Hi folks,
I've got a T-mo M919, with MDL bootloader, which I use on ATT. I bought the phone after comparing the hardware and seeing all the same bands needed for ATT are supported on the TMo phone (but, not quite 100% the other way around).
Anyway, the phone works fine... calls get through, texts work, data speeds are the same as the S4 I337 (ATT variant) I was using before. My question is less functional and more cosmetic.
I've noticed that the LTE signal indicator is usually pretty low. Don't think I've seen it report all 4 bars... ever! It's usually showing LTE with 1-3 bars. This is in places I would get pretty much full signal, on the ATT phone.
Since my T-mo phone is on MDL, pre-Knox, and has an older LTE radio version, while the ATT phone I had (still have... gonna sell it!) is NC1 and thus has a later LTE radio version, would this explain the difference?
I've flashed the NB4 modem onto the phone (the modem.bin file only!) and didn't notice any difference, but I understand this is just for GSM. I get full bars on GSM (before and after flash).
Since the phone works fine, I am not too concerned, but it sort of bugs me that it shows such "low" signal. Is there some calibration I should run or something?
Marc
What build are you running?
Currently on Dirty Unicorns 7.8 but saw the same thing when I was on 4.2.2 MDL TMobile Samsung stock.
It is interesting. Here in my office I get between 1and 3 bars but no dropouts or anything noticed so far. Here it was 3-4 bars solid with the ATT S4. We have repeaters throughout the building for great coverage.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Having low bars is normal.
It's the towers, not us.
Sometimes I'd say a custom rom shows what your actually getting more accurately.
I'm on the latest cm nightly. Nb4 modem flashed as you described.
But, I'd expect to see more bars on 4.4.2. Stock.
But, there wouldn't be any difference in actual call quality, etc.
---------- Post added at 09:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ----------
Maybe you could used xposed to change or remove the offending task bar icons.
Frankenscript said:
Currently on Dirty Unicorns 7.8 but saw the same thing when I was on 4.2.2 MDL TMobile Samsung stock.
It is interesting. Here in my office I get between 1and 3 bars but no dropouts or anything noticed so far. Here it was 3-4 bars solid with the ATT S4. We have repeaters throughout the building for great coverage.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your at&t device was on official KitKat then that's why, signal bars are reported higher in KitKat, but not on aosp/cm ROMs, they will show your true strength.. Best thing to do is to compare your dBm strength to another at&t device on their network
Thanks everyone! At the end of the work day I realized I had my ATT phone with me in my computer bag. So, I first observed the T-Mobile phone for a few minutes in a few locations on my desk. Over that time the signal ranged from -89 db to -94 db, with most readings between -91 and -93.
I then swapped the SIM card into the ATT S4, and observed it for a similar time in the same locations. It ranged from -91 to -96, with most readings between -92 to -94. So, basically identical, maybe a db or two weaker reading.
Then I figured out how to get my work-issued iPhone 5S to give me readings (field test mode... seriously! ) and it ranged from -93 to -97 with most readings between -92 and -95.
I repeated the test here at home, where the readings range from -99 to -104. Same pattern of Tmobile S4 phone ever so slightly better reception than ATT S4 and ever so slightly better than iPhone.
So, my concern that perhaps the TMobile antenna was not as good for ATT as the native ATT phone has been disproven, and as the wise readership here has counseled, it's all in how the various Stock or custom ROMs report the signal.
Issue resolved.. Thanks for your input!!
Marc
I was having the same thoughts last week. Bought a M919N (MetroPcs) and odined with T-Mo stock. After root, recovery and roming, my signal was low. I usually get full bars on my i337, but only got 2-3 on this one. I changed my preferred network to 3G, then back to LTE. Getting full bars in my house ever since.
Frankenscript said:
Thanks everyone! At the end of the work day I realized I had my ATT phone with me in my computer bag. So, I first observed the T-Mobile phone for a few minutes in a few locations on my desk. Over that time the signal ranged from -89 db to -94 db, with most readings between -91 and -93.
I then swapped the SIM card into the ATT S4, and observed it for a similar time in the same locations. It ranged from -91 to -96, with most readings between -92 to -94. So, basically identical, maybe a db or two weaker reading.
Then I figured out how to get my work-issued iPhone 5S to give me readings (field test mode... seriously! ) and it ranged from -93 to -97 with most readings between -92 and -95.
I repeated the test here at home, where the readings range from -99 to -104. Same pattern of Tmobile S4 phone ever so slightly better reception than ATT S4 and ever so slightly better than iPhone.
So, my concern that perhaps the TMobile antenna was not as good for ATT as the native ATT phone has been disproven, and as the wise readership here has counseled, it's all in how the various Stock or custom ROMs report the signal.
Issue resolved.. Thanks for your input!!
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically the t-mobile S4 gets better reception than at&t's S4 and iphone? WIN!! Lol joke, but you're welcome! This is a common concern for people, but when you test this things it's not about how many bars you see on your status bar, but dBm strength
serio22 said:
So basically the t-mobile S4 gets better reception than at&t's S4 and iphone? WIN!! Lol joke, but you're welcome! This is a common concern for people, but when you test this things it's not about how many bars you see on your status bar, but dBm strength
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely! +1
I would say the difference in reported signal strength was marginal but pretty consistent. Interesting to note, that even with -102 db signal, iPhone was reporting 4 out of 5 bars of strength...
Frankenscript said:
Interesting to note, that even with -102 db signal, iPhone was reporting 4 out of 5 bars of strength...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah my S4 on kitkat touchwiz shows 4 out of 5 bars on a similar strength. Guess Samsung wasn't the first to do this
how do you guys get LTE speed on at&t with the t-mobile s4? I tried several ways including changing the build.prop name, model and device to at&t values.. I do get the at&t 4G bar symbol but no LTE.. any other ideas? I'm running GNF1 V3 NB4
I have been meaning to write up my experiences, but in short:
1. On stock Samsung ROM (MDL build) I plugged my ATT sim into the phone, booted, edited the APN to the ATT values, and set the preferred mode to LTE. Done. LTE speeds (for me, 5-25 Mb/sec same as the ATT phone).
