I will order the z5c soon and have accounts with both Tmobile and AT&T. Should I hook it up on AT&T because of missing Tmobile bands? Are there any missing at&t bands? Buying the UK version from either Handtec or Clove. Please advise if anyone knows. Thanks
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
The E5823 model supports all of T-Mobile USA's LTE bands 2, 4, and 12. Band 12 (Extended Range 700Mhz) is questionable though. That particular band doesn't seem to be fully supported yet as Sony would need to get the phone validated on T-Mobile's network. Given that there's no USA model, it's unclear if this will ever happen.
That said, using the LTE Discovery app, I have seen my Z5c jump onto Band 12 if low coverage areas. When I had 4G enabled, band 12 didn't seem to work. When I was in HSPA+ mode, band 12 seemed to work.
Thanks
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Notchr302 said:
Thanks
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Double check the hspa bands. I feel like it might be missing one.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
phositadc said:
Double check the hspa bands. I feel like it might be missing one.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have the option to use at$t but would rather Tmobile. Maybe I'm safer on att
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
gr00vy0ne said:
The E5823 model supports all of T-Mobile USA's LTE bands 2, 4, and 12. Band 12 (Extended Range 700Mhz) is questionable though. That particular band doesn't seem to be fully supported yet as Sony would need to get the phone validated on T-Mobile's network. Given that there's no USA model, it's unclear if this will ever happen.
That said, using the LTE Discovery app, I have seen my Z5c jump onto Band 12 if low coverage areas. When I had 4G enabled, band 12 didn't seem to work. When I was in HSPA+ mode, band 12 seemed to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's no good. I was thinking of getting this to test band 12 on tmobile. I currently use att, verizon, and testing tmobile. I already have z3c on att and thought I'd try the z5c for band 12 and put on att when/if i drop tmobile.
That really only leaves m9 or iPhone 6s for my options as i don't really want a gs6
Edit: I also noticed that it does not support bands 29/30. I believe att will soon be using b30. Probably not a big deal for a while.
This phone also does not appear to support WiFi calling for tmobile USA if that's important to you.
So the E5823 model supports all tmobile LTE bands besides 12 right? just double checking, I don't mind band 12 since it's not in my area yet
Not sure where the lack of band 12 misinformation is coming from but I am in a Band 12 area right now and my z5c works great with it - confirmed on LTE discovery Android app.
Band 12 works fine. Sadly the 3 most important innovations, wifi calling, VoLTE and HD voice, do not and it is not likely they ever will
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
km8j said:
Band 12 works fine. Sadly the 3 most important innovations, wifi calling, VoLTE and HD voice, do not and it is not likely they ever will
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what makes me sad. VoLTE support for areas where T-Mobile has only B12 would be great for when I travel into those areas, like northern Michigan (Chicago area native here). The Z5C would be great for most places I go, but I know I wouldn't get VoLTE calling in some areas.
jm8j: Have you noticed that B12 data works fine though?
doclloyd said:
This is what makes me sad. VoLTE support for areas where T-Mobile has only B12 would be great for when I travel into those areas, like northern Michigan (Chicago area native here). The Z5C would be great for most places I go, but I know I wouldn't get VoLTE calling in some areas.
jm8j: Have you noticed that B12 data works fine though?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE Discovery shows I'm connected to Band 12 in some low signal areas. When that is occurring, I'm still online.
km8j said:
LTE Discovery shows I'm connected to Band 12 in some low signal areas. When that is occurring, I'm still online.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What market are you in? I'm most concerned/interested in what the Z5 and Z5C does if you're in a B12 only coverage for T-Mobile and you try to make a call. Does the phone roam then to another carrier or just not make a call?
