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Though I think the Fascinate looks better and has a camera flash, the Vibrant seems to look better on paper: More on-board memory, HSDPA offers "potentially" fasters data speeds, Tmo can do voice and data at the same time while Verizon can't, no Bing or VZ apps on the Vibrant, and I can buy the phone out of contract at a reduced rate.
The only thing that makes me hesitate (besides the less-appealing design), is Tmo's coverage vs. Verizon. I'm primarily in L.A. / I.E. and do some occasional traveling, and have no experience with Tmo service. Should I be concerned or just make the jump?
i can't speak for 3G coverage on Tmo vs Verizon but can on voice call svc
Tmo seems to have partnered with every small carrier around the country - every year i make about 5-6 visits to clients or suppliers around the country with two other folks from partner companies - one is on AT&T and one on Verizon - and every time we're in a rural area, their svc drops out before my Tmo's does
Last Dec we were heading south out of derby, VT ((on the canadian border) and about 35 miles south you're heading into foothills - my bud with verizon lost his svc, and had to use my phone for about 20 minutes (my tmo was showing 1 bar signal) - he finished his call and about 5 minutes were were i the hills with no signal
when we started coming out of the foothills (they were really mountains but we were gaining elevation with numerous small rock outcroppings around us), anyway, when we started coming out, my Tmo was first to have svc again
they always notice my Tmo's svc is better than their's
and there's no roaming chgs with Tmo here in US or at least i've never had any
have had similiar experiences traveling thru rural S. Carolina, Georgia, Tenn, W VA, Kentucky and western TX and thru New Mexico
nice info above.. but yes.. T-Mobile is GSM/W-CDMA/UMTS/HSPA+ so u can talk-n-surf over 3G (21HSPA+).. also, our speeds dominates all US carriers (even Sprints 4G/WiMax).. T-Mobile will upgrade its HSPA+ data again in 2011 from 21mbps to 42mbps.. i live in Seattle and we have 21HSPA+, but real world results will be between 5-10mbps (also depending on your device limitation).. also, T-Mobile gives u more bang for your buck.. but yes, they do have a smaller foorprint (mainly in more rural areas).. no problem for me since i stay in cities, and not in the boonies.
Even tho Verizon ADDED flash, it gimped its I.M. to 2GB (also no FFC--only Sprint has FFC).. T-Mobile even packed the Vibrant with a few goodies like the movie Avatar.
The Los Angeles and Inland Empire area have good 3G coverage from what I hear. HSPA+ is growing too. 3G coverage when traveling won't be like Verizon so I would check to see if 3G coverage overall is good enough for you.
sec1has said:
Though I think the Fascinate looks better and has a camera flash, the Vibrant seems to look better on paper: More on-board memory, HSDPA offers "potentially" fasters data speeds, Tmo can do voice and data at the same time while Verizon can't, no Bing or VZ apps on the Vibrant, and I can buy the phone out of contract at a reduced rate.
The only thing that makes me hesitate (besides the less-appealing design), is Tmo's coverage vs. Verizon. I'm primarily in L.A. / I.E. and do some occasional traveling, and have no experience with Tmo service. Should I be concerned or just make the jump?
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I live down in the high desert, and travel all the time between here and L.A. and San Diego, and have excellent coverage all over the I.E./L.A./San Diego area. So I don't think you have much to fear with transferring over to tmo
Looks like I'll be switching carriers.
sec1has said:
Looks like I'll be switching carriers.
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Cool Enjoy Calling People and Going Online at the same time with a faster 3G
sec1has said:
Looks like I'll be switching carriers.
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Before you do, find out from people using T-Mobile in the areas that you frequent how their reception is. I love T-Mobile. Their CS rocks and prices are very good, but I couldn't get reception at my desk in my office in Manhattan and had to switch. It's great that it works 35 miles from the Canadian border, but if it doesn't work where you need it, it doesn't work.
Drachen said:
Before you do, find out from people using T-Mobile in the areas that you frequent how their reception is. I love T-Mobile. Their CS rocks and prices are very good, but I couldn't get reception at my desk in my office in Manhattan and had to switch. It's great that it works 35 miles from the Canadian border, but if it doesn't work where you need it, it doesn't work.
