[Q] LTE on AT&T? - Galaxy S 4 Mini Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Once a custom rom is completed is it possible to turn lte on for the at&t network band?

IIRC the LTE model of the S4 Mini only has the bands used internationally and not the bands used by At&t in the US. This is a hardware restriction that cannot be fixed with software.
But, an LTE model of the S4 Mini with At&t LTE capability just passed through the FCC a few days ago so it may be coming to At&t:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/23/samsung-galaxy-s4-mini-returns-to-the-fcc-with-att-capable-lte/

Related

Verizon Note 2 Vs. T-Mobile Note 2

Which Note 2 supports more networks and frequencies; and therefore, which would be more suitable for international travel. Is the Verizon Note 2 even pentaband?
T mobile version because it's gsm which is going to work overseas. Verizon is a CDMA and I haven't read that it has gsm support.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Rhiannon224 said:
T mobile version because it's gsm which is going to work overseas. Verizon is a CDMA and I haven't read that it has gsm support.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, the T-Mobile version will work in more places overseas -- Especially Europe. Just in case, you might want to ask this in the Verizon area also just to make sure. :good:
I'm confused because on Samsungs website, http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SCH-I605TSAVZW-specs
the Verizon Model has the GSM frequencies,
is it GSM if unlocked; i believe the Note 2 is already unlocked by verizon, will it work on GSM frequencies internationally?
correct me if I'm wrong, thanks
the verizon Galaxy Note II apparently has the GSM radios,
also has LTE; doesn't AT&T LTE work along same frequencies as verizon LTE
or is the verizon LTE exlusively to CDMA?
All Galaxy Note 2 devices seem to have all WCDMA, GSM, and LTE bands.
But what I understand is that Verizon version is considered as a "world" phone. I know that they tell me that I can use their Galaxy Note 2 on the European Networks.
I have played around with the bands on my T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2 and can get the WCDMA and LTE working. So I don't know if the Modem firmware in all Galaxy Note 2 are the same and just need to be activated by the carrier's sim card or not. Someone please educate us on the this. I know that their is talk of needing OTA update to activate the LTE within T-Mobile GN2. But if the Modem is all the same then can just updating or exchanging the sim card could do the same? Or does the nv file also needs to be updated to activate the band/s as well?
The question is not if Galaxy Note 2 (all verisons) have the bands. But how to (the actual process) activate the band, in question, and get the Galaxy Note 2 in working order with the carrier of choice? What is the method? How to do the process of this method?
Please correct me if I am getting this wrong.
^ good point, and also just to ask about the verizon note 2 again, i thought it carries carries an an additional radio for CDMA, does this mean that the verizon note 2 model has better capabilities worldwide' since it is virtually compatible with all networks in the world (simply tweaks to the frequencies to the radio can get the verizon variant working virtually anywhere) please correct me if I'm wrong here. thanks
N/m ...
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
Problem I have seen in the past with Verizon world phones is that the game frequencies only work overseas. And lte is gsm band. Which is one of the few reasons Verizon phones have a sim slot to begin with
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
All recent Verizon LTE phones have GSM radios built in as well as their own CDMA/LTE radio. The LTE radio is only compatible with their network.
Some of these phones are even shipped out of the box unlocked and can be used immediately on GSM networks in the U.S.
If you do get the Verizon Note II and want to use it on T-Mobile, it will not have support for their HSPA+ 42mbps network, I believe it maxes out at 21mbps, as with all other Note II's around the world except for T-Mobiles.
But doesn't Verizon use LTE on the 700 band just like AT&T and future TMobile LTE?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Please correct me if I'm wrong, thank you.
nerdydesi said:
All recent Verizon LTE phones have GSM radios built in as well as their own CDMA/LTE radio. The LTE radio is only compatible with their network.
Some of these phones are even shipped out of the box unlocked and can be used immediately on GSM networks in the U.S.
If you do get the Verizon Note II and want to use it on T-Mobile, it will not have support for their HSPA+ 42mbps network, I believe it maxes out at 21mbps, as with all other Note II's around the world except for T-Mobiles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the Verizon Note2 is like the AT&T Note2 & Sprint Note2 (supporting 21Mbps HSPA+ but not 42Mbps like T-Mobile) but all only with their own respective LTE?..wouldn't it be more cost effective for Samsung just to make 1 phone with all the hardware to support all (isn't the iPhone5 like that now?) or is it cost prohibitive or do carriers not want to make it easier to unlock?
Are we still confident that the T-Mobile Note2 is the best if we want the flexibility to use on all carriers? How often is >21Mbps HSPA+ seen in real world use & why is the disabled LTE not listed at http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1877 ?
So, which is better then, Verizon or T-Mobile? Verizon's Note 2 also includes a CDMA radio whereas the T-Mobile version does not. If you are using the Note 2 in the US, wouldn't you have more flexible options in terms of which carrier to use?
nerdydesi said:
All recent Verizon LTE phones have GSM radios built in as well as their own CDMA/LTE radio. The LTE radio is only compatible with their network.
Some of these phones are even shipped out of the box unlocked and can be used immediately on GSM networks in the U.S.
If you do get the Verizon Note II and want to use it on T-Mobile, it will not have support for their HSPA+ 42mbps network, I believe it maxes out at 21mbps, as with all other Note II's around the world except for T-Mobiles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So do we consider the Verizon Note2 even more carrier flexible than T-Mobile's Note2 (as I was about ready to buy the T-Mobile Note2 to try their $30/mo plan but now having some doubts..if I want this tomorrow I need to order soon) ?
-Thnx
Well LTE On the Verizon Note 2 is only compatible with Verizon's Network. Even if unlocked; the phone's firmware only recognizes LTE if only the Verizon 750 band is detected. Verizon has its own exclusive LTE bands compared to AT&T and Future T-Mobile LTE (sharing the same LTE bands)
SMARTPHONEPC said:
So do we consider the Verizon Note2 even more carrier flexible than T-Mobile's Note2 (as I was about ready to buy the T-Mobile Note2 to try their $30/mo plan but now having some doubts..if I want this tomorrow I need to order soon) ?
-Thnx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot speak to the CDMA radio issue, but I am positive that Verizon LTE will not work with any GSM LTE phone. The frequencies are similar, but Verizon is using a different LTE protocol. I asked that question a long time ago, thinking that LTE would finally allow roaming between Verizon and AT&T, but they are too clever to allow such a democratic system to function. They will remain fundamentally incompatible, not because they need to be, but because they want it that way to keep you locked to your carrier by your choice of device. Nice, eh?
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
The Verizon NoteII will (in theory) connect to any gsm carrier. How to do so, I don't know.
Sent from my very "non-stock" TP.
^^^ Well, the Verizon Note 2 will not be able to work with another carrier's LTE than itself.
my experience
Hey folks,
I've got the Verizon Note 2 and I love it. If you're willing to unlock the bootloader and then install a hack onto your device, you'll easily be able to swap the SIM card out and use it just about anywhere. Yes, the phone is carrier unlocked (not the same as bootloader unlocked). The issue is that in the settings, they won't let you add the specific APNs for the carriers you need. I"m not sure how else to get around that without installing some of the hacks. I managed to do it and it works beautifully on Canada's Bell Mobility, HSPA+ is screamingly fast and the LTE on VErizon in the States is just insanely fast. My recommendation: get the Verizon version because they've built out their LTE much more than their rivals at this point.
On anantech the reviewer stated that the tmobile version would be the most compatible. If you get vzw note2 and switch you wont get lte on tmob or att. Quite frankly vzw is too expensive and the coverage from tmobile is getting better by the month. Not to mention their business pricing is better than any of the other carriers.

