no 4G? - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

hi
i recently got a nexus from google.
it woks like a charm but i notice i have never gotten 4G on my phone.
i know there is cus my friend has 4G on his GS2.
so any one knows why is my phone not connecting to 4G network?
any help will be appreciated
PS: the APN i have is epc.tmo.com

HSPA+ (the H icon) is the same thing as T-Mobile's "4G."
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

its weird, i get a 3G icon then it changes to an H. but when i go to settings i dont have the network mode option to choose from.
C0dy said:
HSPA+ (the H icon) is the same thing as T-Mobile's "4G."
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse

It wasn't built to display HSPA+ as 4G for T-Mobile.
Google and rest of Europe considered it plain old 3G.
HSPA+ is not true 4G. It's considered 4G because it's almost as fast as 4G but it's not and people don't mind being tricked by that. They want to feel good about their phone. So they simply accept it.
I would just to brag about it. =p
Look at the AT&T 4S, it has HSPA+ but they don't advertise it as 4G. They just say it's faster then normal 3G.
That's why all my friends on AT&T with a 4S and jailbroken just get winter board and change the 3G to 4G and say they got 4G.
It's as fast so they say, "WTH!!! Let's make people feel like they got 4G and see a symbol that says so, even though they know they don't."
That is why you dont see 4G.

Ahh ok. Im asking cus someone told me i needed a new sim card. But thanks
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Yeah I understand why you would be confused. U assume it's 4G since it's as fast. =p
I'd do the same unless I'm told. And since I found out when the 4S came out (I was confused at first), I learned it's just simple 3G on steroids.

Actually one of the firmware updates to the 4S revised the indicator so now it *does* say 4G on AT&T. Which is frustrating because non-technical types now say things like "Well my son didn't get 4G on his Verizon 4G phone in our area, but I get 4G on my AT&T iPhone, so I guess AT&T has better 4G."

I know.
Advertising something that is not true. They can trick people into thinking that the AT&T 4S is better and make people think they have more 4G coverage.
Technically it does since it's considered just as fast. But technically isn't good enough.

DLD511 said:
I know.
Advertising something that is not true. They can trick people into thinking that the AT&T 4S is better and make people think they have more 4G coverage.
Technically it does since it's considered just as fast. But technically isn't good enough.
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The iPhone 4S utilizes HSPA+ just like the Galaxy Nexus. The only difference is that the 4S has an HSPA+ radio that is limited to 14.4Mbps, just like early T-Mobile HSPA+ devices like the G2x. The Nexus has a 21Mbps radio. Functionally, there isn't a whole lot of difference.
Fortunately, we should see true 4G in the states soon, as T-Mobile plans to roll out LTE-Advanced; which, unlike AT&T, Sprint and Verizon's LTE, is the version that actually complies to all of the initial 4G standards, which are not limited to speed. Unfortunately, it will likely still be quite a while before we see speeds of 100Mbps / 1Gbps, which are also one of the requirements. The backhaul and infrastructure for such a network simply aren't utilized in the US. Also, I don't think we really need speeds like that. The initial LTE we have now is still a battery drainer, where HSPA+ still excels in efficiency. The main benefit of LTE and LTE Advanced is changing from a circuit switched network to a fully IP based system, which HSPA+ partially supports.
Correction: The 4S uses HSDPA+HSUPA, which is close but not identical to HSPA+.
HSDPA+HSUPA Release 6
HSPA+ Release 7
LTE Release 8
LTE Advanced Release 10

3G is UMTS. 4G is HSPA/HSPA+
4G and 3G are not the same in these terms.
"Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light."

T-Mobile's LTE gonna be at 48mbps correct??? Gonna be damn fast.

Here's Verizon speeds.

DLD511 said:
T-Mobile's LTE gonna be at 48mbps correct??? Gonna be damn fast.
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T-Mobile's HSPA+ is already at 48Mbps in most cases. No word on the max speed for LTE Advanced yet.
Keep in mind that maximum theoretical speed and maximum real usage speed are two different things, but LTE Advanced supposedly reduces a lot of the issues that HSPA+ has, including the speed degradation that HSPA+ has when it comes to distance from the tower and interference.
Also, to be honest, speed tests are just like benchmarks. They really don't show realistic results most of the time. Besides, most of us really only use about 250kbps-3Mbps in actual real time usage, at best and on high load.

