[Q] Which S5s support LTE on T-Mobile in the US? - Galaxy S 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I bought this G900 electric blue from pricebreak on eBay, and later noticed that there's no such model, "G900". I got a G900H, which doesn't appear to support LTE.
1. How do I test for proper LTE support? In About device -> Status -> Mobile Network type: HSDPA.
2. Which S5s support LTE? Phonearena doesn't list the G900H at all.

dandv said:
I bought this G900 electric blue from pricebreak on eBay, and later noticed that there's no such model, "G900". I got a G900H, which doesn't appear to support LTE.
1. How do I test for proper LTE support? In About device -> Status -> Mobile Network type: HSDPA.
2. Which S5s support LTE? Phonearena doesn't list the G900H at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-Mobile uses the following bands primarly for their 3G HDPSA+ and 4GLTE network:
1700 MHz and 2100 MHz. AWS 700 MHz will be rolled out by end of this year.
These are the models currently available. I don't see yours on gsmarena, so I would be weary especially since its eBay.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5-6033.php
Shows the list of phone models and compatiblity with specific LTE channels.
In your case, based on the information provided, I recommend going for the G900T
Let me know if this helps.
~Sol

Related

N7100 or N7105

I really have no idea but it appears the N7105 is international version with no LTE, at least that works with ATT. The N7100 is the model number with LTE that will work with ATT. Is this true? Negri Electronics is selling the N7100, the spec says "4G Network LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 2100". Does this work with ATT 4G LTE? Is this the model, if you want LTE, to buy?
I preordered from Negri a week ago, but definitely want LTE in U.S.so keep order or cancel? Many websites reference in specs LTE but others call for 2 models....anyone really know. Clove U.K. simply calls device Samsung Note 2, no reference to N7100 or N7105. It clearly doesn't show in specs 4G LTE, only 3G.Handtec (U.K.) calls out phone N7100 with the following spec:"3G: HSPA+ 21Mbps (HSDPA 21Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps) 4G LTE: 100Mbps/ 50Mbps (HDSPA 42Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps)
So which is it? Does anyone know?
I am not sure, but in the fcc documents for the N7105 there's no mention of lte at all.
So I believe that the n7105 is the international without lte.
Gesendet von meinem Desire HD mit Tapatalk 2
If you live in the US, you want LTE. It's awesome in every respect. It's like having a FIOS line in the palm of your hand.
In Singapore, Note 1's model number is GT-N7000 while Note 1 LTE is GT-N7005. I do believe that Samsung's naming format for their international handsets doesn't differ from country to country. Therefore GT-N7105 is Note II LTE. just my educated guess.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
mix1987 said:
In Singapore, Note 1's model number is GT-N7000 while Note 1 LTE is GT-N7005. I do believe that Samsung's naming format for their international handsets doesn't differ from country to country. Therefore GT-N7105 is Note II LTE. just my educated guess.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct! The models ending with 05 are LTE
nascar24usa said:
I really have no idea but it appears the N7105 is international version with no LTE, at least that works with ATT. The N7100 is the model number with LTE that will work with ATT. Is this true? Negri Electronics is selling the N7100, the spec says "4G Network LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 2100". Does this work with ATT 4G LTE? Is this the model, if you want LTE, to buy?
I preordered from Negri a week ago, but definitely want LTE in U.S.so keep order or cancel? Many websites reference in specs LTE but others call for 2 models....anyone really know. Clove U.K. simply calls device Samsung Note 2, no reference to N7100 or N7105. It clearly doesn't show in specs 4G LTE, only 3G.Handtec (U.K.) calls out phone N7100 with the following spec:"3G: HSPA+ 21Mbps (HSDPA 21Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps) 4G LTE: 100Mbps/ 50Mbps (HDSPA 42Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps)
So which is it? Does anyone know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are at least 5 different versions if not more. Although it is LTE capable, the version sold for England does not have a LTE chip, The German one does but it will not work on ATT. There are no LTE networks in Europe that I know about compatible with ATT LTE bands. If you buy one in Europe plan on using 3G and 2G on ATT. Make sure it has these bands:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
ATT uses 850 and 1900 for 2G and 3G. You need both.
To use ATT LTE you need a chip for this:
LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 1700 / 2100.
