[I'm cross-posting this in the Sprint HTC One forum as well]
My situation:
1. I've been with Sprint since the OG Evo, but after getting the One, I was really frustrated with the slow LTE speeds especially after years of Network Vision promises and paying an extra $10 a month (per phone) for "high speed data" that was anything but. I was also irked at all the crap I had to go through to get the SIM unlocked.
2. The area I live in has refarmed HSPA+ to the 1900Mhz band.
3. The area I live in has AWS LTE.
4. I currently have a Sprint, T-Mobile, and Developer Edition One.
My original plan was to use the DE to test the TMO network to see if it was faster than Sprint and available in all the places I frequent. If so, then I'd sell my (now SIM unlocked) Sprint model and keep the DE, otherwise, I'd return the DE for a refund.
But over the last week and a half I've noticed that, while LTE speeds were frequently pretty high (15-20Mbps) there were still plenty of times when I was only seeing an H or an E. I couldn't even tell if the H was HSPA or HSPA+. So then I began to wonder if I was missing out because of the lack of the 1700Mhz band, thus I bought the TMO version to see if I was missing anything.
Turns out, I wasn't. The H I've been seeing is indeed HSPA+ but nowhere near the advertised 42Mbps. Granted, I wasn't naive enough to think I would pull 42Mbps even with the TMO version, but I expected to get at least in the 20-30Mbps range, instead I've been seeing 5-9Mbps. (Thanks to the Sensorly app, I can now tell which H I'm seeing).
After running around with TMO version, I'm seeing the exact same speeds in the same places. So, I'm not missing anything by not having 1700Mhz. In the meantime, TMO is still refarming more areas so the 1700Mhz is becoming less and less important.
So what about Sprint? At their lowest, the TMO speeds are equal to or a little above the Sprint speeds I've been seeing (my wife inherited the Sprint version during this trial run), and at their highest, Sprint can't touch them (in this area--I've gotten up to 20Mbps in PA).
So T-Mobile it is. When the wife's contract is up at the end of the month, the Sprint model is going up on Swappa. Meanwhile, the TMO version is going back to the store tomorrow.
What about AT&T you ask? Way faster, but way more expensive. Truth is, I spend most of my time on wifi anyway, so I'm not willing to pay AT&T prices for cable internet speeds for the times in between.
Hope this helps anyone else facing the same dilemma.
What are your apns for t-mobile. The LTE apn settings are slower than the HSPA apn. Unless you're in a LTE T-Mobile area.
magicriggs said:
What are your apns for t-mobile. The LTE apn settings are slower than the HSPA apn. Unless you're in a LTE T-Mobile area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My area is actually pretty saturated with LTE, but I still I tried both fast and epc. The speeds were the same.
Dang thats crazy.
KiamatDusk said:
My area is actually pretty saturated with LTE, but I still I tried both fast and epc. The speeds were the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have different result with comparing a Dev edtion and T-Mobile edition One. NY is a refarmed market but there would be times I would still get EDGE in some spots. In the same area the T-Mo One would have a constant 4G/LTE connection while the Dev One would fluctuate between 2G/4G/LTE. I would recommend stick with the T-Mo One just in case you go into area that is not refarmed. I had faster 4G speed on the T-Mo one as well. (Single digits with PCS 4G compared to double digit AWS 4G)
Just popping in to say congrats on leaving Sprint.
I had them for about 8 months and could not stand them anymore. Paid $350 ETF and been happy ever since.
I went from a note 2 on T-mobile to the mega. (paid $515 us, no tax). I knew what i was getting into, about the bands, but i went for it anyway. I think in retrospect it may have been a mistake. The issue is, that it doesnt have the right bands for hspa+ a lot of the time. It has the edge and the 1900 that was refarmed for hspa+. Granted, i live in NYC which was refarmed, and it my house i do have hspa+, but it was a mistake because a lot of places i go, i dont have service, or i only have edge. And i do wedding jobs all over the tri state area, and that is going to suck. To me, Tmo is awesome, they have 3g, hspa21, hspa42 and now also lte. I can do without the LTE but now i'm limiting myself to only one band of hspa.... Not the smartest idea.
