Develop Bugs

[Q] 4G, Prepaid?

So I had a Droid 3 on Verizon on a prepaid line ($95 for 450 talk, unlimited text, and unlimited data) but that was 3G.
With the gNexi coming out, I was wondering if I would even be able to use it's 4g capabilities on my prepaid line? I'm obviously going to buy it at full-retail price but will the 4G even work or will I be stuck on 3G all the time?
I can't do contracts...
Should I wait for T-Mobile to get it and use their 4G prepaid instead?

I'm unsure if VZW has a LTE prepay service. That's something you have to look into separately. My guess is they don't. Unless they explicitly say that your prepay covers LTE I would expect to only get 3G.
As far as switching to a different carrier no one can tell you which is better. Its all about where you will use the phone and its your call.

I just did an online chat with a VZW rep, here it is:
Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Kiara'
Kiara: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
You: I was wondering if 4G phones like the Droid Bionic are eligible for the Prepaid Smartphone plans???
Kiara: I do apologize for the inconvenience, although the Bionic is not able to be pre paid
You: Are their any 4G phones available for the Prepaid plans?
You: And/or can you tell me if there are any plans to offer any???
Kiara: I do apologize although at this time there are not
You: Ok, thank you for your help
So, looks like you can't, at this time, use a 4G phone on their prepaid plans.
I currently have a Nexus S on T-mobile's $30 month prepaid plan (100 mins, unl. text, unl. data*throttled after 5GB), and I love it but I don't use my phone much for calls... I plan on getting the Galaxy Nexus and using it on this plan once it's available.

Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.

ruthlesset said:
Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have T-mo service in the area then its sooo much better. Just wait, don't import. You'll probably have to buy it unlocked (probably best buy, just like Nexus S) but you'll be better off for it. You don't want to sign a 2year for a Nexus on VZW and get blocked tethering and crap on it.
---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------
Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.

martonikaj said:
its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it

Dmw017 said:
Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
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Click to collapse
yea their prepay options are pretty epic. 100min is a bit low for most though. I was just referring to their postpay options that are pretty cheap too. I've looked into moving from my EM+ no-contract plan to a prepay lately actually.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you want my opinion I think they'll end up just selling it exactly like they did with the Nexus S. They sold it online, and they offered it via Best Buy unlocked. You'd buy the phone, then buy your service and get a SIM card from AT&T or T-mobile (or Simple Mobile, or whatever) separately and plug it in. The GN is pentaband HSPA+ and will work with pretty much any SIM in the world.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.

Chirality said:
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I (and many others) explained in the other thread about T-mobile:
- You get 5GB of data, that's 4g/3g/2g.
- Once you use all 5GB in a month, you get throttled.
- Throttled speeds are in the range of what EDGE is, even though your phone still says "3G" up in the status bar.
- Once your billing period ends, you get a new 5GB batch of data.
There's no discerning between 4G and 3G by T-mobile. HSPA+ is just a fast version of T-mobile's 3G network. Its not separate.

Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!

robertlawson225 said:
Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!
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Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.

martonikaj said:
Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.
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I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems

robertlawson225 said:
I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.

martonikaj said:
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well lets just hope some one out there can figure out how to make a phone like this run on a reasonabale priced carrier well other than t-mobile

Can we use AT&T 4G LTE on these? Is the radio physically there?

I'm debating between the T-Mobile and AT&T versions of the SG3. I'm currently planning on using a prepaid T-Mobile service but I can see myself in the future possibly switching to a postpaid AT&T plan.
If I buy the AT&T version I will be stuck on EDGE when on the T-Mobile network. No one has gotten T-Mobile's HSPA+ or DC-HSPA+ to work on the AT&T version of the GS3.
If I buy the T-Mobile version I won't have the option of using AT&T 4G LTE if I choose to go AT&T in the future.
So: does the T-Mobile GS3 physically have the AT&T 4G LTE hardware, and could it be activated?