From what I can tell, even if you happen to buy out of country versions that are compatible for some LTE frequencies for example AT&T, it may not be as compatible as phones you would get from AT&T directly because of the mix and match LTE spectrums that AT&T and all other carriers have purchased. I'm guessing the days of importing International versions are over if you care about good LTE coverage.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Check out my huge collection of 64GB Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Videos (Demos, Accessory Reviews)
Negri Electronics Pre Order Samsung N-7100 Note 2
Sebring5 said:
There are at least 5 different versions if not more. Although it is LTE capable, the version sold for England does not have a LTE chip, The German one does but it will not work on ATT. There are no LTE networks in Europe that I know about compatible with ATT LTE bands. If you buy one in Europe plan on using 3G and 2G on ATT. Make sure it has these bands:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
ATT uses 850 and 1900 for 2G and 3G. You need both.
To use ATT LTE you need a chip for this:
LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 1700 / 2100.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
_______________
Negri lists as follows:
Negri Electronics (Las Vegas) pre order lists the Note 2 as follows:
3G/4G bands 850 , 900 , 1900 , 2100
DATA GPRS Yes
EDGE Yes
Speed HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 2100
If accurate, this will work with ATT LTE, yes?
here is the lte version from hk web site but not yet official by samsung.
http://www.price.com.hk/product.php?p=145083
according to what you can read here : http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3807&c=samsung_gt-n7105_galaxy_note_ii_lte_32gb
N7105 is LTE for LTE2600 (B7) and LTE800 (B20). Those frequencies have choosen for LTE in France
I wonder if the Korean LTE one released today will work in uk when our 4g is up and running. Anyone know?
lawtq said:
I wonder if the Korean LTE one released today will work in uk when our 4g is up and running. Anyone know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately not. I believe that South Korean LTE is on 1800MHz. Post auction UK LTE frequencies are 800MHz and 2600MHz (these are the bands to be auctioned off before the end of 2012). However, it will likely work on EE's Interim LTE network.
Everything Everywhere will launch an 'interim 4G' solution, running LTE on some of its unused 1800MHz spectrum (from the T-Mobile/Orange Merger). This will be rolled out to 16 cities before the end of the year. EE 4G is up and running as we speak, but only for dongles, and one cannot yet buy a phone on contract from them.
Aside from that, O2 and Vodafone have lots of spectrum at 900MHz, depending on what they secure at 800MHz, they might ask ofcom to allow them to run LTE on 900MHz, likely siting ofcoms agreement to allow EE to run LTE on 1800MHz as ammunition!
Three (which only had 2100MHz spectrum since its a 3G only provider), has bought some 1800MHz spectrum off EE. They have not yet declared what they will use this for, but one would suspect limited 'interim 4G' like EE.
There are basically no phones out there at the moment that support both post-auction UK LTE frequencies (800MHz and 2600MHz). France apparently uses 800MHz and 2600MHz although only the latter is currently live. There is a note 2 variant on its way that does 800/2600MHz. Lots more will follow.
The problem we have in the UK, is that we might end up with 4 LTE bands: 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2600MHz !!! No phones are going to be doing all this lot anytime soon. (I was wrong: Nokia Lumnia 920 does, Samsungs do not yet)
Additionally, what happens post-auction to EE's (and perhaps 3's) LTE network at 1800MHz - are they just going to shut it down (one would assume not!) If not then future phones for that network will need to do 800,1800 and 2600MHz. Will they cover the initial 16 cities with 800/2600MHz as well as 1800MHz to keep the early adopters happy?
UK LTE is a mess. Its partially DSO (TV digital switchover) that's to blame, but ofcom could have sold off the 2600MHz spectrum some time ago, and then done the 800MHz auctions after DSO. This is the way that France chose to run its auctions. If ofcom had done this then we could have had 4G 12-18 months ago, and we could not have ended up with half-way-house 1800MHz LTE from the likes of EE.
Anyway to answer your question, if you get any of EE's current phones: iPhone5, SGS3, Lumnia 920, (and, if they announce it, Note 2 - Korean) etc then these ONLY do 1800MHz LTE EE's 'Interim LTE' (and perhaps 700 and 2100MHz LTE - which are useless in UK). Early next year, EE will start to spread coverage outwith those initial 16 cities, but they will do this using the 800MHz and 2600MHz LTE they won at auction.
That phone you got from them wont work on these post-auction LTE frequencies. You'll likely be on a two year contract, paying dearly for the fact that you adopted LTE early since those that waited would enjoy much better LTE coverage from their later-generation phones. On top of that, your phone, not having the right radio's for UK LTE will be worth sweet FA on ebay!
