Database Users

T-mobile (USA) 3G

Hello, I am having trouble getting 3G working on my x10i. I have read through these forums and tried every apn settings I could find but still it only uses edge. T-mobile customer service tells me i have great 3g coverage in my area but that since its a non-tmobile phone it will not use 3G. Is this true or can anyone help? Right now im using epc.tmobile.com as my apn, data roaming on, and MMS & data turned on. Need more info just let me know.Thx for any help

check your sony ericsson xperia x10 box on the side, see if it said UMTS is saying "AWS1/AWS4/AWS8" if you are missing AWS4, then you will not be able to use T-mo USA 3G because T-mobile UMTS (3G) bandwidth frequency is 900 (AWS1) / 1700 (AWS4) / 2100 (AWS8)

i had a similar problem when my T-Mobile 3G constantly switched to Edge even when i had good coverage, i found this solution somewhere and it helped me, since then i was never dropped from 3G unless i had no bars... i would give this a try for your problem too.
1) enter in dialer the following: *#*#4636#*#*
2) select phone Information
3) press the menu button (left bottom hard key)
4) Select Radio Band
5) Select USA Band
6) Reboot Phone
This will narrow down your phone to USA 3G only, (if leaving the country you should switch back to automatic to get international 3G coverage), i found this also helpful for 3G speed and battery performance.

check your sony ericsson xperia x10 box on the side, see if it said UMTS is saying "AWS1/AWS4/AWS8" if you are missing AWS4, then you will not be able to use T-mo USA 3G because T-mobile UMTS (3G) bandwidth frequency is 900 (AWS1) / 1700 (AWS4) / 2100 (AWS8)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for your replies , yes it says "UMTS/HSPA band 1/4/8" So should be possible.

1) enter in dialer the following: *#*#4636#*#*
2) select phone Information
3) press the menu button (left bottom hard key)
4) Select Radio Band
5) Select USA Band
6) Reboot Phone
This will narrow down your phone to USA 3G only, (if leaving the country you should switch back to automatic to get international 3G coverage), i found this also helpful for 3G speed and battery performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for your reply, I tried this and i still see the E for edge. Could it have something to do with the fact that where i live is actually using a different tower than tmobile?

thx for your reply, I tried this and i still see the E for edge. Could it have something to do with the fact that where i live is actually using a different tower than tmobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt cause tmobile told you that your coverage is okay, it might be that you have an old sim card with no support for 3G, or Would say your phone is defective…
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App

try go to setting --->wireless controls --->Mobile Networks ----> Network mode
and select WCDMA only
see if it go back to 3G signal. For my area sometimes i stay on edge due to signal blocked by building walls....
by the way, will you get 3G signal when you are outside of your house or in a wide open area?

When i choose WCDMA i lose my cell signal completely. I have tmobile service but In my area it is always using centennial wireless towers for my signal, centennial was bought out by AT&T which have not yet switched their new towers to 3G yet. Could this be the problem? Thx

devilleather said:
When i choose WCDMA i lose my cell signal completely. I have tmobile service but In my area it is always using centennial wireless towers for my signal, centennial was bought out by AT&T which have not yet switched their new towers to 3G yet. Could this be the problem? Thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you found the issue. If WCDMA only shows no signal at all, it means you do not have T-Mobile 3G in your area (I suspect the 1700 spectrum).
It looks like there is a roaming agreement in which T-mobile can "borrow" the AT&T tower. So, all you get is the GSM signal. Don't bother to wait for AT&T to get the tower to 3G...because, you know, it won't be the same 3G signal as T-mobile. AT&T operates 3G on 850 and 1900.
If that is the issue, maybe you have to switch to a X10a.

When i choose US band it says its unsuccessful? any ideas why???

Phone keeps switching from 3G and HSPDA

I keep noticing the data status going from 3G and HSPDA every now and then even when I have full bars. This can't be good...
Anyone else experience this?
Is there a fix?

I also get the switching thing on my phone but only when the HSPA signal is weak and it's not that often. Is this affecting the battery life on your cell phone?

It's normal. If you have issues just set it to use 2g only mode as that saves a heap of power
Sent from my Apple Newton 2100

ickyboo said:
It's normal. If you have issues just set it to use 2g only mode as that saves a heap of power
Sent from my Apple Newton 2100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I set this? I checked in settings->wireless and network->mobile networks-> network mode, but see only an option for GSM only, WCDMA only.

If you're with Bell in Canada, there is no option for 2g only as there is no 2g network. Don't worry about the 3g/H switch, this is a common occurrence on most phones on most carriers. My GF's HTC Magic on Rogers did this too.

