)
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your comments. I accept mostly what you wrote for most companies definition of 4G and LTE. I was going by my carriers definition or interpretation of what they call 4G LTE and just 4G. The confusion is more from the caps on the data speeds various companies have. Because to me there is little difference between saying LTE and 4G LTE.
Cricket is the carrier owned by AT&T. They call their data speeds 4G and 4G LTE. AT&T caps Cricket download speeds at what they say is 4G LTE at 8Mbps and 4Mbps download speed cap for just 4G (Referenced from Crickets's website and from www.gottabemobile.com 6/21/2015 article on this topic).
However, my earlier remarks about my Asus phone was incorrect, due to Asus limitations on their 4G/LTE phones sold to individuals in the US, even though the carrier here might support some of the same 4G/LTE bands. It's an Asus thing and probably some others too. I'm probably only getting just 4G or less. My speed tests are only showing 3Mbps and a little better on download speeds on Cricket Wireless with the Asus Zenfone 3 ultra. But I was only getting on speed tests 4Mbps and a little better download speeds with my previous HTC 10 on Cricket Wireless. I have never even gotten close to Cricket's 8Mbps on my HTC 10.
At this point I'm ok with HSPA+ (It's what i've used for years now in the US with International phones)
I'm waiting for root to surface for this phone and then i'm jumping right in
omniphil said:
Just so people aren't confused... 4G and LTE are 2 different things.
4G = HSPA+ and is around 5-10Mbps.
LTE can be 20-30Mbps and also has much less latency.
Most people are looking for LTE in the USA and these international phones only support 4G (Which is slower than LTE but works good enough for me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please do not confuse people with false information. HSPA+ is officially considered 3.5G connection type. Long Term Evolution (LTE) is defined as a 4th generation (4G) wireless connection standard. Those are official nominations, you can find through IEEE site, Wikipedia and many other reliable sources. LTE theoretical max speed are nowhere near 20-30Mbps figure you provided - they are *much* higher. There is also LTE-A (advanced), which is also 4G but doubles the LTE speeds, and the actual LTE speeds depend on the hardware and LTE category of the modem.
Apo11on said:
Please do not confuse people with false information. HSPA+ is officially considered 3.5G connection type. Long Term Evolution (LTE) is defined as a 4th generation (4G) wireless connection standard. Those are official nominations, you can find through IEEE site, Wikipedia and many other reliable sources. LTE theoretical max speed are nowhere near 20-30Mbps figure you provided - they are *much* higher. There is also LTE-A (advanced), which is also 4G but doubles the LTE speeds, and the actual LTE speeds depend on the hardware and LTE category of the modem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple calls HSPA+ 4G, Yes i know its not technically correct, but that's what most people associate it with.
LTE can go much faster then 30Mbps for sure, I used to get 60. But nowadays with all the people using it 20-30 is a reasonable average for what most people actually see. (The point is its much faster than HSPA+)
I only bring this up because folks ask if they can get 4G on these international phones (As not everyone is a phone nerd like us) What they are really asking is if they can get LTE on these phones and most of the time that answer is no.
Basically I want people to understand that we are talking about HSPA+ vs 4G LTE and how that relates to international phones.
Is that good?
omniphil said:
Apple calls HSPA+ 4G, Yes i know its not technically correct, but that's what most people associate it with.
LTE can go much faster then 30Mbps for sure, I used to get 60. But nowadays with all the people using it 20-30 is a reasonable average for what most people actually see. (The point is its much faster than HSPA+)
I only bring this up because folks ask if they can get 4G on these international phones (As not everyone is a phone nerd like us) What they are really asking is if they can get LTE on these phones and most of the time that answer is no.
Basically I want people to understand that we are talking about HSPA+ vs 4G LTE and how that relates to international phones.
Is that good?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple or any other hardware manufacturers, as well as phone carriers can deploy any marketing schemes they like and call the lousy HSPA+ "4G" all they want, but it won't make it true. Neither of them gets to decide, and "most people" don't get to decide either. For the record, I disagree that most people think HSPA+ is 4G - most know better, in my opinion. The international governing body for wireless standards gets to name wireless technologies, protocols and classify by generation.