The operator arguments over the 800 and 2600MHz bands have hardly started yet. If O2/Voda get permission to run LTE on their 900MHz spectrum (and are also allowed to bit on 800MHz), you can bet you house that the operators without 900MHz aint gonna be happy!
What really gets me regarding all the arguments, is that neither O2, vodafone nor (to a lesser extent) orange ever bothered to implement 3G properly. It works in cities, thats about it. Only Three and T-Mobile actually implemented a reasonable 3G network that covered most of the UK.
Personally, I would forget about LTE for 18 months until there is a viable network, and some viable hardware that is actually able to take advantage of all the LTE infrastructure no matter what frequency is happens to run on! I certainly would not be signing up with EE (or three if they do 1800MHz LTE) for 2 years, just to be the first - as there's good potential to get caught out 9-12 months down the line.
For the operators, there are other issues at 800MHz. Folk living close to base stations are likely to loose the freeview muxes that are sat in the low 800MHz. In simple cases, this is fixed by a filter, in other cases, it will require a new roof antenna, while for some other folks, it will require a switch from freeview-freesat. One of the conditions attached to the 800MHz spectrum is that the mobile operator needs to fix-up the TV signal's for any customer that is likely to be effected. This will also reduce the radiation patterns, and thus range of the base stations in certain directions. Ofcom will only allow switch-on of the BS once the MO has fixed up all potential TV reception issues. Its going to cost them a fortune!
NB: What what I have seen thus far, Galaxy S3 and Note 2 don't do 1800,800 & 2600 in the same device. BUT Nokia Lumnia 920 does.
Nigel
veletron said:
NB: What what I have seen thus far, Galaxy S3 and Note 2 don't do 1800,800 & 2600 in the same device. BUT Nokia Lumnia 920 does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't realise just how many Note II variations have been / are being released!
GT-N7105
LTE2600 (B7), LTE800 (B20)
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3807&c=samsung_gt-n7105_galaxy_note_ii_lte_32gb
SGH-i317
LTE700 (B17), LTE1700/2100 (B4)
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3826&view=1&c=samsung_sgh-i317_galaxy_note_ii_lte
SHV-E250S
LTE850 (B5)
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3851&view=1&c=samsung_shv-e250s_galaxy_note_ii_lte
SPH-L900 (CDMA)
LTE1900 (B2), LTE1900 (B25)
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3832&c=samsung_sph-l900_galaxy_note_ii_lte
SCH-R950 (CDMA)
LTE850 (B5), LTE1700/2100 (B4), LTE1900 (B2), LTE700 (B12)
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3877&c=samsung_sch-r950_galaxy_note_ii_lte
Reading the following suggests that the Korean version (N7105?) supports all three networks - SKT, KT and LG U+:
http://sammyhub.com/2012/09/26/samsung-announces-galaxy-note-ii-for-south-korea/
... and, according to the following article, the only frequency supported by KT is 1800Mhz:
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/08/15...e-for-8001800-mhz-lte-service-on-next-iphone/
This would suggest that the Note 2 for Korea supports 800, 1800 & 2600Mhz.
Korean versions:
SK's SHV-E250S Supports Band 3 and 5
KT's SHV-E250K Supports Band 3 and 8
LG's SHV-E250U Supports Band 1 and 5
So basically if I'm on ATT here in the states with my Note 1, I should cool my jets and wait for the official US ATT version comes out instead of jumping the gun and getting an international version. Am I correct?
This GT-N7105 sold on NegriElectronics details these LTE bands:
Code:
4G Network LTE 700 MHz Class 17 / 2100
Unfortunately, I think Negri Electronics is misinformed over the specs of the N7105. Although they list the necessary LTE bands for AT&T, I believe that may be incorrect. According to Android Authority and the FCC, the N7105 does not support USA/Canada LTE bands sadly... I hope we're all proven wrong soon though!
Alternatively, assuming all other features and hardware of the AT&T/Rogers Note II are exactly the same as the international N7105, then it's likely possible that we can simply flash N7105 firmware out of the box, but continue to use the modem.bin from the carrier firmware for continued LTE functionality. That's what I did with my OG AT&T branded Galaxy Tab, and it worked brilliantly!