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When was that and with what phone? T-Mobile is extremely good in Los Angeles, I don't think you know how good they are out there. There will be weak zones for any carrier but T-Mobile is great in Los Angeles. It's their core market. Also there are some sites planned later this year to go online. Not to mention when I took at look at compass.t-mobile.com, not only was NYC lit up with over 40 new towers (includes microcells), so was the Los Angeles area.. 20 new sites in one zip code earlier this year. So, things are always subject to change.
Drachen said:
Before you do, find out from people using T-Mobile in the areas that you frequent how their reception is. I love T-Mobile. Their CS rocks and prices are very good, but I couldn't get reception at my desk in my office in Manhattan and had to switch. It's great that it works 35 miles from the Canadian border, but if it doesn't work where you need it, it doesn't work.
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can't say anything about manhatten, but worked fine in queens when i visited the inlaws last thanksgiving
I live in the same areas you metioned L.A./I.E. and i have tmo the service is great in L.A. I had verizon and went to school in west la and the service was patchy but with tmo it was at minimum 2 bars all over same area with 3g. the only problem i find with tmo is going to events with a lot of people/cells phones, the phone has service/3g but i couldn't text, make a call, or use the internet. i have problems with this at dodger games and i had problems during the summer at coachella but i love tmo and will definitely be getting the vibrant!!
pinkgabe said:
I live in the same areas you metioned L.A./I.E. and i have tmo the service is great in L.A. I had verizon and went to school in west la and the service was patchy but with tmo it was at minimum 2 bars all over same area with 3g. the only problem i find with tmo is going to events with a lot of people/cells phones, the phone has service/3g but i couldn't text, make a call, or use the internet. i have problems with this at dodger games and i had problems during the summer at coachella but i love tmo and will definitely be getting the vibrant!!
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The Pre-HSPA+ network was pretty limited in terms of how many calls and data it could handle but HSPA+ should alleviate that until the site runs out of spectrum (slots for calls/data).
heygrl said:
Not to mention when I took at look at compass.t-mobile.com, not only was NYC lit up with over 40 new towers (includes microcells), so was the Los Angeles area.. 20 new sites in one zip code earlier this year. So, things are always subject to change.
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Not about to get into an argument about it, just going by my own experience. I used several HTC phones, a MDA, Touch Duo and Diamond. I found the reception great where I live near the Empire State Building, but really crappy in my office in Flatiron and under Grand Central. Even A/B tested with borrowed iPhone SIMs to make sure it was a carrier issue and not a phone issue. I switched to AT&T in Nov of 2008 and haven't had a problem since using a Fuze, Omnia 2 and Nexus One. (Meanwhile T-Mobile went from having only crap phones to a great lineup and AT&T went to becoming a one-trick iPony)
My point wasn't that T-Mobile sucks. I rather like the company, but the service didn't work for me in the places I tend to be a lot. My point was that you should try to actually confirm the reception yourself in the places you frequent rather than just going by others' experiences.
pinkgabe said:
I live in the same areas you metioned L.A./I.E. and i have tmo the service is great in L.A. I had verizon and went to school in west la and the service was patchy but with tmo it was at minimum 2 bars all over same area with 3g. the only problem i find with tmo is going to events with a lot of people/cells phones, the phone has service/3g but i couldn't text, make a call, or use the internet. i have problems with this at dodger games and i had problems during the summer at coachella but i love tmo and will definitely be getting the vibrant!!
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Drachen said:
Not about to get into an argument about it, just going by my own experience. I used several HTC phones, a MDA, Touch Duo and Diamond. I found the reception great where I live near the Empire State Building, but really crappy in my office in Flatiron and under Grand Central. Even A/B tested with borrowed iPhone SIMs to make sure it was a carrier issue and not a phone issue. I switched to AT&T in Nov of 2008 and haven't had a problem since using a Fuze, Omnia 2 and Nexus One. (Meanwhile T-Mobile went from having only crap phones to a great lineup and AT&T went to becoming a one-trick iPony)
My point wasn't that T-Mobile sucks. I rather like the company, but the service didn't work for me in the places I tend to be a lot. My point was that you should try to actually confirm the reception yourself in the places you frequent rather than just going by others' experiences.
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November 2008 is far too long ago. HTC/Apple (especially Samsung) phones also really don't offer good reception regardless of sim swapping. A phone with crap reception will be even crappier on PCS and less crappy on CLR (850). I already stated that I've seen over 40 pink "T"'s on compass.t-mobile.com in NYC earlier this year which ultimately means coverage has improved since 2008. ATM there are over 7 new sites showing and that's within the last 90 days.