JaiaV said:
T-Mobile's HSPA+ is already at 48Mbps in most cases. No word on the max speed for LTE Advanced yet.
Keep in mind that maximum theoretical speed and maximum real usage speed are two different things, but LTE Advanced supposedly reduces a lot of the issues that HSPA+ has, including the speed degradation that HSPA+ has when it comes to distance from the tower and interference.
Also, to be honest, speed tests are just like benchmarks. They really don't show realistic results most of the time. Besides, most of us really only use about 250kbps-3Mbps in actual real time usage, at best and on high load.
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Click to collapse
Verizon got to play serious catch up on speed.

DLD511 said:
T-Mobile's LTE gonna be at 48mbps correct??? Gonna be damn fast.
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Click to collapse
They're already on 48mbps HSPA+. When they deploy LTE, it'll be LTE-Advanced, which is the next iteration above the current LTE deployments by AT&T/Verizon.
DLD511 said:
Here's Verizon speeds.
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cool story.

Verizon gonna do this too???

DLD511 said:
Verizon gonna do this too???
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Verizon's still busy implementing Release 9 LTE. Less incentive for them to upgrade to LTE Advanced, but possible the groundwork has already been laid for it, not entirely certain of what the differences between the hardware needed at the cell site or the hardware needed in the handset have to be.

JaiaV said:
Verizon's still busy implementing Release 9 LTE. Less incentive for them to upgrade to LTE Advanced, but possible the groundwork has already been laid for it, not entirely certain of what the differences between the hardware needed at the cell site or the hardware needed in the handset have to be.
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Bet it's gonna **** on the battery.... again.

DLD511 said:
Bet it's gonna **** on the battery.... again.
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LTE is quite horrible for battery life. I'm not sure what the difference LTE Advanced will make. I do know that one of the reasons LTE battery life is poor is that LTE coverage is relatively sparse for the time being, as the radio is having to work harder to get and keep a signal than it would if LTE coverage were as prevalent as HSPA+ coverage is.