If you want people to understand that HSPA+ is different from LTE then saying "LTE can be 20-30Mbps" is not the way to go, because that would achieve the exact opposite. Theoretical max HSPA+ speeds achievable by this technology are 168 Mbps down and 22Mbps up, so defining LTE as 20-30Mbps connection makes your LTE no better than mediocre HSPA+ link. Some FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE links, based on the utilized spectrum, currently go up to 450Mbps down and 150Mbps up. Theoretical limits are much higher and LTE-A is twice faster.
While your intentions seem to be good, that still doesn't excuse providing inaccurate information, while also saying you dont want people to be confused. Confused is exactly what people would be, if they believe the info in your post. If you want to answer a question "will I get LTE in US with this phone?" - a simple "No" would be much better answer than inaccurate information you provided to "eliminate confusion". Or you could say something along those lines:
"ZenFone 3 Ultra is a GSM phone, so only AT&T or T-Mobile in US could be compatible, because Verizon and Sprint use CDMA technology. AT&T's LTE network operates on bands 2,4,5,17 (recently forced to support band 12 as part of FCC roaming support requirement) and T-Mobile's LTE network operates on bands 2,4,12 (recently forced to support band 17 as part of FCC roaming support requirement). Asus ZenFone 3 international version on the other hand, support LTE bands 1,3,5,7,8,18,19,20,26,28,38,40,41 - do you see any overlapping bands besides B5? B5 is utilized by AT&T in limited number of US regions and even there you will get extremely spotty LTE coverage, because LTE bands operate in conjunction with each other and there are constant layovers and fallbacks between frequencies, based on towers proximity".
Slbtrb79 said:
I purchased my Asus Zenfone 3 ultra (ZU680KL) from EBay (593.00 factory unlocked), thru Never -Msrp, out of Houston Texas, but I believe it's still the global version.
I purchased a Bring Your Own Phone Plan thru Cricket, which is owned by AT&T. So they use their towers. I have not notice any problems with getting 4g/Lte.
Getting very good call reception and internet download speeds thru Cricket. I have a HTC 10 that I gave to my wife. The download speeds are similiar on 4g with the HTC 10 and the Asus. Both phones have many of the same 4g/lte bands. Just a little faster with the HTC 10, which might be due to the HTC having a faster processor. Depending where I am at in my area, I can see the H+ changing to 4g up in the status bar of the Asus phone when driving. Consistent 4g speeds where I live here in WV. I am also not to far from an AT&T tower.
XDA has always helped me with valuable information over the years of many of my phone ownerships, so I hope this information helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
I bought a Huawei Mediapad X2 7" display phablet last November. I used it for a month on Cricket and couldn't get good MMS service... I wouldn't get group texts or pictures... How is your Ultra doing in that regard (on Cricket)? No good MMS is a deal breaker for me... Also, the X2 came with Google and Google Play Store already installed. I am not a techie but asked a LOT of questions on xda and was walked through a successful setup (I learned a lot from other people's questions, too)... I don't root my phones... So I need good out of the box service. I have been looking for a 128GB Ultra just to compare prices to a 64GB Ultra. Have you seen any? I am waiting for the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro to be re-released but I really would love this Ultra, instead (if it works on Cricket the way I need it to)... Thanks for your time!
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
VillaRegina said:
Hi!
I bought a Huawei Mediapad X2 7" display phablet last November. I used it for a month on Cricket and couldn't get good MMS service... I wouldn't get group texts or pictures... How is your Ultra doing in that regard (on Cricket)? No good MMS is a deal breaker for me... Also, the X2 came with Google and Google Play Store already installed. I am not a techie but asked a LOT of questions on xda and was walked through a successful setup (I learned a lot from other people's questions, too)... I don't root my phones... So I need good out of the box service. I have been looking for a 128GB Ultra just to compare prices to a 64GB Ultra. Have you seen any? I am waiting for the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro to be re-released but I really would love this Ultra, instead (if it works on Cricket the way I need it to)... Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had no problems with Cricket on my Zenfone Ultra. MMS, SMS, work just fine. No problem with sending group texts and pictures. However, you will not get LTE on the Ultra, in the US. For me, the 64gb on the internal side with a 64 GB SD card, gives me plenty of space. Google and Google play came pre-installed on my Ultra. So far, I have received great service from Cricket on my Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra and my HTC 10. I love the music app, the audio wizard, and the stereo speakers. Takes great pictures. It's like having a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram and it's a phone. Due to the size, the music features, the picture features, the huge battery, I use this phone more than my HTC 10. The only down side that I have with this phone, is you can't get LTE here in the US and you can't unlock the bootloader yet. But personally, I was initially looking for a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram, stereo speakers, that also took good pictures and has a big battery. I ended up with the Ultra.