That doesn't mean the coverage isn't weak, but the phone matters greatly and the ones you listed are all average or below average. I can go out to a warehouse and have my Samsung phone lose coverage, but not my Motorola? If I only had Samsung phones I'd probably think there was no coverage in that warehouse when there actually is coverage, my Samsung just didn't pick up the signal.
I will say this about T-Mobiles service, about 6 months ago the best signal I could get in my house was edge, now mind you the only carriers getting signal at all in my house were Verizon and T-Mobile. AT&T and Sprint could not get a signal whatsoever even at a window.
Well I woke up one morning and saw a full 5 bars of 3G and thought I was dreaming. Well low and behold now I have that all the time just about anywhere I go. For the record I only live about 10-15 minutes from Boston, so it's not like I'm in the middle of nowhere lol.
Just waiting patiently for my HSPA+ now, which the Boston market is confirmed as getting it soon.
heygrl said:
November 2008 is far too long ago. HTC/Apple (especially Samsung) phones also really don't offer good reception regardless of sim swapping. A phone with crap reception will be even crappier on PCS and less crappy on CLR (850). I already stated that I've seen over 40 pink "T"'s on compass.t-mobile.com in NYC earlier this year which ultimately means coverage has improved since 2008. ATM there are over 7 new sites showing and that's within the last 90 days.
That doesn't mean the coverage isn't weak, but the phone matters greatly and the ones you listed are all average or below average. I can go out to a warehouse and have my Samsung phone lose coverage, but not my Motorola? If I only had Samsung phones I'd probably think there was no coverage in that warehouse when there actually is coverage, my Samsung just didn't pick up the signal.
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I think you're basically illustrating my point. All the reasons I switched are irrelevant to anyone that is not me in Nov of 2008. They were highly relevant to me in Nov of 2008, considering that I couldn't get service in a place I spend 1/3 of my life on weekdays. It didn't matter how good the reception would be once they finished the AWS rollout, how good it was in LA or 35 miles from the Canadian border or the fact that the phones I like have sub-par reception. The decision had to be made based on my own experience not someone else saying that it was good.
Drachen said:
I think you're basically illustrating my point. All the reasons I switched are irrelevant to anyone that is not me in Nov of 2008. They were highly relevant to me in Nov of 2008, considering that I couldn't get service in a place I spend 1/3 of my life on weekdays. It didn't matter how good the reception would be once they finished the AWS rollout, how good it was in LA or 35 miles from the Canadian border or the fact that the phones I like have sub-par reception. The decision had to be made based on my own experience not someone else saying that it was good.
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So why would you post here? Seriously though...
heygrl said:
So why would you post here? Seriously though...
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Because this is a phone forum and not a (no offense) network fanboy forum. The phone I want and the phone you want are basically the same and there's more activity here. A root update was posted in the Vibrant dev forum that answered a question on the Captivate forum. Our phone drops 3 days after yours and there's going to be a lot of experimentation going on and the results will benefit both of us.
That and I thought I had something to add to the conversation and couldn't keep my trap shut. Personal failing.
heygrl said:
So why would you post here? Seriously though...
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Drachen said:
Because this is a phone forum and not a (no offense) network fanboy forum. The phone I want and the phone you want are basically the same and there's more activity here. A root update was posted in the Vibrant dev forum that answered a question on the Captivate forum. Our phone drops 3 days after yours and there's going to be a lot of experimentation going on and the results will benefit both of us.
That and I thought I had something to add to the conversation and couldn't keep my trap shut. Personal failing.
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I doesn't really matter whose on what carrier. Each person is going to have different needs and different carriers will support those different needs. I think we can all agree this will be a kick ass phone and blows the iphone out of the water.
I thought engadget did a piece on data rates of carriers & ATT came out on top. Was this incorrect?