I've heard that a new ported radio may help this but....
mottyengel said:
I went from a note 2 on T-mobile to the mega. (paid $515 us, no tax). I knew what i was getting into, about the bands, but i went for it anyway. I think in retrospect it may have been a mistake. The issue is, that it doesnt have the right bands for hspa+ a lot of the time. It has the edge and the 1900 that was refarmed for hspa+. Granted, i live in NYC which was refarmed, and it my house i do have hspa+, but it was a mistake because a lot of places i go, i dont have service, or i only have edge. And i do wedding jobs all over the tri state area, and that is going to suck. To me, Tmo is awesome, they have 3g, hspa21, hspa42 and now also lte. I can do without the LTE but now i'm limiting myself to only one band of hspa.... Not the smartest idea.
I've heard that a new ported radio may help this but....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you buy this phone knowing you wouldn't get consistent HSPA? I would return it if I were you. Good luck.
mottyengel said:
I've heard that a new ported radio may help this but....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a link for this? I'm used to slow speeds where I am anyway, so edge to HSPA isnt a difference for me. The only places it gets faster is in the areas where they have the 1900 bands anyway...
mottyengel said:
I went from a note 2 on T-mobile to the mega. (paid $515 us, no tax). I knew what i was getting into, about the bands, but i went for it anyway. I think in retrospect it may have been a mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is me pretty much exactly.
It is not bad in Atlanta, I get H+ most of the time and my prior tablet (LG G Slate) wasn't really better coverage wise so I'm not unhappy, I just keep thinking I could be happier if I had that extra band of H+
If you find out something that improves TMo experience please note it here so others can benefit also.
damastah said:
Do you have a link for this? I'm used to slow speeds where I am anyway, so edge to HSPA isnt a difference for me. The only places it gets faster is in the areas where they have the 1900 bands anyway...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think a modem has been ported yet. I don't think there is a compatible radio out there for this phone. AT&T MIGHT get a version of the Mega (the I-527). If so, someone might be able to port it's radio over to our device and we MIGHT get better signal. Until then, we will have spotty / inconsistent coverage. I get HSPA+, Edge, G, and complete loss of signal almost every day in New York (I drive around a quite a bit between Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York). AT&T and T-Mobile (refarmed), for the most part, use the same bands now.
I came from the AT&T original Galaxy Note (LTE) which I used on T-Mobile's network. I knew I would be taking a step back in terms of data speed by getting the Mega but figured I would at least get HSPA+ which is sufficient for what I do (email, internat and streaming video). When I have HSPA+ signal, I have no data lag even when streaming live tv so it's definitely fast enough (for me at least).
The only issue is, as I already said, the inconsistency. I like the device though and am trying to stick with it until the AT&T Mega comes out (no telling when that will happen - it has been rumored for this month but I'm not holding my breath).
I see the Mega as a mini tablet with GSM phone connectivity, mobile internet connectivity, bluetooth, wifi, nfc, gps, and infra-red (for infrared tv remote control capability). Looking at it from that perspective, I stick with it (because not many tablets have this much connectivity).
Plus, it fits in my pocket (a lot more portable than normal sized tablets).
curgervending said:
I don't think a modem has been ported yet. I don't think there is a compatible radio out there for this phone. AT&T MIGHT get a version of the Mega (the I-527). If so, someone might be able to port it's radio over to our device and we MIGHT get better signal. Until then, we will have spotty / inconsistent coverage. I get HSPA+, Edge, G, and complete loss of signal almost every day in New York (I drive around a quite a bit between Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York). AT&T and T-Mobile (refarmed), for the most part, use the same bands now.
I came from the AT&T original Galaxy Note (LTE) which I used on T-Mobile's network. I knew I would be taking a step back in terms of data speed by getting the Mega but figured I would at least get HSPA+ which is sufficient for what I do (email, internat and streaming video). When I have HSPA+ signal, I have no data lag even when streaming live tv so it's definitely fast enough (for me at least).
The only issue is, as I already said, the inconsistency. I like the device though and am trying to stick with it until the AT&T Mega comes out (no telling when that will happen - it has been rumored for this month but I'm not holding my breath).
I see the Mega as a mini tablet with GSM phone connectivity, mobile internet connectivity, bluetooth, wifi, nfc, gps, and infra-red (for infrared tv remote control capability). Looking at it from that perspective, I stick with it (because not many tablets have this much connectivity).