2. In Dirty Unicorns ROM I just selected the pre prepared ATT APN and made any edits to match my settings I usually use. Made sure LTE was preferred mobile mode and boom it works.
I think you have a ROM config issue. Are you set on that ROM or willing to try others? Best of luck.
Marc
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Frankenscript said:
I have been meaning to write up my experiences, but in short:
1. On stock Samsung ROM (MDL build) I plugged my ATT sim into the phone, booted, edited the APN to the ATT values, and set the preferred mode to LTE. Done. LTE speeds (for me, 5-25 Mb/sec same as the ATT phone).
2. In Dirty Unicorns ROM I just selected the pre prepared ATT APN and made any edits to match my settings I usually use. Made sure LTE was preferred mobile mode and boom it works.
I think you have a ROM config issue. Are you set on that ROM or willing to try others? Best of luck.
Marc
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so basically you're saying that I should go back to stock and after changing the apn it should be good? also, I would prefer TW for now, I might switch to cm later, but is GNF1 not good for LTE if i'm on at&t? any other suggestions?
Right. On stock rom, it should work fine after you edit the APN and change the preferred mode. If you want to stay on TouchWiz, a great rom I used on the atT phone was Goldeneye. Meanwhile I really like the dirty unicorns ROM on my phone. I am using version 7.8 and it is a a weekly build from August 10th or 12th I think. I haven't tried the new version 7.9.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Ok ill try and update. Do I need to install the at&t version of that rom or t-mobile?
My technique is to match the phone hardware during install, to make sure nothing like modules / radios gets messed up. Then manual APN and preferred mode edits which are easy.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Frankenscript said:
My technique is to match the phone hardware during install, to make sure nothing like modules / radios gets messed up. Then manual APN and preferred mode edits which are easy.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just flashed to stock now.. i get the at&t settings automatically but still no LTE.. are you using any different apn settings? you mind sharing your settings?
nir360 said:
I just flashed to stock now.. i get the at&t settings automatically but still no LTE.. are you using any different apn settings? you mind sharing your settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use exactly these from the All Things ATT thread, which match my stock ATT phone.
Name: ATT Phone
APN: phone
Proxy: Not set
Port: Not set
Username: Not set
Password: Not set
Server: Not set
MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS Port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication type: None
APN Type: default,mms,supl,hipri
APN protocol: IPv4
APN Roaming protocol: IPv4
Turn APN on/off: APN turned on
Bearer: Unspecified
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Type: None
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Value: Not set
In some ROMs the last two don't show up, in which case I just skip them.
It's also important to set the preferred mode to LTE.
Marc
Related
Hope these work for you ATnT peoples. I tried many different APN settings. The Media Net is passive for MMS capabilities. My Active APN is the hspa one.
Also I was previously on the LTE unlimited data with Visual Voice mail and it was causing data issues it seemed so I called and switch back to the HSPA unlimited data.
Note: if you leave the LTE plan, ATnT will have to reset your mailbox since VVM is not support on the HSPA plan.
What speeds did you get out of those? And what area of the US are you in?
phone apn is already known to be one of the better apns
wap.cingular apn is also good
These apn's have been around for a while, since like the original galaxy S and maybe even older.
But anyway, I used only phone so far and my best at my house so far has been 5 down and 1.7 up.
Going to try wap.cingular apn as it gave me good speeds when I have a Galaxy Nexus
methodz said:
What speeds did you get out of those? And what area of the US are you in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I am not in an excellent coverage area so, I get about 2mbps, that's better than Edge at least.
Also I found another thread specific to the "best" settings and trying out these setting also. Yeah I know wap.cingular I think is the old 2G/3G default. and phone was meant specifically for HSPA whereas pta is for LTE.
My problem was I was getting different results based on what was in the APN type field. Could have just been coincidences.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1576199
I live in Tampa, a place that has had the 1900mhz 3/4g on tmobile network for a while source: androidandme dot com/2012/12/carriers/t-mobile-upgrades-14-new-metro-areas-to-4g-hspa-on-1900-mhz-band
Now I got my unlock code straight from ATT over the phone, told them I was going overseas on business), and unlocked the phone perfectly fine. Put in my net10 Tmobile sim, and activated and updated the apn. I can make/recieve calls, send and recieve text AND MMS PICTURES, but when I try to use data I only get the "G" symbol and slow as **** speeds (like .07mbs down)
Any way to fix this? I know it should work but its just not.
Sorry bout the (dot) com thing, wont let me post links and it's kinda important.
Alright, after flashing a new modem I get "E" instead of just G and slightly better speeds.... and by better I mean about ~0.15mb/s ._.
TeknoGodz said:
Alright, after flashing a new modem I get "E" instead of just G and slightly better speeds.... and by better I mean about ~0.15mb/s ._.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before we go into too much troubleshooting, check your imei. Settings > about phone > status
That's sounds like a what happens with a Verizon phone on at&t. In don't think the bands are compatible that net10 leases. I think it also varies greatly by area. Straight talk would be the best for a prepaid using an at&t phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
xBeerdroiDx said:
Before we go into too much troubleshooting, check your imei. Settings > about phone > status
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked there and I don't know what you mean by check it, but it is the correct numbers in the settings, and it matches the back of the phone... Also I don't know what IMEI SV means (software version maybe?) but it says 2.
hednik said:
That's sounds like a what happens with a Verizon phone on at&t. In don't think the bands are compatible that net10 leases. I think it also varies greatly by area. Straight talk would be the best for a prepaid using an at&t phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Net10's website simply says any unlocked GSM phone operating on 850 and 1900 MHz bands, which this phone does, and T-Mobile upgraded their towers last year from 1700 to 1900 in Tampa, so it should work just fine.