Hmmm not sure. I'm in South FLA. I just see that I'm on Band 12 regularly
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
I was at walt disney world two weeks ago and picked up band 12 at the art of animation resort lobby and speedtest was logging 65 mbps. Unfortunately that was the only place I was grabbing band 12. No service in any of our rooms and the park in general sucks if you are a tmobile or sprint customer. One or two bars of band 4 lte outdoors if I was lucky. But for whatever reason the hotel lobby had great band 12 reception. I have been generally displeased with tmobile coverage. Their marketing ads do not match up to my lackluster experience both with this phone or my (supported) Nexus 6. Ive been thinking of switching to ATT. Everywhere we go my wifes ATT iphone has LTE coverage while im lucky to make calls. Lol
sabooher said:
I was at walt disney world two weeks ago and picked up band 12 at the art of animation resort lobby and speedtest was logging 65 mbps. Unfortunately that was the only place I was grabbing band 12. No service in any of our rooms and the park in general sucks if you are a tmobile or sprint customer. One or two bars of band 4 lte outdoors if I was lucky. But for whatever reason the hotel lobby had great band 12 reception. I have been generally displeased with tmobile coverage. Their marketing ads do not match up to my lackluster experience both with this phone or my (supported) Nexus 6. Ive been thinking of switching to ATT. Everywhere we go my wifes ATT iphone has LTE coverage while im lucky to make calls. Lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the exact same experience this summer - got so jealous of my wife having signal that I joined AT&T. I was happy for about 3 months, getting signal everywhere before I realized that the data speeds are pretty mediocre. Plus, their prices for capped data are ridiculous! It cost me an additional $45 when I went over my cap by 3 gigs. I'm tempted to switch back now, but T-mobile jacked up their pricing for unlimited data since I left. 2 lines with Unlimited Data used to be $100. Now it's $140. Not sure if I can justify that price increase, though it's still a better deal than AT&T's limited data plans. I live in a major city, so AT&T and T-Mobile both have excellent coverage here. I spend 98% of my time here, so I should be satisfied if I can't get a signal the other 2% of the time, right?
/rant
Related
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'd like to hear the real experience.
When I look at the spec, I found C6833 has both AWS HSPA and LTE, but I am kinda skeptical. Since it costs no more than $500, I may use it as main phone and replace Note 3.
mingkee said:
I'd like to hear the real experience.
When I look at the spec, I found C6833 has both AWS HSPA and LTE, but I am kinda skeptical. Since it costs no more than $500, I may use it as main phone and replace Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
obviously yes
Enviado desde mi C6833 mediante Tapatalk
I live near Chicago, and its working great for me. Though I did recieve it a day ago. No interruption in service so far.
But Idk if its because of the KitKat update or not, but I had to manually set the Apn for the data to work.
Sent from my C6833 using xda app-developers app
I live in the Chicagoland area as well (just South of Joliet) and I get unlimited 30mbps LTE. I know T-Mobile's still in the process of upgrading its network, but as far as my area goes, I have no problems with signal. I'll be putting my phone to the ultimate test next week when I drive to Houston for the third year in a row (Missouri and Arkansas were TERRIBLE to drive through the last two years as far as reception goes). I don't know how long you plan on having yours if you get one, but since T-Mobile announced that they're acquiring some 700mhz spectrum in the future, I'd get the C6806 if I was just now going to get one, since the C6833 doesn't have a 700mhz radio.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
megadp said:
I live in the Chicagoland area as well (just South of Joliet) and I get unlimited 30mbps LTE. I know T-Mobile's still in the process of upgrading its network, but as far as my area goes, I have no problems with signal. I'll be putting my phone to the ultimate test next week when I drive to Houston for the third year in a row (Missouri and Arkansas were TERRIBLE to drive through the last two years as far as reception goes). I don't know how long you plan on having yours if you get one, but since T-Mobile announced that they're acquiring some 700mhz spectrum in the future, I'd get the C6806 if I was just now going to get one, since the C6833 doesn't have a 700mhz radio.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep in mind T-Mobile has band 12 (700a) not band 17.
mingkee said:
Keep in mind T-Mobile has band 12 (700a) not band 17.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct. See my annotated chart.
mingkee said:
Keep in mind T-Mobile has band 12 (700a) not band 17.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was not aware that lower 700mhz used a different band than upper 700. That kinda sucks :/
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Anyone get band 12, volte and hd voice working on T-Mobile USA?
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Not me. But they havent gone live with band 12 in my area yet either according to tech support. Band 4 sucks in my area, same with my Nexus 6 which does support volte. On the z5 right now I stick it to hspa+ which works fine and has less battery drain when Im at home since I mostly use Wifi anyway. Whether or not the z5 supports volte on tmo usa I dont know. Ive seen comments about sony having to certify that with tmo. I just want better band 12 data penetration at this point. Tmo even sent me their cell repeater boxes which didnt help at all since they prefer band 4.
I posted this question on Reddit, and people confirmed that B12 is data only. No VoLTE and I think HD calling works still.
So band 12 has been officially launched in most of my areas. Will AT&T be a better option for full service? Or will 700mhz on band 17att also be a problem?
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
How do you tell, I have T-Mobile. And get data, but came from Sprint, so little rusty on all GSM stuff.
JiltedCitizen said:
How do you tell, I have T-Mobile. And get data, but came from Sprint, so little rusty on all GSM stuff.