fuzzybabybunny said:
I'm debating between the T-Mobile and AT&T versions of the SG3. I'm currently planning on using a prepaid T-Mobile service but I can see myself in the future possibly switching to a postpaid AT&T plan.
If I buy the AT&T version I will be stuck on EDGE when on the T-Mobile network. No one has gotten T-Mobile's HSPA+ or DC-HSPA+ to work on the AT&T version of the GS3.
If I buy the T-Mobile version I won't have the option of using AT&T 4G LTE if I choose to go AT&T in the future.
So: does the T-Mobile GS3 physically have the AT&T 4G LTE hardware, and could it be activated?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked into the exact same thing before taking the plunge. Apparently, even though they have the same hardware, there is a trade off no matter which one you choose, so short answer is no. (But who knows,there are smarter people out there who may prove me wrong...)
I can tell you why I went with the T Mobile version if it will help with your decision...
1. TMo ver will work with HSPA on both TMO and ATT (As you pointed out, the ATT will only get EDGE on TMo)
2. I previously owned 2 LTE phones and battery life was horrible. Giving LTE up was not that difficult for me since the trade off was batt life
3. HSPA speeds are enough for my uses (You will rarely ever get advertised speeds with either HSPA or LTE)

Hey Cheez - FYI if you are the second post on a thread there is absolutely no reason to quote the whole first post. How could there possibly be any confusion about what you are replying to?

dkmdlb said:
Hey Cheez - FYI if you are the second post on a thread there is absolutely no reason to quote the whole first post. How could there possibly be any confusion about what you are replying to?
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Click to collapse
lol, well, between Cheez and I it might just be force of habit. Plus if the OP changes their original post the quote will contain the old post without the changes.

dkmdlb said:
Hey Cheez - FYI if you are the second post on a thread there is absolutely no reason to quote the whole first post. How could there possibly be any confusion about what you are replying to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Infamous_Cheez said:
I looked into the exact same thing before taking the plunge. Apparently, even though they have the same hardware, there is a trade off no matter which one you choose, so short answer is no. (But who knows,there are smarter people out there who may prove me wrong...)
I can tell you why I went with the T Mobile version if it will help with your decision...
1. TMo ver will work with HSPA on both TMO and ATT (As you pointed out, the ATT will only get EDGE on TMo)
2. I previously owned 2 LTE phones and battery life was horrible. Giving LTE up was not that difficult for me since the trade off was batt life
3. HSPA speeds are enough for my uses (You will rarely ever get advertised speeds with either HSPA or LTE)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it. Thanks. Even if I go with AT&T I might not even want to use their 4G network since it hogs battery so much? I've currently got T-Mobile and the fastest I've ever been able to clock is a measly 5mbps. A far cry from even the "slow" 21mbps speed that HSPA+ advertises.

dkmdlb said:
Hey Cheez - FYI if you are the second post on a thread there is absolutely no reason to quote the whole first post. How could there possibly be any confusion about what you are replying to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely force of habit on my part
fuzzybabybunny said:
Got it. Thanks. Even if I go with AT&T I might not even want to use their 4G network since it hogs battery so much? I've currently got T-Mobile and the fastest I've ever been able to clock is a measly 5mbps. A far cry from even the "slow" 21mbps speed that HSPA+ advertises.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, ATT may or may not have LTE lit up in your area yet. You may be waiting for a while. I had an HTC Thunderbold and a Galaxy Nexus on VZW for a few years and it was only towards the last 3 months of my VZW service that I began to get LTE lol HSPA is much more widespread as of right now on ATT

My GF has the hox and at the house I have faster speeds than she does hspa+ 42 is pretty damn fast
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

md1008 said:
My GF has the hox and at the house I have faster speeds than she does hspa+ 42 is pretty damn fast
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of speeds are you getting with hspa+42?

All depends on where I am at my high is 23 mbps. My average is around 6mbps. Basically it varies a lot really hard to give you an average
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

[Q] I am looking to get solavei and would love a few questions answered if possible

I had a few questions since I am tried of sprint and want to get a n7100 on soalvei (tmobile network):
1) how would I know my area is refarmed? ( I live in north miami, fl )
2) is there a site or thread of a large sample of speed tests I can look up for my area on the network compatible with the n7100? The reason i ask is that I am afraid that I won't get reliable high speed (anything over 5Mbit down consistently is my goal).
3) I am on the fence about solavei and was wondering if tmobile has any options to purchase that do not throttle your speeds? I plan to use 20-30gb a month
4) Is there a trusted site that I can purchase an unlocked gsm n7100 that is compatible with the high speed tmobile network? I don't want to spend more than $600 if possible.
5) should I invest in the n7105 (has lte radio) since tmobile merged with metropcs and is rolling out LTE? (or should I wait for the note 3?)
I am completely out of the loop on tmobile news and would appreciate any help on making the switch over.
Thank you all.