What does this mean...?

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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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".

Will T-Mobile S4 work on AT&T S4 and vice versa..

Hello,
I'm in a dilemma where I have personal T-Mobile service, and AT&T service with my work. I want to purchase the variant of the S4 that will have the best compatibility with both networks (including HSPA, HSPA+, LTE). T-Mobile LTE has also already gone live in my market.
It seems the international i9505 support's T-Mobile's LTE bands (AWS 1700 / 2100 MHz LTE)
However, AT&T's variant (SGH-i337) supports AT&T's LTE (LTE 700 MHz Class 17)
Can anyone confirm if the international model also supports AT&T's LTE 700 MHz Class 17 Network?
Thanks!
From TMO spec sheets, it shows that it supports AT&T LTE bands. There are threads on this already.

S4 bands issue

Hi there ,
I have an s4 sgh m919 from tmobile and I live in venezuela I already unlocked the phone but it only receive EDGE signal because my carrier lte 4g uses the lte band3 (1800mhz) wich this phone doesnt have.
Is there anyway to "unlock" that band ? Or I have to buy the international version?

I9195 LTE and AT&T Support?

I bought this because the reception on my S2 is just unbearable.
It's advertised as being 4G/LTE But it seems the out of box bands are every band except the ones North American carriers use.
Has anyone gotten true 4G/LTE reception on AT&T in America? I9190 model? I9195? Do the Qualcomm tools work for unlocking bands?
I'm sure 3G reception will at least be better than on my S2.
EDIT: Found the Answer. It has 5 LTE bands, none of which are used in America. So no 4G or LTE on this model in america. For anyone wanting LTE on AT&T in America get an SGH-I257M/SGH-I257 model. I just bought a motherboard off ebay. Also, apparently all I9195 roms work on I257M just fine.

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