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I have T-Mobile and I want to buy the International Samsung Galaxy S II. I understand that the International version does not support T-Mobile's 3g frequency band, and I would be limited to 2g speeds. However, I was wondering if it would be possible to buy an external antenna to be able to use 3g speeds. Or even better, is it possible to replace the internal antenna?
No and No.
DO NOT DO THIS UNLESS YOU WANT TO KILL YOUR GS2.
Sorry for the bold, but despite there being no rhyme or reason for it, I came across a thread which illustrated this fact from multiple people who tried external antennas, and here's what happened. The antenna worked, they thought all was good, then they disconnected the antenna, no signal. EVER again. I guess what happens is when you plug in an external antenna it pushes some contacts apart which breaks contact with the internal antenna permanently (supposedly a few that were very handy with a VERY tiny needle were able to fix it). Don't ask me why Samsung would design it this way while leaving the plugs exposed but that's what I read. Just wanted to make sure you didn't find out the hard way
In other words, the jack is there, and you can find adapters for those jack(s), but you really don't want to, unless you want to ONLY use external antennas for the rest of time (not most people).
EDIT: Whoops, forgot to add the most important part. Antenna has NOTHING to do with the fact that the radio doesn't support t-mo's frequencies. It's like having an antenna designed for HDTVs, and hoping to get hdtv on your standard def tv. Antennas don't "translate", they're all just fancy coathangers.
mwknowles92 said:
I have T-Mobile and I want to buy the International Samsung Galaxy S II. I understand that the International version does not support T-Mobile's 3g frequency band, and I would be limited to 2g speeds. However, I was wondering if it would be possible to buy an external antenna to be able to use 3g speeds. Or even better, is it possible to replace the internal antenna?
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Click to collapse
"antenna has nothing to do with GSM OR CDMA bands." its the radio chip that does the work.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
Understood, thanks for your help guys. Is there a way to mark this as [Solved] or something?
mwknowles92 said:
Understood, thanks for your help guys. Is there a way to mark this as [Solved] or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Edit your first post to an eye-popping "SOLVED"
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galax...14FQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323232696&sr=8-3
If so, what are the differences? I know AT&T has Skyrocket, but I don't really like how it has a different processor and it's 4.52 inch screen. So can I order that expecting to get the same thing as the Euro SGS2?
It is not exactly the same device, the keys are different, as well as I believe the 4g bands supported, so the ATT version wouldnthave working 4G in europe and vice versa. Also, most ROMs, kernels, and such developed for one are not compatible with the other (there are ways to get around this one though). But the main parts, screen, processor, and other internals are exactly the same, making the ATT version the closest US variant to the original (which is generally considered a good thing)
I've owned both. Switched to this phone because of the amazing screen problems. My friend owns the European version. The only difference is the "apple" button on the European one that the AT&T version lacks.
ATT version has NFC but not enabled at the moment.
epicstar1 said:
I've owned both. Switched to this phone because of the amazing screen problems. My friend owns the European version. The only difference is the "apple" button on the European one that the AT&T version lacks.
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Click to collapse
Which phone had the amazing screen problems?
HellBunny said:
ATT version has NFC but not enabled at the moment.
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Click to collapse
How come? And is it possible to enable it?
Well as long as the internals are the same. I couldn't care less about the bands. The Skyrocket just seems crap.
It's possible to partially enable it.
Main differences:
Different buttons at the bottom
I777 has NFC hardware
I9100 has FM radio
I777 has a crippled battery charger (Stock users won't notice this, but those that want to crank the charge current up a bit with a custom kernel will find that it isn't possible - we're stuck at 650 mA, which is stock on the I9100 also, but the I9100 can change it with kernel hacks.)
Entropy512 said:
I777 has a crippled battery charger (Stock users won't notice this, but those that want to crank the charge current up a bit with a custom kernel will find that it isn't possible - we're stuck at 650 mA, which is stock on the I9100 also, but the I9100 can change it with kernel hacks.)
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Click to collapse
Hah, that one I didn't know about.. thanks for the tip!
SupremeOverlord777 said:
It is not exactly the same device, the keys are different, as well as I believe the 4g bands supported, so the ATT version wouldnthave working 4G in europe and vice versa. Also, most ROMs, kernels, and such developed for one are not compatible with the other (there are ways to get around this one though). But the main parts, screen, processor, and other internals are exactly the same, making the ATT version the closest US variant to the original (which is generally considered a good thing)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually they support the same bands. Same exact radio even I believe.
Main differences are as Entropy listed: buttons, nfc/fm radio, and charging chip.
There are also a number of minor UI differences in some of the built-in apps, pull-down toggles, and settings. I've noticed voice quality is a little better with my AT&T version (I get less static incoming. Outgoing voice is clearer and louder). Data speeds are faster with my AT&T version. These last two may be due to different modems, SIM cards, and/or account provisioning by AT&T.
monkey hung said:
Which phone had the amazing screen problems?