If screen size is important to you might look at the Xiaomi Mi-Max, it has 6.4 screen and nice specs. Also Huawei Mate 9 with a 5.9 inch screen with nice specs also.
Hope this helped some...
Slbtrb79 said:
I have had no problems with Cricket on my Zenfone Ultra. MMS, SMS, work just fine. No problem with sending group texts and pictures. However, you will not get LTE on the Ultra, in the US. For me, the 64gb on the internal side with a 64 GB SD card, gives me plenty of space. Google and Google play came pre-installed on my Ultra. So far, I have received great service from Cricket on my Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra and my HTC 10. I love the music app, the audio wizard, and the stereo speakers. Takes great pictures. It's like having a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram and it's a phone. Due to the size, the music features, the picture features, the huge battery, I use this phone more than my HTC 10. The only down side that I have with this phone, is you can't get LTE here in the US and you can't unlock the bootloader yet. But personally, I was initially looking for a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram, stereo speakers, that also took good pictures and has a big battery. I ended up with the Ultra.
If screen size is important to you might look at the Xiaomi Mi-Max, it has 6.4 screen and nice specs. Also Huawei Mate 9 with a 5.9 inch screen with nice specs also.
Hope this helped some...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for your time on the detailed answer!!!
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Apo11on said:
Apple or any other hardware manufacturers, as well as phone carriers can deploy any marketing schemes they like and call the lousy HSPA+ "4G" all they want, but it won't make it true. Neither of them gets to decide, and "most people" don't get to decide either. For the record, I disagree that most people think HSPA+ is 4G - most know better, in my opinion. The international governing body for wireless standards gets to name wireless technologies, protocols and classify by generation.
If you want people to understand that HSPA+ is different from LTE then saying "LTE can be 20-30Mbps" is not the way to go, because that would achieve the exact opposite. Theoretical max HSPA+ speeds achievable by this technology are 168 Mbps down and 22Mbps up, so defining LTE as 20-30Mbps connection makes your LTE no better than mediocre HSPA+ link. Some FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE links, based on the utilized spectrum, currently go up to 450Mbps down and 150Mbps up. Theoretical limits are much higher and LTE-A is twice faster.
While your intentions seem to be good, that still doesn't excuse providing inaccurate information, while also saying you dont want people to be confused. Confused is exactly what people would be, if they believe the info in your post. If you want to answer a question "will I get LTE in US with this phone?" - a simple "No" would be much better answer than inaccurate information you provided to "eliminate confusion". Or you could say something along those lines:
"ZenFone 3 Ultra is a GSM phone, so only AT&T or T-Mobile in US could be compatible, because Verizon and Sprint use CDMA technology. AT&T's LTE network operates on bands 2,4,5,17 (recently forced to support band 12 as part of FCC roaming support requirement) and T-Mobile's LTE network operates on bands 2,4,12 (recently forced to support band 17 as part of FCC roaming support requirement). Asus ZenFone 3 international version on the other hand, support LTE bands 1,3,5,7,8,18,19,20,26,28,38,40,41 - do you see any overlapping bands besides B5? B5 is utilized by AT&T in limited number of US regions and even there you will get extremely spotty LTE coverage, because LTE bands operate in conjunction with each other and there are constant layovers and fallbacks between frequencies, based on towers proximity".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm only a junior member with limited experience with these technologies, But I am just a little confused with these previous comments in regards to these discussions on HSPA+, LTE, and even Wimax for that matter. Believe me, when I say that I still have much to learn on this subject. Just because HSPA+ is different from 4G, I was always under the impression from everything I've read, that they are all still labeled as 4G technologies, as defined by the ITU. With all the above, having wide variations in consumer speeds. Also, whether a certain phone manufacturer supports a particular LTE band is just part of the whole part of the 4G technology. (Information taken from, in part, from Android Authority and Tech Radar)
Slbtrb79 said:
I'm only a junior member with limited experience with these technologies, But I am just a little confused with these previous comments in regards to these discussions on HSPA+, LTE, and even Wimax for that matter. Believe me, when I say that I still have much to learn on this subject. Just because HSPA+ is different from 4G, I was always under the impression from everything I've read, that they are all still labeled as 4G technologies, as defined by the ITU. With all the above, having wide variations in consumer speeds. Also, whether a certain phone manufacturer supports a particular LTE band is just part of the whole part of the 4G technology. (Information taken from, in part, from Android Authority and Tech Radar)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phrase "HSPA+ is different from 4G" has no meaning. Those are not comparible things "HSPA+" is an abbreviation for wireless protocol name, and "4G" is a generic reference to 4th generation of wireless technologies, which include several protocols. it's like comparing TV weight to picture brightness.
