I was curious if anyone knows the answer to this. When I had my i747 with the S4 processor it seemed like it got better 3G/Data connections here on Straight Talk than my i9300 does. Basically what I'm wondering is for the LTE versions of these phones such as the N7105 and i9305 are they simply adding in a second modem that solely uses LTE, so it would essentially have their standard modem for your 3G/HSPA connections and then switches to the Qualcomm for the LTE connections? Otherwise are they using a completely different modem that also handles your regular 3G/HSPA connections? I've been itching to grab an international N7100 as soon as possible, but I was thinking maybe I should try and hold out and get one of the US variants with the qualcomm modem as I've seemed to have better connections with the devices running the qualcomm chipsets. Does anyone know the answer to this?
Quick summary would be since I'm on Straight Talk and can't use LTE, if I waited for the AT&T version would I be using the same modem that's in the N7100 to connect to 3G/HSPA+ while the LTE modem sits idly by?
Now there have been talks of flashing modems from different devices on our T989 (or in my case T989D), such as the Skyrocket (sister phone) and the T-Mobile Note. Now I am using my phone on the Bell HSPA (850/1900mhz) network and was contemplating flashing an ATT note modem after hearing all the positive results from the T-Mobile modem. I dont care for the Skyrocket modem just because its supposed to utilizing LTE, but our phone in incapable.
So I guess my question is, would any modem from a Samsung Qualcomm device work on another Samsung Qualcomm device?
I am really confused by all the info I am reading about the 4G capabilities. It would seem that some Note II's do not ship with it, or am I wrong and reading the articles? Does this phone have 4G on Sprints network?
So assuming that it does have 4G, I don't see any reason not to get this phone. Can anyone tell me why I shouldn't get it?
SightUp said:
I am really confused by all the info I am reading about the 4G capabilities. It would seem that some Note II's do not ship with it, or am I wrong and reading the articles? Does this phone have 4G on Sprints network?
So assuming that it does have 4G, I don't see any reason not to get this phone. Can anyone tell me why I shouldn't get it?
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The International Note II (model GT-N7100) does not ship with 4G (LTE). There are European regional variants that currently ship with LTE radios, but they might not be frequency compatible with your carrier so you are taking a risk by ordering one of the LTE versions currently on the market.
You will see some carriers advertise their networks as 4G, when what they are actually referencing is HSPA+, which is a high-speed version of 3G service capable of 21Mbps download on the Note II. When I ordered my Note II I decided that the compromise of not getting LTE but having the true International phone, which tends to have more 3rd party developer (read: XDA-Developers) support for firmware updates, etc. was worth it. I'm happy with HSPA+ for this generation of phone.
With all this said, Sprint is also a CDMA network rather than GSM, which means the GT-N7100 is not going to be the phone you need if you want to use it with Sprint. It will work with AT&T and many other GSM regional providers (I'm using mine on the GCI network in Alaska) but you will not have true 4G/LTE. For Sprint, you are probably best waiting for them to release their official version.
r.andom said:
The International Note II (model GT-N7100) does not ship with 4G (LTE). There are European regional variants that currently ship with LTE radios, but they might not be frequency compatible with your carrier so you are taking a risk by ordering one of the LTE versions currently on the market.
You will see some carriers advertise their networks as 4G, when what they are actually referencing is HSPA+, which is a high-speed version of 3G service capable of 21Mbps download on the Note II. When I ordered my Note II I decided that the compromise of not getting LTE but having the true International phone, which tends to have more 3rd party developer (read: XDA-Developers) support for firmware updates, etc. was worth it. I'm happy with HSPA+ for this generation of phone.
With all this said, Sprint is also a CDMA network rather than GSM, which means the GT-N7100 is not going to be the phone you need if you want to use it with Sprint. It will work with AT&T and many other GSM regional providers (I'm using mine on the GCI network in Alaska) but you will not have true 4G/LTE. For Sprint, you are probably best waiting for them to release their official version.
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So in other words, just wait until the 26th and pick one up at the local store?
Yep.
when I go through the specs for the AT&T and Tmobile variants for the note 2, I come across a difference in the following
AT&T,
GSM Quad-band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Tmobile
Frequencies and Data Type GSM Quad-band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz UMTS: Band I ,band II, Band IV (Dual-band1700/2100 MHz), Band V
What does the dual band mean? Is it for Tmobiles 4G network?