Gsm only is the 2g mode you want
Sent from my Apple Newton 2100

thanks! I see the option now.

GSM stands for 2G
HSPDA stands for 3G
when it changes between 2G/3G (G/H)[Automode] it's sort of Prefer 3G, fall back to 2G if 3G signal is weak.
you can easily change it off Settings > Wireless and Network > Mobile Network > Network Mode as you've said

actually my network doesnt support 2G (GSM). Like I said, it bounces between 3G and HSDPA (3.5G). Wonder what this does to battery life?

there is no problem, 3G is not as fast as HSPDA
in perfect reception you get 3.5G (HSPDA)
in not so good reception areas you get 3G
in very poor reception areas you are lucky to get 2G (EDGE)

ChiGGz said:
How do I set this? I checked in settings->wireless and network->mobile networks-> network mode, but see only an option for GSM only, WCDMA only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wtf.. when i go to settings->wireless and network->mobile networks i see "data roaming" "access point names" and "network operators".
i have a bell vibrant unlocked and on rogers and id LOVE to force gsm only.. are you running the updated firmware or something?

Network dies when I turn off 2g

Anyone have this problem? It happens ever time
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Hmm.... seems like your phone might be in WCDMA mode only... It should be in WCDMA-Preferred since you plan on using 3G and 2G
Go to your phone dialer and dial *#*#4636#*#*
and Diagnostics Menu should come up..... Go to PHONE INFORMATION.... Scroll down and Set Network Type to: WCDMA Preferred
see if that helps...

Thanks for the reply i am on tmobile and it is defaulted to GSM. Will changing it be any different than GSM?

my phone does that as well right now at home even though i have it on WCDMA preferred, t-mo has been having issues with their 4G towers and their DNS servers lately that has been affecting many people with newer phones/SIM cards and in 4G areas, t-mo has not released an ETA on a fix but i have been dealing with it for a month now at my home and i am about ready to switch carriers

tvdang7 said:
Thanks for the reply i am on tmobile and it is defaulted to GSM. Will changing it be any different than GSM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, it'll still be the same. WCDMA-Preferred means that then phone will Prioritize 3G/4G signal over an EDGE signal. So If you are in a decent 4G/3G coverage the phone will set itself into 3G/4G mode... and when you move into an area where you have a weaker 3G/4G signal...t han the phone will be in EDGE mode.

Keep in mind that if you're referring about using WCDMA Preferred in a 3G/4G coverage area - but only 2G works - then you have a network issue. This isn't so much a device issue as it is a MSISDN issue on the network or a potential tower issue.
If you get no signal on 3G/4G and signal is there on 2G - check your coverage first - then if coverage shows you should have 3G/4G, call TMO and let them know, they'll need to do a service request or trouble ticket based on the location and breadth of the issue you're having.

Nexus S only shows 3G no H in Taiwan

On my news Nexus S I am only getting and showing 3G with poor connection whether I use Chung-Hwa Telecom or Taiwan's Far Eastone. On my HTC Desire when downloading or uploadinging it would show an "H" up on top and show "3G" if connection was not all that great but with this new Nexus S all I get is 3G. What's up with this? Reception is also worse than the HTC Desire.

Because nexus s only gets 3g
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

kjy112 said:
Because nexus s only gets 3g
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here I see it showing it gets HSDPA.. From what I understand is the 2100 Band in Taiwan is not just 3G
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=3620&idPhone2=3077

It gets HSDPA also, it just doesn't change icons like cyanogen or like the static H on the G2. It wasn't a widely used icon in america until the networks (T-mobbile and AT&T) upgraded to HSDPA or HSPA+.
It is capable of 7.2mbps download.
You could always check the status of the phone under settings to see what connection you have or wait until cyanogenmod comes out for the nexus s, not just the alpha version.

ya HSPA is still 3G with a max download speed of 7.2 HSPA+ depending on device ranges from like 14.4 to 42

KnightMAREcrow said:
It gets HSDPA also, it just doesn't change icons like cyanogen or like the static H on the G2. It wasn't a widely used icon in america until the networks (T-mobbile and AT&T) upgraded to HSDPA or HSPA+.
It is capable of 7.2mbps download.
You could always check the status of the phone under settings to see what connection you have or wait until cyanogenmod comes out for the nexus s, not just the alpha version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile Network Type
UMTS
Signal Strength
-101 dBm 4asu