On paper, Sprint and T-Mobile seem like complete opposites: Sprint has 4G, T-Mobile has "4G speeds" with HSPA+; Sprint is CDMA, T-Mobile is GSM; Sprint is yellow, T-Mobile is magenta. Ok, maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch, but you get the point. Despite the glaring differences, a rumor has surfaced today stating that the two carriers may soon be in cahoots to finish building out Sprint's 4G network. Three people "familiar with the situation" have spoken to the Wall Street Journal, saying that Sprint's board of directors is considering allowing T-Mobile to invest in Clearwire, the company that is aiding Sprint with their WiMAX network (Sprint also owns 54 percent of Clearwire). Clearwire currently needs billions of dollars to finished expanding its 4G network, the WSJ says, and it needs to figure out if it will continue to soldier on alone or get some financial aid from T-Mobile. This isn't the first time we've heard the possibility of Sprint and T-Mobile teaming up and, if Clearwire and Sprint need as much cash as the WSJ says they do, it may not be the last time.
Although Sprint and T-Mobile could use each other to help bring the fight to AT&T and Verizon, I would be kind of surprised to the number three and four carriers come together. T-Mobile seems pretty invested in their HSPA+ network upgrades and, if they were to invest in WiMAX, their hot new HSPA+ phones would become kind of obsolete. It would, however, allow them to immediately have a 4G network available to some of its customers, so maybe the idea isn't so far-fetched. What do you think, readers? Will we soon be hearing about SprinT-Mobile?
source: http://www.phonedog.com/2010/09/03/rumor-sprint-and-t-mobile-may-team-up-to-complete-4g-network/
I'll believe it when I see it. Number three and number four? I agree with T being four in terms of network Sprint is #2 behind Verizon last I heard.
auau465121 said:
On paper, Sprint and T-Mobile seem like complete opposites: Sprint has 4G, T-Mobile has "4G speeds" with HSPA+; Sprint is CDMA, T-Mobile is GSM; Sprint is yellow, T-Mobile is magenta. Ok, maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch, but you get the point. Despite the glaring differences, a rumor has surfaced today stating that the two carriers may soon be in cahoots to finish building out Sprint's 4G network. Three people "familiar with the situation" have spoken to the Wall Street Journal, saying that Sprint's board of directors is considering allowing T-Mobile to invest in Clearwire, the company that is aiding Sprint with their WiMAX network (Sprint also owns 54 percent of Clearwire). Clearwire currently needs billions of dollars to finished expanding its 4G network, the WSJ says, and it needs to figure out if it will continue to soldier on alone or get some financial aid from T-Mobile. This isn't the first time we've heard the possibility of Sprint and T-Mobile teaming up and, if Clearwire and Sprint need as much cash as the WSJ says they do, it may not be the last time.
Although Sprint and T-Mobile could use each other to help bring the fight to AT&T and Verizon, I would be kind of surprised to the number three and four carriers come together. T-Mobile seems pretty invested in their HSPA+ network upgrades and, if they were to invest in WiMAX, their hot new HSPA+ phones would become kind of obsolete. It would, however, allow them to immediately have a 4G network available to some of its customers, so maybe the idea isn't so far-fetched. What do you think, readers? Will we soon be hearing about SprinT-Mobile?
source: http://www.phonedog.com/2010/09/03/rumor-sprint-and-t-mobile-may-team-up-to-complete-4g-network/
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Last I read, Sprint is moving forward with LTE purchases. That opens talks again with T.
T will not move to wimax.
Bielinsk said:
Last I read, Sprint is moving forward with LTE purchases. That opens talks again with T.
T will not move to wimax.
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I heard that too... but HSPA+ is not LTE and neither are technically 4G. i dont really consider wimax to to be 4G either thou.
"An IMT-Advanced cellular system must have target peak data rates of up to approximately 100 Mbit/s for high mobility such as mobile access and up to approximately 1 Gbit/s for low mobility such as nomadic/local wireless access, according to the ITU requirements. Scalable bandwidths up to at least 40 MHz should be provided."
I dont want a merger lol less competition equals more money from my pockets. There is plenty of competition right now though among the monthly plan companies keeping things low I guess.
Also it sounds like T-Mobile would be paying Sprint to help build 4G and T-Mobile would get in reward to use 4G. So... now we gotta share with T-Mobile. Also I bet if we start sharing we get capped. I mean currently 4G is uncapped mostly because there arnt a huge network of people using all of its resources.
twilk73 said:
I dont want a merger lol less competition equals more money from my pockets. There is plenty of competition right now though among the monthly plan companies keeping things low I guess.
Also it sounds like T-Mobile would be paying Sprint to help build 4G and T-Mobile would get in reward to use 4G. So... now we gotta share with T-Mobile. Also I bet if we start sharing we get capped. I mean currently 4G is uncapped mostly because there arnt a huge network of people using all of its resources.