I thought all the Note 2's in the US had the same LTE radio
please shed some light,
thanks
1700 MHz/2100 MHz UMTS (WCDMA) AWS is currently T-Mobile's 4G network.
T-Mobile will have LTE up and running sometime within next year (2013).
Yes T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2 devices do have LTE. But it is now not activated. T-Mobile will activate the LTE within T-Mobile's Galaxy Note 2 when they get their LTE service up and running within your area.
How to activate the LTE and running on another carrier is a good question. This I get bits and pieces. But not a full step-by-step process yet.
The T-Mobile Note II is pentaband; it will work on AT&T and T-Mobile 3G/4G (not LTE though as of now). I think that's what you're getting at.
Product F(RED) said:
The T-Mobile Note II is pentaband; it will work on AT&T and T-Mobile 3G/4G (not LTE though as of now). I think that's what you're getting at.
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I believe that we can get the LTE up and running with other carriers. I know that I got LTE working on my GN2 (SGH-T889). We just need to learn how to get the LTE running with other carriers. That is really the question. When we figure that out then this might be able to be applied to other GN2 devices.
Tmobile hasnt turned on lte yet. From what i understand once they do our note 2's should be able to utilize it.
winlinmac001 said:
What does the dual band mean? Is it for Tmobiles 4G network?
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Tmobile uses 42.2 mbps dual channel hsdpa.
Afaik, At&t uses 21.1 mbps hsdpa.
Lte(long term evolution) is a different technology not yet active for Tmobile customers.
Real World, my friend with a Galaxy nexus on Tmobile network gets about 8mbps while I get 14mbps. Galaxy nexus has the 21.1mbps capable modem.
konceptz said:
Tmobile uses 42.2 mbps dual channel hsdpa.
Afaik, At&t uses 21.1 mbps hsdpa.
Lte(long term evolution) is a different technology not yet active for Tmobile customers.
Real World, my friend with a Galaxy nexus on Tmobile network gets about 8mbps while I get 14mbps. Galaxy nexus has the 21.1mbps capable modem.
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You're talking about something called DC-HSPA (Dual Channel/Carrier), which is basically what you said: Using 2 frequencies of HSPA(+) to achieve basically double the throughput.
Is it a hardware limitation (as in slightly modified Qualcomm LTE Chipset) in the AT&T Note 2 that 42mbps is not supported compared to T-Mobiles version? Or it is software / firmware-controlled?
winlinmac001 said:
Is it a hardware limitation (as in slightly modified Qualcomm LTE Chipset) in the AT&T Note 2 that 42mbps is not supported compared to T-Mobiles version? Or it is software / firmware-controlled?
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It could be software (on the modem level, which is low-level stuff and separate from the ROM); T-Mobile's Galaxy S II was basically AT&T's Skyrocket with LTE disabled. You could actually flash a T-Mobile S2's modem onto a Skyrocket to get it to work on T-Mobile frequencies (but you can't get LTE enabled on the T-Mobile S II as far as I know).
would you say the note 2 from verizon is any better since it also includes a CDMA radio? Also, though LTE only works in the upper 700 frequency, any change a modem update or firmware change will allow the verizon version to work on T-mobile or AT&T network?
winlinmac001 said:
would you say the note 2 from verizon is any better since it also includes a CDMA radio? Also, though LTE only works in the upper 700 frequency, any change a modem update or firmware change will allow the verizon version to work on T-mobile or AT&T network?
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No; CDMA is useless unless you're going to be using it on the carrier it came from. I'd say the T-Mobile version is the best (in terms of working with the most networks), then the AT&T version (because it has LTE), then the International version (because it's the AT&T version without LTE), and after that the Verizon one because Sprint are jerks because they use "embedded SIMs".
I saw that the t217s and t217t have the same software which lead me to believe they were identical (along with people saying they are)
I picked up a t217s to mess around with and it certainly seems to not have GSM hardware in it. Does the t217t (T-Mobile) have GSM hardware?
sprint is cdma. tmobile is very not cdma. There are radio differences. I have a pending question about LTE bands; a concern that max speed might not be possible or no coverage in certain [usa] regions should sprint files be flashed to tmobile.
As you have a sprint model you will find better support and root options.