Hey guys I was wondering if anyone knew what network modernization meant for us as phone buyers. I am really interested in picking up an S3, but want to continue to use my web2go/tzones plan. I was considering buying either an AT&T or international version and saw http://blog.t-mobile.com/2012/06/14/fast-progress-on-4g-network-modernization/ this article and was wondering the implications. Will the 1900 replace the 1700 in HSPA+? Does that mean phones that work on AT&T(1900/2100) will now work on Tmobile(1700/2100)?
Thanks for any info you guys can provide!
That is correct. Once the refarm is complete we will be able to use phones with the international att bands at full speeds on tmobile. 1700/2100 will be used for LTE
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
I would not get the AT&T or International version just yet. It is quite likely that you will experience slow speeds due to lack of proper frequency support at this time. Eventually T-Mobile's HSPA will be moved over to the 1900 band, however, this is a transition, not a on/off type of thing. There will still be HSPA on 1700 bands for well over a year from now, probably more like two. I think it will be a mix of 1900/1700 bands for HSPA in a couple of years, with LTE in the 1700 band exclusively. So, if you get the AT&T version now, you should hope that your city or region is one of the first for the transition, and don't plan to have good support while traveling. If you are on T-Mobile, you will have to choose great HSPA support now with no LTE ever (T-Mobile version), or no HSPA support now, and maybe some mixed LTE and HSPA support down the road (AT&T version; no LTE on International version).
I would personally get the T-Mobile version if I were you. LTE is not going away, and there will be plenty of LTE phones on T-Mobile in a couple of years. But HSPA has great speeds now, and will still have decent speeds in a couple of years.
The T-Mobile version already supports HSPA+ over 1900 MHz..so it's ready if you're planning on using it on Tmobile.
Just when I thought about dumping T-Mobile, looks like they might be heading in the right direction.
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3 SGH-T999 Tapatalk 2
So I heard LTE is backwards compatible with GSM and HSDPA + My carrier supports AWS band 4. Will this work? Has anyone tried it?
So you're basically asking if the AT&T Optimus G will work with T-mobile's 4G Network, right? The answer is NO. Or at least not by default. That's because, even though the phone has the correct band (1700/2100), you would still need the correct radio to be able to use that specific frequency (again 1700/2100) with your carrier. Much like the AT&T Galaxy Note I717. It supports the 1700 frequency, but in order to have that working band with Tmobile, we had to flash a Tmobile specific baseband/radio from the Galaxy s2, Galaxy S Blaze 4G and/or Tmobile Galaxy Note to be able to use the phone on the 1700 freq. So in this case, Unfortunately, Tmobile won't be releasing the LG Optimus G, so there won't be any radios available to use. But, the LG NExus 4 actually has the exact hardware specs or SOC as the LG Optimus G, so a radio/baseband port might be possible.
I hope this post made sense to you.
So what is the difference than taking a locked phone, unlocking it to another network that shares the same GSM frequency?
Nuxtux said:
So what is the difference than taking a locked phone, unlocking it to another network that shares the same GSM frequency?
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Actually the two networks don't share the same GSM freq. Yes the AT&T LG Optimus G does have the AWS 1700 band in the hardware, but it is not enabled by default in the software. In order to enable the AWS 1700 freq, you'll need to use/flash the correct radio that carries the AWS 1700 freq. Like i said in the earlier post, one might be able to possibly port the a radio/baseband from the LG Nexus 4. Since it supports all pentaband frequencies.
So why would they disable it if the carrier uses 1700/2100 for LTE? I'm still not understanding its limitation
The carrier I want to bring it to uses AWS 1700/2100 3.5G.
Are they selling a phone that doesn't work with LTE on there network? Or can the phone only do 1700/2100 in LTE ?
Nuxtux said:
So why would they disable it if the carrier uses 1700/2100 for LTE? I'm still not understanding its limitation
The carrier I want to bring it to uses AWS 1700/2100 3.5G.
Are they selling a phone that doesn't work with LTE on there network? Or can the phone only do 1700/2100 in LTE ?
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Click to collapse
It's not that the 1700/2100 bands are disabled. They are very much enabled but the radio is set to use them for LTE.
So you are saying even though LTE is backward compatible the band installed is software limiting the hardware to only allow LTE 1700/2100?
Nuxtux said:
So you are saying even though LTE is backward compatible the band installed is software limiting the hardware to only allow LTE 1700/2100?
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LTE phones are backwards compatible because they support other bands for HSPA and GSM. For example, a carrier using 1700 MHz for LTE may use 850 and 1900 for HSPA but the 1700 will only work with LTE.