mitul2288 said:
I had a few questions since I am tried of sprint and want to get a n7100 on soalvei (tmobile network):
1) how would I know my area is refarmed? ( I live in north miami, fl )
2) is there a site or thread of a large sample of speed tests I can look up for my area on the network compatible with the n7100? The reason i ask is that I am afraid that I won't get reliable high speed (anything over 5Mbit down consistently is my goal).
3) I am on the fence about solavei and was wondering if tmobile has any options to purchase that do not throttle your speeds? I plan to use 20-30gb a month
4) Is there a trusted site that I can purchase an unlocked gsm n7100 that is compatible with the high speed tmobile network? I don't want to spend more than $600 if possible.
5) should I invest in the n7105 (has lte radio) since tmobile merged with metropcs and is rolling out LTE? (or should I wait for the note 3?)
I am completely out of the loop on tmobile news and would appreciate any help on making the switch over.
Thank you all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been using Solavei since early September and I love it. Like you I came from Sprint (12 years!) and grew to hate them. I haven't really tried selling it much, was mostly interested in the price and plan. However just out of the occasional conversation I've already signed up 6 people which puts me at $40 a month, making my effective bill $9 a month. That's a bargain in my book!
There is a site with a map that is showing where the refarmed areas are www.airportal.de
As for throttling, I consider myself a very heavy user and rarely break 3GB's of data, I can't imagine using 20 to 30 and even any possible unthrottled plans you might find yourself having your account cancelled for that much data.
Unless you can confirm you are in a refarmed area I'd stick with the T-Mo branded Note 2.

mrchris1234 said:
I have been using Solavei since early September and I love it. Like you I came from Sprint (12 years!) and grew to hate them. I haven't really tried selling it much, was mostly interested in the price and plan. However just out of the occasional conversation I've already signed up 6 people which puts me at $40 a month, making my effective bill $9 a month. That's a bargain in my book!
There is a site with a map that is showing where the refarmed areas are www.airportal.de
As for throttling, I consider myself a very heavy user and rarely break 3GB's of data, I can't imagine using 20 to 30 and even any possible unthrottled plans you might find yourself having your account cancelled for that much data.
Unless you can confirm you are in a refarmed area I'd stick with the T-Mo branded Note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I check my IMEI on solavei, it says "sorry! your phone isn't compatible with Solavei Mobile Service" I just unlocked it, does it take some time?

Jinra321 said:
When I check my IMEI on solavei, it says "sorry! your phone isn't compatible with Solavei Mobile Service" I just unlocked it, does it take some time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Their IMEI checker doesn't check whether a phone is unlocked or not, it's just checking the number against a small database of known compatible phones. I have the TMO GN2 and it works fine with some caveats. Like everyone else with the TMO note2 I couldn't use the wifi hotspot without rooting and the APN settings for Solavei and the GN2 are slightly different than other Android phones and it took some experimentation on my part to get them correct so that MMS worked.
Beyond that if the phone has GSM and is unlocked it will work subject to potential speed issues for non TMO phones (except Blackberry).

mrchris1234 said:
Their IMEI checker doesn't check whether a phone is unlocked or not, it's just checking the number against a small database of known compatible phones. I have the TMO GN2 and it works fine with some caveats. Like everyone else with the TMO note2 I couldn't use the wifi hotspot without rooting and the APN settings for Solavei and the GN2 are slightly different than other Android phones and it took some experimentation on my part to get them correct so that MMS worked.
Beyond that if the phone has GSM and is unlocked it will work subject to potential speed issues for non TMO phones (except Blackberry).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, how am I suppose to get a SIM? Would I have to use a dummy phone to register with solavei?

