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I do get good 4G coverage from VZW most of the places I go. But the fact that the coverage is not 100% makes it useless for real-time application. This morning I was on a conference call using Skype dialing a regular phone number. In 30 minutes the call dropped twice, both due to I drove through a spot with no 4G coverage. As the phone switched from 4G to 3G the Skype connection was cut momentarily and the call dropped. On my OG Droid X on 3G this rarely happens.
I wish the phone handles switching from 4G to 3G more gracefully. Now I'll have to remember to turn off 4G when I start a Skype call. Quite annoying.
Any idea how to fix/workaround this?
This and failed text messages are the reason I left Verizon. ATT's 4G LTE is much boarder in cities and when you leave LTE areas then you fall back to HSPA+.
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to each his own...
I have phones on AT&T and Verizon Wireless networks (one for work and one for play). I've consistently had better phone experience in the DFW areas as well as places I've traveled to on both coasts.
Consumer Reports article about AT&T being lowest in customer satisfaction.
Well sprints is great.
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saccityp said:
Well sprints is great.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
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Except for almost the whole US except for a couple states has 3G.
I have a Blackberry on AT&T for work and the S3 and a Razr Maxx on Verizon.
In Dallas, there is no comparison that Verizon is better- never a dropped call, and data reliability is outstanding compared to AT&T.
I've had AT&T since before they existed as AT&T and their analog, GSM, Edge, 3G have never held up well in either voice or data in my 10-11 year's of experience with them in the DFW market.
luckily I live in an area were I always have 4g
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
saccityp said:
Well sprints is great.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
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Sprint's WiMax also unfortunately had this issue. The reason was because when your phone switches from 4G to 3G, your IP address changes thus ending any active connections. This was especially bad for WiMax since it was on 2.4Ghz making it have very spotty coverage.
I'm not sure if it's possible to retain the IP from a switch or if Sprint does this with their LTE network.
In my area, VZW is only LTE and has better signal than any others... guess I don't have any choice...
I love Verizon's Service. LTE is on point here in Orange County CA and I get consistently better service than anyone without it. My only concern is with the phone itself. It keeps freezing on the data side once to twice a day. I just have to turn off and then turn on mobile data to get it to work.
Thanks for all the info about coverage of different carriers. The point of my post/question though, is that when there's not a 100% 4G coverage, the data connection is disrupted when you switch from 4G to 3G, causing trouble in any application that requires a stable data connection.
Seems even if the 4G coverage is not 100%, there should be a better way of handling switching to 3G such that it doesn't drop data completely.
simollie said:
Thanks for all the info about coverage of different carriers. The point of my post/question though, is that when there's not a 100% 4G coverage, the data connection is disrupted when you switch from 4G to 3G, causing trouble in any application that requires a stable data connection.
Seems even if the 4G coverage is not 100%, there should be a better way of handling switching to 3G such that it doesn't drop data completely.
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There's nothing you can do about it but the carriers can fix it.
The solution would be to keep the same IP address when switching from 3G to 4G. The reason video calls in skype, browser downloads, and other things stop is because the IP address changes when switching. If the same IP address was kept from the switch, that wouldn't happen.
One thing that carriers could do when connecting to 4G is: Have your phone connect to both 3G and 4G at the same time and then request the same IP for 4G that you had on 3G. Then it can switch to 4G and switch off the 3G connection thus retaining the same IP and leading to no interruptions. All of this would happen in probably less than a second. The same thing can be done for switching from 4G to 3G.
I don't see why carriers can't/don't do this. Either they haven't thought to implement it, or there is some other reason that would make this impractical.
So I have been using my nexus 4 over tmobile network and lately I have been having really horrible signal with t mobile. I sometimes do not receive calls and some of my incoming and outgoing texts are delayed.
I am thinking about taking the switch to att however I have a few questions.
1. I currently use tmobiles HSDPA network and get average 5-15 Mbps while using it. Does att have a comparable network or would I only be able to get 3g (1-3mbps).
2. I know that some people are using lte on their nexus4. I know that att has lte in my area, would I be able to connect to the lte signal in my area assuming that I use the .33 radio?
3. Is there anything setting wise I would need to change in setting or would I simply put my sim card in from att and be all set?
Thanks for the feedback, its much appreciated!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
It would help to know your location.
Coverage and data speeds vary greatly based on regions and specific cities.
bradm23 said:
So I have been using my nexus 4 over tmobile network and lately I have been having really horrible signal with t mobile. I sometimes do not receive calls and some of my incoming and outgoing texts are delayed.
I am thinking about taking the switch to att however I have a few questions.
1. I currently use tmobiles HSDPA network and get average 5-15 Mbps while using it. Does att have a comparable network or would I only be able to get 3g (1-3mbps).
2. I know that some people are using lte on their nexus4. I know that att has lte in my area, would I be able to connect to the lte signal in my area assuming that I use the .33 radio?