So, to recap:
1. Int'l N7105 is likely NOT North American LTE friendly :'(
2. North American carrier branded GSM/LTE Note 2's will likely have 99.9% identical hardware to Int'l N7105 (the .1% difference being the tweaked LTE radio and modem.bin driver file)
3. Possible workaround for North American users would be to get GSM carrier Note 2, retain modem.bin from carrier firmware, flash Int'l N7105 firmware, flash carrier modem.bin, and viola! North American LTE friendly Int'l Note 2!
Hmmm, I may have to contact them for clarification and cancel my order if that's the case.
Will update when I get feedback from them.
Edit: Talked with a Negri CS rep, and he suggested I cancel my pre-order and wait until they receive units to verify compatibility. That's what I have just done.
Engadget have a review up with the lte bands and model numbers. BUT
they don't list the 7105 as having band 1800 which is EEs network yet EE are set to sell the lte variant next week. :-/
Sent from my Desire HD using xda app-developers app
EE's LTE Variant
T-Mobile UK called me yesterday to confirm that they've received stock of the Note 2 LTE. I received a text to confirm that one of these is scheduled for delivery to my home within the next four hours (by midday UK time). Once it arrives, hopefully I can tell you exactly which bands in addition to band 3 (if any) are supported.

[Q] Pre-ordered I9500 - LTE question

Hi,
I just confirmed my back-order for the I9500 (and the product description is mentioning LTE eu which I believe means Europe). However, I'm a T-mo subscriber.
Does any one know if T-mo will support the European LTE (or in other words - will the I9500 will work with T-mo or AT&T LTE network?)
Thanks,
Gil.
Hi! Us Tmobile User Here!
gilbnx said:
Hi,
I just confirmed my back-order for the I9500 (and the product description is mentioning LTE eu which I believe means Europe). However, I'm a T-mo subscriber.
Does any one know if T-mo will support the European LTE (or in other words - will the I9500 will work with T-mo or AT&T LTE network?)
Thanks,
Gil.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! Us Tmobile User Here! Sadly no. The i9500 does not come equipped with 4g LTE chips. Mainly due to Europe's lack of a reliable network. The i9505(international) on the other hand does support LTE, so does the us version (SGH-M919). But buying one of these phones is somewhat of a waste knowing there could be compatibility issues with your network. In simple terms, stick with you i9500. HSPA+ IS NOT BAD. On paper it has a 42mbits max while LTE IS A WHOPPING 100MBITS. But the problem is paper stats dont translate well into everyday. Many times i find my self enjoying faster speeds on my HSPA+ phone then my LTE friends, variables like network congestion and signal strengrh can all factor into this. So yeah, stick with your I9500, the lack of LTE will only save you battery:laugh:!
sofyanator said:
Hi! Us Tmobile User Here! Sadly no. The i9500 does not come equipped with 4g LTE chips. Mainly due to Europe's lack of a reliable network. The i9505(international) on the other hand does support LTE, so does the us version (SGH-M919). But buying one of these phones is somewhat of a waste knowing there could be compatibility issues with your network. In simple terms, stick with you i9500. HDSPA+ IS NOT BAD. On paper it has a 42mbits max while LTE IS A WHOPPING 100MBITS. But the problem is paper stats dont translate well into everyday. Many times i find my self enjoying faster speeds on my HSPA+ phone then my LTE friends, variables like network congestion and signal strengrh can all factor into this. So yeah, stick with your I9500, the lack of LTE will only save you battery:laugh:!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that the lack of LTE for the i9500 is now updated. This is the spec from the website I've ordered the i9500 from:
Network: 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz; 3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz; 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market)
Display: 5 inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display, 441 ppi
Processor: 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor
OS: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
(they had the rest of the spec, cam, etc. but its not relevant for this thread).
This is the site: http://www.expansys-usa.com/samsung-galaxy-s-4-smartphone-black-mist-16gb-unlocked-247538/
As you can see, it is the 1.6Ghz Octa core and it does support LTE per this spec. The question is - will it work with the US (T-mo and AT&T) bands?