Judging from the phrase "whether a certain phone manufacturer supports a particular LTE band is just part of the whole part of the 4G technology" I'm not sure you understand how things work. Since approximately 4 years ago, ALL major SoCs (system on chip) support Worldwide Global LTE, all 41 bands. Here is an example of Qualcomm's Snapdragon SoCs, scroll down to "Global Mode": https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon/modems/4g-lte . So, all major SoC manufacturers have been "supporting" ALL LTE bands for approximately 4 years now. Mobile device manufacturers, who partner with SoC makers like Qualcomm, or produce their own (i.e. Samsung: Exynos) control what LTE bands are actually enabled using modem's firmware, which is purely a software issue and can be changed at any time with NVRAM hack or firmware update. They decide what bands to enable based on the country the device is targeted for. Operating frequencies in each country are tightly regulated, because otherwise there are security issues, surveillance issues, interference issues (that's why they ask you to shut your phone down on a plane) and LTE frequency bands spectrum is divided to over 100 chunks, and each country/region are only allowed to operate on a specific, limited number of frequency bands. Therefore, any phone manufacturer, who wants to release wireless device with certain LTE bands enabled in a specific country, first must abide by the frequency bands international rules and then before they are allowed to sell and operate their device, their device must be approved by each country's wireless regulations governing body, which will thoroughly test the device, to make sure it meets all the required technical, safety and security standards. For example, that governing body in US is called FCC and in China it's TENAA. To sum up, what LTE bands each phone maker enables for which country, has nothing to do with being "part of the 4G technology".
Slbtrb79 said:
If screen size is important to you might look at the Xiaomi Mi-Max, it has 6.4 screen and nice specs. Also Huawei Mate 9 with a 5.9 inch screen with nice specs also.
Hope this helped some...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xiaomi Mi Max is a bit of an old news. This Xiaomi phone is the future. Same 6.4" screen size as Mi Max, but device size is comparable to 5.7" phone, not to mention numerous other innovations, such as ceramic body and audio transmissions via ultrasonic vibrations, instead of conventional speaker.
Hey everyone,
the new Zenfone 6 is amazing, besides the FlipCamera it has nearly everything (big battery, microSD, 3,5 mm headphone,...).
Just one thing irritates me: there are three Versions A, B and C, as one can see here under "Network Standard"
https://www.asus.com/Phone/ZenFone-6-ZS630KL/Tech-Specs/
So can someone tell me what that means? Like if I get the European version A (with Band 20), will I than for instance not be able to use it in the USA for telephone / SMS?! Or just not LTE / can I still use it like on UMTS? No LTE at all or just not certain carriers?
Hope someone can make it clear to me, thanks in advance
You'll be able to use it anywhere, it's just there's slightly less band coverage, so some networks in some countries would be nixed.
See Kimovil.com for network compatibility.
Gearbest currently have the 6GB / 64GB Version C (most bands) for €495.
It means you'll have to be sure to verify you get the version with the bands needed for your particular carrier. You have to be very careful and verify before buying as it seems with the ZenFone 5Z, for example, sellers don't always properly clarify which version they're selling.
You need to find out which of the main bands your phone carrier uses then match them up to one of the versions. I use AT&T prepaid, so for for example I need a phone with coverage for bands 2,4,5,8, and 17 if I recall correctly.
If some bands aren't covered you won't have LTE in that area, as not all areas you're in are using the same network frequency bands. Therefore coverage can get worse when you travel with a phone without full band support.
