Database Users

[Q] International version not getting LTE in Canada

Hello guys,
I bought a Galaxy Note 3 (LTE version) from the UAE and am now using it in Canada. However, I am not getting LTE connectivity. My telecom provider (Virgin Mobile) does have LTE connectivity, but my phone only gets H+ or 4G while using data.
I believe this is due to my Note 3 firmware not supporting the LTE bands used in Canada, but again, I'm not sure as I am not very good with these things.
Is there anything I can do (i.e. update firmware) to get LTE support on my device in Canada?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

It's probably correct assuming that your LTE bands are not available to you, not on the device but the actual firmware - AFAIK N9008w is the .ca version, same hardware etc just different software. - dunno if w8 firmware can be flash on to it, doubt it as it can't be done the other way around..
However, there *may* be a radio fix, you'd need to search around.

Are you certain that you are using an LTE capable sim card?
You will only be able to get LTE if your sim card is LTE capable.
Since you are getting HSPA it seems that your APN's are fine

I checked with my mobile provider and I do have a LTE capable SIM card. I guess the LTE bands on my international Note 3 are not supported by Bell Canada.
Also, when go under "About Device" the very last box says "United Arab Emirates" (where it tells the TRA ID and TA). Also, my Baseband version is N9005XXUDMJ7
Not sure if any of this information is helpful, but I would appreciate any assistance in anything I can do to somehow get LTE connectivity on my phone. However, I want to avoid doing anything extreme to my phone.
Thanks

imad604 said:
I checked with my mobile provider and I do have a LTE capable SIM card. I guess the LTE bands on my international Note 3 are not supported by Bell Canada.
Also, when go under "About Device" the very last box says "United Arab Emirates" (where it tells the TRA ID and TA). Also, my Baseband version is N9005XXUDMJ7
Not sure if any of this information is helpful, but I would appreciate any assistance in anything I can do to somehow get LTE connectivity on my phone. However, I want to avoid doing anything extreme to my phone.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your device can only do LTE on 2600MHz on Bell Network...
2600MHz coverage is very limited...
chez this map : http://network.bell.ca/en/coverage
Max 150mbps zones are where you will get the 2600MHz coverage.

zadigre said:
your device can only do LTE on 2600MHz on Bell Network...
2600MHz coverage is very limited...
chez this map : http://network.bell.ca/en/coverage
Max 150mbps zones are where you will get the 2600MHz coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I have realized that when I am in the 2600MHz zone I get "4G" connection shown on my phone not "LTE".
A friend of mine got his Note 3 from Bell and his phone shows "LTE" when he is in those zones.
I might have to go with Rogers, but I have had a horrible experience with them.

imad604 said:
Thanks for the reply. I have realized that when I am in the 2600MHz zone I get "4G" connection shown on my phone not "LTE".
A friend of mine got his Note 3 from Bell and his phone shows "LTE" when he is in those zones.
I might have to go with Rogers, but I have had a horrible experience with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On some phones, 4G is LTE... so I think you are fine
Sent from my SM-N900 with Tapatalk

4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communication technology standards and the common name.
LTE (Long term Evolution) is the Technology term for the actual standard used for 4G in most countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Term_Evolution
So if the phone says 4G in Canada that uses LTE then you have the faster connection.

Sm-n910s att lte

Hello, I bought an SM-N910S bc it it listed to have ATT lte but I can not get it to pick up lte. Can anyone help?

You have to introduce the APN settings I guess.

I did. I tried *#0011# but couldnt get the menu up.

It is in the normal settings of the phone in the network part "name of the acces poitns".

papi92 said:
Hello, I bought an SM-N910S bc it it listed to have ATT lte but I can not get it to pick up lte. Can anyone help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am really sorry to dissappoint you, but your phone is NOT compatible with AT&T LTE. None of the international Samsung phones support North America LTE (Bands 4, 13, & 17). 95% of AT&T's LTE network runs on LTE band 17 (700mhz) and your phone does not support that frequency. This means you will never get AT&T LTE on it. You should pick up HSPA+ which nowadays is performing faster than LTE in some areas. Looking at your certain model, it looks like you may pick up band 5 LTE, which AT&T has in VERY FEW areas.
For future reference, the only models that will pick up AT&T LTE are the AT&T model obviously, T-Mobile models, and Verizon. No international version has ever had support for North America LTE bands.
Here is the specs to your model and you can see nowhere does it support band 4 or 17 LTE.
http://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/ca552ee0