Thanks.
sofyanator said:
Hi! Us Tmobile User Here! Sadly no. The i9500 does not come equipped with 4g LTE chips. Mainly due to Europe's lack of a reliable network. The i9505(international) on the other hand does support LTE, so does the us version (SGH-M919). But buying one of these phones is somewhat of a waste knowing there could be compatibility issues with your network. In simple terms, stick with you i9500. HSPA+ IS NOT BAD. On paper it has a 42mbits max while LTE IS A WHOPPING 100MBITS. But the problem is paper stats dont translate well into everyday. Many times i find my self enjoying faster speeds on my HSPA+ phone then my LTE friends, variables like network congestion and signal strengrh can all factor into this. So yeah, stick with your I9500, the lack of LTE will only save you battery:laugh:!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AFAIK there won't be compatibility issues because the GT-I9505 will support all global LTE frequencies and standards. And what you said about LTE in Europe is wrong. There is a "reliable" network in Europe but it works on other frequencies than in US and moreover most countries in Europe will get the GT-I9505 version only. What you said was the case with the SGS3 but now the Exynos version (GT-I9500) will be officially in only few Europe countries.
gilbnx said:
I think that the lack of LTE for the i9500 is now updated. This is the spec from the website I've ordered the i9500 from:
Network: 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz; 3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz; 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market)
Display: 5 inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display, 441 ppi
Processor: 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor
OS: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
(they had the rest of the spec, cam, etc. but its not relevant for this thread).
This is the site: http://www.expansys-usa.com/samsung-galaxy-s-4-smartphone-black-mist-16gb-unlocked-247538/
As you can see, it is the 1.6Ghz Octa core and it does support LTE per this spec. The question is - will it work with the US (T-mo and AT&T) bands?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Negative. I spoke to them and had them look up the exact model with their procurement. The version they are getting is sourced from South America and DOES NOT have LTE despite it saying so on their website. It appears that many websites have made this same mistake because like Expansys they have simply reposted Samsungs description but it does not discern between the Korean version which is an Octa with LTE and the rest of the (announced) Octa variants which do not have LTE.
delete.
International phones are on International Baseband. US phones are on us baseband. If they were the same then there would be no US-International. It would just be one baseband. So i doubt it will but you can still be open to possibilities.
gilbnx said:
Hi,
I just confirmed my back-order for the I9500 (and the product description is mentioning LTE eu which I believe means Europe). However, I'm a T-mo subscriber.
Does any one know if T-mo will support the European LTE (or in other words - will the I9500 will work with T-mo or AT&T LTE network?)
Thanks,
Gil.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I ask, where did you preorder the GT-i9500?
Just remember, buying international phones is a PAIN for warranty. So be careful.
Nephilim-Giant said:
Just remember, buying international phones is a PAIN for warranty. So be careful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Warranty is not really an issue for me, just need to know where I can get the Exynos variant.
Buddy39914 said:
Warranty is not really an issue for me, just need to know where I can get the Exynos variant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Negri or expansys
Nephilim-Giant said:
Negri or expansys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen that, but their descriptions are really confusing. Some marked LTE, some marked LTA (not sure what that means), and some are marked just GT-i9500. Those which are marked just GT-i9500 say that they come with a quad-core, which should not be; the GT-i9500 is supposed to be octa-core. GT-i9505 is quad-core.
Which is which? Also, there are 16, 32, 64GB versions on the website; I doubt we will be seeing something higher than the 16GB version for the release.
Also, if I order the octa-core version. When will I get it, approximately?
Hi,
I'm having real trouble finding info on this so I hope you can help.
I have a standard 3uk 3g micro sim card in my international GS3. Can I use this card in an LTE enabled GS3. Is the LTE device backward compatable. I don't expect to get LTE coverage I just need to know if my sim will work as normal in an LTE device.
Yeah it is. If there's no 4G it should revert to whats next available such as 3G
Murdhie said:
Hi,
I'm having real trouble finding info on this so I hope you can help.
I have a standard 3uk 3g micro sim card in my international GS3. Can I use this card in an LTE enabled GS3. Is the LTE device backward compatable. I don't expect to get LTE coverage I just need to know if my sim will work as normal in an LTE device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your reply. Amazing how hard it is to find info on such a simple question. Called three and the guy couldn't grasp what I meant.
Thanks again.

[Q] Using LG G2 on StraightTalk T-mobile sim

I am currently on StraightTalk service using a t-mobile sim. I am interested in purchasing the LG G2 with my current sim. Before doing so, I wanted to see if anyone has any feedback with using the 4G LTE services with their T-mobile sim on Straighttalk?
Do you have any suggestions on where I can purchase a T-mobile compatible LG G2? I did find one on negri electronics but it did not mention that it was T-mobile compatible (The T-mobile site doesn't have an option to purchase the LG G2 unlocked currently).