Related

[Q] Can I use Tmobile HSPA+ Network

I just noticed yesterday that T-mobile has a 4G network in my area and I was wondering if there was a way to force roam 4G on tmobiles network? So that I could pick up 4G.
If its possible how?
Oh and sprint needs to hurry up and put 4g everywhere
You said it yourself. T-Mobile is HSPA+, Sprint 4G is WiMax. So, no.
Naa dude. HSPA+ is not compatible with cdma(sprint). Matter of fact t-mobile is using 4G now because its "trendy" and everybody else is using it. Their network is closer to 3G in infrastructure. But thats up for debate.
That sucks like hell. There's 4G here I just can't have it. AHHHHHHH!!!
Well if its like 3G I guess I'm not missing much.
david279 said:
Naa dude. HSPA+ is not compatible with cdma(sprint). Matter of fact t-mobile is using 4G now because its "trendy" and everybody else is using it. Their network is closer to 3G in infrastructure. But thats up for debate.
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You are on the money. HSPA+ is no more than an upgrade to existing 3G technology. If I remember right, it only has a theoretical max of 54 Mbps down. It is not, nor will it ever be, 4G.
Granted, the current 802.16e standard of WiMax is not 4G either...just waiting for that 802.16m standard to be finalized =). Which once that is complete, infrastructure can be updated and we should be able to utilize it with a simple firmware update.
Stalte said:
That sucks like hell. There's 4G here I just can't have it. AHHHHHHH!!!
Well if its like 3G I guess I'm not missing much.
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No its way faster than your normal 3G. Faster than WIMAX too. Its nothing to pull down 7 or 8 Mb.
I bet it's better on battery than wimax is on ours.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
overthinkingme said:
I bet it's better on battery than wimax is on ours.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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It uses the same radio for voice. The EVO has a separate 4G radio thats has to be activated and scan then connect. So 2 radios running at the same time would use more battery than 1 GSM radio running. Also CDMA has a tendency to use more battery when searching for signal in low signal areas.
Having installed T-mobiles 3g upgrade here in Chicago market back in 2008, I can say definitively that HSPA is just a radio cabinet addition to the existing cellular framework. Depending on the layout of the tower/site, "Flex radios" handle the data on 1, or sometimes more antennae, while the voice travels over GSM through remaining antennae. Very similar to ATT infrastructure, but tiny radios handling big bandwidth.
Having said all that, 4G is a silly buzzword that Sprint started, and T-mobile is now exploiting.
In a way, Sprint is just using extra radios on top of their existing 3G cellular, and just integrating the enhanced data speeds of Clearwire's network into their own.
T-mobile's speeds are indeed fast both HSPA and HSPA+, but to call them 4g may be overstating it, as it is just an upgrade to their existing technology, and not a new technology.
As another poster stated, nobody officially has 4g yet, not even Sprint, and until the 802.16 commission finalizes and LTE is launched we still won't.
To re-emphasize to the OP, not a chance, and don't believe the hype.
I can see sprint(or clear) and T-mobile going to bed for some real 4G'ness.
david279 said:
I can see sprint(or clear) and T-mobile going to bed for some real 4G'ness.
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Yeah, I heard a rumor that Sprint may eventually adopt LTE.... It makes sense.
Wimax will make a great backhaul, and could stay in place, not to mention supporting cities and rural areas. But LTE will be the big daddy, and similar to WiMax, works on it's own and should be seamlessly integrated on top of cellular.
I'm not sure but I think it can work with CDMA or GSM, hooray for global WiFi!
Mitch Matrixx said:
Yeah, I heard a rumor that Sprint may eventually adopt LTE.... It makes sense.
Wimax will make a great backhaul, and could stay in place, not to mention supporting cities and rural areas. But LTE will be the big daddy, and similar to WiMax, works on it's own and should be seamlessly integrated on top of cellular.
I'm not sure but I think it can work with CDMA or GSM, hooray for global WiFi!
Click to expand...
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I wouldn't count on LTE on Sprint just yet. Hesse denounced it last week; however, Sprint, Clearwire, Google, Time-Warner, and a couple others purchased Spectrum not only in the 2.5 GHz, but the 2.3 GHz band also. So the bandwidth is there and, in the past, Hesse has been quoted saying they can easily switch to LTE if need be.
Edit: http://gigaom.com/2010/10/29/sprint-ceo-dan-hesse-on-clearwire-lte-wimax/
topdawgn8 said:
I wouldn't count on LTE on Sprint just yet. Hesse denounced it last week; however, Sprint, Clearwire, Google, Time-Warner, and a couple others purchased Spectrum not only in the 2.5 GHz, but the 2.3 GHz band also. So the bandwidth is there and, in the past, Hesse has been quoted saying they can easily switch to LTE if need be.
Edit: http://gigaom.com/2010/10/29/sprint-ceo-dan-hesse-on-clearwire-lte-wimax/
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Thanks for the info.
I think the most important thing in the article is that LTE can happen if necessary.
Sorry for getting off topic.

LTE vs HSPA+ Pros and Cons ?