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Not quite. The reason there aren't any worries with WiMax is because of the huge amounts of bandwidth Clearwire and Sprint have access to. The bandwidth combined with the shorter range of towers means that the network can handle a lot of people using the network at any given time. T-mobile is small enough, it shouldn't make a big enough difference. The bandwidth part won't change if they ever convert to LTE, so Clear and Sprint have the advantage right now due to having the only functioning 4G capable network and the ability to upgrade that network relatively effortlessly, and still have enough bandwidth to beat Verizon/everyone else.
I actually don't think this is a bad idea. If it would help expedite the expansion of the 4G network then onward and upward I say. For the amount of bandwidth that T-Mo would gain access to it would be a benefit to them. And maybe Sprint could get some pointers from T-Mo on customer service. Sprint has come a long way in that respect since we signed up, but I hear a lot of T customers swear by the service they get. All in all it sounds like it could have a win-win for both companies and the customers. Then again corporate America has an amazing penchant for screwing up what could otherwise be a good thing. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Rumor has been going around for quite some time - today was hardly the first mention of this in the media...
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Pierceye said:
I actually don't think this is a bad idea. If it would help expedite the expansion of the 4G network then onward and upward I say. For the amount of bandwidth that T-Mo would gain access to it would be a benefit to them. And maybe Sprint could get some pointers from T-Mo on customer service. Sprint has come a long way in that respect since we signed up, but I hear a lot of T customers swear by the service they get. All in all it sounds like it could have a win-win for both companies and the customers. Then again corporate America has an amazing penchant for screwing up what could otherwise be a good thing. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
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You would be right.my brother had/has nothing but great things to say about tmobile cs.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I wish they would team up so I could get my hands on a G2.
My email to her is below. But here is her response. So just hold it out people. It is coming. The phone supports it. AT&T just needs to "Turn it on"
Hi Donnie,
This means that the 4g Atrix is going to be ABLE to use the 4G service once it is available however, we do not have the service alive yet therefore you will not get those speeds at this time. We are proactively working on getting the network upgraded. Houston is a HOT spot for this project so I know it will not be long.
Thank you,
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Email i sent to my at&t rep who handles my corp account of about 150 phones.
According to ATT Website the Atrix, supports “4G” By using HSPA+. Houston is a HSPA+ market, but we have been unable to HSPA+ service.
We contacted CS and they said it was prolly a down tower. But I do a lot of driving and know that one tower would not affect all of Houston. So we hit up Google, and the results are disturbing. Motorola says it does not support HSPA+. Yet att website says it does. Many sites say that AT&T has disabled it. We need to know the truth. We bought this phone because it is listed as a 4G phone, but it seems we were misled. If you would please research this and shed some light on the matter.
https://supportforums.motorola.com/message/331802#331802
http://www.att.com/network/assets/maps/Houston.html
Thanks,
Donnie
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More BS from AT&T.
HSUPA is DISABLED on this device and i don't care how many lies at&t will try to push to cover this up.
Hey Donnie,
Had pretty much the same question for my Rep yesterday. Let me go ahead and say that I've yet to go to a market that is HSPA+ with my Atrix; my rep doesn't have one yet, she has an Inspire. She has been in "4G" market coverage where her phone shows 4+, the indication for 4G, and it's faster than her IP3 but not 2x as fast as 4G is supposed to be.
She told me that some markets are "4G" but only in the sense that they are running at 3.1 Mbps, which according to the FCC qualifies, hence At&t saying they have no 4G coverage. 4G being 7.2 Mbps.
She also informed me that At&t is not pushing 4G upgrades so much as they are pushing LTE upgrades, which according to her can run 5x as fast as 4G?
Sorry for the rambling, but I thought you might like that information.
clubtech said:
More BS from AT&T.
HSUPA is DISABLED on this device and i don't care how many lies at&t will try to push to cover this up.
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Again at&t will enable it when they want to go live with it. Point is Atrix, supports it. And will when the network is ready.
Not sure what counts as hspa+ speeds but im getting 4.5 mbps down where im sitting right now
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
DrakenAlTi said:
Hey Donnie,
Had pretty much the same question for my Rep yesterday. Let me go ahead and say that I've yet to go to a market that is HSPA+ with my Atrix; my rep doesn't have one yet, she has an Inspire. She has been in "4G" market coverage where her phone shows 4+, the indication for 4G, and it's faster than her IP3 but not 2x as fast as 4G is supposed to be.