Checked out the bands available on the Asus site you linked (thank you very much BTW) and it seems they are missing bands 66(extension of band 4) & 71 (600mhz frequency) so it seems like it may work okay on TMobile.
What do you guys think if those two bands are missing? Will it be detrimental to daily use or not really? Currently on an OG Pixel and this Asus offering is looking like a future purchase!!
CDMA (Sprint or Verizon) compatiblity in the US?
Stanto said:
CDMA (Sprint or Verizon) compatiblity in the US?
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Looks like the C variants might work for you but double check the bands for your carrier Kimovil.com.
mudnightoil said:
See Kimovil.com for network compatibility.
Gearbest currently have the 6GB / 64GB Version C (most bands) for €495.
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Thanks for the hint.
I need Band 20 (O2 Germany), so I can only use Version A (so no B or C for me).
---edit---
I just checked: T-Online and Vodafone use Band 20 and 32 (in Germany), but none of the three versions support both.
MartyM76 said:
If some bands aren't covered you won't have LTE in that area, as not all areas you're in are using the same network frequency bands. Therefore coverage can get worse when you travel with a phone without full band support.
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Ok, but does it mean I will at least have telephone and SMS in those areas, where the LTE band won't be supported?!
JJ111 said:
Ok, but does it mean I will at least have telephone and SMS in those areas, where the LTE band won't be supported?!
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Yes, as long at the other bands are supported (which they should be) it will drop to 3G/4G or whatever. That's why people using some Chinese phones for example in the USA can use everything but LTE.
You might
need to check however about VoLTE, I think. I don't have T-Mobile but you should read more about that as I've seen it mentioned in XDA & other places.
---------- Post added at 12:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 PM ----------
> Gearbest currently have the 6GB / 64GB Version C (most bands) for €495
I only see the A version there. Where did you find the C version?
This device just hit my radar... looks like we might have an upgrade winner!
For Tmobile US, C model is the way to go. The two highest bands that are missing with this device would get you better signal indoors / less interference, but I am not sure how far along that tech even is.
charlatan01 said:
The two highest bands that are missing with this device would get you better signal indoors / less interference, but I am not sure how far along that tech even is.
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By highest bands do you mean 66 and 71? The only phones that use band 71 at the moment are Samsung s8 Active and LG V30. I currently have an OG Pixel and it does not use 66 or 71 and I get great coverage in the East coast even when going north into the mountains.
wreq5 said:
By highest bands do you mean 66 and 71? The only phones that use band 71 at the moment are Samsung s8 Active and LG V30. I currently have an OG Pixel and it does not use 66 or 71 and I get great coverage in the East coast even when going north into the mountains.
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'
Yep, those are the two. Those two are still relatively new, and general Tmo coverage continues to improve here in Colorado.
I imagine that once the phone is sold on the asus.com website that particular variant will support all the main carriers LTE bands. I would be surprised if there were any major issues with that otherwise what's the point of even selling it in the USA?
SantinoInc said:
I imagine that once the phone is sold on the asus.com website that particular variant will support all the main carriers LTE bands.
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Yes, for example in the case of the 5Z I just ordered (to get me by since I desperately need a phone with a better camera & no OLED to cause eye strain) the bands listed for phones at the Asus USA online store cover AT&T properly and to the best of my knowledge T-Mobile as well.
I figured out that they don't list phones there that aren't USA network compatible. I still check, regardless, just to feel 100% sure but that's what I found.
It's the 3rd party sellers you really need to be careful about and always verify.
The OnePlus 7 pro has bands 66 and 71.
This probably would have been my first choice until I noticed the different versions. With more and more manufacturers choosing to release single, global bands phones, I really don't understand why Asus insist on continuing to release regional versions of their phones.
Back in the days when everyone made regional models, I had the Padfone Infinity 2 and it was a great phone (until a late OTA release have it the new ZenUI, which was promptly removed). After reading that the latest ZenUI 6 has been slimmed down to an almost stock Android experience, I thought it might once again be similar to what Asus provided before ZenUI came along and that I can now once again consider Asus phones. Wrong!
I spend time in both Europe and Asia and there is no version that covers both areas major LTE bands. So Asus will have to remain on the list of phones to ignore.
Robbo.5000 said:
This probably would have been my first choice until I noticed the different versions. With more and more manufacturers choosing to release single, global bands phones, I really don't understand why Asus insist on continuing to release regional versions of their phones.