Can anyone explain this to me ? All I hear is LTE kills battery, so whats the point of LTE when T-mobile HSPA+ 42Mbps has pretty much the same speed as LTE without causing any battery drain. And why would you need 30Mbps anyway on a limited data plan ? My current Tmobile 3G (not 4G or HSPA+) pulls anywhere from 2.5-5.0 Mbps right now....on older HD2 and Nexus One
GSM version of Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile does not go up to 41Mbps speeds. It can only go up to 21Mb (this is the reasoning why Galaxy S2 on T-Mobile went with Qualcomm's CPU instead of Samsung's Exynos to hit 41Mbps speeds), this is all speaking theoretically as well. Realistically, I haven't gotten to those speeds.
And people "need 30Mbps" on their phones simply because.... they can.
HSPA+ in its current implementation is definitely not as fast as Verizon's LTE, but as you said it surely is fast and it is more than enough for most people. You can definitely expect upwards of 10mbps down, which is great.
Its really a personal call. Some people are on Verizon because its the only carrier available consistently in their area, or they've been a long-time customer, or they're part of a family plan with others on Verizon.
If you're on T-mobile and happy with your service, you're definitely saving money staying with them. If you can buy it unlocked it is definitely a good choice. You're not missing out on anything by staying with T-Mo and the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus.
Cause we like to stream stuff?
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk
zephiK said:
GSM version of Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile does not go up to 41Mbps speeds. It can only go up to 21Mb (this is the reasoning why Galaxy S2 on T-Mobile went with Qualcomm's CPU instead of Samsung's Exynos to hit 41Mbps speeds), this is all speaking theoretically as well. Realistically, I haven't gotten to those speeds.
And people "need 30Mbps" on their phones simply because.... they can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats your speed in NYC ?
martonikaj said:
HSPA+ in its current implementation is definitely not as fast as Verizon's LTE, but as you said it surely is fast and it is more than enough for most people. You can definitely expect upwards of 10mbps down, which is great.
Its really a personal call. Some people are on Verizon because its the only carrier available consistently in their area, or they've been a long-time customer, or they're part of a family plan with others on Verizon.
If you're on T-mobile and happy with your service, you're definitely saving money staying with them. If you can buy it unlocked it is definitely a good choice. You're not missing out on anything by staying with T-Mo and the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus.
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Click to collapse
My buddy has been testing his Nexus and Droid X on Verizon....Nexus got up to 27mbps and DroidX on 3G pulled only 500kbps. I mean I would rather get constant 2-3mbps then switchs between LTE 27m and CDMA 500k. I want to switch to Verizon because it will be the same price as Tmobile, but I am affraid that LTE will kill battery and CDMA is dirt slow. I am in Boston area by the way.
also some reviews say that LTE kills battery while car charging....this just scares me.....i can stream music + use Google navigation at the same time and have brightness at auto and i still dont charge my phone in car....my 1250 battery in HD2 lasts 12-14 hours on that heavy use.
kolyan said:
but I am affraid that LTE will kill battery and CDMA is dirt slow.
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Both of these things are very true.
I have the LTE nexus, and yes, LTE does do a number on the battery, and yes, it is ever so slightly thicker. however, I'm pulling 10 mb/s down in a very poor coverage area, and a reliable 40+ mb/s down when I get closer to the city. (I live on an away facing side of a hill a few miles outside of a town). Also, without 4g, atleast in my area, I can pull 1-2 mb/s down, but thats not as reliable. I like that speed, and I am willing to charge my phone twice in a day.
In all reality, you wont notice too much of a difference between 10-20 mb/s (HSPA+) and 30-50 mb/s (LTE in my area) on a phone. What you will notice is the difference between coverage and no coverage. Which again favors the Verizon model.
These are THEORETICAL max speeds you are talking about.
In reality the speeds you get will be no where close to the theoretical max speeds the technology can handle. Those speeds might be attainable if you are the only one on the network and are standing under a cell tower.
T-Mobile HSPA+ speeds in NYC are 5.4mbps down, and 1.6mbps up (tested on my friend's International Galaxy Nexus)
LTE max theoretical speed is 299.6 mbps. In reality the speeds I tested in NYC on my Verizon Galaxy Nexus are 26.79mbps down and 7.20mbps up.
http://www.speedtest.net/android/114425608.png
Results will vary but I pull 1-1.5Mbps on 3g so I can live with that. Verizon is the only carrier at my house. T-Mobile doest have coverage in the rural area where I live. If I went with them I'd only have service at work and while running errands downtown.
I get 3g at home and LTE just a few miles away. Part of me wishes that I could use T-Mobile but its not practical where I live and do business.
One last thing, LTE reception is great in the basement of my workplace!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I'm curious to see Verizon LTE speeds once people start buying LTE phones.
It is almost important to note that LTE is not only faster, but also capable of keeping the signal while you are moving rather fast. Like in cars and trains
Sent from Galaxy Nexus hspa+ 16gb
I get 40-50 mb/s down and 10-20 up, thats why
kolyan said:
Can anyone explain this to me ? All I hear is LTE kills battery, so whats the point of LTE when T-mobile HSPA+ 42Mbps has pretty much the same speed as LTE without causing any battery drain. And why would you need 30Mbps anyway on a limited data plan ? My current Tmobile 3G (not 4G or HSPA+) pulls anywhere from 2.5-5.0 Mbps right now....on older HD2 and Nexus One
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are answering your own question. TMo and AT&T will be slower but use less battery. In the end I'd just decide if you want to be on Verizon or want a GSM phone. Your call.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
kolyan said:
Can anyone explain this to me ? All I hear is LTE kills battery, so whats the point of LTE when T-mobile HSPA+ 42Mbps has pretty much the same speed as LTE without causing any battery drain. And why would you need 30Mbps anyway on a limited data plan ? My current Tmobile 3G (not 4G or HSPA+) pulls anywhere from 2.5-5.0 Mbps right now....on older HD2 and Nexus One
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE does kill the battery, but there is an extended battery (Still, I'm not sure how well the battery life improves with the extended battery)
The speed is all about how you feel and what you need. I'd say if you get great LTE coverage in your area and where you're going to be and you'd be fine with the smaller battery life and such, go for the LTE model. HSPA+ speeds are proven to be slower than the LTE speeds (i've seen some users get up to 15-16 down and 12-13 UP while HSPA+ get's us 8-10 DOWN 5-9 UP) But what are you going to do with the 15 mb/s speed?
Since you are T-Mobile, I don't know if you're going to have to switch data plans to access the HSPA+ speeds as some people who are on AT&T (including me) had to do this as well.
rexdog1888 said:
I get 40-50 mb/s down and 10-20 up, thats why
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And what can you do with that, that you can't do with 10 mb/s down on HSPA+?
[hfm] said:
I think you are answering your own question. TMo and AT&T will be slower but use less battery. In the end I'd just decide if you want to be on Verizon or want a GSM phone. Your call.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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lol...not that easy. I am on Tmo with contract (200 to break now and 100 in a month) I very much prefer GSM over Verizon, but my wife doesn't get any service at work. I am somewhat happy with Tmo, I get service everywhere but when I go places like skiing there is usually just 2g with GPRS or EDGE at best.....I have no idea about Verizon. My battery is just amazing.... I never use any chargers other then at night. Price for service will be the same at both, but I will have to make new 2 year contract at Verizon, I will also get Nexus for myself at $150 and Incredible for wife for free....so new phones is nice to get... my wife not really happy with current Nexus One and I would love to have GN. If I stay with Tmo.... paying 650+ for NS is pricy....
kolyan said:
lol...not that easy. I am on Tmo with contract (200 to break now and 100 in a month) I very much prefer GSM over Verizon, but my wife doesn't get any service at work. I am somewhat happy with Tmo, I get service everywhere but when I go places like skiing there is usually just 2g with GPRS or EDGE at best.....I have no idea about Verizon. My battery is just amazing.... I never use any chargers other then at night. Price for service will be the same at both, but I will have to make new 2 year contract at Verizon, I will also get Nexus for myself at $150 and Incredible for wife for free....so new phones is nice to get... my wife not really happy with current Nexus One and I would love to have GN. If I stay with Tmo.... paying 650+ for NS is pricy....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, lets weigh out the pros and cons.
VERIZON
Pros:
1) You only spend about 400 going with Verizon.
2) Your wife may get signal at work.
Cons:
1) Battery life using LTE (But you can always turn off LTE)
2) Your wife may not get signal at work. (You never know..)
TMO
Pros:
1) You stay with a company that you've known and have been with for a while.
2) You get to have the flexibility of staying on a GSM provider. Meaning you get the freedom of switching world phones whenever you need to and not having to get it activated and what not.
Cons:
1) You spend more money. (About 250 more just for the GN, and maybe more for your wife's new phone.
2) Your wife will still not get any signal at work.
I guess its really what makes your wife happy. ;D Kidding. I'd bet on Verizon, but only if having a weak battery and not having places to charge your phone aren't complete deal breakers.
Speed won't really be a BIG BIG factor because while LTE and HSPA realtime speeds do differ, the coverage area for both aren't super complete. In both cases, you'll be constrained to 3G/HSPA. But then again this has to do with your coverage area that we know nothing about.
going to Verizon with 2 new phones, Google Voice porting, and paying Tmobile cancelation fee should all be pretty much covered by selling my tmo phones. My wife doesnt really care if she gets service at work she is not picky. In reallity i guess its all about me wanting Nexus and better coverage, but cdma and lte is a big compromise for me.
i'll figure this out soon.....
Think of it this way,
You can get 2 Ferraris:
One with the original Ferrari engine.
And one with 4 cylinder engine in it.
You will do 30 mpg on your 4 cylinder engine Ferrari and will get to the same place as the other Ferrari goes, but just a "little bit" slower.
I made the switch to Verizon and not planing on swapping to a 4 cylinder engine any time soon.
martonikaj said:
And what can you do with that, that you can't do with 10 mb/s down on HSPA+?
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Anything you can do on a home internet service.