Jinra321 said:
Hmm, how am I suppose to get a SIM? Would I have to use a dummy phone to register with solavei?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just grabbed the IMEI for a phone I knew would work and had the right sized SIM. The IMEI used to confirm the phone is not at all tied to the account and is only used to size the SIM and match to their database. Once you receive your SIM you can just activate and go.
For that matter I have bulk packs of Solavei SIM's and could just send you one and register you if you don't already have a sponsor, or find someone local who has SIM's in stock.

mrchris1234 said:
I just grabbed the IMEI for a phone I knew would work and had the right sized SIM. The IMEI used to confirm the phone is not at all tied to the account and is only used to size the SIM and match to their database. Once you receive your SIM you can just activate and go.
For that matter I have bulk packs of Solavei SIM's and could just send you one and register you if you don't already have a sponsor, or find someone local who has SIM's in stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the same thing, my sponsor let me use his IMEI just to get the sim, and then once we liked the service, my wife used his sim for her own note 2.
As for question number 3, they do have a plan that doesn't have any cap, but I believe it's $89 per month.

mrchris1234 said:
I have been using Solavei since early September and I love it. Like you I came from Sprint (12 years!) and grew to hate them. I haven't really tried selling it much, was mostly interested in the price and plan. However just out of the occasional conversation I've already signed up 6 people which puts me at $40 a month, making my effective bill $9 a month. That's a bargain in my book!
There is a site with a map that is showing where the refarmed areas are www.airportal.de
As for throttling, I consider myself a very heavy user and rarely break 3GB's of data, I can't imagine using 20 to 30 and even any possible unthrottled plans you might find yourself having your account cancelled for that much data.
Unless you can confirm you are in a refarmed area I'd stick with the T-Mo branded Note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, I am glad you like it. I was hoping to use my phone to download .nzb movies while on the go and use it as my main internet line via tethering. That is where I came up with the 20-30 gb figure.
Would solavei throttle me or block my account if I use that much data?

Solavei gives you 4gb 4g speed than throttle you to 2g
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

jacky37 said:
Solavei gives you 4gb 4g speed than throttle you to 2g
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dang. welp.. looks like I will be sticking with sprint

mitul2288 said:
dang. welp.. looks like I will be sticking with sprint
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't sprint throttle as well? In this part of TN sprint coverage is plain garbage. Then again, I don't think I have ever lived in a good sprint coverage area.
T-Mobile seems to have the only truly unlimited plan that isn't throttled. I just don't think it's worth $89 a month. But I also pay only $34 per month for a 10 mb fiber line to the house. Ymmv.
*Signature blocks shouldn't default to free advertising.*
Sent from my T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 via Solavei.

mdt73 said:
Doesn't sprint throttle as well? In this part of TN sprint coverage is plain garbage. Then again, I don't think I have ever lived in a good sprint coverage area.
T-Mobile seems to have the only truly unlimited plan that isn't throttled. I just don't think it's worth $89 a month. But I also pay only $34 per month for a 10 mb fiber line to the house. Ymmv.
*Signature blocks shouldn't default to free advertising.*
Sent from my T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 via Solavei.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, sprint doesn't throttle at all, although it's hard to find a place with LTE or WiMAX which means, you'll be stuck on their 3G at best.

mrchris1234 said:
Their IMEI checker doesn't check whether a phone is unlocked or not, it's just checking the number against a small database of known compatible phones. I have the TMO GN2 and it works fine with some caveats. Like everyone else with the TMO note2 I couldn't use the wifi hotspot without rooting and the APN settings for Solavei and the GN2 are slightly different than other Android phones and it took some experimentation on my part to get them correct so that MMS worked.
Beyond that if the phone has GSM and is unlocked it will work subject to potential speed issues for non TMO phones (except Blackberry).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chris, how did you get the MMS to send out on the Note 2? ...I've been trying different things, but I'm stuck...

djhvc said:
Chris, how did you get the MMS to send out on the Note 2? ...I've been trying different things, but I'm stuck...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got MMS working?