I would appreciate any pointers in purchasing this phone unlocked, looks like an awesome phone!!
mithr4ndir said:
I am currently on StraightTalk service using a t-mobile sim. I am interested in purchasing the LG G2 with my current sim. Before doing so, I wanted to see if anyone has any feedback with using the 4G LTE services with their T-mobile sim on Straighttalk?
Do you have any suggestions on where I can purchase a T-mobile compatible LG G2? I did find one on negri electronics but it did not mention that it was T-mobile compatible (The T-mobile site doesn't have an option to purchase the LG G2 unlocked currently).
I would appreciate any pointers in purchasing this phone unlocked, looks like an awesome phone!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IIRC the tmobile, att, and international editions are the same hardware wise. I'd double check, but buying the ATT version unlocked is the cheapest way to do it.
mithr4ndir said:
I am currently on StraightTalk service using a t-mobile sim. I am interested in purchasing the LG G2 with my current sim. Before doing so, I wanted to see if anyone has any feedback with using the 4G LTE services with their T-mobile sim on Straighttalk?
Do you have any suggestions on where I can purchase a T-mobile compatible LG G2? I did find one on negri electronics but it did not mention that it was T-mobile compatible (The T-mobile site doesn't have an option to purchase the LG G2 unlocked currently).
I would appreciate any pointers in purchasing this phone unlocked, looks like an awesome phone!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought mine retail at the AT&T store and they gave me an unlock code over the phone the same day. I then tried my T-mobile SIM card in it and it worked fine (and I got LTE). But I don't know if the AT&T version has the 1700mhz band for T-mobile's non-LTE 4G. I am assuming it does not.
I just got an email notification today that the T-mobile version is available for purchase. You might look into just buying it form T-mobile. I assume they will have it in their store very shortly and that will surely have the 1700mhz band for if you do not live in a refarmed 1900mhz area.
Cheers,
-Collin-
Straight Talk has AT&T LTE now. That's what I am doing when my contract expires in a few months.
Did some more googling
"LTE 700 / 850 / 1700 / 1900
WCDMA 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
AT&T version (D800) does not support WCDMA 1700 / T-Mobile version (D801) does not support LTE 850"
May or may not be a firmware thing.
Not much mention of the tmobile variant anywhere, everyone has the att version to test. However the tmobile press release did say 1700/2100
Geekybiker said:
Did some more googling
"LTE 700 / 850 / 1700 / 1900
WCDMA 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
AT&T version (D800) does not support WCDMA 1700 / T-Mobile version (D801) does not support LTE 850"
May or may not be a firmware thing.
Not much mention of the tmobile variant anywhere, everyone has the att version to test. However the tmobile press release did say 1700/2100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if the D801 has band 17 for AT&T LTE. That's 700mhz right?
-Collin-
CollinFX45 said:
I wonder if the D801 has band 17 for AT&T LTE. That's 700mhz right?
-Collin-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Snapdraon 800 chipset has built in LTE, and Qualcomm made a big fuss about it being "world LTE". On top of that the chipset is supposed to have a configurable radio, so my guess would be each version of the phone should support everything and it would be the firmware that enables or disables different frequencies.
the Snapdragon 800 includes “True 4G LTE World Mode” with LTE FDD, LTE TDD, WCDMA, CDMA1x, EV-DO, TD-SCDMA, and GSM 4G LTE with Carrier Aggregation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although I am no dev and I dont recommend just trying this, it would be interesting if a real developer could look to see if firmware could be cross flashed to enable a different radio band on this phone since it is all the same hardware and the chipset its self supports all of it.
EniGmA1987 said:
The Snapdraon 800 chipset has built in LTE, and Qualcomm made a big fuss about it being "world LTE". On top of that the chipset is supposed to have a configurable radio, so my guess would be each version of the phone should support everything and it would be the firmware that enables or disables different frequencies.
Although I am no dev and I dont recommend just trying this, it would be interesting if a real developer could look to see if firmware could be cross flashed to enable a different radio band on this phone since it is all the same hardware and the chipset its self supports all of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good information and a good idea. It's good to know that the hardware is there, so maybe if the need arose then a dev would look into this.
-Collin-

[Q] Using my Galaxy S5 G900F in Canada?

Hi all, I'm wondering if I may trouble you with a quick question.