[Q] Does SG2 offer faster 4g than other phones?

I'm curious, haven't been able to find an answer by googling. I thought I remembered the guy in the TMO store saying that one of the features of the SG2 is that it is capable of higher data speeds. What I'm not sure of, is whether he was talking about TMO's 4G network in general, or the specific capabilities of the SG2 to achieve higher speeds.
For example, would I be able to attain higher 4G speeds on the SG2 than I would on my old Mytouch 4G if the signal strength were equal?
yes
the SGS2 & HTC Amaze run on the HSPA 42 when I think all other run on the 14 or 21...I forget the exact number
JaY iZz BaKk said:
yes
the SGS2 & HTC Amaze run on the HSPA 42 when I think all other run on the 14 or 21...I forget the exact number
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, that sounds familiar. So the older phones aren't capable of reaching the faster speeds; so even if TMO's 4G (or H or whatever you want to call it) network improves, older phones won't be able to utilize the speed bump...I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep the phone and that's a pretty good incentive right there.
sunsean said:
Right, that sounds familiar. So the older phones aren't capable of reaching the faster speeds; so even if TMO's 4G (or H or whatever you want to call it) network improves, older phones won't be able to utilize the speed bump...I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep the phone and that's a pretty good incentive right there.
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Unlike lte and wimax. Hspa+ affects all 3 capable devices though not much you do get a slight increase in 3g speeds. Since Hspa + is just upgraded 3g.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
it really comes down to which area you are using your data on, the phone is able to go max 42 Mbps
but there's no network in the world, at this time, that can really provide the full speed
even LTE can hardly provide what it advertises
so people get horrible LTE speed, some get great speed, same goes with 4G devices some people can get really fast, some other can only get average

Does the GSM model do 4G?

Does the GSM Nexus Prime do 4g speeds, or only 3g? I'm finding mixed information when I search for an answer.
The GSM model supports HSPA, HSDPA, and HSUPA, so yes, it supports things that fall under the 4G title.
Ok, I was under the impression the things you listed have been available for a while and were available as far back as the Nexus One. Am I mistaken here? The target network would be T-Mobile, if that helps.
My post may have been a bit confusing ^_^
HSPA+, both which the Galaxy Nexus GSM supports, are the "4G" technologies, with HSPA+ being closer to "real 4G". It ALSO supports HSDPA and HSUPA which is the 3G technology.
Ok, so it sounds like it'll go faster than my N1 then. For some reason I thought the N1 did HSPA+, but I think I was confused. Thanks.
harfdorf said:
Ok, so it sounds like it'll go faster than my N1 then. For some reason I thought the N1 did HSPA+, but I think I was confused. Thanks.
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N1 does not have HSPA+. It tops out at 3.6mbps on the downlink. By a similar token, the GSM SGN doesn't have 4G. I've used HSPA+ and I have an LTE device. I've seen LTE hit 60Mpbs, with a 30Mb upload, with lower latency throughout. That's not even the fastest speed the phone's baseband is capable of.
It murders the battery, though. While HSPA isn't 4G, I don't think the extra "g" is worth halving the battery life.
UMTS = 3G, HSDPA = 3.5G/2M, HSUPA = 3.75G/5.76M and HSPA+ = 4G Technology whiles speed upto 21M.
I get great 4G speeds in Scottsdale, AZ
HSPA+ is NOT 4G. It never will be. According to the official definition of 4G the closest we have right now is LTE which technically isn't 4G either. Carriers are using the term 4G so loosely. Look at Sprint and Wimax and Ma Bell and T-Mobile with HSPA+ carriers are using the term to denote something new and to the average consumer it doesn't make a difference .. but when you get technical there is a HUGE difference.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
LTE-Advanced, which is not even in use anywhere on this planet except maybe in research labs, is the first true fourth-generation wireless technology.
Everything else is 3G, no matter what the dumbass carriers say.
synaesthetic said:
LTE-Advanced, which is not even in use anywhere on this planet except maybe in research labs, is the first true fourth-generation wireless technology.
Everything else is 3G, no matter what the dumbass carriers say.
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LTE-Advanced will rule
harfdorf said:
Does the GSM Nexus Prime do 4g speeds, or only 3g? I'm finding mixed information when I search for an answer.
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Click to collapse
yes. Up to 21mbit
Sent from my GSM Galaxy Nexus on TMoUS using Tapatalk
My own personal definition goes by putting up new hardware technology towers. So we had 2g gsm and edge, then put up new hardware on the towers for 3g umts with hspa added as a software upgrade to the base stations. Then new hardware again had to be put up for lte or wimax.
To me each new physical hardware jump is what should count as a new generation.
To those saying only LTE is the closest to 4G, thats not entirely true.
The ITU has modified their definition of what falls under 4G to include WiMax, HSPA+, etc.
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2010/48.aspx
Following a detailed evaluation against stringent technical and operational criteria, ITU has determined that “LTE-Advanced” and “WirelessMAN-Advanced” should be accorded the official designation of IMT-Advanced. As the most advanced technologies currently defined for global wireless mobile broadband communications, IMT-Advanced is considered as “4G”, although it is recognized that this term, while undefined, may also be applied to the forerunners of these technologies, LTE and WiMax, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed. The detailed specifications of the IMT-Advanced technologies will be provided in a new ITU-R Recommendation expected in early 2012.
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synaesthetic said:
LTE-Advanced, which is not even in use anywhere on this planet except maybe in research labs, is the first true fourth-generation wireless technology.
Everything else is 3G, no matter what the dumbass carriers say.
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the carriers aren't dumb, the consumer that believes the carrier is dumb. The carriers market lies because we accept it.... just sayin