Nuxtux said:
So you are saying even though LTE is backward compatible the band installed is software limiting the hardware to only allow LTE 1700/2100?
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Click to collapse
You somewhat got it. It is the same problem with AT&T's HTC ONE X. The phone as the 1700 band for LTE, but when used with Tmo it only picks up 2G using the 1900 GSM. But with Tmo merging with Metro PCS, and partnering with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Network, the H+ 1900 Spectrum will be available everywhere very soon. I read an article on tmonews.com that it should be done by the end of this year.
maybe the Canadian Telus version would work with T-Mo's AWS
it'll work you'll have to use the modem firmware from the N4 in order to use hspa+
vdub804 said:
it'll work you'll have to use the modem firmware from the N4 in order to use hspa+
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Click to collapse
i'll buy the att optimus g once this is confirmed working :good:
Any one got this one working? Got my Att OG, but edge is very slow. the T-Mo refarmed areas are OK though
Are there any differences in the LTE support of N7105 bought in different countries?
Given that not all network providers support the same LTE bands, do the cellphones they sell get restricted to work only under their specific frequencies?
I am planning on buying a N7105 from TMN in Portugal, but I will be moving to the US for a PhD course after a couple months, and I would like my cellphone to not suffer any 4G speed losses due to connectivity restrictions in the device.
I have tried googling this, but could not come to any precise conclusion . Can anybody help?
Thank you in advance!
The N7105 has 800/1800/2600 MHz LTE capabilities, I believe. This is the same for every model sold.
On AT&T in the US, 3G will work just fine. I'm not sure you'll be able to use 4G, though, since they use different bands for LTE.
EDIT: Yes, AT&T uses 700 and 1700 MHz for LTE. The maximum you'd get on their network is HSPA+.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Hi there,
Can anyone confirm for sure and tested the following question:
How many bands for GSM, HSDPA and LTE does the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 (M919) have? Are they the same bands as the International S4 LTE (I9505)?
Based on the wikipedia page for Samsung Galaxy S4, the model I9505 has more LTE bands than the T-Mobile M919 version, is that completely true and technically proven?
Most of the websites state that the M919 and the I9505 has the same bands for all GSM, HSDPA and LTE.
I appreciate if someone can lead me to the ultimate answer.
Thanks.
Tmobile uses AWS for 4g LTE which requires 2100/1700 frequency. The GT-i9505 only supports 2100mhz i believe, which is not enough.
I think the GT-i9505 supports one of the several frequencies that Tmobile uses for HDSPA, so HDSPA coverage may be a bit spotty with the phone. This was referenced off the top of my head, but I had done some research online about this before as I had similar questions as you.
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Here's an article on the frequencies that just came out that may help you OP.
tikoracer said:
Hi there,
Can anyone confirm for sure and tested the following question:
How many bands for GSM, HSDPA and LTE does the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 (M919) have? Are they the same bands as the International S4 LTE (I9505)?
Based on the wikipedia page for Samsung Galaxy S4, the model I9505 has more LTE bands than the T-Mobile M919 version, is that completely true and technically proven?
Most of the websites state that the M919 and the I9505 has the same bands for all GSM, HSDPA and LTE.
I appreciate if someone can lead me to the ultimate answer.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find all the information on the Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S4
I9505 lacks the 1700MHz LTE band which is needed in T-Mobile LTE.
That's weird, I can swear that wiki page had different information yesterday about the I9505 LTE bands
macaumen said:
You can find all the information on the Wiki page
I9505 lacks the 1700MHz LTE band which is needed in T-Mobile LTE.
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Hey so looking at the wiki that you guys posted up there it says following for the tmobile version: 700 MHz (Band 17), CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E
now i somehow got my hand on one of these devices in europe for rather cheap and totally new, so im confused now what these CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E are, does any of these stand for any other than the 700mhz band? like 1700/1800mhz? or in other words, is it possible to get lte to work in europe with the tmobile usa s4? Can the modem perhaps be flashed with an i9505 one and than get the additional bands or is the hardware actualyl that different (as in antennas and amplifiers)?
Its not really a dealbreaker for me as LTE in my country is quite some time away but still, would like to know.
thanks
In simple words, the LTE bands are (not in order): Band 1 (2100), Band 2 (1900), Band 4 (1700), Band 5 (850), Band 7 (2600), Band 17 (700), so we have the LTE bands available for the T-Mobile version: 700, 850, 1700, 1900, 2100 and 2600.
crnkoj said:
Hey so looking at the wiki that you guys posted up there it says following for the tmobile version: 700 MHz (Band 17), CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E
now i somehow got my hand on one of these devices in europe for rather cheap and totally new, so im confused now what these CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E are, does any of these stand for any other than the 700mhz band? like 1700/1800mhz? or in other words, is it possible to get lte to work in europe with the tmobile usa s4? Can the modem perhaps be flashed with an i9505 one and than get the additional bands or is the hardware actualyl that different (as in antennas and amplifiers)?