She told me that some markets are "4G" but only in the sense that they are running at 3.1 Mbps, which according to the FCC qualifies, hence At&t saying they have no 4G coverage. 4G being 7.2 Mbps.
She also informed me that At&t is not pushing 4G upgrades so much as they are pushing LTE upgrades, which according to her can run 5x as fast as 4G?
Sorry for the rambling, but I thought you might like that information.
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Click to collapse
Wow really? Theyre not pushing 4g, theyre pushing lte? LTE is 4g. What att is calling 4g now is not 4g its 3g with overhaul. 7.2 mbps? The iphone 3gs could theoretically achieve these speeds but not on att. I like the atrix bht i didnt buy it for (4g) speeds. NO NETWORK HAS TRUE 4G!!!!!!
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
donniesd said:
Again at&t will enable it when they want to go live with it. Point is Atrix, supports it. And will when the network is ready.
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We are talking about basic 3g they are disabling here ....nothing to do with hspa+.....
But you can believe whatever you want if it makes you feel better.
I know we're not getting HSPA+ speeds, but there's something even more. I have yet to see someone get more than 400Kbps UPLINK.
This is not just on AT&T.
Can someone ask an AT&T Rep about THAT!
Odd how my Captivate has HSUPA speeds yet my brother's Atrix doesn't... So much for the speeds not being available...
clubtech said:
More BS from AT&T.
HSUPA is DISABLED on this device and i don't care how many lies at&t will try to push to cover this up.
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Click to collapse
HSPA+ *IS NOT* HSUPA. They're separate services. When AT&T enables HSPA+ across the country they'll also most likely send out a patch to enable HSUPA on the devices. Settle down on the conspiracy theories.
HSPA+ isn't enabled because the system isn't finished. We *all* knew this. When it is (in the next month or 2, most likely) they'll enable it and you'll see the difference overnight. My dad's worked for AT&T for 42 years as a repair tech (one of the 2 in this state that upgrade a majority of the HSPA+ and LTE hardware) and said the rough estimate looks like late March or very early April for HSPA+ and LTE in fall.
MarcMaiden said:
Not sure what counts as hspa+ speeds but im getting 4.5 mbps down where im sitting right now
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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that is great speeds... im in an area where there is no H+ yet, in greensbroo NC but Charlotte NC has it and we a re the next to get it in NC... and i am getting 3.8 but without the HUSPA, we are getting .3/.4 uploads... no matter how fast our DL's are without an upload to match it... those speeds are kinda pointless
"HSPA+ *IS NOT* HSUPA. ...
HSPA+ isn't enabled because"
Well, my phone shows "H+" up top, indicating it is enabled in this area. But AT&T has some clever ideas about hardware deployment. When I called to ask about some problems last year the rep said "Oh, I see there are a number of degraded towers in your area, that could be the problem." "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
I said "Yes, can you give me Verizon's number? I'd like to ask them how there towers are." <WEG>
Hey, I know one's no better than the other in the big picture. But lord, does the FTC need to make the cellcos ALL COME CLEAN and stop the lies.
Apparently the H+ doesn't necessarily signify HSPA+. Covers 3G and their "4G".
"Question:
What is this "H+" icon on my phone's screen?
Answer:
The "H+" icon is a network indicator. When present, it lets you know that your phone is operating on our 3G or 4G network (where available). "
"Question:
How will I know if I'm on the 4G network vs. your 3G network? Is there any visual indicator on the phone's screen itself?
Answer:
While there is no visual indicator on the phone's screen that differentiates the difference between 3G and 4G data speeds, when experiencing 4G speeds your videos and streaming movies will download/play even faster, web sites will load even faster, and large files will download faster. "
"Question:
Will that "H+" icon ever change to something else? If so, what other icons might I expect to see and what do they mean?
Answer:
The H+ icon will remain lit while connected to either our 3G mobile broadband or 4G network (where available). Should you travel outside of those coverage areas and/or experience extreme network congestion, the icon may display EDGE or E while on our 2G data network or, in some instances, it will display GSM. "
Att rep for our company confirmed that they are working together with verizon to "pull the trigger" on 4g running at full throttle within the next couple of weeks. He showed me some emails and charts showing that they have installed verizon's hardware in their towers and are debugging it now. I did not see that "partnership" coming at all to be honest lol Keeping fingers crossed ))
Hawk375 said:
Apparently the H+ doesn't necessarily signify HSPA+. Covers 3G and their "4G".