Ok heads up on T-mo LTE

THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE IT !!! I just spoke to a cust servc rep and I'd originally called to ask if LTE connectivity would be rolled out in the 4.1.2 update and she said at this time Tmo doesnt even have LTE connectivity . There is a on-going merger between Tmo and metroPCS and metroPCS DOES have LTE or is in the process now of getting it and she said when that merger is complete T-mo will be in the process of merging LTE network into their service as well . She said late quarter 2013 we may see it but not for now.
Also she said there was no ETA on the 4.1.2 update So thats that .
Also Just another little heads up. I'm sure many of you know this already but I didn't . On the unlimited 4g plan offered with this device. It's not really unlimited 4g . It's unlimited internet. I saw on my device it said 2gb high speed data. And so I asked what the 2gb was seeing it was sold as unlimited 4 g . And well she explained once you hit 2gb of usage your internet is throttled to DIALUP speed =O . And offered a truly unlimited 4g plan for another 10/month . Just for all the people that may have been confused as I was what was up with the 2gb on the usage.
Hope this helps /

???
I ask it tmo will have lte in 2013 there slowly uping the speeds this from a teck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

jpeps3 said:
???
I ask it tmo will have lte in 2013 there slowly uping the speeds this from a teck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
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Uhmmm , I'm sorry sir / ma'am I have no idea what you said .

Lte should be rolling out by early next year. As far as slow updates blame sammy not tmobile. I will admit tmobiles data is spotty depending on where you go. Not as bad as sprints data and a heck of alot cheaper than verizon.

I thought everyone already knew this. How did you get the idea that lte would be here sooner. They are currently refarming which will help with certain things, but lte will not be out till 2013.
And since we are on the subject of not knowing. Tmobile will finally be getting the iphone in 2013. My wife and son currently use our old att iphones but get edge service. Part of the refarm is to support iphones. In Denver, they now get 3g. In 2013 there should be full support for the iphones.
I typically get great speeds and sometimes on par or better than verizon. As mentioned, not always as good as verizon but much cheaper. Also much better than sprint or att here in Colorado.

I think your English isn't too good. Your grammar is all over the place. Anyhow, I heard tmo is doing a deal with Verizon for lte as well... I guess no one really knows for sure until it actually comes out.
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You are on the Unlimited - Plus Data plan (2gb high speed) and not on Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan (true unimited). I know this is confusing because they both show up in the Classic Unlimited - Unlimited Nationwide 4G. I made sure that I got onto the Unlimited - Plus Data plan within the Classic Unlimited - Unlimited Nationwide 4G which is truly unlimited. Of course only on the non-hotspot plans. Why do they make the wording so confusing?
Trying to make sure you are getting the right plan package can make you go crazy.
---------- Post added at 04:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 PM ----------
Some_dude36 said:
THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE IT !!! I just spoke to a cust servc rep and I'd originally called to ask if LTE connectivity would be rolled out in the 4.1.2 update and she said at this time Tmo doesnt even have LTE connectivity . There is a on-going merger between Tmo and metroPCS and metroPCS DOES have LTE or is in the process now of getting it and she said when that merger is complete T-mo will be in the process of merging LTE network into their service as well . She said late quarter 2013 we may see it but not for now.
Also she said there was no ETA on the 4.1.2 update So thats that .
/
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I knew that. Sometime in late spring or summer for LTE.
The new Android version will end up coming to us at that point. But this is something that the customer service would not know at this point in time. Samsung will add their fixes within that version at that time. So T-Mobile doesn't even have that yet. This is downside of using a non-Nexus device. We have to wait for the updates to go through the chains.

Sounds like someone bought a phone on a network without doing any basic research about that network or the plans they offer.
T-Mobile has previously said they would have LTE until next year, and it's pretty clear which plan is the only one that offers truly unlimited data.
Relax, switch plans or return the phone.
Verizon service is much better overall than T-Mobile in my experience in terms of coverage and building penetration. With a good signal I can get 20Mbs down with TMo on the Note 2, fair pings (latency), and about 2Mbs upload. On Verizon with a GS3 I've seen 30 down and 10 up on LTE with phenomenal pings. YMMV.
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fix-this! said:
As far as slow updates blame sammy not tmobile.
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Nope, blame T-Mobile (and every other carrier) for the slow updates. I had an unlocked Note 2 before switching to T-Mobile and their Note 2.
My international version got regular (every few weeks) large OTAs just fine. The carrier is always to blame for delays as Samsung clearly pumps out regular OTAs to their non-carrier branded version all the time. These revisions would easily work on any branded device, minus any show stopping radio issues (which isn't the issue here). Samsung builds and releases enhancements quite frequently only to have the carriers sit on it and tinker with the software to their liking.
It's a well known fact that the carriers are the problem. They need to "test and certify" (lol) each software revision for their network..and of course apply their crapware boot screens and apps before releasing an OTA, hence the delay.