Does not having lte even make a difference?

Hi everyone, I've got a small question to ask.
I've been reading reviews about all the different North American bound GSIII's, and I have noticed that while the "maximum theoritical speed" of lte is around double that of hspda+, there isn't really a difference in usability .
I mean to say, when you use the phone, it is blazing fast right? Not gimped :victory:
I'm about to get it on a Canadian Carrier that uses AWS, and was wondering if I should spring for the lte, non AWS version.
Thanks in advance
(sorry if this isn't even a question )
Of course it makes a difference. It means the battery will last a fair amount longer.
IMO HSPA+ is good enough. You won't notice the real world difference between the two, given that you have enough HSPA coverage. LTE is a newer technology but as I've heard it drains battery too quick. I'd prefer a longer battery life with decent speeds throughout a day than to have the phone die on me more quickly just to boast a faster speed that I probably won't notice.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
stevessvt said:
Of course it makes a difference. It means the battery will last a fair amount longer.
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jaygajay said:
IMO HSPA+ is good enough. You won't notice the real world difference between the two, given that you have enough HSPA coverage. LTE is a newer technology but as I've heard it drains battery too quick. I'd prefer a longer battery life with decent speeds throughout a day than to have the phone die on me more quickly just to boast a faster speed that I probably won't notice.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
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I agree with both. Wish T-Mobile wouldn't be putting time and money towards lte. It's already faster than Verizon. Even on my aosp ROM which doesn't get the full speeds it blew away Verizon lte using the speed test app.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Skype and stuff would be clearer on LTE of course, but with a strong 4g signal it is pretty fast. Most people crab about bandwidth, but in all reality most people never use near all of it. On a phone getting 15 or 20 meg you can do anything. What does LTE speed test at?
I know when I had Verizon my battery would go super fast on LTE.
jjlean said:
Skype and stuff would be clearer on LTE of course, but with a strong 4g signal it is pretty fast. Most people crab about bandwidth, but in all reality most people never use near all of it. On a phone getting 15 or 20 meg you can do anything. What does LTE speed test at?
I know when I had Verizon my battery would go super fast on LTE.
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When I had Verizon in Chicago I would speed test around 30-40mbps. Sure it's cool to see big numbers, but it isn't a huge deal.
LTE is a bit gentler on battery these days as well. My friend's S3 gets pretty good battery life on Verizon but he also has amazing LTE coverage where he is.
Sent from my SGH-T999
There are other improvements in LTE other than raw speed, such as latency, air interface, architecture, etc. Granted HSPA is an improvement over standard UMTS, and actually can provide plenty of raw bandwidth for most applications, if implemented properly. Some of the architectural changes are already, at least partially, implemented in HSPA.
With that said, I have never found myself regretting not having LTE (on T-Mobile) over HSPA. I get 10Mb down easily and sometimes more in my area (DC Metro). I imagine LTE is faster in this area in terms of raw speed, but I don't really care. I will take the better battery life and simultaneous data/voice any day over that extra data speed at this point in time. I actually think that the way T-Mobile is going about the upgrade makes a lot of technical sense. Granted the CDMA carriers were at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to implementing LTE (frequencies aside). Since LTE is actually in the GSM family, sharing some standards and concepts with those descendants, they have had to implement more of a hybrid system.
Bottom line - I think HSPA is a much better trade off for speed, functionality, battery, etc. at this point in time than LTE is. I wouldn't worry about not having LTE in the GS3 at this time. I think that by the time T-Mobile gets their LTE network up and running in most major areas, the next generation phones will be here. If you are into marketing hype, by all means go for LTE now. If you are more into real world results, then don't worry about it, and be happy with HSPA for now.
LTE is a bit gentler on battery these days as well.