Is there any way for me to check what bands a phone is currently using? If so I can check on my brothers phone which is a T-Mobile phone running on Net10. If I could check what band's it's actually using for the 4g it's receiving then I can confirm for a fact that the problem is on my end.
Either way though, thanks for your help guys, I appreciate it.
EDIT: After about two hours searching I cannot find a way to find out exactly what band he is using, however I realized since his is a T-Mobile phone it would probably show 1700 either way. I need someone with a iPhone or other GSM in Tampa to confirm I guess... Kinda a problem tho.
Tried these settings? Should be able to get H or H+
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1947376
Quasimodem said:
Tried these settings? Should be able to get H or H+
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1947376
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I can see all those APN are all for other carriers. I'm using the APN from net 10 web site
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Using these settings?
APN Name: NET10
APN: wap.tracfone
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: 66.209.11.32
MMS Port: 80
Net10s website gives these. I'm sure this is what you're trying to use. I'm also sure you know to reboot your phone after selecting a new apn
APN Name: NET10
APN: tfdata
MMSC: http://mms-tf.net
MMS Proxy: mms3.tracfone.com
MMS Port: 80
Quasimodem said:
Using these settings?
APN Name: NET10
APN: wap.tracfone
MMSC: http://mmsc.cingular.com
MMS Proxy: 66.209.11.32
MMS Port: 80
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that is for the ATT SIM's from Net10.
xBeerdroiDx said:
Net10s website gives these. I'm sure this is what you're trying to use. I'm also sure you know to reboot your phone after selecting a new apn
APN Name: NET10
APN: tfdata
MMSC: http://mms-tf.net
MMS Proxy: mms3.tracfone.com
MMS Port: 80
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not what Net10's site says.... but regardless no, it didn't work. That one doesn't even work on EDGE, it tries to get me to log in at some T-Mobile site but the site doesn't load, just blank page, so no that's not it.
TeknoGodz said:
No, that is for the ATT SIM's from Net10.
That's not what Net10's site says.... but regardless no, it didn't work. That one doesn't even work on EDGE, it tries to get me to log in at some T-Mobile site but the site doesn't load, just blank page, so no that's not it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well im on simplemobile which is tmobiles frequency also.. I am using stock modem, 1747UCDLK3, I get 4g speeds of 4000 - 17000 kbps depending on time of day.. better at night time...
I made a few stock roms, all working great... im on the tmobile build now.. just made it a few days ago... check my signature..
Build-11_15_2012_UCDLK3_S3_I747_JB411 regular AT&T, works great... speeds 4000 - 17000 kbps shows up 3g and 4g.
Build-12_12_2012_MUMBLL1_S3_I747_&_747M_JB411, Canadian claro rom, also made one for AT&T works great also.. speeds 4000 - 17000 kbps, shows up 3g and 4g
Build_01_17_2013_UVDLJC_S3_I747&T999_JB411, tmobile rom, cant really test cause I used up my 250mb of 4g, but I am getting and E instead of 3g.. speed on 3g is 195kbps. hmm slow.. I usually get 240 or 244 kbps..
I changed the build prop to represent ATT d2att... everything works great...
mdiaz33685 said:
well im on simplemobile which is tmobiles frequency also.. I am using stock modem, 1747UCDLK3, I get 4g speeds of 4000 - 17000 kbps depending on time of day.. better at night time...
I made a few stock roms, all working great... im on the tmobile build now.. just made it a few days ago... check my signature..
Build-11_15_2012_UCDLK3_S3_I747_JB411 regular AT&T, works great... speeds 4000 - 17000 kbps shows up 3g and 4g.
Build-12_12_2012_MUMBLL1_S3_I747_&_747M_JB411, Canadian claro rom, also made one for AT&T works great also.. speeds 4000 - 17000 kbps, shows up 3g and 4g
Build_01_17_2013_UVDLJC_S3_I747&T999_JB411, tmobile rom, cant really test cause I used up my 250mb of 4g, but I am getting and E instead of 3g.. speed on 3g is 195kbps. hmm slow.. I usually get 240 or 244 kbps..
I changed the build prop to represent ATT d2att... everything works great...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh, Well I installed the last one on that list and it works!!! I get 4g and first speedest hit 8.5 down 1.5 up. Not too shabby compared to 0.15 on edge lolol
So I guess now my question is how did you do it? What if anything did you change and why does 4g not work at all on CM10.1? Curious.
For me I had to do a factory data reset, once I did it worked perfectly on the stock rooted ROM.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
well I got it to work, the 4g that is... but I had the same problem with my wifes phone with the E.. edge which is 2g.. slow data...
I haven't done anything to my wifes phone for over a week, I think its tmobile antenna, which I use simplemobile..
I noticed my s3 would work downtown tampa, but not where I live in town and country... all around my area I was getting E... for a brief second or so I would see 4g and it would change immediately to E.
so I changed the following step last night to make both phones work and got 4g..
in settings... more settings... wireless and networks... mobile networks.. NETWORK MODE= Changed to WCDMA ONLY... seemed to do the trick.. I never had to do that before..
mdiaz33685 said:
well I got it to work, the 4g that is... but I had the same problem with my wifes phone with the E.. edge which is 2g.. slow data...
I haven't done anything to my wifes phone for over a week, I think its tmobile antenna, which I use simplemobile..