It does. Go cjeck samsungs website

papi92 said:
It does. Go cjeck samsungs website
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The N910s isn't even coming up on Samsung.com for me. Probably because the device isn't a North American device. I'm telling you that an international device will not support AT&T band 17 LTE. Hopefully I'm wrong. Do you have any proof that the device you bought says it supports band 17 LTE? Not unlocked USA LTE. You want band 17 LTE.

papi92 said:
It does. Go cjeck samsungs website
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MattMJB0188 is right. You are out of luck. The hardware doesn't support the ATT LTE bands. You should have searched the forums here first. This has been discussed before. Also, where on that site does it list band 17 (700) and 4 (1700) support? I couldn't find it.

http://m.samsung.com/sec/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/skt/SM-N910SZKESKC

4g lteb1 (2100), b3 (1800), b5 (850), b7 (2600), b17 (700)

Just like the S5 prime

papi92 said:
4g lteb1 (2100), b3 (1800), b5 (850), b7 (2600), b17 (700)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Follow this to put in the correct APN
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2464498

papi92 said:
http://m.samsung.com/sec/consumer/mobile-phone/mobile-phone/skt/SM-N910SZKESKC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmmm. You picked up the Korean version of the Note 4? Can I ask why? I do see support for band 17. Was the device originally locked? Its possible AT&T may be blocking LTE on that model number I don't know. If the APN settings are right, then I'd make sure my account is provisioned for LTE (that matters with AT&T).
Just so you know, your device is lacking band 2 LTE and band 4 which AT&T is using in congested areas. Generally, this will give you a poor performance. For example when an AT&T device is using band 17 and it becomes congested it can easily switch to band 2. Your device will not.
Good luck with your warranty also.

Its only band 17 in my area. And i travel a lot to china, south korea, and Canada so i wanted the bands. It seems ATT is the only carrier that lte isnt working on that its suppose too

papi92 said:
Its only band 17 in my area. And i travel a lot to china, south korea, and Canada so i wanted the bands. It seems ATT is the only carrier that lte isnt working on that its suppose too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you give AT&T the imei of your note 4? If so, you won't get LTE. You can confirm this by putting the sim back in an ATT android LTE phone and testing LTE. It shouldn't get LTE either until you switch the imei back with AT&T.

No I did not. I believe its an sktelecom software add on.

mircury said:
Did you give AT&T the imei of your note 4? If so, you won't get LTE. You can confirm this by putting the sim back in an ATT android LTE phone and testing LTE. It shouldn't get LTE either until you switch the imei back with AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. You have to supply AT&T with an IMEI number from one of their devices in order to get LTE to work. Just go to a store and jot down the IMEI on any of their LTE android devices. Then call customer service and have them provision your account.

I did. They have my Q10 IMEI

papi92 said:
I did. They have my Q10 IMEI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have the correct APN, and your account is provisioned for one of their Android LTE devices, then I don't know. Its possible they could be blocking LTE from that device, given its a Korean phone. I don't know. Good luck.

My guess is they only unlock 3G bands and leave LTE locked. I'm going to dig farther

[Q] no 4G in China

My Samsung Note 4 N910C had great performance under all 5 operators when I was in Hong Kong, with unbelievable 4G speeds...
Now I am in China, using a 4G enabled SIM card from China Unicom and the icon on the top bar only shows H+.
By contrast my iPhone 6 and my LG G3 show 4G, both of them. Under the same conditions, same network (China Unicom) and same 4G SIM card
I asked China Unicom: they run a 4G FD LTE network, in 1800MHz band. So what could be the culprit? Are we sure that Samsung SM-N910C covers the FD LTE 1800MHz band?
(LG G3 and iPhone 6 plus do for sure since I get the 4G icon on top bar)
Thank you and waiting.
Saulo

OTA routine updates + Phone call recording
I have other 2 questions
I wish to root my device: (using chaifire Auto-CF method).
1. OTA routine updates
What will happen when I make an official OTA monthly upgrade, from Samsung? Will I get the device bricked? Will I lose rooting?
2. Phone call recording.
For many reasons I wish to avoid to flash a custom rom. How then can I get the capability of "phone call recording" during a phone call? I have this feature with my NON rooted MIUI M3 device...running android 4.4.2. Are out there any apk to install or special mods?
I am not asking about privacy concerns or the legality of phone recording, I just wish to know if that function is feasible without flashing a custom ROM.
Thank you
Saulo