I recently bought a Galaxy S5 (Galaxy S5 G900F) in the hopes to have it future proof as I move to Canada next year and would like to have a solid phone for about two - three years. I'm based in Ireland at the moment and wondering can the phone be used in Canada without issue?
I was looking at a phone company (Koodo) who offer great rates and once I inputted my IMEI it stated my phone wouldn't work on their network.
Surely the S5 would work on any network throughout the globe? Last year my Note 3 worked perfectly in America and it was an international edition also.
Is this a hardware issue (radios) or software (were a simple flash of a different rom could fix)?
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
gbyrne2011 said:
Surely the S5 would work on any network throughout the globe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, let me ask you this question. If the S5 should work around the world.. why does Samsung have a dozen S5 variants?
Figured it out yet? Ironically the hardware is capable of supporting all GSM and LTE bands world wide. But Samsung endeavors to sell their phones for higher prices in more affluent countries. And carriers don't want to make it easy for you to jump ship and sign your phone up to another network. So they have artificial restrictions in the firmware and other measures e.g. region locking, SIM locks, to limit what you can do. They have to allow enough compatibility that you could usually roam when traveling. But not complete compatibility or you might buy a cheaper S5 from another country. Or change carriers willy nilly.
Yup, great system.
And so it is for your phone. It will work most of the time in Canada. But it isn't 100% compatible and you may find that it can't operate on the necessary bands in fringe areas or for niche carriers.
Most of the bands are the same between the S5 900F (yours) and the S5 900W8 (Canada)
The differences, I believe are:
2G: same for both
3G: Most bands are the same. But you have B8(900) in place of Canadian band B4(1700 aka AWS)
4G: Most bands are the same. But you have B5(850), B20(800) instead of Canadian bands B4(1700 aka AWS), B17(700)
In the case of Fido, their site says:
Fido said:
Things to Know
Your device must be compatible with the Fido network, which uses GSM, UMTS, HSPA and HSPA+ at 850 MHz and 1900 MHz and LTE at 2100 MHz and 2600 MHz. If you are unsure of how to check the frequencies your device supports, try the manufacturer's official website and search for the specifications for your particular phone/smartphone model;
If your device is currently locked, it needs to be unlocked by the carrier you bought it from;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears to me that your phone supports all of the Fido bands. And most, but not all of the bands on other Canadian carriers. I don't believe that your phone will work at all on niche carriers Wind or Mobilicity.
.
fffft said:
Okay, let me ask you this question. If the S5 should work around the world.. why does Samsung have a dozen S5 variants?
Figured it out yet? Ironically the hardware is capable of supporting all GSM and LTE bands world wide. But Samsung endeavors to sell their phones for higher prices in more affluent countries. And carriers don't want to make it easy for you to jump ship and sign your phone up to another network. So they have artificial restrictions in the firmware and other measures e.g. region locking, SIM locks, to limit what you can do. They have to allow enough compatibility that you could usually roam when traveling. But not complete compatibility or you might buy a cheaper S5 from another country. Or change carriers willy nilly.
Yup, great system.
And so it is for your phone. It will work most of the time in Canada. But it isn't 100% compatible and you may find that it can't operate on the necessary bands in fringe areas or for niche carriers.
Most of the bands are the same between the S5 900F (yours) and the S5 900W8 (Canada)
The differences, I believe are:
2G: same for both
3G: Most bands are the same. But you have B8(900) in place of Canadian band B4(1700 aka AWS)
4G: Most bands are the same. But you have B5(850), B20(800) instead of Canadian bands B4(1700 aka AWS), B17(700)
In the case of Fido, their site says:
It appears to me that your phone supports all of the Fido bands. And most, but not all of the bands on other Canadian carriers. I don't believe that your phone will work at all on niche carriers Wind or Mobilicity.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your reply. I figured it would be something to do with the radio.. Will check the bands for the network Koodoo, if it falls in ok and I can find a firmware to flash which hopefully should do the trick. Hell I might even just sell before I go, make it easier.
Cheers
gbyrne2011 said:
Will check the bands for the network Koodoo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Koodo is a secondary brand of Telus.
They use 3G 850 CLR/1900 PCS
And 4G /LTE 1700/2100 (and possibly 700 in the future)
You are missing their 1700 LTE band, sometimes referred to as AWS. So you will have to find out how extensively they use that band and whether it is a sole frequency in any areas.
.
fffft said:
Koodo is a secondary brand of Telus.