I noticed my s3 would work downtown tampa, but not where I live in town and country... all around my area I was getting E... for a brief second or so I would see 4g and it would change immediately to E.
so I changed the following step last night to make both phones work and got 4g..
in settings... more settings... wireless and networks... mobile networks.. NETWORK MODE= Changed to WCDMA ONLY... seemed to do the trick.. I never had to do that before..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I was too hasty before, my phone only gets 4g in a couple spots out and about Tampa. Most of the time it's only Edge, which leads me to believe it is in fact just T-Mobile sucking.
I tried that WCDMA setting and that disconnects me from mobile networks completely. Like if I was in airplane mode.
TeknoGodz said:
Huh, Well I installed the last one on that list and it works!!! I get 4g and first speedest hit 8.5 down 1.5 up. Not too shabby compared to 0.15 on edge lolol
So I guess now my question is how did you do it? What if anything did you change and why does 4g not work at all on CM10.1? Curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem. I have an unlocked att on tmo and never see 4g, only E. so my question is what exactly did you flash to get that working? Was it the Tmo rom or the ATT one? I am pretty good at all this but just wanted to make sure i download the right file. Thanks.
Was briefly excited on the arrival of my US version from oppostyle, but after hours of T-mobile tech support, a factory reset, APN attempts, still no LTE or proper 3g even on my Find 7, even though I live in a strong 3g/4g area...only (HSPA) H and H+. Can anyone help?
Thank you
ramana.spencer said:
Was briefly excited on the arrival of my US version from oppostyle, but after hours of T-mobile tech support, a factory reset, APN attempts, still no LTE or proper 3g even on my Find 7, even though I live in a strong 3g/4g area...only (HSPA) H and H+. Can anyone help?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, those match my settings and I am getting LTE. Dumb question, but have you restarted? I noticed my phone can get kinda quirky when switching between APN's, or if the data gets turned off by another app for some dumb reason or another.
I have a feeling there is a little more tweaking to do to the modem from Oppo...
farfromovin said:
Hmm, those match my settings and I am getting LTE. Dumb question, but have you restarted? I noticed my phone can get kinda quirky when switching between APN's, or if the data gets turned off by another app for some dumb reason or another.
I have a feeling there is a little more tweaking to do to the modem from Oppo...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get LTE (4G) with these setting just fine on TMO in Texas.... remember it will show 4G not LTE.
ramana.spencer said:
Was briefly excited on the arrival of my US version from oppostyle, but after hours of T-mobile tech support, a factory reset, APN attempts, still no LTE or proper 3g even on my Find 7, even though I live in a strong 3g/4g area...only (HSPA) H and H+. Can anyone help?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you confirmed that you actually have LTE in your area?
Remember that for years, T-Mobile and AT&T called HSPA+ "4G"
Entropy512 said:
Have you confirmed that you actually have LTE in your area?
Remember that for years, T-Mobile and AT&T called HSPA+ "4G"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was uunclear about H+, have just been looking up info....Was on Verizon, a GSM newbee here
However, I am seeing very slow speeds on HSPA+ and HSP...not even seeing much of a difference in speeds between the two on my device.
between them. Averaging 0.6 Mbps to 1.3 Mbps down, and 0.8 mbps to 1.3 Mbps up, even though T-mobile tech support claims I have excellent 4g coverage in my area. Is this most likely hardware?
Also, on my roadtrip yesterday to Medford, I was capping off at around 10 Mbps on LTE at the most, which seems a ,ittle slow for LTE.
ramana.spencer said:
I was uunclear about H+, have just been looking up info....Was on Verizon, a GSM newbee here
However, I am seeing very slow speeds on HSPA+ and HSP...not even seeing much of a difference in speeds between the two on my device.
between them. Averaging 0.6 Mbps to 1.3 Mbps down, and 0.8 mbps to 1.3 Mbps up, even though T-mobile tech support claims I have excellent 4g coverage in my area. Is this most likely hardware?
Also, on my roadtrip yesterday to Medford, I was capping off at around 10 Mbps on LTE at the most, which seems a ,ittle slow for LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes your coverage can be solid but the backhaul (connection between towers and the Internet) can be awful. AT&T's local reps even told me that the local LTE isn't going to be particularly good for a while until they upgrade the backhaul to the towers.
Your HSPA+ speeds seem low, but that's in comparison with my AT&T experiences. I might try doing a speedtest comparison of LTE between my Nexus 5 and my Find 7a if I can.
I was reading the pocketnow review and they had trouble getting the phone to work on AT&T and T-mobile in the US. Does this phone even support T-Mobile LTE bands? In most areas T-Mobile has their LTE on the AWS band.
Sent from my LG-E980 using xda app-developers app
It actually does support them...I was told there was 4g here but there isn't as of yet
Sent from my X9006 using Tapatalk
Mine does get all of these (4G, H, H+, etc.) but the problem is most of the time it can't even get data connection.
GPRS Setting for LTE works for Me
I was having problems connecting to data,calls no problem (OPPO FIND 7 USA).
Anyway,the automatic APN settings weren't right for me,I had to manually set the APN Protocol setting to IPV4 (wasn't set,reading Not Set) & it finally connected to 4G LTE.
Here's the strange part:
The APN Name (On OPPO FIND 7,USA Model) is T-Mobile GPRS NOT T-Mobile LTE.
If I changed the name,it wouldn't connect to data at all.
From best I can tell via web search, GPRS is synonymous with 2G,however,I have 4G LTE when this APN Name is used.
I've seen others having a hard time connecting to the network & seems this bug arose in the latest update.
Anyway,my settings are identical to those in the pics in the OP EXCEPT the very 1st line,the APN Name.
Where I'm at right now is notorious for a weak signal due to building/equipment interference,however,I'm picking up an excellent signal (-90 to -80dBm / 53asu) on LTE:13
Have you tried to turn on LTE 4G by going in the dialer type *#*#4636#*#* phone information and set preferred network as LTE only ?