Its not really a dealbreaker for me as LTE in my country is quite some time away but still, would like to know.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tikoracer said:
In simple words, the LTE bands are (not in order): Band 1 (2100), Band 2 (1900), Band 4 (1700), Band 5 (850), Band 7 (2600), Band 17 (700), so we have the LTE bands available for the T-Mobile version: 700, 850, 1700, 1900, 2100 and 2600.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry for asking it again, but that basically means the tmobile version has most bands that are used enabled? just have to figure what bands are being used in my country... thanks really
edit: checked the bands here naturally its 800 and 1800, so my question remains, can i somehow flash the phone to work on these?
Check the picture attached, this photo is from the original T-Mobile US Samsung Galaxy S4 (M919) box.
crnkoj said:
sorry for asking it again, but that basically means the tmobile version has most bands that are used enabled? just have to figure what bands are being used in my country... thanks really
edit: checked the bands here naturally its 800 and 1800, so my question remains, can i somehow flash the phone to work on these?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you can't flash a I9505 rom to a M919 device, if you do, you will brick it. The best option for you to get 800 and 1800 frequencies is to go for the GT-I9505, it's the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE version, and it has the following bands for LTE Cat 3 (800 / 850 / 900 / 1,800 / 2,100 / 2,600 MHz). This is the official Samsung page: http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/smartphone/GT-I9505ZKAXSA-spec
crnkoj said:
sorry for asking it again, but that basically means the tmobile version has most bands that are used enabled? just have to figure what bands are being used in my country... thanks really
edit: checked the bands here naturally its 800 and 1800, so my question remains, can i somehow flash the phone to work on these?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it seems that the I9505 has LTE bands for each region, it's not dedicated for America (North, Central and South), it also support Europe and Asia, while it doesn't contain most bands for a specific region, it's a world phone, unlucky doesn't fully support T-Mobile 4G UTMS network (1700/2100), but still a good option for those who travel to other continents.
sleik said:
Tmobile uses AWS for 4g LTE which requires 2100/1700 frequency. The GT-i9505 only supports 2100mhz i believe, which is not enough.
I think the GT-i9505 supports one of the several frequencies that Tmobile uses for HDSPA, so HDSPA coverage may be a bit spotty with the phone. This was referenced off the top of my head, but I had done some research online about this before as I had similar questions as you.
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Click to collapse
Flashing just the modem doesn't work either?
I haven't tried flashing modems into another devices that don't correspond to their own. I can't help you with that answer at this time
crnkoj said:
Flashing just the modem doesn't work either?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tikoracer said:
I haven't tried flashing modems into another devices that don't correspond to their own. I can't help you with that answer at this time
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i asked that because i have an att atrix, on which its possible to flash european modems without a problem, thanks for your time man, i hope someone will try this and it works
Question...are all those other things i've been hearing about other ppl successfully getting 4g reception after doing something to either with the aws band's, or to the software true? does anyone know for sure? i'm very thankful for any input, as i've been hearing so many conflicting things when it comes to the i9505 and getting 4g service with t-mobile, i just want a proven answer :/
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
nycemc said:
Question...are all those other things i've been hearing about other ppl successfully getting 4g reception after doing something to either with the aws band's, or to the software true? does anyone know for sure? i'm very thankful for any input, as i've been hearing so many conflicting things when it comes to the i9505 and getting 4g service with t-mobile, i just want a proven answer :/
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-mobile is 4g lte and super fast
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
crnkoj said:
Hey so looking at the wiki that you guys posted up there it says following for the tmobile version: 700 MHz (Band 17), CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E
now i somehow got my hand on one of these devices in europe for rather cheap and totally new, so im confused now what these CLR, AWS, PCS, IMT, IMT-E are, does any of these stand for any other than the 700mhz band? like 1700/1800mhz? or in other words, is it possible to get lte to work in europe with the tmobile usa s4? Can the modem perhaps be flashed with an i9505 one and than get the additional bands or is the hardware actualyl that different (as in antennas and amplifiers)?
Its not really a dealbreaker for me as LTE in my country is quite some time away but still, would like to know.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my S4 T-mobile (SGH-M919) in USA. And it is fine working in Spain with 4G. But when i have upgraded it to Marshmallow then only works with HSPA(H+) as better. Change baseband? i am not sure to do it...mmmm