saulo866 said:
My Samsung Note 4 N910C had great performance under all 5 operators when I was in Hong Kong, with unbelievable 4G speeds...
Now I am in China, using a 4G enabled SIM card from China Unicom and the icon on the top bar only shows H+.
By contrast my iPhone 6 and my LG G3 show 4G, both of them. Under the same conditions, same network (China Unicom) and same 4G SIM card
I asked China Unicom: they run a 4G FD LTE network, in 1800MHz band. So what could be the culprit? Are we sure that Samsung SM-N910C covers the FD LTE 1800MHz band?
(LG G3 and iPhone 6 plus do for sure since I get the 4G icon on top bar)
Thank you and waiting.
Saulo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know china mobile runs FDD band 3 (1800) and band 7 (2600) ONLY in Hong Kong. All other parts of China using TDD. As far as 910C I can assure you it has band 3 (1800) because vodafon qatar uses that band.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

iznee said:
As far as I know china mobile runs FDD band 3 (1800) and band 7 (2600) ONLY in Hong Kong. All other parts of China using TDD. As far as 910C I can assure you it has band 3 (1800) because vodafon qatar uses that band.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
I am using China Unicom, not China Mobile, but, yes, both carriers are currently sharing the TDD LTE network
So we have to admit that LG G3 has both FDD LTE and TDD LTE? Otherwise why my LG G3 shows a 4GB icon on top bar? Of course I am using the same 4G enabled China Unicom SIM card

The 910G should work in china as it supports TDD bands
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

saulo866 said:
Thank you.
I am using China Unicom, not China Mobile, but, yes, both carriers are currently sharing the TDD LTE network
So we have to admit that LG G3 has both FDD LTE and TDD LTE? Otherwise why my LG G3 shows a 4GB icon on top bar? Of course I am using the same 4G enabled China Unicom SIM card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really strange as both your 910c and the Unicom 9106w both list B3 (1800) in their specs so it should work.
Any way to get into the settings and force LTE only? Do the APNs look OK?
Sent from my 1+1

Refer here for worldwide lte bands: https://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&...oQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHweUb9bpKCXyW6n_-ox1GDSm3eLQ
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

Dear Kinghu
How to force LTE? In settings I only see
WCDMA only
WCDMA/GSM
GSM only
2.
In Hong Kong I saw 4G icon. But at that time I did NOT check in settings, Anyway the speed was so good! I downloaded an entire movie is less than 6 mins. Incredibly fast. Here I am back to average speeds.

saulo866 said:
My Samsung Note 4 N910C had great performance under all 5 operators when I was in Hong Kong, with unbelievable 4G speeds...
Now I am in China, using a 4G enabled SIM card from China Unicom and the icon on the top bar only shows H+.
By contrast my iPhone 6 and my LG G3 show 4G, both of them. Under the same conditions, same network (China Unicom) and same 4G SIM card
I asked China Unicom: they run a 4G FD LTE network, in 1800MHz band. So what could be the culprit? Are we sure that Samsung SM-N910C covers the FD LTE 1800MHz band?
(LG G3 and iPhone 6 plus do for sure since I get the 4G icon on top bar)
Thank you and waiting.
Saulo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just bought a 4G china unicom sim card and receive H+ as the symbol.
I called Unicom and asked them why and the guy told me that iphone symbols show 4G but android and some other devices may show H+ but it's still 4G speeds..
Is that even possible? My HTC One can use 4G but it's showing H+, I didn't think H+ could be shown if it actually uses FDD-LTE..

LG V20 VS995 in the UK?

I'm in the UK and about to buy a LG V20 VS995 from Hong Kong off of Ebay. Pretty sure I've checked the available frequencies here especially the 800 & 900MHz bands as these are the ones which travel the furthest and are able to penetrate buildings better than the higher frequencies. I've attached a table of the main UK networks and what bands they use. So can anyone let me know I've got this right before I purchase. Many thanks

Hi
I am in the UK also and currently using O2 with no problems. I have also used an EE SIM again with no problems. The only thing you need to be aware that the VS995 will not pick up the SIM APNs automatically, at least that is what I found, so you will need to find the APN for whichever network you use. There are off-line APN finders you can find via Google. Hope this is of some help.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk

Ferg8080 said:
I'm in the UK and about to buy a LG V20 VS995 from Hong Kong off of Ebay. Pretty sure I've checked the available frequencies here especially the 800 & 900MHz bands as these are the ones which travel the furthest and are able to penetrate buildings better than the higher frequencies. I've attached a table of the main UK networks and what bands they use. So can anyone let me know I've got this right before I purchase. Many thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, the LG V20 VS995 doesn't support ALL the bands used in the UK. It doesn't support one of the LTE bands used by Vodafone - the 2100Mhz band. So if you're on the Vodafone network, you may find that 4G/LTE speeds might be slightly slower.
I got all of this information from frequencycheck.com and it's usually where I get all my information on the bands that smartphones support.
The best option if you want to get a V20 that supports ALL bands in the UK (at this current time), is the LG V20 H990DS (Taiwanese Version).
That is the variant that I own and it supports every single band used in the UK.
The only other variant that supports all bands is the LG V20 H990N (Hong Kong version), but it only has Cat6 capability as opposed to the H990DS's Cat12 capability. Therefore, the maximum speed you'll be able to get is 300Mbp/s on the H990N - whereas on the H990DS you can get up to 600Mbp/s.
I got this information from techwalls.com/lg-v20-model-numbers-differences/
I hope that helped.