Plus, it fits in my pocket (a lot more portable than normal sized tablets).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, I hear you. What will be the difference with the AT&T one? I'm really looking for a radio port like they did for the AT&T Note with the Galaxy Blaze and S II modems
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
damastah said:
Right, I hear you. What will be the difference with the AT&T one? I'm really looking for a radio port like they did for the AT&T Note with the Galaxy Blaze and S II modems
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The AT&T Mega will have LTE so the data speeds will be faster. However, if AT&T gets the Mega, it will be locked to their network and it's currently illegal to unlock your phone yourself (you're supposed to ask the carrier to unlock it for you). I would imagine that AT&T won't be so quick to unlock the phone for you since they wouldn't want to make it convenient for anyone to take the phone to another GSM carrier. Oh well...welcome to America. In Europe (and probably the rest of the world), when you get a phone (even if its carrier-branded and purchase directly from the carrier), it's unlocked. I usually only buy unlocked phones.
I want to wait for a radio port. If I get consistent HSPA+ connectivity, I'm fine. I got about 15mbps download and about 2mbps upload on an HSPA+ connection in Manhattan this morning. That's fast enough for my data needs. I WAS using a Galaxy Note on T-Mobile's LTE network and got up to 22mbps down and 11mbps up. To be honest though, I could only tell the difference between HSPA+ and LTE when downloading huge files (500MB and up). For web surfing, email, streaming video, and live tv, I saw no noticeable difference between LTE and HSPA+.
IF, at the end of the day, you get the data performance you need with HSPA+, having LTE won't really matter that much.
It's kinda like upgrading your car from one that has 160mph on the dash (current Mega with HSPA+) to the exact same car with 320mph on the dash (AT&T Mega with LTE) when the legal speed limit is 70mph (the data speed you need). You may be able to brag about it being faster but do you actually need the extra speed? Bottom line, you have to determine your data speed needs and then make a choice..
curgervending said:
The AT&T Mega will have LTE so the data speeds will be faster. However, if AT&T gets the Mega, it will be locked to their network and it's currently illegal to unlock your phone yourself (you're supposed to ask the carrier to unlock it for you). I would imagine that AT&T won't be so quick to unlock the phone for you since they wouldn't want to make it convenient for anyone to take the phone to another GSM carrier. Oh well...welcome to America. In Europe (and probably the rest of the world), when you get a phone (even if its carrier-branded and purchase directly from the carrier), it's unlocked. I usually only buy unlocked phones.
I want to wait for a radio port. If I get consistent HSPA+ connectivity, I'm fine. I got about 15mbps download and about 2mbps upload on an HSPA+ connection in Manhattan this morning. That's fast enough for my data needs. I WAS using a Galaxy Note on T-Mobile's LTE network and got up to 22mbps down and 11mbps up. To be honest though, I could only tell the difference between HSPA+ and LTE when downloading huge files (500MB and up). For web surfing, email, streaming video, and live tv, I saw no noticeable difference between LTE and HSPA+.
IF, at the end of the day, you get the data performance you need with HSPA+, having LTE won't really matter that much.
It's kinda like upgrading your car from one that has 160mph on the dash (current Mega with HSPA+) to the exact same car with 320mph on the dash (AT&T Mega with LTE) when the legal speed limit is 70mph (the data speed you need). You may be able to brag about it being faster but do you actually need the extra speed? Bottom line, you have to determine your data speed needs and then make a choice..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. So the at&t one will have an extra T-Mobile compatible band in it? I thought the only one was the 1900 band getting converted into affect by T-Mobile
damastah said:
I see. So the at&t one will have an extra T-Mobile compatible band in it? I thought the only one was the 1900 band getting converted into affect by T-Mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The AT&T Mega should have both the 1900 (the refarmed HSPA+ band on T-Mobile) and the LTE 1700/2100 band (which is the same frequency that both AT&T and T-Mobile use for LTE). The I-9200 version Mega only has the 1900 band and no LTE at all. The I-9205 version Mega has the 1900 band and LTE but not the 1700/2100 LTE band that works on T-Mobile and AT&T .
Radio Question
curgervending said:
The AT&T Mega should have both the 1900 (the refarmed HSPA+ band on T-Mobile) and the LTE 1700/2100 band (which is the same frequency that both AT&T and T-Mobile use for LTE). The I-9200 version Mega only has the 1900 band and no LTE at all. The I-9205 version Mega has the 1900 band and LTE but not the 1700/2100 LTE band that works on T-Mobile and AT&T .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, bit of radio ignorance here. So is this a physical hardware difference or could it be adjusted on an existing I-9205 to use the 1700/2100 LTE band by flashing a new radio/rom once TMo/AT&T have a specific version out?