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True, and that will only improve over time, just as early UMTS/HSPA implementations did. Early LTE chipsets really had horrendous battery life, to the point of severely limiting the usefulness of LTE. I actually think 2013 will be a good year for LTE adoption. T-Mobile is right on schedule, they just have to fight that marketing battle.
I still prefer HSPA+ 42mbps... I average 20mbps down and 3mbps up
Sent from my SGH-T999 using XDA Premium HD app
big battery drainer, stick with HSPA+
Thanks for all the replies. I guess I'll just get the AWS SIII then (not on tmobile though :victory
BTW: I didn't know lte couldn't do voice/data at the same time! )
BTW: I didn't know lte couldn't do voice/data at the same time!
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Oh no, it can. It's just the way it is implemented right now. It is not an LTE limitation.
Between T-Mobile and AT&T, T-Mobile has the best HSPA+. I can get 24Mbps in my city. So, it makes a difference of about 10Mbps, it's not a big deal when you really think about it and use it.
T-Mobile (by accident) will have the best data coverage in the future. Look at how good their HSPA+ is right now and then think about when they're finished rolling out LTE. People can get one signal or the other.
To answer your question, it matters if you and your friends are racing who can download a file the fastest. You'll lose by two seconds...
Snook321 said:
I still prefer HSPA+ 42mbps... I average 20mbps down and 3mbps up
Sent from my SGH-T999 using XDA Premium HD app
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That's what I average here in the Placerville, CA area. My friends who have Verizon LTE get pretty much the same speeds.
Last question: does lte even make a difference in battery life? I mean, if it does, is the t999's battery life slightly better than the i747's?
Last question: does lte even make a difference in battery life? I mean, if it does, is the t999's battery life slightly better than the i747's?
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Yes, it does if you have it on. The reason being that LTE radios and chips are not as mature as HSPA implementations. It was the same situation with the move from GSM to UMTS. Remember the first iPhone didn't have 3G primarily because of battery drain on 3G networks. The situation quickly improved, as it will/is with LTE.
So, I would say the battery life in the T999 would be better than the i747 if you actually use LTE on the latter. That is just an educated guess though. By how much, I don't know, but I imagine it would be measurable. Might want to ask on the i747 forum about their battery life. It might not be a big deal.
redhooka said:
That's what I average here in the Placerville, CA area. My friends who have Verizon LTE get pretty much the same speeds.
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What's the difference in your bills if you don't mind me asking?
T-Mobile customer since Voicestream days, so I'm a loyal customer
Here's my personal experience.
I have a Verizon LTE Mifi. One day I was sitting in Portland air port waiting for a flight. Bored, I started to surf the net. 15 minutes in, I remember thinking to myself, WOW, T-Mobile is fast today! Then I saw my wifi icon is lit, and realized that I have forgotten to turn off my Mifi, and I was running on LTE.
So, yes, you CAN tell the difference, but when T-Mobile's 3G is running correctly though, it's not a huge difference, but certainly noticeable.
BTW, even on Verizon's slow 3G speed, I can still make Skype calls, and it worked flawlessly.
Friend of mine has at&t gs3 and he averages around 31mbps down and 20ish mbps up on LTE. The other day he got 61mbps down but only 100kbps up on one speed test. I'm perfectly happy with tmobile HSPA+ though, and have been getting exceptional battery life on just rooted stock with slight debloating.
I finally hit 12mbps in toledo last night my old g2 was struggling for even 5 I thought the area just sucked but it's probably the better antennas in this s3. My wifi does 15 so im happy with this. When I go to bigger cities like Chicago and nyc I know I'll get at least 20 so I could care less for lte. Even with lte ur not constantly getting 40 or so mbps that's just the peak of ur speed
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
otariq said:
I finally hit 12mbps in toledo last night my old g2 was struggling for even 5 I thought the area just sucked but it's probably the better antennas in this s3. My wifi does 15 so im happy with this. When I go to bigger cities like Chicago and nyc I know I'll get at least 20 so I could care less for lte. Even with lte ur not constantly getting 40 or so mbps that's just the peak of ur speed
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Correct. The G2 is only capable of 21mbps while the s3 is capable of 42mbps. I haven't been able to get over 15 in Chicago though on CM10
Sent from my SGH-T999

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