Some_dude36 said:
THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE IT !!! I just spoke to a cust servc rep and I'd originally called to ask if LTE connectivity would be rolled out in the 4.1.2 update and she said at this time Tmo doesnt even have LTE connectivity . There is a on-going merger between Tmo and metroPCS and metroPCS DOES have LTE or is in the process now of getting it and she said when that merger is complete T-mo will be in the process of merging LTE network into their service as well . She said late quarter 2013 we may see it but not for now.
Also she said there was no ETA on the 4.1.2 update So thats that .
Also Just another little heads up. I'm sure many of you know this already but I didn't . On the unlimited 4g plan offered with this device. It's not really unlimited 4g . It's unlimited internet. I saw on my device it said 2gb high speed data. And so I asked what the 2gb was seeing it was sold as unlimited 4 g . And well she explained once you hit 2gb of usage your internet is throttled to DIALUP speed =O . And offered a truly unlimited 4g plan for another 10/month . Just for all the people that may have been confused as I was what was up with the 2gb on the usage.
Hope this helps /
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GIFSoup
Congrats, you just posted two basic facts almost everyone with two seconds of research should have found out at a minimum before even considering moving to T-Mobile.

This is a stupid thread everyone knows the LTE situation, why in the world make a thread about what customer care says. Do you really think they get info thats up to date if you really need to know that bad, tmobile is testing LTE in select markets not with customers though. They have been working on refarming for customers while preparring for LTE. Also the data plan situation can be found on there website pay for unlimited data and get unlimited data otherwise it will be slowed while you will still have data it will be significantly slower. Do more research if this is news to you, updates with bloat and taking longer is nothing new in the US no matter what carrier you will always see some delay some wait more then others could be worse we could be waiting as long as vzw customers waited for ics on the thunderbolt. At least what software we have was usuable without major bugs that would have made an update necessary for our phone to function. Threads complaining are silly know what you buy first before you buy it.
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Is it really that serious? I think my 8-15mb down is good enough
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We will have LTE soon
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jghidalgo307 said:
Is it really that serious? I think my 8-15mb down is good enough
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This. I get anywhere from 10-30 on average & thats plenty good enough for me.
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JaguarXT said:
You are on the Unlimited - Plus Data plan (2gb high speed) and not on Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan (true unimited). I know this is confusing because they both show up in the Classic Unlimited - Unlimited Nationwide 4G. I made sure that I got onto the Unlimited - Plus Data plan within the Classic Unlimited - Unlimited Nationwide 4G which is truly unlimited. Of course only on the non-hotspot plans. Why do they make the wording so confusing?
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Yes it can be confusing, but you're over complicating it.
For the record, just say all plans have "unlimited" data, meaning no data overages
The 2GB, 5GB, and 10GB give that much 4G data, then drop down to 2G speeds after.
"Truly unlimited" is unlimited 4G data, period, with no hot spot feature available.
The 5GB and 10GB (only) include the hotspot feature for free.
Whether classic or value is irrelevant.
Most people know this, but for anyone who was confused by your post.

Has anyone tried to use a different apn?
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Is it just me, or does anyone else not want Lte? I was on Verizon Lte before I switched to T-Mobile. T-Mobile is just as fast and my battery life is insane. I'm not sure if Lte will bring a noticeable increase in speed, but it will decrease our battery life.

The advantage to LTE will primarily be the low latency it should have. The second big advantage will hopefully be upload speeds similar to the download.
T-Mo's dual channel HSPA+ ramps up to some fairly competitive download speeds, which is great for streaming or large file transfers, but the latency is very high, which makes things like web surfing seem slower than on other networks. It takes noticeably longer for pages to start loading than on Verizon or AT&T. I have accounts on all three and frequently do side by side testing.
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I sometimes write like I am talking to them in person. Which doesn't always come across clearly in writing.
Basically we knew all this. And though it is not always as clear as it should be, if you do your research then you will know what you are buying into.