Snorl4x said:
Have you tried to turn on LTE 4G by going in the dialer type *#*#4636#*#* phone information and set preferred network as LTE only ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
As it is now,w/the APN Name as T-Mobile GPRS & in the hidden menu,changing the preferred network to LTE has no effect,it stays connected to LTE & everything below that which is available in my area.
I just left it as UNKNOWN.
I tried changing the APN Name to T-Mobile LTE & it immediately disconnects,regardless of any other changes in the hidden menus.
As the phone senses/sets-up Auto APN,the only apparent thing that is omitted is the APN Protocol setting,which by default on my phone & SIM Card registered Not Set.
Changing that value to IPV4 (from Not Set) is what made the difference.
Perhaps this quirk has something to do with 2G in my area having been replaced/upgraded to 4G & 4G LTE & the phone doesn't sense the difference/recognize the difference but in name only,but,accepts the 4G/LTE Connection.
Not knowing all things network/etc..,this seems like a possible explanation.
All I know is that I have an excellent connection & fast speeds w/browsing/etc.....
I don't care what the phone calls it,or sees it as,success is success.
I've seen stranger things than this........
I have since replaced my SIM CARD & had no problems connecting to T-MOBILE's 4G LTE,no modification of the APN was needed.
However,this is while flashed to CYANOGENMOD 11 nightlies,have no idea if the previous issues would pop-up if running the stock COLOR 1.2.4i O/S.
I have had issues with T-mobile LTE. Played around with all the settings. Deleted the APN and created a new one, etc. It works now, but I didn't do anything special, it started working randomly a day or 2 later
Strangely enough I'm having the same problem getting 3g with Virgin (EE/TMobile) in the UK
It can take a while for LTE to provision after setting up the APN. Set it and let it try for about an hour.
APN
The APN setting should have no effect on this.
You have 2 different fields when you type *#*#4636#*#*, gsm service and gprs service. If gsm service does not show "in service", you can use any APN in the world and it still won't work.
Hi everyone,
A month or so ago I got sick of the locked bootloader of the ATT I337 variant of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The early firmware versions on this phone (before MK3) had boot loaders that while locked, could be worked around with known exploits, allowing proper recovery installations like TWRP and CWM, and full ROM installations and custom kernels. Alas, starting with MK3, the bootloaders were locked up tightly. The only recovery possible was SafeStrap, which only supports the use of Touchwiz ROMs. My phone was NC1, so for me it was only Safestrap-compatible ROMs.
I had heard that some people with ATT service used the M919, but I couldn't find a decent thread that talked about the specifics, to give me assurance that everything would work OK. But it seemed like a good bet, so I bought one off Swappa. The phone has worked great for me with no problems or limitations whatsoever. I decided to post a description of my experiences to help others that may be interested in doing like I did.
Using the phone, stock, on ATT:
My phone came SIM unlocked, and from what I've read many of them are this way. All I had to do was insert my SIM card, boot the phone, and it found the network. However, to get it to work, I had to replace the T-Mobile APN information with suitable ATT APN. The settings are here, but for convenience the settings are as follows:
1. Go to Settings > Wireless and Networks > More Settings > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names
2. Click the "+" at the bottom
3. Enter settings from one of the configurations below
4. Click "menu" button and "SAVE"
LTE Configuration
Name: ATT Phone
APN: phone
Proxy: Not set
Port: Not set
Username: Not set
Password: Not set
Server: Not set
MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
MMS proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
MMS Port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication type: None
APN Type: default,mms,supl,hipri
APN protocol: IPv4
APN Roaming protocol: IPv4
Turn APN on/off: APN turned on
Bearer: Unspecified
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Type: None
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Value: Not set
Note that the last two settings were not visible on my phone on 4.2.2, so just ignore them.
You may also need to go into the Prefered Network Type and set it to LTE... mine stuck on 4G until I remembered to do this step. After this, it worked fine on LTE networks.
If yours comes without being SIM-unlocked, this thread is the best resource I've found for methods to do the unlock procedure. There's also this thread.
Rooting & Custom ROMs:
My M919 came from a vendor that sells a lot of refurbs from T-Mobile. I lucked out and got one that has the MDL bootloader, which is fully unlocked and knox-free. If I had gotten a later one, such as the NB4 that is probably most common now, it would have had the unlocked boot loader but would have the knox counter. There's no known way to remove knox, so flashing a custom boot loader on MK2 and later versions of the M919 will irreversibly trip the knox counter, which is generally reported to void any warranty on the phone. See this great thread on knox, if interested.
Anyway, my goal was to install custom ROMs, so after I was satisfied the phone was working well on the ATT network, I flashed TWRP recovery to it via ODIN. There was no need to pre-root the phone to do this. I just put it into download mode and flashed TWRP. I used 2.7.1.0 although there are newer versions (2.8.0.1 is latest as of this writing).
I had no need of a backup, as I hadn't done much setup on the phone, and I could always flash the original firmware from the Mega links.
I used the Dirty Unicorns ROM, and flashed it according to the Dev's instructions.
I eventually updated to the NB4 GSM modem (the modem.bin only), but was careful not to mess with the LTE modem that is paired with the bootloader (wifi/sound problems happen if you flash an unmatched LTE modem). Here's the thread that describes how. I didn't notice any particular improvement in the use of the phone, but the phone works pretty well in most places I find myself.
Here is a thread I did comparing signal strength bars from phones which may be of interest if you feel your custom ROM "isn't getting good signal." It's mostly that AOSP reports lower bars for any given signal strength versus Touchwiz (or iPhone for that matter).
Since I'm using a ROM that is already rooted, I didn't have to perform a root procedure on my phone, but here is a thread discussing rooting 4.4.2, and an earlier thread with a wealth of information about rooting and such.