They use 3G 850 CLR/1900 PCS
And 4G /LTE 1700/2100 (and possibly 700 in the future)
You are missing their 1700 LTE band, sometimes referred to as AWS. So you will have to find out how extensively they use that band and whether it is a sole frequency in any areas.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for all your help fffft, it's much appreciated.

Differences between A320F/DS, A320F, A320FL and Usability in the United States?

Hi,
So, I'm interested in getting a cheap 4.7" Android phone to use in the United States and sometimes in Canada. I zeroed in on the Galaxy A3 2017. The model that works best in North America is the A320Y, but so far I've only been able to find it online at some store in New Zealand. Since finding the answer to the question, Will shipping the device from NZ to the United States cost customs fees (and if so, how much)? is a question harder to answer than the question, Where is Jimmy Hoffa?, I've begun considering getting one of the models listed in the title of this thread.
But there's a problem. Those models in the title don't work on US LTE. Actually, according to frequencycheck.com, the A320FL has one LTE band (Cricket/AT&T) and the other models have none of the LTE frequency bands. I wonder if frequencycheck.com is accurate. I'm also wondering if there are other differences between those models. I'm also wondering what happens if I put a Cricket SIM inside these phones. Even though frequencycheck.com says I will get no LTE bands, will putting a Cricket SIM inside suddenly activate an LTE band?
The other question I was wondering: Do I even need LTE if I don't care much about download speed? Maybe HSPA+ or whatever it is will be good enough? If I don't have LTE, will I get less reception indoors or outdoors, or will I get the same exact reception/coverage but just be relegated to 3G/4G/HSPA+ service? What is the benefit of LTE besides data speed?
Finally, which one of these models has the most ROM support? Can they all be bootloader unlocked?
I know I'm asking a whole bunch of questions at the same time. Sorry. I appreciate any help I can get with this!
To answer some:
That website appears to be accurate. Doesn't only list AT&T for a320fl once expanded.
As for SIMs activating bands, I haven't seen it on Samsung, only RRC Release, VoLTE, LTE CAT, maybe individual CA combos. The disabled bands are shown as CAL_DEFAULT vs CAL_PASS. Guess it's like Snapdragon.
HSPA+ vs LTE
The range of 3G/4G is close with the same frequency, but 4G performs better at cell edge (low signal).
Speed (anyway)
Well, 3G is usually given its own spectrum at first, then the 2G is refarmed into 3G. Today, 3G gets refarmed to 4G. This leaves 3G with a small amount of spectrum, it becomes prone to interference. It's bit like multiple tv/fm stations on the same channel number. Other 'tv/fm stations' have to be filtered out by the phone, this lowers the speed. 4G gets some too, along with echoed complex signals, but it gets less.
3G supports up to 5MHz per carrier, 4G up to 20MHz. 3G can have carrier aggregation, so 5+5+maybe 5. Expect up to 2 carriers (not every combo) on 4G, unless a specific SIM is detected in specific phone models. Along with that, 4G can have better spectral efficiency.
If you are going with 3G(HSPA, sometimes called '4G') anyway, you should know that there are these states (usually called fast dormancy) to save power.
DCH = Full speed.
FACH = Up to 32kbps. 4kB/s. Maybe RRC Release downgrade is visible (H+ to H).
PCH = No data.
Anything below is further away from data.
For high performance, keep the speed above 4kB/s, at the cost of battery. LTE has a faster start.
Sometimes, the speed is simply constrained by backhaul, the internet access that goes to the tower.
Thanks. So, to your knowledge, the F and F DS variants shouldn't work on LTE in the United States? I was in a live chat session with someone on Samsung's UK website and she said that the F variant would work on LTE in the United States. I then sent them an email to confirm and they replied with:
As per our resources from our technical review, the following Network is available in our Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) for the US.
Network
Band: Quad
GSM 850: YES
GSM 900: YES
GSM 1800: YES
GSM 1900: YES
UMTS 2100: YES
GPRS: YES
4G: YES
HSDPA: YES
Works in the US: YES
I replied to ask them why frequencycheck.com lists no LTE frequencies in common for the F variant on AT&T. I'm so confused.
sm-a320f / sm-a320f/ds
According to every other (not alternating) source the LTE band 2 and band 5 is supported in the US (and the entire spectrum of these bands). So, it supports some bands. Check if the signal of those bands (for your mobile network operator) are available in your location. Ask again, specifically for band 2 LTE(4G).

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