How come? And is it possible to enable it?
Well as long as the internals are the same. I couldn't care less about the bands. The Skyrocket just seems crap.
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Click to collapse
Oh oops. The Skyrocket had the amazing screen problems. The problems are explained everywhere in the TMO SGS2 and the Skyrocket
GeorgeP said:
There are also a number of minor UI differences in some of the built-in apps, pull-down toggles, and settings. I've noticed voice quality is a little better with my AT&T version (I get less static incoming. Outgoing voice is clearer and louder). Data speeds are faster with my AT&T version. These last two may be due to different modems, SIM cards, and/or account provisioning by AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the I9100s have smaller TCP buffer settings by default. I remember looking at the settings in SiyahKernel, they were as small or smaller than those of UXKG3 for Infuse, which was notorious for bad network performance because of those settings.
skyrocket is slow vs the s2 speed wise.
AT&T version only has tri-band HSPA radio while international verison of quad-band HSPA radio. So, you may have problem getting 3G outside North America.
also the noise canceling mic is in a different position
Hi all,
I'm a proud owner of Samsung Galaxy S and I have been using it last 22 months. I could have recontacted my phone for free last month (end of 21 months) but I was eagerly waiting to get the Galazy S3 LTE version. I'm with Singtel Singapore.
Finally last Saturday they released and I found out that that version don't have FM Radio. It's a International Quad Core with 2GB Ram seems. I really miss FM Radio. I'm a radio fan (Yeah still )
So my question is FM Radio supports depends on Hardware? (I'm not talking about streaming. Real radio we have in S, S2 and can be use even without data). Is it like they removed some chip so it's no longer possible? Or just some software related things which can be fixable in the future?
Can anyone shed some lights on this issue for me? Thanks!
I searched Internet and I found a interesting pattern. It seems all Samsung LTE variants doesn't have FM Radio. In Singapore I checked Galaxy S2 LTE and Galaxy Note LTE and both don't have.
Anyone from US or other countries can confirm this? There are lot of other countries S3 LTE released long ago. Can you confirm you have or not? Also is there anyone have FM Radio with LTE version? I read somewhere Korean version have it but I don't know how true that news....
Also my initial question is it a Hardware thing?
There is an app called Spirit FM that has a thread here on XDA. Basically its a root app that supports FM radio on as many devices as possible and there is a listing there of what devices support it and what devices lack hardware.
spunker88 said:
There is an app called Spirit FM that has a thread here on XDA. Basically its a root app that supports FM radio on as many devices as possible and there is a listing there of what devices support it and what devices lack hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I'm aware of that app and even tried on my Galaxy S.
But my question is FM support depends on hardware (Like a fm receiver) or purely depends on software? Why LTE phones don't have FM radio?
Anyone from Kore confirms whether they have the FM radio in LTE version??
There is a radio which actually depends on mobile signal whether it is gsm or lte and there are also radio which depends on hardwares,like fm/am radio transceivers, however on some phones like those with tv apps and radio apps most likely on phone with dual sims and with adjustable antennas (like an aluminum rod which is connected to radio chips itself and adjustable, or you can see this at the back of the phone, they are software and hardware related. As for the phone which supports lte signal, maybe some of them dont have it but most of them have, i got one on my phone and without earplugs, it cannot be switch on but once earphones or external speakers have been connected it would start scanning signals, unlike those with built in hardwares they can however with the use of the adjustable antennas.
If however i am wrong on my info, i would be glad to be corrected.
Goodluck
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
justnoone said:
There is a radio which actually depends on mobile signal whether it is gsm or lte and there are also radio which depends on hardwares,like fm/am radio transceivers, however on some phones like those with tv apps and radio apps most likely on phone with dual sims and with adjustable antennas (like an aluminum rod which is connected to radio chips itself and adjustable, or you can see this at the back of the phone, they are software and hardware related. As for the phone which supports lte signal, maybe some of them dont have it but most of them have, i got one on my phone and without earplugs, it cannot be switch on but once earphones or external speakers have been connected it would start scanning signals, unlike those with built in hardwares they can however with the use of the adjustable antennas.
If however i am wrong on my info, i would be glad to be corrected.
Goodluck
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Can I know which phone model you have? Is that phone support LTE too?
Mine is GT-I9300 quad core or s3 international,and yup, it supports lte too,since the place where i am currently at is throwing 4g/lte network signal.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Hi kathees, sorry to say Galaxy S III LTE doesn't support FM Radio Chipset (HW).
alex3977 said:
Hi kathees, sorry to say Galaxy S III LTE doesn't support FM Radio Chipset (HW).