rikstar555 said:
Hi, the LG V20 VS995 doesn't support ALL the bands used in the UK. It doesn't support one of the LTE bands used by Vodafone - the 2100Mhz band. So if you're on the Vodafone network, you may find that 4G/LTE speeds might be slightly slower.
I got all of this information from frequencycheck.com and it's usually where I get all my information on the bands that smartphones support.
The best option if you want to get a V20 that supports ALL bands in the UK (at this current time), is the LG V20 H990DS (Taiwanese Version).
That is the variant that I own and it supports every single band used in the UK.
The only other variant that supports all bands is the LG V20 H990N (Hong Kong version), but it only has Cat6 capability as opposed to the H990DS's Cat12 capability. Therefore, the maximum speed you'll be able to get is 300Mbp/s on the H990N - whereas on the H990DS you can get up to 600Mbp/s.
I got this information from techwalls.com/lg-v20-model-numbers-differences/
I hope that helped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not really sure that's true according to gsmarena it does support band 4(1700/2100) admittedly that's not the same as 1(2100). I'm sorry but in my ignorance I don't know . Maybe someone who is more enlightened could tell us what the difference is. See here.
Also the bit about the Cat 6, 9, 12 with LTE does not really bother me. For the VS995 it's LTE-A (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps but for the H990N it's LTE-A (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps. Now I ask you is anyone on this planet going to realistically even touch or even dream of a download speed of 300Mbps on a mobile network. I'm not even remotely getting this on my home fibre and we're watching UHD movies!!

Did find this
LTE Band 1: This is one of the paired bands that was defined for the 3G UTRA and 3GPP rel 99.
LTE Band 4: This LTE band was introduced as a new band for the Americas at the World (Administrative) Radio Conference, WRC-2000. This international conference is where international spectrum allocations are agreed. The downlink of band 4 overlaps with the downlink for Band 1. This facilitates roaming.
I guess I'll soon find out, not sure how though

Ferg8080 said:
Did find this
LTE Band 1: This is one of the paired bands that was defined for the 3G UTRA and 3GPP rel 99.
LTE Band 4: This LTE band was introduced as a new band for the Americas at the World (Administrative) Radio Conference, WRC-2000. This international conference is where international spectrum allocations are agreed. The downlink of band 4 overlaps with the downlink for Band 1. This facilitates roaming.
I guess I'll soon find out, not sure how though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be on the safe side, I would just go for the H990N or H990DS. You also don't get the horrible, disgusting Verizon watermarks and logos (software and hardware) if you go with either of the H990 variants. But if you're not going to be using Vodafone, it doesn't really matter - because Vodafone is currently the only UK network that uses B1(2100) for 4G/LTE. Have you already ordered the phone?

i have a h990n in the uk all networks with full 4g

Don't buy CDMA phones for use on GSM carriers, or phones not specific to your region! Though nearly all CDMA phones from Sprint and Verizon in the USA support GSM protocols like 2G: GSM, 3G: UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+, and some LTE bands, they are not always accessible. VS995 doesn't support Vodafone UK's LTE B1. I ran into problems with invalid sims and poor coverage because not all bands were unlocked by Verizon. If you want a V20 save the hassle and buy a GSM unlocked V20: US996, H990, H910 (won't get OTA, so flash H915 KDZ), H915, H918.
More info: https://www.frequencycheck.com/countries/united-kingdom