ebatr8 said:
This is a stupid thread everyone knows the LTE situation, why in the world make a thread about what customer care says. Do you really think they get info thats up to date if you really need to know that bad, tmobile is testing LTE in select markets not with customers though. They have been working on refarming for customers while preparring for LTE. Also the data plan situation can be found on there website pay for unlimited data and get unlimited data otherwise it will be slowed while you will still have data it will be significantly slower. Do more research if this is news to you, updates with bloat and taking longer is nothing new in the US no matter what carrier you will always see some delay some wait more then others could be worse we could be waiting as long as vzw customers waited for ics on the thunderbolt. At least what software we have was usuable without major bugs that would have made an update necessary for our phone to function. Threads complaining are silly know what you buy first before you buy it.
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Once again I'm getting crap for trying to help.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=35844706#post35844706 <------ here is atleast 1 person that didnt know
So this thread is for him / her
You people need to relax. If you feel the information in any given thread doesn't pertain to you . DONT READ IT. I mean what can I say? I didn't know this info before the woman told me.
Also I wasn't complaining again was just posting for people that may not have known . Mods I'm doing my best not to go off a a curse laden tirade right now. Just so you know. :good: xD

Moving to an area with no T-Mobile coverage...

In the next couple of months, I'll be moving to a part of the U.S. with no good T-Mobile coverage. It's a bit out in the boonies... I've been out there, and I can talk and text, but the data coverage is almost non-existent. So my question is what can I do with this GSM GS3? AT&T coverage is also non-existent. My options seem to be Verizon, Sprint, and something called Plateau (which Wiki says Verizon has purchased).
Am I basically screwed? Am I going to have to get myself a CDMA variant? Will this GSM work on Verizon's network but at reduced speeds? Blah... Thanks for any insights.

You could call support and see if they have any information about any possible network expansion in that area. If they have no plans, or no information, I would suggest looking into switching carriers and selling your S3. Thats what I would do anyway.
Just depends on how necessary mobile data is to you.
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BAMAToNE said:
In the next couple of months, I'll be moving to a part of the U.S. with no good T-Mobile coverage. It's a bit out in the boonies... I've been out there, and I can talk and text, but the data coverage is almost non-existent. So my question is what can I do with this GSM GS3? AT&T coverage is also non-existent. My options seem to be Verizon, Sprint, and something called Plateau (which Wiki says Verizon has purchased).
Am I basically screwed? Am I going to have to get myself a CDMA variant? Will this GSM work on Verizon's network but at reduced speeds? Blah... Thanks for any insights.
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See if you can swap phones with someone... Before you leave. Put up a post on Craigslist if you have one in your area offering to swap devices... People that are under contract and want to switch to T-Mobile would jump all over it and you'd get a free phone essentially on a carrier that works (I would recommend Verizon if you're in the boonies, Sprint's PCS coverage is going to be spotty no doubt and their data speeds are horrible everywhere) and you could end up with a shorter contract than being a new customer. All it takes is a transfer of liability.
Unfortunately, the GSM version has no support for CDMA so you have to get a new phone either way.

Try signal booster from Tmo it's free, call tech support not regular nono rep.
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EtherealRemnant said:
See if you can swap phones with someone... Before you leave. Put up a post on Craigslist if you have one in your area offering to swap devices... People that are under contract and want to switch to T-Mobile would jump all over it and you'd get a free phone essentially on a carrier that works (I would recommend Verizon if you're in the boonies, Sprint's PCS coverage is going to be spotty no doubt and their data speeds are horrible everywhere) and you could end up with a shorter contract than being a new customer. All it takes is a transfer of liability.
Unfortunately, the GSM version has no support for CDMA so you have to get a new phone either way.
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DocHoliday77 said:
You could call support and see if they have any information about any possible network expansion in that area. If they have no plans, or no information, I would suggest looking into switching carriers and selling your S3. Thats what I would do anyway.
Just depends on how necessary mobile data is to you.
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Good ideas, thanks.
dito33 said:
Try signal booster from Tmo it's free, call tech support not regular nono rep.
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That might work well at home, but not while out and about.

BAMAToNE said:
Good ideas, thanks.
That might work well at home, but not while out and about.
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Verizon is most likely the best choice, as has been stated. Welcome to paying 50% more for the same plan. That's the only reason I don't use them. They are better where I live. Reception and data is 4G here. But not paying $40 more a month for it.

Depending on your usage you could look into Verizon MVNOs like PagePlus. Their plans work well for a lot of people.
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