I must admit, this is the only thing that is keeping me from getting the Mega. IF I knew with certainty that a version of this phone would work 100% with T-Mobile, I would jump on it. Unfortunately, i'll probably just have to wait for the Note III. I know there will be a version of that for T-mo.
Mega
Coming to the US carriers soon?
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/17/galaxy-mega-6-3-press-render-surfaces-with-navy-blue-body-atandt/
I know I want the Mega so bad & I see them unlocked on Ebay. I've asked a couple of sellers if it will work for TMobile but they say either edge or 3g. I have the Note 2 now and I'm more into size wise so not really looking forward to the Note 3. I was wondering if the AT&T one would work unlocked but they don't want you to leave the store without activating it. So I just have to wait patiently like you friend.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
jminatl said:
Sorry, bit of radio ignorance here. So is this a physical hardware difference or could it be adjusted on an existing I-9205 to use the 1700/2100 LTE band by flashing a new radio/rom once TMo/AT&T have a specific version out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Physical hardware difference. The I-9205's LTE physical hardware is "tuned" (for lack of a better word) to bands LTE2100, LTE850, LTE1800, LTE2600, LTE800. AT&T / T-Mobile uses band LTE 1700/2100 frequency. Using a different radio in the I-9205 won't change the bands that the phone is tuned to. If anyone out there knows better please chime in. I certainly don't claim to know much. One thing I'm not clear on is whether LTE2100 band in the I-9205 will partially work on T-Mobile / AT&T. I think the phone specifically has to have LTE1700/2100 which is different from LTE2100. Again, someone with more knowledge, please chime in.
would the att version work on T-Mobile? Here are the specs on it;
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900,
UMTS850 (B5), UMTS900 (B8), UMTS1900 (B2), UMTS2100 (B1)
LTE700 (B17), LTE850 (B5), LTE1700/2100 (B4), LTE1900 (B2)
I live in a refarmed area with LTE.
mottyengel said:
I went from a note 2 on T-mobile to the mega. (paid $515 us, no tax). I knew what i was getting into, about the bands, but i went for it anyway. I think in retrospect it may have been a mistake. The issue is, that it doesnt have the right bands for hspa+ a lot of the time. It has the edge and the 1900 that was refarmed for hspa+. Granted, i live in NYC which was refarmed, and it my house i do have hspa+, but it was a mistake because a lot of places i go, i dont have service, or i only have edge. And i do wedding jobs all over the tri state area, and that is going to suck. To me, Tmo is awesome, they have 3g, hspa21, hspa42 and now also lte. I can do without the LTE but now i'm limiting myself to only one band of hspa.... Not the smartest idea.
I've heard that a new ported radio may help this but....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the way, what version of the Mega do you have (i9200 or i9205)? I have T-Mobile and live in a refarmed area (NYC). I've heard people say that the i9205 gives them H+ speeds here.
T-mob 4G with AT&T mega?
I have just bought an AT&T mega (SGH-I527) from a guy. It's 8 days old, unlocked and running T-mob 4GLTE no problem.
21940kbps dl with the 4GLTE icon.
Sweet!
Does it give you spurts of edge 3g and lte or is it steady lte. In other words does it work pretty good to get online or does it lag sometimes?
Sent from my SGH-T889
MR.MEMORYLANE said:
Does it give you spurts of edge 3g and lte or is it steady lte. In other words does it work pretty good to get online or does it lag sometimes?
Sent from my SGH-T889
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had it for only a few hours but when 4GLTE lights up and I stay in the same position then it holds the icon no problem. The area is patchy and not far away I loose 4G and it drops to 3G but it gets back the 4G where it can. In that regard it works like my previous phone but it didn't have the benefit of of LTE!
I went to the AT&T store today and I can buy it cash without contract but I just don't want it to be just edge service if you know what I mean.
Sent from my SGH-T889
I read how the alpha works with att but it doesn't support LTE.. Is that the same for TMobile?
just an update in case anyone is wondering. Yes it did work with tmobile but just like the other guy who got it for ATT, I won't get LTE. I get H+ or whatever it's called but not LTE. Also, Tmobile isn't all that great in my area so I'll be switching back to Verizon, hopefully this phone gets released for Verizon someday.