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Click to collapse
Hi Alex, Thats'w a bad news to hear Anyway there is no way and just have to live with it. Thanks for the information...
BTW which version phone you have? Korean?
Hey, I have the SGS2 HD LTE I757M and I was wondering if anyone knows what the substantial difference between the T989's kernel and the I757m's in terms of cellular reception/management as I am having issues getting AWS to work.
I have flashed the t989's radio and unlocked my phone so I can try my WIND sim in it. I had the t989, and on the t989 it worked flawlessy. I could send and receive messages, calls and I had internet speeds of up to 6 or 7 mbps (which is good for WIND ). On the I757M, I could send and receive texts and SOMETIMES they would go through, where other times they wouldn't. I could make calls after a short delay, but I could never receive them. I could also connect to data services and while Speedtest claims I had 3 or 4 mbps, it was slower than dialup.
I looked at dsixda's kernel at github.org/dsixda and noticed the binary blobs from Bell (a non-AWS network). I did some reading on RIL's I copied the equivalent radio files from a T-Mobile T989 kernel (TeamChopsticks I think?) but that didn't do a single thing haha.
Anyway, that was all I could really think of besides kernel source as the RIL and the modem were the same. Seeing as people here know their way around the kernel better than I do ( I know Java well and a fair bit of C but I never have time to muck around with kernels and when I do, it normally ends disastrously...), I was wondering if maybe any of you had some ideas on how to make AWS frequencies work better as I like the screen so much more than the blueish T989.
Obviously they have slightly different radios as one is capable of LTE while the other is not, but I've heard users of the I727 Skyrocket LTE have much more success with the T989 modem than I was (I also tried the T879 modem and the Blaze modem, but neither worked any better).
EDIT: Also, according to pdadb, they're all based on the MSM8660 chipset, so they should be able to work similarly
mangelok said:
Hey, I have the SGS2 HD LTE I757M and I was wondering if anyone knows what the substantial difference between the T989's kernel and the I757m's in terms of cellular reception/management as I am having issues getting AWS to work.
I have flashed the t989's radio and unlocked my phone so I can try my WIND sim in it. I had the t989, and on the t989 it worked flawlessy. I could send and receive messages, calls and I had internet speeds of up to 6 or 7 mbps (which is good for WIND ). On the I757M, I could send and receive texts and SOMETIMES they would go through, where other times they wouldn't. I could make calls after a short delay, but I could never receive them. I could also connect to data services and while Speedtest claims I had 3 or 4 mbps, it was slower than dialup.
I looked at dsixda's kernel at github.org/dsixda and noticed the binary blobs from Bell (a non-AWS network). I did some reading on RIL's I copied the equivalent radio files from a T-Mobile T989 kernel (TeamChopsticks I think?) but that didn't do a single thing haha.
Anyway, that was all I could really think of besides kernel source as the RIL and the modem were the same. Seeing as people here know their way around the kernel better than I do ( I know Java well and a fair bit of C but I never have time to muck around with kernels and when I do, it normally ends disastrously...), I was wondering if maybe any of you had some ideas on how to make AWS frequencies work better as I like the screen so much more than the blueish T989.
Obviously they have slightly different radios as one is capable of LTE while the other is not, but I've heard users of the I727 Skyrocket LTE have much more success with the T989 modem than I was (I also tried the T879 modem and the Blaze modem, but neither worked any better).
EDIT: Also, according to pdadb, they're all based on the MSM8660 chipset, so they should be able to work similarly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue !
I'm using mobilicity and I only have CDN Roaming.
i tried all the modems aswell but no luck.
Does anyone have a solution for this ?
mangelok said:
Hey, I have the SGS2 HD LTE I757M and I was wondering if anyone knows what the substantial difference between the T989's kernel and the I757m's in terms of cellular reception/management as I am having issues getting AWS to work.
I have flashed the t989's radio and unlocked my phone so I can try my WIND sim in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have the Bell SGS2 HD LTE i757m?
How do you unlock the phone?
proza said:
Do you have the Bell SGS2 HD LTE i757m?
How do you unlock the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I unlocked it by purchasing the code on ebay, placing another sim in it and then typing the code.
you may be able to use the free unlock method used by the skyrocket and the hercules though.
as for getting it to work on WIND, I was able to by copying the modem and modem related files from the system folder on the t989. it did not work well so I ended up selling it.
Hi All,
I'm new here. Hoping someone can give me some advice/direction on my issue.
Just received two Elephone P3000S phones (one for me, one for gift). I'm in Canada on Koodo network, but don't get 4G because we are pretty rural (west of Ottawa), so we are using WCDMA/HSPA+ 850/1900 MHz.