Now answered in the stickied FAQ in the Q&A section.
unremarked said:
Q: The Nexus S only gets 3G? Omg, I only see a 3G icon!
The Nexus S gets UMTS and HSDPA, which are both technically 3G. Your phone idles on UMTS 3G, and when it starts downloading/uploading, it'll flip to HSDPA after a few moments. You can see this by typing *#*#4636#*#* into your Dialer, going to Phone Info, and looking at Network Type while downloading something. The ability to switch the icons on the notification bar is something that was added in custom ROMS, and is not supported by the stock ROM. Rest assured, if you are on a network that uses the 3G bands the Nexus S supports, then you are recieving HSDPA regardless of what icon you see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EDIT: Also, in the future, use search and look at that FAQ prior to starting a new thread, mate. This has been asked a bajillion times.

unremarked said:
Now answered in the stickied FAQ in the Q&A section.
EDIT: Also, in the future, use search and look at that FAQ prior to starting a new thread, mate. This has been asked a bajillion times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question,
I always wondered, never really bothered asking, what should the setting be "preferred network type" by default my NS shows GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)

slowz3r said:
Question,
I always wondered, never really bothered asking, what should the setting be "preferred network type" by default my NS shows GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found this for ya:
loganss said:
WCDMA preferred - The GSM phone is capable of using both 2G and 3G data communication and when signal strength is low 3G is favored more.
GSM only - The GSM phone is capable of using only 2G data communication. When the 2G signal is too low you get nothing at all.
WCDMA only - The GSM phone is capable of using only 3G data communication. When the 3G signal is too low you get nothing at all.
GSM auto (PRL) - The GSM phone is capable of using both 2G and 3G data communication and when signal strength is low 2G is favored more. This one is a bit confusing to me since PRL is associated mostly with CDMA technology and not GSM technology.
CDMA auto (PRL) - The CDMA phone is capable of using both 2G and 3G data communication and when signal strength is low 2G is favored more.
CDMA only - The CDMA phone is capable of using only 2G data communication. When the 2G signal is too low you get nothing at all.
EvDo only - The CDMA phone is capable of using only 3G data communication. When the 3G signal is too low you get nothing at all.
GSM/CDMA auto (PRL) - Some phones are equipped with both GSM and CDMA capabilities. This setting appears to just have the phone attempt to stay connected to the data communication type that works the best. (Maybe the Samsung Galaxy S will take advantage of this???)
Unknown - If none of the above fit or the phone is acting weird as far as connecting to the carrier, you will see your preferred network type is set to this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Source: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=6a327a95211ac789&hl=en

unremarked said:
Found this for ya:
Source: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=6a327a95211ac789&hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still sorta understood all that, so should I just leave it where Im at, i mean it is what came with the phone stock after all

As was stated, when an active data connection is formed and there is activity then the status will change under settings. I have an attached screenshot for your viewing pleasure.

slowz3r said:
Still sorta understood all that, so should I just leave it where Im at, i mean it is what came with the phone stock after all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PRL is preferred roaming list, iirc. When searching for a network, it'll get preference to those that are on the list over those that aren't. Supposed to be battery savings.

unremarked said:
PRL is preferred roaming list, iirc. When searching for a network, it'll get preference to those that are on the list over those that aren't. Supposed to be battery savings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fair enough

I'm noticing this too. I get full HSDPA in the US on AT&T, but when I came to Taiwan and plugged in my prepaid sim for Taiwan Mobile which clearly has 7.2mbps HSPDA in this city, I only get the "3G" icon.
I did do the *#*#INFO#*#* to set my band to Euro which was how data kicked in. But otherwise it only shows "3G." Readingt he posts above, people say it idles on UMTS, but I have AT&T at home and it always shows the H icon. I can never the the H icon in Taiwan.
I have the 9020a which has 850/1900/2100, so I'm not understanding whats going on... Is the lack of 900 3G band hurting me?
Edit: I've been using this phone for 7 months on AT&T now and I just arrived in Taiwan last night....

正常啊。在 系統設定 - 關於手機 - 狀態 裡，看到 行動網路類型，會顯示為 hsdpa。這就是3.5g h了。雖然訊號顯示為3g，實際在支援hsdpa的地方會使用hsdpa的。
我是大陸的，語言可能不太好理解，見諒。

[Q] Which Networks To Enable?—CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, etc.?