I hope this collection of links and experience information is helpful to someone out there. This community has been such a great resource to me in my use of Android devices, I wanted to give back a little, even if it is just putting some experiences together with handy links.
So for any of you out there with ATT devices, thinking of coming over to T-Mobile to get unlocked boot loaders, I can confirm my experience was a pleasant one, and all is working well on ATT with the "T-Mobile" M919 S4.
I did the same thing, though I came from a i9505 with LTE channels that are not compatible with US channels. I bought a new M919 from amazon for $429. So far the phone works with my Straight talk sim running on ATT network. I get good LTE signal.
Only problem I have noticed is the battery drains a lot faster on the M919 compared to my i9505. They both ran unrooted TW 4.4.2 when I did the test.
How is your battery so far? On my i9505, it drains about .5 to 1% per hour. On my M919 it drains 2.5% and higher. This is with google+ and all other bloatwiz disabled.
One other thing: Before buying the M919, I compared the frequency bands it is capable of receiving, to ensure it had all the same ones that that were in the I337. Wikipedia has a useful comparison chart, but there are other comparisons out there too. I found this from several sources:
The AT&T variant is model SGH-i337 with the following compatible bands:
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850 (B5), UMTS1900 (B2), UMTS2100 (B1), LTE700 (B17), LTE1700/2100 (B4)
The T-Mobile variant is model SGH-m919 with the following compatible bands:
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850 (B5), UMTS900 (B8), UMTS1700/2100 (B4), UMTS1900 (B2), UMTS2100 (B1), LTE700 (B17), LTE850 (B5), LTE1700/2100 (B4), LTE1900 (B2)
So, the T-Mobile has a bit more band range than the ATT version, but contains all the necessary ATT bands.
Regarding battery: On my I337, fully debloated with GoldenEye, I had about 0.3% per hour battery drain (wifi/cell enabled). I hadn't done much customization myself, but GoldenEye was by default pretty battery-thrify in terms of default settings.
When I was on M919 4.2.2 stock, not rooted, wifi/cell on, I had drain about 1.0%. After moving to Dirty Unicorns ROM (4.4.4) it's about 0.8% per hour, but I've done NOTHING to improve battery usage, and DU isn't by default as thrifty as GoldenEye was. I'm sure I can review the settings and go through the "Insane battery life" thread and get down to around where I was on the I337/GoldenEye... it's just a matter of taking the time.
For me, I get through the work day with 75% left on my phone most of the time, and top it off overnight, so I'm not that worried about the details enough to spend the time optimizing it.
Marc
The more LTE bands and the unlocked bootloader were the reasons I bought the M919 against the ATT variant too. I am really happy with my i9505 but I thought I was missing out on the faster LTE signals. I think my faster battery discharge is attributed to poor LTE signal in my bedroom. Thanks for starting the thread. I am sure it will help others trying figure out which one is the better model, and M919 it is.
I had my phone SIM unlocked from T-Mobile and have been on AT&T for the past 4 months. When I started out I was on 4.3 and had absolutely fantastic service. Until about 2 months ago when I randomly decided to update to 4.4.2 and had that update virtually ruin the phone for me. I became one of the lucky recipients of constant random connection loss that gives no indication that it has happened. The only way to get signal back from this is to reboot the phone. From what I've read it is a network switching issue of some sort and thus far the only way to have the phone work for an extended period of time is to put it in GSM only mode, which basically locks me to EDGE speeds. The phone will not lose connection in GSM mode. I have gotten a new SIM card and also tested the SIM in a Windows phone and have no issues. So it's almost certainly tied to the phone and not specifically AT&T, however I wonder if it has anything to do with having a T-Mobile phone on AT&T. I have links to a couple threads on the issue, but I cannot post outside links yet.
I have researched as much as I can and tried quit a few different things to alleviate the problem. My KNOX flag is tripped, so any warranty service is unlikely. I have tried multiple custom ROMS, from TW to AOSP. One AOSP ROM seems to be able to reconnect to 4G after a few minutes of losing the signal, but the loss of signal is anywhere from 5-10% of the time, which is pretty poor considering I'm within line of sight of the cell tower I'm connected to.
I am currently on a 4.4.4 AOSP ROM, with the NH7 Baseband. I've thought about and tried to research a bit about flashing a different modem, but haven't seen any solid information on if I can do that safely being on 4.4.4. At this point I'm personally out of ideas for what to do about this. I don't have too many options other than AT&T at the moment, so my goal is to continue to stick with them and keep moving forward to resolve this phone's issue.
Punkamonk said:
I had my phone SIM unlocked from T-Mobile and have been on AT&T for the past 4 months. When I started out I was on 4.3 and had absolutely fantastic service. Until about 2 months ago when I randomly decided to update to 4.4.2 and had that update virtually ruin the phone for me. I became one of the lucky recipients of constant random connection loss that gives no indication that it has happened. The only way to get signal back from this is to reboot the phone. From what I've read it is a network switching issue of some sort and thus far the only way to have the phone work for an extended period of time is to put it in GSM only mode, which basically locks me to EDGE speeds. The phone will not lose connection in GSM mode. I have gotten a new SIM card and also tested the SIM in a Windows phone and have no issues. So it's almost certainly tied to the phone and not specifically AT&T, however I wonder if it has anything to do with having a T-Mobile phone on AT&T. I have links to a couple threads on the issue, but I cannot post outside links yet.
I have researched as much as I can and tried quit a few different things to alleviate the problem. My KNOX flag is tripped, so any warranty service is unlikely. I have tried multiple custom ROMS, from TW to AOSP. One AOSP ROM seems to be able to reconnect to 4G after a few minutes of losing the signal, but the loss of signal is anywhere from 5-10% of the time, which is pretty poor considering I'm within line of sight of the cell tower I'm connected to.