3. Is there anything setting wise I would need to change in setting or would I simply put my sim card in from att and be all set?
Thanks for the feedback, its much appreciated!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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1. AT&T has a slower HSPA network than T-Mobile. The speed is sufficient enough but it's just not that fast compare to T-Mobile's speeds.
2. If the Nexus 4 is able to detect the 1700 and 2100mhz radio frequency band (Which AT&T has.), then yes it should be able to run on LTE.
3. Here's the guide to set up LTE.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/23/how-to-enable-4g-lte-on-the-google-nexus-4/
Hey everyone. I notice that my GS4 (AT&T I337) turns off LTE during phone calls and falls back to GSM/UMTS/HSPA+. Since the modem on the GS4 is integrated GSM/LTE, this makes sense from a technical standpoint as a power saving feature. You can't do voice over LTE, so falling back to GSM seems logical, but couldn't they just route voice over GSM while leaving data on LTE? Do the I9505 or M919 models exhibit this same behavior or is this unique to the I337 model?
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Yep its normal. Voice over lte isn't implemented yet. Not unique to gs4. HTC one and one X and iphone5 all do the same thing.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Galaxy S3 does the same thing. Therefore it's not unique with Galaxy S4. I'm also certain that it does the same thing on other devices as well on at&t.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium
Figured as much. Thanks guys!
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
It's strange that the CDMA models can keep LTE during a call but the GSM models can't. Or, at least, I know the Verizon S3 does. On the old Verizon LTE phones like the Thunderbolt or Galaxy Nexus, it makes sense that it could hold on to LTE on a call since those had separate LTE and CDMA modems. I'm pretty sure that the Verizon S3 was the first Verizon LTE phone to feature an integrated CDMA/LTE modem, so obviously there must be other reasons to explain why an integrated CDMA/LTE modem can stay on LTE during a call but a GSM/LTE modem can't.
Honestly, a GSM/LTE modem probably CAN route voice through GSM while using LTE for data, but they don't because they dont have to. Since it isn't necessary, they just take the power savings and shut off LTE. On an GSM phone, at least 3G supports simultaneous voice and data on UMTS or HSPA+. On CDMA, simultaneous voice/data isn't supported on 3G EV-DO, so LTE would be the only simultaneous voice/data option, power savings be damned.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
Thread moved to Q&A
Let's get some technical facts in this thread (btw, this is the third time I've posted this on XDA....)
The LTE standard only supports packet switching with its all-IP network. Voice calls in GSM, UMTS and CDMA2000 are circuit switched, so with the adoption of LTE, carriers will have to re-engineer their voice call network. Three different approaches sprang up. Most major backers of LTE preferred and promoted VoLTE (Voice over LTE, an implementation of IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS) from the beginning. The lack of software support in initial LTE devices as well as core network devices however led to a number of carriers promoting VoLGA (Voice over LTE Generic Access) as an interim solution.[13] The idea was to use the same principles as GAN (Generic Access Network, also known as UMA or Unlicensed Mobile Access), which defines the protocols through which a mobile handset can perform voice calls over a customer's private Internet connection, usually over wireless LAN. VoLGA however never gained much support, because VoLTE (IMS) promises much more flexible services, albeit at the cost of having to upgrade the entire voice call infrastructure. While the industry has seemingly standardized on VoLTE for the future, the demand for voice calls today has led LTE carriers to introduce CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback) as a stopgap measure. When placing or receiving a voice call, LTE handsets will fall back to old 2G or 3G networks for the duration of the call.
Source
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This explains things perfectly. Thank you!
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
KryptosXLayer2 said:
Let's get some technical facts in this thread (btw, this is the third time I've posted this on XDA....)
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So reading this again, I would assume Verizon uses VoLGA since it seems that is the one that allows the handset to remain on kTE During voice calls. By the same logic, AT&T must use CSFB?
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
My understanding was on Verizon network you stay connected to the CDMA network all the time and connect to LTD in addition (when available) effectively using 2 different radios. With AT&T and T-mobile since everything is GMS based it is more scaling and if you connect to LTD you effectively disconnect from WCDMA until of course you make or receive a call then you fall back to WCDMA. It is more battery efficient then running 2 radios constantly. That's just the way I understand it. I could be wrong
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Anyone else notice after the update, during calls your data will force down to H from LTE? Same issue with Nexus 5 and 6p.
divinewisdom said:
Anyone else notice after the update, during calls your data will force down to H from LTE? Same issue with Nexus 5 and 6p.
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Not an issue. Is a feature so that you can get better reception for your phone call.
Sent from my Nexus 6P
anglerstock said:
Not an issue. Is a feature so that you can get better reception for your phone call.
Sent from my Nexus 6P
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Not true. LTE is the better reception for calls. Look up the difference in technology.
As for why and if the latest update drops when making calls... I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment.
obsanity said:
Not true. LTE is the better reception for calls. Look up the difference in technology.
As for why and if the latest update drops when making calls... I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment.