MO3iusONE said:
just an update in case anyone is wondering. Yes it did work with tmobile but just like the other guy who got it for ATT, I won't get LTE. I get H+ or whatever it's called but not LTE. Also, Tmobile isn't all that great in my area so I'll be switching back to Verizon, hopefully this phone gets released for Verizon someday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same goes for me. I just received a European version(SM-G850F) and it's data speeds are unusable on T-Mobile's network in Southern California.
I saw a post about a Canadian version (SM-G850W8) that has the 1700/2100 bands for T-Mobile on the CanadaGSM website. This model isn't listed anywhere else. Is this an error in listing or is it worth ordering?
stevebui85 said:
Same goes for me. I just received a European version(SM-G850F) and it's data speeds are unusable on T-Mobile's network in Southern California.
I saw a post about a Canadian version (SM-G850W8) that has the 1700/2100 bands for T-Mobile on the CanadaGSM website. This model isn't listed anywhere else. Is this an error in listing or is it worth ordering?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You want an honest opinion? I returned this phone and picked up the Sony xperia z3 compact. The deal breaker on the alpha wasn't the lack of a SD slot. It was the battery life. On normal use it beraly make it through an 8 hour shift. I was at about 5 percent battery life and I know I can swap out batteries but the battery life overall is just poor.
I used my xperia compact all day yesterday, and then some after work, I ran some errands, used Google maps for a bit, made a few calls, paired it to my car so I can play some music, I was out and about for almost 14 hours and I was at about 20 percent. Yeah the lack of no removable battery sucks but it had great battery life.
It's not all pretty though. I don't like the back glass. It scratches easily, the dual stereo speakers sound muffled, call quality is fine. Picture speed seems a bit slow and the front facing camera is pretty poor. Still I think the z3 compact is cheaper than the alpha. I miss the build quality on the alpha but I'm happy with my xperia Oh and it's wager proof which is great but the glass makes the phone slippery which makes you wonder why they even made the back glass in the first place
Oh and the screen seems a bit too sensitive.
Anyway just thought I'd throw that out there. The alpha is great, just wish it had a better battery life.
MO3iusONE said:
You want an honest opinion? I returned this phone and picked up the Sony xperia z3 compact. The deal breaker on the alpha wasn't the lack of a SD slot. It was the battery life. On normal use it beraly make it through an 8 hour shift. I was at about 5 percent battery life and I know I can swap out batteries but the battery life overall is just poor.
I used my xperia compact all day yesterday, and then some after work, I ran some errands, used Google maps for a bit, made a few calls, paired it to my car so I can play some music, I was out and about for almost 14 hours and I was at about 20 percent. Yeah the lack of no removable battery sucks but it had great battery life.
It's not all pretty though. I don't like the back glass. It scratches easily, the dual stereo speakers sound muffled, call quality is fine. Picture speed seems a bit slow and the front facing camera is pretty poor. Still I think the z3 compact is cheaper than the alpha. I miss the build quality on the alpha but I'm happy with my xperia Oh and it's wager proof which is great but the glass makes the phone slippery which makes you wonder why they even made the back glass in the first place
Oh and the screen seems a bit too sensitive.
Anyway just thought I'd throw that out there. The alpha is great, just wish it had a better battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The z3 compact would be my 2nd choice but I REALLY love the build quality. The battery life on the alpha is a big concern but it's a fair trade-off for me. I might just take the risk and order it from CanadaGSM.ca and see how that works out with T-Mobile's network.
***UPDATE***: DO NOT buy from CanadaGSM.ca website. They are fraudulent. I received a blank confirmation page upon order completion and the chat line said I needed to give them my CC's 3 digit security code even after they've charged my bank account. They also said my product will not be shipped. The number listed on their website is fake as well. Google... beware CanadaGSM.
stevebui85 said:
The z3 compact would be my 2nd choice but I REALLY love the build quality. The battery life on the alpha is a big concern but it's a fair trade-off for me. I might just take the risk and order it from CanadaGSM.ca and see how that works out with T-Mobile's network.
***UPDATE***: DO NOT buy from CanadaGSM.ca website. They are fraudulent. I received a blank confirmation page upon order completion and the chat line said I needed to give them my CC's 3 digit security code even after they've charged my bank account. They also said my product will not be shipped. The number listed on their website is fake as well. Google... beware CanadaGSM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get around 24 hours from mine with 4 hours on screen time, I have tweaked it a bit but no harder to do than it was with the nexus 4
The Galaxy Alpha in Canada used by Bell Canada and
related Companies called the 850 W8 has the exact
Bands for METRO PCS/ TMOBILE USA including
3 G , 4 G, LTE ETC.
I've posted elsewhere but you can log on to their Site and look at their Devices.