Back in the days when everyone made regional models, I had the Padfone Infinity 2 and it was a great phone (until a late OTA release have it the new ZenUI, which was promptly removed). After reading that the latest ZenUI 6 has been slimmed down to an almost stock Android experience, I thought it might once again be similar to what Asus provided before ZenUI came along and that I can now once again consider Asus phones. Wrong!
I spend time in both Europe and Asia and there is no version that covers both areas major LTE bands. So Asus will have to remain on the list of phones to ignore.
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I'm in the same position. The C version covers everything I need except for Band 20 which is a necessity throughout Europe. The A version has Bamd 20 but won't work on US LTE. They did the same thing with the Zenfone 2 and inexplicably mixed up the bands regionally. I'll stick with my NexS for now but keep an eye on this phone in case the Limited edition they usually release solves the problem.
prestonmcafee said:
The OnePlus 7 pro has bands 66 and 71.
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I don't want the OP7. This isn't the OP7 forum.
I didn't realize until after I received it that the KB2000 was the Chinese variant. The one I bought said it was was GSM unlocked. I switched over to T-Mobile but have abysmal service where I'm at. The most I've seen from my house all the way to work (which is admittedly, in the boonies) is 1 bar, and most of the time it's just an "x." I had Sprint before which was pretty bad, but at least actually worked. I figured T-Mobile would be the best bet, as they're merging, but that was a failure.
Anyway, the listing says the phone is GSM unlocked and not for Sprint or Verizon, so is there no hope for getting this phone on one of the CDMA networks? I love the phone, but if I can't use it as a phone, I can't do much...
Ugh,
Doesn't look so great my friend.
OnePlus 8T 5G Standard Edition Dual SIM TD-LTE CN 128GB KB2000 (BBK Kebab) Compatibility in United States
Wireless frequency band information for networks, devices, and countries - Stay connected anywhere in the world
www.frequencycheck.com
Dang, that's not great. Thanks a ton for the help! I've somehow never seen that site, I've been using willmyphonework.net, which is.. meh.
It won't work on Verizon well (if at all) since it's missing band 13. So Verizon is out.
Theoretically it could work okay on T-Mobile since it supports bands 2/4/12 but "boonies" coverage for T-Mobile is trash in my experience. It's also lacking band 71 which travels furthest from the tower (realistically this probably won't make a difference if you already have super poor signal). Some phones on T-Mobile will get native Sprint signal now too- I noticed this behavior on my Pixel 3a XL but not on my OnePlus 8T KB2005. Certainly the KB2000 will only connnect to native T-Mobile. This is reserved for iPhones, Samsungs, Pixels I think.
AT&T might be worth a shot. It supports bands 2/4/5/17 and KB2000 is on AT&T approved device list https://www.att.com/idpassets/images/support/wireless/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf 17 is the low band coverage (700MHz) just like Verizon B13 and T-Mobile B12. AT&T has better rural deployments too in my experience. It won't get 5G and you're missing bands 14,30,66 but 2/4/5/17 is enough to have a decent network experience.
First of all, wow, thanks a bunch for the help!
Yeah, I was trying to get *away from* the big guys like Samsung and Google. I've had LG phones for a while and liked them (don't care for updates, so it doesn't bother me), but now that's a no go..
Saved up for the nice OnePlus, and I know people have said they're kind of "selling out," but they're still super root friendly and very open, so I was excited. I also knew I wanted to switch to GSM (been on Boost/Sprint forever, now), and I figured going to T-Mobile from Sprint would be my best bet, as I figured I'd have T-Mobile's coverage PLUS Sprint's, because of the buyout.
Then I read Sprint users can all fallback on T-Mobile, but not the other way around? Except for your listed "premium" models. And I also didn't figure the "boonies" service would be quite this bad; it's awful.
Other people around me say ATT is awful as well, pretty much only Sprint and Verizon are serviceable. Looking at the frequencies, it has no Sprint CDMA bands and with Verizon it only has one: BC0 (no BC1). I've read that 13 is Verizon's "main" LTE band, but how do we know this information? Is BC0 (800) better than BC1 (1900)? I know that *overall* with Verizon the service wouldn't be fantastic, but as long as there's connection in the boonies, that all I need, really.