patato21 said:
Don't buy CDMA phones for use on GSM carriers, or phones not specific to your region! Though nearly all CDMA phones from Sprint and Verizon in the USA support GSM protocols like 2G: GSM, 3G: UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+, and some LTE bands, they are not always accessible. VS995 doesn't support Vodafone UK's LTE B1. I ran into problems with invalid sims and poor coverage because not all bands were unlocked by Verizon. If you want a V20 save the hassle and buy a GSM unlocked V20: US996, H990, H910 (won't get OTA, so flash H915 KDZ), H915, H918.
More info: https://www.frequencycheck.com/countries/united-kingdom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had a look at the above link and have got the following compatibility
GSM: 2G, 2.5G 100% (2/2)
UMTS: 3G, 3.5G, 3.5G (4G speed) 100% (2/2)
LTE: 4G 75% (3/4)
So I'm chuffed especially after reading this concerning the band/frequency I'm missing...
2.6GHz frequency band
The 2.6GHz band is the other frequency which was auctioned by Ofcom and it’s essentially the opposite of the 800MHz band. So it’s not great at travelling over long distances, meaning that masts need to be closer together to deliver reliable coverage and as such it’s not so suited to rural areas.
It’s also not all that adept at penetrating walls so indoor signal on the 2.6GHz band won’t always be perfect.
But on the other hand with 35MHz blocks available it has a high capacity. So it can cope with thousands of simultaneous connections, which in that sense makes it a good fit for cities and other busy areas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered the phone and hope to get it in the next couple of weeks and I will post back my experiences. I ended up getting it at a good price too

Stransky said:
Hi
I am in the UK also and currently using O2 with no problems. I have also used an EE SIM again with no problems. The only thing you need to be aware that the VS995 will not pick up the SIM APNs automatically, at least that is what I found, so you will need to find the APN for whichever network you use. There are off-line APN finders you can find via Google. Hope this is of some help.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of curiousity were you able to update from Nougat to Oreo? I had a quick preliminary look and didn't see any straightforward method via official channels.

Ferg8080 said:
Out of curiousity were you able to update from Nougat to Oreo? I had a quick preliminary look and didn't see any straightforward method via official channels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk

Stransky said:
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will probably stick with the stock ROM for a while until I'm settled in with the phone. Has choosing the Alpha rom negatively affected the performance of the camera or sound quality at all?
Some of the reasons for getting this phone is the renowned DAC and the camera esp in manual mode (apparently auto could be disappointing).

Ferg8080 said:
Will probably stick with the stock ROM for a while until I'm settled in with the phone. Has choosing the Alpha rom negatively affected the performance of the camera or sound quality at all?
Some of the reasons for getting this phone is the renowned DAC and the camera esp in manual mode (apparently auto could be disappointing).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No negative affects. Alpha Rom is actually based on the last stock Rom from Verizon with some modifications.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Stransky said:
No negative affects. Alpha Rom is actually based on the last stock Rom from Verizon with some modifications.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay thanks for all your help. I'm expecting to get my phone sometime before Christmas
Just looked at the delivery estimate and it was anywhere between Sept 4th and October??th and it was ordered about 10 days ago. I guess it's to be expected coming from Hong Kong.
:good:

Stransky said:
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well picked up my new V20 VS995 today and before I launch myself head long into customising it I've posted some questions in the main thread here I would really appreciate any help you might be able to give. I was going to post it here but I thought that would be unfair to load you with a barrage of questions.
The whole process seems so much more complicated than with my Note 4 and I there is a lot less handholding esp with the AΩ ROM'S initial post. For a relative novice it seems an absolute minefield.

Will it work in Australia on Telstra?

Hello everyone!
I live in Australia, and have just ordered this phone in India, who is supposed to bring it to Australia next week.
The box says 'Indian sim only'. But when I asked the Samsung customer care and looked into some other sources, people say that after using it on an Indian sim for 10-15 mins, it'll work on other networks too. The bands are supported though.
I'm really confused, whether to keep it or return it. Please suggest! Thanks in advance.

https://www.frequencycheck.com/carr...m-td-lte-128gb-samsung-m307/telstra-australia
I do not know how accurate is above information because from other source seems Telstra Au uses more frequencies
https://www.whistleout.com.au/Mobil...nJczYWP8cUPDqJ8YucWnA1Mnnxor8DGDNYbT-jiKyYepW
Supported bands from Sammobile
https://www.sammobile.com/samsung/galaxy-m30s/specs/#SM-M307F
From above seems following bands are supported:
900MHz (B8)
1800MHz (B3)
2100MHz (B1)
2600MHz (B7)

Thanks @pabgar for the info. I think the bands are supported. It's the regional lock I'm worried about. Because the box says Indian sim only. And there are confusing facts over the internet. Some say it won't work outside India, but others say that after using it on Indian sim and making a call for 10-15 minutes registers in on the Indian carrier, then it works on other networks too. Band compatibility:
https://www.kimovil.com/en/frequency-checker/AU/samsung-galaxy-m30s

I remember the Australians telling me Band 28 was necessary for good service within Australia.

Indeed B28 is low 700MHz band applied in rural areas because of long range from BTS

It works!
Happy to report that it works well on Telstra, and in Australia.