They use 1700, 1900, 2100 on both 3G
AND 4 G LTE ( AWS Band ).
Update on this thread if any one will be looking
I have both G850F and G850M.
I have only cracked open the G850M to play with.
My display says 4G in most areas besides my work area inside a metal box.
Germanese said:
Update on this thread if any one will be looking
I have both G850F and G850M.
I have only cracked open the G850M to play with.
My display says 4G in most areas besides my work area inside a metal box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does the G850F work on T-Mobile? Does it get 4G LTE?
I have the 850m on tmobile in Austin, Texas and I get LTE coverage.
No not an error if you want LTE on TMO this will do it and the 850M will definitely do it because I have the 850M which has the LTE Bands for Tmo BUT you probably won't get VoLTE like a branded Tmo phone.
My 850M says LTE but drops to 3g on calls sometimes it goes to H+ on calls and I have voice and fast internet but sometimes NO Internet on calls....
Great fast little phone Exynos has better audio than qualcomm .
Canada Bell phones have the 3G and 4G bands for Tmo 1700, 1900,2100 LTE and
1700, 1900, 2100 3G
EDIT : After using a different combination of APN settings on the Metro/Tmobile Network I am getting much improved LTE and H and H+ speeds and stability.
Data very rarely stops during calls.
As confirmed by User Corvissimo I have also seem CDMA band 1700 on 3G in addition to 1900 band on 3G.
The 850M also has all the LTE Bands for Tmo
and locks onto very low level signals for calls and data sometimes in elevators.
When you do not have LTE or on a voice call this unlocked factory Alpha drops to 3 G or H H + AND you have 1900 band there for Reframed areas AND the rarely listed 1700 band on 3G confirmed by Corvussimo and now myself via simple diagnostic.
Now I am getting better handoffs switching from 3G H+ and back to LTE when call is over.
I am not a Dev. but above is correct especially the diagnostic I have a screen shot lol.
robertkoa said:
No not an error if you want LTE on TMO this will do it and the 850M will definitely do it because I have the 850M which has the LTE Bands for Tmo BUT you probably won't get VoLTE like a branded Tmo phone.
My 850M says LTE but drops to 3g on calls sometimes it goes to H+ on calls and I have voice and fast internet but sometimes NO Internet on calls....
Great fast little phone Exynos has better audio than qualcomm .
Canada Bell phones have the 3G and 4G bands for Tmo 1700, 1900,2100 LTE and
1700, 1900, 2100 3G
EDIT : After using a different combination of APN settings on the Metro/Tmobile Network I am getting much improved LTE and H and H+ speeds and stability.
Data very rarely stops during calls.
As confirmed by User Corvissimo I have also seem CDMA band 1700 on 3G in addition to 1900 band on 3G.
The 850M also has all the LTE Bands for Tmo
and locks onto very low level signals for calls and data sometimes in elevators.
When you do not have LTE or on a voice call this unlocked factory Alpha drops to 3 G or H H + AND you have 1900 band there for Reframed areas AND the rarely listed 1700 band on 3G confirmed by Corvussimo and now myself via simple diagnostic.
Now I am getting better handoffs switching from 3G H+ and back to LTE when call is over.
I am not a Dev. but above is correct especially the diagnostic I have a screen shot lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent info, Thank You! Do you mind posting a Screen Shot (or a written list) of the new APN Settings that you are using for Tmo? I have a G850M on the way to me now and that would be very helpful. And my father is using an Unlocked SM-G850A.
I'm also interested in anyone's experience regarding LTE/HSPA+ connectivety & service using the SM-G850M specifically on AT&T in the Metro Los Angeles area.
Well my settings are tweaked for Metro PCS which uses the exact same Towers as Tmo AND the sims and most settings are interchangeable - BUT getting optimized settings on Metro is a little different.
For example you will use
Fast.t-mobile.com - I can use either that OR the fast.metropcs.com.
There are esoteric Metro settings GID which help but don't pertain to Tmo.
Yes 850m gets lte for att. Get it on Amazon. Their customer service is great. This phone is awesome. With the KitKat rom I was getting 20hours with 30-40% screen on time. Sometimes 50% . Best phone ever