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I noticed this up here after doing this MOD. Before the mod the notification bar only showed H+ all of the time. Now it bounced between 3G and H (not sure about H+). I am assuming the display I am getting now is correct.
hotleadsingerguy said:
HSPA+ *IS NOT* HSUPA. They're separate services. When AT&T enables HSPA+ across the country they'll also most likely send out a patch to enable HSUPA on the devices. Settle down on the conspiracy theories.
HSPA+ isn't enabled because the system isn't finished. We *all* knew this. When it is (in the next month or 2, most likely) they'll enable it and you'll see the difference overnight. My dad's worked for AT&T for 42 years as a repair tech (one of the 2 in this state that upgrade a majority of the HSPA+ and LTE hardware) and said the rough estimate looks like late March or very early April for HSPA+ and LTE in fall.
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Okay that makes sense but why is it though that other devices like my unlocked streak or nexus one get much higher upload speeds than the atrix? Is it something in their rom that is allowing them to get good upload and the atrix rom not allowing it to? Trying to make sense of it all.
Dell Streak powered by Streakdroid 1.8.1
Video with proof
It's obvious to everyone now, but I made a video that can easily be shown to anyone who doesn't believe the ATRIX has slower speeds than something like the iPhone.
Show this to AT&T and then they'll shut their mouth about "possibly a defective device."
www[dot]youtube[dot]com/watch?v=X5YMJT08N64&hd=1
I'm sick of this bs. Why cant this company live up to their promises?
the atrix isn't even an HSPA+ device, it has an HSDPA cat 10 modem...
The Atrix is supposed to have the HSPA+ transceiver in it. Whether it is disabled or does not work because the network blocks access since HSPA+ is not fully deployed is a question heavily discussed in other threads in these forums. However, you should realize the LTE requires a different transceiver, which reviews have indicated the Atrix does not have.
So even if LTE is deployed this fall, the best the Atrix will be able to do is HSPA+, not LTE. Supposedly, LTE-capable smartphones are supposed to be announced this summer sometime.
Wanna wait?
wrayrb said:
So even if LTE is deployed this fall, the best the Atrix will be able to do is HSPA+, not LTE. Supposedly, LTE-capable smartphones are supposed to be announced this summer sometime.
Wanna wait?
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Yes, when I see the disaster with Verizon's first LTE phone the HTC Thunderbolt (still not released)....I wanna wait even a bit longer.....I don't wanna be the guinea pig for AT&T.
Well I was just Informed two interesting things from a CS Rep I first asked her when will PR users will getting 4G and her response was not for a long time and the second thing she told me cause I mentioned about a T-Mobile merger with sprint she said that it was going in the opposite direction that they where separating from each other and that many users who use nextel will have problems and sprint users and t-mobile users will be experiencing major issues I asked her what issues she was referring to and she could not answer just wanted to get everyone's thoughts about this and if anyone has any info would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
busventinc said:
asked her when will PR users will getting 4G and her response was not for a long time
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no surprise there in that answer, there is no Clearwire over here, I really don't think we'll get WiMax anytime soon, if ever... I actually would like Sprint moving to LTE, if only because it could roll-out faster than WiMax...
about the T-Mo/Sprint possible merger, well, there's just a wait-and-see approach there...
I cant really complain about Sprint service here in PR. It is no where near as fast as AT&T. But it's about the same as any other state w/o the 4G. I have good coverage, same crappy speeds as everyone else on the Sprint Network so its all good. I'm able to stream, surf, download, etc.. at decent speeds. Unless the next EVO disappoints i'll continue to stick by them.
I am ready for 4g in PR, so if sprint does not deliver I am moving to ATT
Att: MR-Bits punto com
There is already 4G in Ponce....
~ I'm a fungi
Gracias... Pero vivo en Carolina
Att: MR-Bits punto com
I was trying to figure out when 4G would be full rolled out in a certain area, & here is a response I received.