I am currently on a 4.4.4 AOSP ROM, with the NH7 Baseband. I've thought about and tried to research a bit about flashing a different modem, but haven't seen any solid information on if I can do that safely being on 4.4.4. At this point I'm personally out of ideas for what to do about this. I don't have too many options other than AT&T at the moment, so my goal is to continue to stick with them and keep moving forward to resolve this phone's issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried flashing the full NH7 firmware and making sure you are on NH7 bootloader as well?
serio22 said:
Have you tried flashing the full NH7 firmware and making sure you are on NH7 bootloader as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before I installed a custom recovery I flashed the Official Stock 4.4.4 via ODIN (Downloaded from sammobile) as I had been rooted and couldn't OTA update. I don't recall verifying the boot loader, but I would assume that it was NH7. It honestly got worse in 4.4.4. In 4.4.2 it seemed drop connection every 12-36 hours, whereas on 4.4.4 it will take anywhere from minutes to a few hours, but it's never lasted more than 12.
Go into terminal emulator and type this: getprop ro.bootloader and make sure you have NH7 if not flash firmware again.. If you do have NH7 I would flash firmware again anyway and use stock for a while to see if the issue persists on stock as well.. Maybe other M919 users on at&t can chime in on this
@Punkamonk,
Since lots of ATT network users use the M919 version of the phone (because the ATT version has a locked bootloader), and this problem isn't a general thing that affects us all, I'd say it's something with your phone. Once you've ensured you are fully on the NH7 bootloader so that you don't have to worry about mismatched bits and pieces, as serio22 said run stock for a while. Doublecheck your APN settings (see all things att thread and my first post) to make sure they match what is needed for ATT... and be sure your preferred network mode is set to LTE. I'd also be curious to get some signal strength readings (in db) from the status screen.
My M919 is still on the MDL bootloader, and thus the MDL LTE modem (LTE modem is paired to the bootloader), but I use the NB4 GSM modem (baseband). For the record, I didn't see any improvement when I flashed the NB4 GSM modem replacing the MDL GSM modem. So I have no plans to flash the NH7 modem.... everything is working fine for me so I'm not messing with anything.
If stock, with ATT APN, and you keep losing network, I would start to suspect a problem with the phone hardware.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
Marc
Frankenscript said:
@Punkamonk,
,,,,,,,If stock, with ATT APN, and you keep losing network, I would start to suspect a problem with the phone hardware.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on the NH7 Bootloader.
I was stock 4.4.4. for about a week before I flashed a custom recovery for the first time and started trying custom ROMs . I had rooted 4.4.2 only after having major issues with losing connection. When I upgraded to 4.4.4, with hopes that the issue would be fixed, I left it completely unrooted and stock and lost connection within a few hours. APN settings have been check and rechecked quite a few times, as well as being re-setup with AT&T Customer support.
During the time that the phone actually works and connects properly, it works great. I had installed stock 4.4.4, confirmed it working at home, traveled to work, had it work there for an hour or so, and eventually have it lose connection and have to reboot to restore it. The phone will also work consistently in GSM only mode, but being locked to 2G speeds is almost pointless. There are AT&T cell towers directly next to my home and my work, so lack of reception isn't the issue.
I'm almost tempted to transfer to T-Mobile again and see if I still have the issue on their network. However, T-Mobile doesn't have service inside my home OR at my job, so being able to identify an issue with reception would be extremely difficult. I feel like it's not specifically a hardware issue as there are enough near exact reports of the same issue with the same bandaid solution (GSM only mode) remedying the problem.
Sounds to me like a glitch in the LTE modem that could be either hardware or firmware related. It may seem extreme, but you could always buy another m919 off swappa, use for a while (stock), and see if the problem follows. Recoup most of cost by selling one of the phones after sorting the problem out. If it does, you've ruled out the phone a hardware and software and can then start fighting with ATT over an LTE service issue in your area.
This kind of thing would drive me insane... Spending some $ to figure it out conclusively would be worth it to me, but I'm not sure how many would similarly prioritize this kind of troubleshooting.
Marc
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
I thought of another test you could do. It is known that mismatching the LTE modem (non-hlos.bin) with the rest of the firmware causes problems with sound / WiFi.
As a short term test, what if you flashed the full MDL LTE / GSM modem package (non-hlos.bin and modem.bin) to your phone. This would cause the problems above but would let you test LTE signal retention on the older firmware. If the problem is solved you will eliminate hardware and network issues from consideration.
Once test is complete you can Odin back.
Marc
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Punkamonk said:
I had my phone SIM unlocked from T-Mobile and have been on AT&T for the past 4 months. When I started out I was on 4.3 and had absolutely fantastic service. Until about 2 months ago when I randomly decided to update to 4.4.2 and had that update virtually ruin the phone for me. I became one of the lucky recipients of constant random connection loss that gives no indication that it has happened. The only way to get signal back from this is to reboot the phone. From what I've read it is a network switching issue of some sort and thus far the only way to have the phone work for an extended period of time is to put it in GSM only mode, which basically locks me to EDGE speeds. The phone will not lose connection in GSM mode. I have gotten a new SIM card and also tested the SIM in a Windows phone and have no issues. So it's almost certainly tied to the phone and not specifically AT&T, however I wonder if it has anything to do with having a T-Mobile phone on AT&T. I have links to a couple threads on the issue, but I cannot post outside links yet.
I have researched as much as I can and tried quit a few different things to alleviate the problem. My KNOX flag is tripped, so any warranty service is unlikely. I have tried multiple custom ROMS, from TW to AOSP. One AOSP ROM seems to be able to reconnect to 4G after a few minutes of losing the signal, but the loss of signal is anywhere from 5-10% of the time, which is pretty poor considering I'm within line of sight of the cell tower I'm connected to.