The P3000S supports the following:
GSM:850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA:850/900/1900/2100(HSDPA), FDD-LTE:800/1800/2100/2600
At home, on our old phones (Samsung Galaxy SIIX), we would get cell signals of -93 dBm or better (not great, but usable). With the P3000S phones in the same location (both of them), the signal is -110 dBm or worse (not usable - not able to make calls or send texts). There are no protective cases on the phones to interfere with signal.
I've tried the the following:
- choosing 3G only and WCDMA only networks and editng APN settings specifically for Koodo
- changing/adding build.prop entries for ro.ril
- posting in Elephone forums - no help
- contacting Elephone - no response
The P3000S is new - just came available mid-December. Elephone has issued one update since then. It did not help my signal problem.
I know this could be a hardware/antenna issue, but since the phone is new, opening it up to tweak/boost the antenna is not really an option - a last resort if I can't sell the phones to someone who is located where they will work.
So, my next step (I think), is to try flashing a new modem, but I have no idea where to start with that to find one that might be compatible with Koodo and the P3000S. I'm willing to try several, but it's very new to me.
Relevant info:
Octacore MTK6592 + MTK6290
Android version: 4.4.2
Baseband: MOLY.LR9.W1423.MD.LWTG.MP.V3.P3
I'd really appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance.
Anyone have any ideas where I might start?
heath3000 said:
Hi All,
I'm new here. Hoping someone can give me some advice/direction on my issue.
Just received two Elephone P3000S phones (one for me, one for gift). I'm in Canada on Koodo network, but don't get 4G because we are pretty rural (west of Ottawa), so we are using WCDMA/HSPA+ 850/1900 MHz.
The P3000S supports the following:
GSM:850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA:850/900/1900/2100(HSDPA), FDD-LTE:800/1800/2100/2600
At home, on our old phones (Samsung Galaxy SIIX), we would get cell signals of -93 dBm or better (not great, but usable). With the P3000S phones in the same location (both of them), the signal is -110 dBm or worse (not usable - not able to make calls or send texts). There are no protective cases on the phones to interfere with signal.
I've tried the the following:
- choosing 3G only and WCDMA only networks and editng APN settings specifically for Koodo
- changing/adding build.prop entries for ro.ril
- posting in Elephone forums - no help
- contacting Elephone - no response
The P3000S is new - just came available mid-December. Elephone has issued one update since then. It did not help my signal problem.
I know this could be a hardware/antenna issue, but since the phone is new, opening it up to tweak/boost the antenna is not really an option - a last resort if I can't sell the phones to someone who is located where they will work.
So, my next step (I think), is to try flashing a new modem, but I have no idea where to start with that to find one that might be compatible with Koodo and the P3000S. I'm willing to try several, but it's very new to me.
Relevant info:
Octacore MTK6592 + MTK6290
Android version: 4.4.2
Baseband: MOLY.LR9.W1423.MD.LWTG.MP.V3.P3
I'd really appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, i bought same phone and seems signal is ok. But i am probably not so far from BTS.
It seems your phones has worse antena then phone before, you can not solve this by software (ril mod, baseband etc.). You have to try to solve it by hardware mod, probably extend antena to get higher gain. Under and around NFC antena on back cover is enought space tu use copper foil strips, you can try make unclosed frame with connection on main antena.
Hi MioCZ,
Thanks for your thoughts. So you don't think a different region (i.e. North America) baseband/modem would help at all? The hardware tweak is my last resort - I'm not particularly fond of opening up a new device. And I don't exactly know what to look for as far as NFC antenna or main antenna. Any idea where these are located on this phone?
Again - thanks for your insight.
EDIT: Oh, I see you reference the antenna on the back cover as the NFC antenna. I can try to work with something there without opening up the phone? Or do I need to make a mod to connect the new copper to the main antenna from there? So I guess I need to know where the main antenna is. Is the 4G/LTE antenna the same one used for 3G/WCDMA/UMTS/HSPA? I'm not sure if there are separate ones. If so, the 4G/LTE antenna location is pretty clearly marked.
EDIT AGAIN: I answered my own question by reading up on cell phone antennas. Gotta love Google. So, I'm going to try to rig something up to the main antenna, which I assume is under the section marked "LTE 4G" in the upper right hand corner (when looking at the back of the phone). I'll post my results when I finish.
Engineering mode
You can call *#*#3646633#*# to enter to Engineering mode. It should have antenna test somewhere in menus.
Hi
heath3000 said:
Anyone have any ideas where I might start?
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Click to collapse
Hi, have you solved the issues on your phone?
I believe this is the same problem that I am facing with coloros. In fact he does not write the correct base band and when he writes, does not connect to the network 3G / 4G or make calls. is a mistake that just found this unit ... which makes the port of ROMs for this device and portability including future versions of android. It is not compatible with any other MTK6592 I know.
lena cui said:
Hi, have you solved the issues on your phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, nothing I have tried helped.