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There will not likely be any more (my city) coverage until Winter at the earliest. Sprint/Clear are running around putting up "Protection Sites" in every CMA (Cellular Market Area) in the country. There are over 700 CMA's in the U.S. These are regions that the FCC breaks down the country into to issue spectrum licensing for mobile carriers.
There are two types of crews putting up new 4G service now. Fill-In Crews and Protection Site Crews. The Fill-In crews are adding service in primary markets that already have service. They expanded service in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle and New York this year. They will keep moving on in Primary Markets only that already have service. (your city is a secondary market) The Protection Site crews are running all over the Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands installing at least one tower in every CMA. Two or three in secondary markets.
The two towers already operating in your city are "Protection Sites." These are limited deployments. They are operating at full strength signal, but do not have all the antennas as a full deployment would, and also the antennas are not fully directed to help building penetration. They are pointing straight out for maximum coverage area. Also, these do not have upgraded backhaul (microwave or fiber) that 4G really needs for maximum data throughput and speeds. They just utilize whatever internet service is already at the tower. Which may or may not be sufficient. Varies greatly from tower to tower and market to market.
In the Fall, Sprint is coming out with a new 4G plan. We know it will include LTE. But no one is sure to what extent. Whether Sprint and Clear will stop expanding WiMax completely and just service existing WiMax areas. All new deployments after the announcement might be LTE. Or they might finish building out WiMax completely, but this is unlikely. Or maybe they will announce they will finish WiMax in primary and maybe secondary markets before switching to LTE. We just don't know.
So no one knows how communities like yours will be impacted with their Sprint 4G deployment with this all up in the air. Only the highest executives are in on what's in-store. They are being very tight lipped. I think it's because they aren't even 100% sure yet. They are out striking deals with vendors, sub-contractors, joint venture partners and trying to get Network Vision off the ground too. But the Protection Site roll out will not be complete until Fall. Then those crews will be going on to something else. But no one knows where for sure yet.
In the end, it leaves a very frustrated Sprint customer service experience for 4G device owners. And with their 3G network speeds deteriorating below 2G, it just is ticking off people all the more!
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Well guess what? VERIZON has 4G NOW in my area. Anyway, it was an interesting read & I wonder how that will affect the phones that are going to come out, or even our Epic 4G
I really wish I had answers, but the above post is the best I have right now for those wondering WHY 4G is not in your area yet.
Is this why there is no Galaxy S2 yet on Sprint because they don't know what it will run on? Maybe that's the wait. Frustrating to say the least, & yes, 3G is declining not only in my area, but probably others as well. I really thought when I bought my Epic 4G i'd be looking at 6 months & 4G would be all set to go. Little did I know i'd be getting a phone I could never use for its full potential. At least not where I am at.
First
Looking forward to lte
Grapes
The protection towers has been well known for quite a while...along with the nothing new for this year.
Whats upsetting is nyc has the most dense population out of all the 4g markets and they still can't cover the entire city in 4G, and I am not talking about inside buildings, there are just too many holes on their coverage map.
4g? What's that? I would be happy with decent 3g coverage in my city. I don't think that's too much to ask for a city with a population of roughly 420,000 (and growing.)
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This kind of thing makes me want to get sprint on the phone and scream to all hell about this issue, but in the end, the customer service rep, their superior, and THEIR superior can't do anything about it. All the good, "decent" phones are 4g now anyway, so I guess all the biggest city in New Hampshire has to show for itself is 3g and FIOS....oh wait, we don't have FIOS either. Whenever my contract is up, for the first time in 9 years, I'm going to look at switching carriers. Uhg.
Same here. Upsets me as well. You could always tweet about it, & maybe Dan Hesse will get back to you......or maybe not.
I am a premiere member & just got a $5 credit for my anniversary. While nice, it doesn't change the fact that not only does 3G suck, 2 out of 3 places I really use my phone I barely get coverage or it roams, but 4G is only in this tiny section
I have a feeling I will be switching, or something, because aside from the 4G, I tested my phone in a new home we are buying, & guess what? Just like the other two places I use my phone. CAN'T GET SERVICE. My wife said it even sucked outside when we were in the new home.
I'm just about exhausted & fed up with Sprints lack of coverage.
That's what I realized why they are cheaper and unlimited not because they claim to be different but no service issues.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I will stay Sprint for now as long as they provide an unlimited data plan.
However, if I get sufficiently rich, I may switch to Verizon and pay for their largest data plan.