I am currently on a 4.4.4 AOSP ROM, with the NH7 Baseband. I've thought about and tried to research a bit about flashing a different modem, but haven't seen any solid information on if I can do that safely being on 4.4.4. At this point I'm personally out of ideas for what to do about this. I don't have too many options other than AT&T at the moment, so my goal is to continue to stick with them and keep moving forward to resolve this phone's issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to do a NV Rebuild ... you can find info in the unlocking thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2283068
Frankenscript said:
I thought of another test you could do. It is known that mismatching the LTE modem (non-hlos.bin) with the rest of the firmware causes problems with sound / WiFi.
As a short term test, what if you flashed the full MDL LTE / GSM modem package (non-hlos.bin and modem.bin) to your phone. This would cause the problems above but would let you test LTE signal retention on the older firmware. If the problem is solved you will eliminate hardware and network issues from consideration.
Once test is complete you can Odin back.
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadn't tried this yet since I thought that it might cause more problems than it would help. But, since it might be able to rule out the hardware, I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the advice!
Frankenscript said:
I thought of another test you could do. It is known that mismatching the LTE modem (non-hlos.bin) with the rest of the firmware causes problems with sound / WiFi.
As a short term test, what if you flashed the full MDL LTE / GSM modem package (non-hlos.bin and modem.bin) to your phone. This would cause the problems above but would let you test LTE signal retention on the older firmware. If the problem is solved you will eliminate hardware and network issues from consideration.
Once test is complete you can Odin back.
Marc
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, I hadn't gotten the chance to try this until today. I had been using a AOSP ROM and just left it in WCDMA mode and it worked fine for the time being. Now I am trying to do this, however I'm not completely sure of how to do it. I've used ODIN before, but none of the guides I've been able to find dictate exactly what I'm supposed to do having both files. I have downloaded the MDL firmware and have extracted modem.bin and NON-HLOS.bin from it. Do I flash both of them the same way, one right after the other? Or do I have to do something else?
I believe the right way to do it is find the modem package in flashable form, then flash using ODIN in one of the slots ODIN has for doing it... Someone likely has a link handy...
I ended up setting up a new T-Mobile account with their $30 prepaid plan to test if there are any issues with LTE on T-Mobile. I learned that T-Mobile has deployed LTE service in my neighborhood now and that I have very good reception if I'm not inside of my metal house. Using T-Mobile, I had been away from home all yesterday and over 12 hours, I have 0% time without signal. So, from that test I'm going to say that my issue most likely isn't an issue with the phone alone.
I put in my AT&T SIM last night and was delighted to see that it connected with LTE immediately. I've left Wifi off and have now used the phone for about 18 hours without any interruptions. I'm honestly confused as to what is going on since right before I put the T-Mobile SIM in I had tested it and lost the LTE connection within an hour. I'm home and charging the phone and everything seems to be working great. I'm stumped.
Very good troubleshooting. Your problem is a very strange one. I've never quite heard the like of it. But I'm glad that things are going well for the moment, though I don't want to jinx you.
Marc
About 36 hours into using the phone on AT&T, it went back to its same old ways. LTE stopped working and regular WCDMA worked perfectly.
However, I've been using the phone exclusively with T-Mobile for a week now and aside from actual T-Mobile coverage issues, the phone is working flawlessly. I have been traveling over a roughly 80 mile area this week and it switches modes without issue.
So, is it possible there's some sort of an issue with my account setup with AT&T? I tried to call them and explain the issue but they gave me nothing but "we don't guarantee LTE on non-AT&T branded phones". I tried to get the rep to escalate me, but she just kept reading from her script telling me more random things about how it's probably my phone's issue or an APN issue, which I'm fairly sure it isn't since it will connect to LTE and have everything working for some amount of time.
I'm kinda baffled what to do other than try and argue my way up the ladder again.
Hi,
I have a T-Mobile S4 and have seen several threads about installing a TMo ROM and kernel on an AT&T S4, but I just switched to AT&T and wondered about installing a stock 4.4.4 At&t ROM and kernel on my TMo S4. It's unlocked and I run Pacman on it now but for some reason, it very rarely gets an LTE signal and seems to choose "H" when my wife's at&t phone uses LTE. I've tried different combinations of Preferred Network Modes and nothing helps. I was hoping a stock at&t would run better. Is this possible or can anyone lead me in the right direction?
Thanks
First thing to do is check the APN. Make sure the settings match ATT stock, as shown here in the APN section.
Running an ATT ROM wouldn't actually give you better reception. However, it's well known that TouchWiz ROMS report higher signal strength than AOSP ROMs or iPhone for that matter. It's not that Touchwiz actually gets better reception, they just report it in terms of bars biased more highly. I did a study on this by reading signal strength (in db) on my M919 phone running an AOSP based ROM, next to an actual ATT I337, and an iPhone 5S. Actually the M919 got the best reception (in terms of db, by a small margin) but the reported bars were lower than the other two. Here is a link.
It's possible that the way your ROM/Kernel are set up, the threshold to switch to H+ instead is different than in TouchWiz. You could try running the M919 stock firmware for a while, and see how it does. You could also just try updating to the latest LTE modem (which requires bringing your bootloader up to current as well).
Good luck and let us know what you find.
Marc
Thanks for the awesome help. That's exactly what I wanted to know. I ended up deleting all of the extra APNs except for the necessary ATT phone one and its been working great. For some reason it would randomly switch to a worse APN when it had choices.
Glad I ran across this thread. I am running Net10 and deleting all extra apns changed my phone from unusable indoors, to always having 2 or 3 bars . I can't believe it took me this long to try it. Thanks for the help.