Hey,
I am on Rogers, in Canada, on the I337M. I have a ROM that allows for the selecting a variety of network modes. By default, the LTE/GSM/WCDMA setting is selected, but there is also a setting for LTE/CDMA/EvDo/GSM/WCDMA. Obviously, that's more networks than are available by default.
What I wonder is if selecting the 5-network option would be a good idea or a bad idea. Would more battery be drained? Would greater reception be gained in sparse areas? Does it depend upon which networks one's carrier uses? If I have no signal, would switching to the 5-network mode potentially enable a 2G signal or something? I don't understand how this works; I just know that LTE is 4G and is the fastest data band and is only partially available in my region currently. I often drop to 3G, but I don't know if that is WCDMA or GSM or what. I looked up these various standards on Wikipedia but still am not clear on everything. To compound matters, Rogers apparently uses HSPA+ as a 3G network and I often see that icon in my status bar, but what is that—WCDMA?
Any light shed on my conundrum would be appreciated.

Te3k said:
Hey,
I am on Rogers, in Canada, on the I337M. I have a ROM that allows for the selecting a variety of network modes. By default, the LTE/GSM/WCDMA setting is selected, but there is also a setting for LTE/CDMA/EvDo/GSM/WCDMA. Obviously, that's more networks than are available by default.
What I wonder is if selecting the 5-network option would be a good idea or a bad idea. Would more battery be drained? Would greater reception be gained in sparse areas? Does it depend upon which networks one's carrier uses? If I have no signal, would switching to the 5-network mode potentially enable a 2G signal or something? I don't understand how this works; I just know that LTE is 4G and is the fastest data band and is only partially available in my region currently. I often drop to 3G, but I don't know if that is WCDMA or GSM or what. I looked up these various standards on Wikipedia but still am not clear on everything. To compound matters, Rogers apparently uses HSPA+ as a 3G network and I often see that icon in my status bar, but what is that—WCDMA?
Any light shed on my conundrum would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE/GSM/WCDMA simply means your phone will choose the most advancement network automatically. Let's say you are in an LTE area, with this setting you will have LTE. GSM means EDGE (2G) and WCDMA is 3G/3.5G (HSPA+). You will probably conserve battery life if you put it to GSM/WCDMA (auto). It will prefer 3G/3.5G/H+ in LTE areas. I am not familiar with Rogers but it might get you a stronger signal.
Sometimes when the LTE in my area is acting up I'll switch it over to WCDMA only, which helps.
Hope I answered your questions.

MattMJB0188 said:
LTE/GSM/WCDMA simply means your phone will choose the most advancement network automatically. Let's say you are in an LTE area, with this setting you will have LTE. GSM means EDGE (2G) and WCDMA is 3G/3.5G (HSPA+). You will probably conserve battery life if you put it to GSM/WCDMA (auto). It will prefer 3G/3.5G/H+ in LTE areas. I am not familiar with Rogers but it might get you a stronger signal.
Sometimes when the LTE in my area is acting up I'll switch it over to WCDMA only, which helps.
Hope I answered your questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your reply. It was helpful to learn that GSM=EDGE/2G and WCDMA=3G/3.5G (HSPA+). I understand that disabling 4G conserves battery life, and since 4G service isn't as saturated as 3G in my area, perhaps disabling 4G in certain circumstances will be beneficial as the phone will automatically jump to the saturated 3G network.
I'm still not sure about enabling CDMA and EvDo in addition to GSM/WCDMA/LTE. Would it be unnecessary to do so? Would that turn on more radios and drain more battery? Are those networks only available in certain regions, on certain carriers?

Te3k said:
Thank you very much for your reply. It was helpful to learn that GSM=EDGE/2G and WCDMA=3G/3.5G (HSPA+). I understand that disabling 4G conserves battery life, and since 4G service isn't as saturated as 3G in my area, perhaps disabling 4G in certain circumstances will be beneficial as the phone will automatically jump to the saturated 3G network.
I'm still not sure about enabling CDMA and EvDo in addition to GSM/WCDMA/LTE. Would it be unnecessary to do so? Would that turn on more radios and drain more battery? Are those networks only available in certain regions, on certain carriers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What rom are you running?

MattMJB0188 said:
What rom are you running?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LiquidSmooth 2.9 on KToons' latest kernel.

Sorry to revive an old post, but I've been searching all over for this 'simple' question.
What is the difference in LTE/GSM auto and LTE/GSM/CDMA auto? Only APN in use is the T-Mobile LTE APN.
**KEEP IN MIND that while on LTE/GSM and not in an LTE area, I get HSPA and HSPA+ no problem on T-Mobile**
Just wish I could SUCCESSFULLY get 1 of those modes to stick on stock 4.2.2 ROM even with the build.prop edits.