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Can you disconnect from WiFi, see if you get LTE, then make a call see what happens. This is after the latest update today.
obsanity said:
Not true. LTE is the better reception for calls. Look up the difference in technology.
As for why and if the latest update drops when making calls... I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment.
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2g gives better reception than 3g, 3g better than 4g and so on. LTE gives faster data speed but if you want better reception 2g it is.
Sent from my Nexus 6P
Which carrier. Unless you have VOLTE that has always happened.
I noticed the same thing on ATT. During a phone call the phone drops to H. This is not normal, my nexus 5 remains on LTE since I didn't upgrade that phone.
Curious if there's a fix for this.
divinewisdom said:
Can you disconnect from WiFi, see if you get LTE, then make a call see what happens. This is after the latest update today.
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While in a call I'm still on LTE. Yes I'm on the latest update.
---------- Post added at 08:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 PM ----------
anglerstock said:
2g gives better reception than 3g, 3g better than 4g and so on. LTE gives faster data speed but if you want better reception 2g it is.
Sent from my Nexus 6P
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I think you got it backwards. It may be true that in some areas 2G may give you a better signal strength than 3G but that has nothing to do with technology and the amount of data which can go through and that includes calls (yes calls are also data and has been for many years since it all went digital).
LTE is just another, newer standard of GSM for calls, text, data and so on.
Also, VoLTE is not the same as VoIP.
Not had any issues from the uk. I generally get 4g. The radios on this phone far suprass the ones on my old xperia Z2.
Anyway didn't i see a post saying that the update disabled a certain band for T-Mobile? Maybe it's to do with that
hal752 said:
Not had any issues from the uk. I generally get 4g.
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Did you read the thread?
The only network in the UK that supports VoLTE (calls while you are on a 4G network) is Three and they don't sell or support the Nexus 6P, so you certainly haven't been getting 4G while you are on a call.
Plain LTE does not support voice, it is only for data. When your phone receives a call it will automatically use H/3g or even 2g for your voice call. Unless your operator supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE)!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Same thing. Though voice doesn't use LTE always. LTE is just for data.
mkouk said:
Plain LTE does not support voice, it is only for data. When your phone receives a call it will automatically use H/3g or even 2g for your voice call. Unless your operator supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE)!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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I'm not sure you guys understand how LTE works and what it is supposed to do. LTE is just another standard which is better than the old GSM type 3G. It's just that carriers chose to use it only for data because the entire infrastructure was already designed to work on 3G for voice. The transition to full LTE system is taking a bit long but watch when next year Verizon shuts down all 3G CDMA equipment and goes LTE only on the entire network.
T-Mobile will most likely follow along with all the others.
obsanity said:
I'm not sure you guys understand how LTE works and what it is supposed to do. LTE is just another standard which is better than the old GSM type 3G. It's just that carriers chose to use it only for data because the entire infrastructure was already designed to work on 3G for voice. The transition to full LTE system is taking a bit long but watch when next year Verizon shuts down all 3G CDMA equipment and goes LTE only on the entire network.
T-Mobile will most likely follow along with all the others.
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Please don't spread misinformation. LTE standard only supports packet switching so carriers have been using circuit switched fallback (i.e. 3g) for regular calls and we are now seeing operators moving to VoLTE.
Also LTE is based on GSM!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
mkouk said:
Please don't spread misinformation. LTE standard only supports packet switching so carriers have been using circuit switched fallback (i.e. 3g) for regular calls and we are now seeing operators moving to VoLTE.
Also LTE is based on GSM!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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I'm not sure where the misinformation is.
The argument here is that the older systems are somehow better at voice than LTE is and one gets a better signal with 2G for being able to make a call. This is simply not true. LTE supports voice with the implementation of VoLTE and is much superior at handling it. More capacity, clearer calls and better quality calls with much weaker signal strength.
Again, carriers chose to implement it as data only because of many older handsets still out there using 2G/3G. But this will not be for long because LTE is much more efficient which spells $$$ for carriers. Verizon has already started turning off their legacy CDMA system on some towers.
Also, when did I say LTE was not based on GSM?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VoLTE
Hey guys,
I'm currently on EE in UK and I know they have 4G+ in my area because when I restart my phone it stays on 4G+ for a little while and then goes back to regular 4G. Now, I know you can force 4G only, 3G only through xposed modules but I can't seem to find anything on the internet regarding 4G+ ONLY probably because it's a relatively new technology. Any ideas?
Thanks.
Im on ee and have a unlocked handset. This should just auto switch on and off when the service is available
If your phone is clunking back to 4G rather than 4G+ it'll be because the signal isn't strong enough or reliable enough to maintain. I don't believe you would be able to force 4G+ as it's an evolutionary upgrade using the same frequencies, but channel bonded.
Similar to 3G and HSDPA and HSDPA+ - you can't dictate which of those your phone uses as they are all the same frequencies, they just utilise bonded channel transmitters, AFAIK at least.