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How do you tell what band you're on? There's a free app you can download called LTE Discovery which should show you which one you're on.
I wish b12 was fully operational on this phone so i can test it out. from what I'm finding, it will not until sony gets it validated with tmobile.
There are very limited phones that currently support b12 for tmobile. Especially phones of interest to me. Hopefully this will change fairly soon
Here in Portland, OR, I've only seen band 4 LTE on my z5c so far. I know band 12 has been deployed here some time ago, so it appears I'm not able to pick it up.
I finally saw my phone pick up band 12 in an area that normally is so bad that only edge would work intermittently in prior years. But it was still a weak band 12 signal. The tower was 4 miles away. Download speeds were comparable to a T1 circuit. Blah! At home it never picks up band 12 and weak enough band 4 to where I leave it on hspa and wifi all day. I live in the Dallas area but tech support said the tower closest to my home is listed in chronic issues state whatever that means. The aws frequencies at my house has been horrible for years but this phone gets great hspa+ ever since they re farmed the area and the z5c only supports the pcs band for 3g. TMO coverage in my area is hit or miss. I don't care what their tv ads say. I have two other devices that get similar results, one being the moto nexus 6.
Do you have a screenshot of LTE discovery? I doubt it was 12.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
No screenshots for me but I was at the same location in the D/FW area for four hours and LTE discovery said band 12 the whole time. Also I know certain areas of downtown Dallas like at the American Airlines Center are band 12.
That doesn't mean it DOESN'T have band 4 though. Would be great if you could try and capture shots of that please.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Also is volte working on band 12 or 4?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Anyone else here?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
I can 100% confirm there is no HD Voice or VoLTE and I'm on 32.0.A.6.200. Pretty big bummer if you ask me. Not sure on Band 12 yet as it is not where I am now but highly doubt it works.
So which model should I buy if I have t-mobile?
MMS
sabooher said:
No screenshots for me but I was at the same location in the D/FW area for four hours and LTE discovery said band 12 the whole time. Also I know certain areas of downtown Dallas like at the American Airlines Center are band 12.
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Are you on tmobile? I'm in the same area on the Z5c and can't get my mms to work. What's your apn look like?
Ashman1414 said:
Are you on tmobile? I'm in the same area on the Z5c and can't get my mms to work. What's your apn look like?
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Yes I am a tmobile customer and I just set the device to download the apn from the settings. I did change the protocol to ipv4 only though. Ipv4/ipv6 also worked but I vaguely remember the default being ipv6 only. Mms has always worked fine for me. I use the google messenger app, not the default sony.
My main concern is the lack of data frequencies for u.s. i will be using the phone for t-mobile. Anybody here that uses this phone for t-mobile how is data connection holding up for you?
wasn't that only about the LTE bands? 3G should work fine then I guess?
marcviado said:
My main concern is the lack of data frequencies for u.s. i will be using the phone for t-mobile. Anybody here that uses this phone for t-mobile how is data connection holding up for you?
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I'm in California and so far lte is fine for me, it's similar to the g3 when it comes to getting lte or not so far I get it everywhere
There's a thread on the oneplus forum that goes through this. Seems all major metro areas get LTE. Which, I'm fine with too. Mine is on order so cannot verify. We shall see.
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
You will still get LTE speeds as long as you are in an area where bands 2 and 4 are available. My previous phone didn't have band 12, but I still have LTE coverage in my area, so I knew I would be okay with the OPX.
Band 12 is new. Most phones that came out last year didn't even have it. I think just the newest set of flagships did. I get LTE everywhere. I've only seen H+ maybe a hand full of times while on a phone call or in a building.
I get 100mbps in a lot of places. Even indoors.
Sent from my ONE E1005 using XDA Free mobile app
The iPhone 6, at $749.00 retail, does not include band 12.
I've been reading these reviews and the things that get mentioned is just beyond me. The camera does have me concerned though.
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
I also have oneplus x with tmobile, and so far it seems like i get lte almost everywhere here in jacksonville fl. Also when i traveled across states over the christmas break. so you should be fine with getting lte coverage on tmoble.
I use the OnePlus X with Ting (T-Mobile)
Hi, I bought the OnePlus X without realizing that it wouldn't work on what was then my current network: Sprint. But I had already decided that I wanted to switch over to Ting. Ting uses other networks to power their service and charges you directly per use; it is very clear on exactly what you are paying for.
Anyway, it allowed me to connect my OnePlus X and set me up with the T-Mobile service (it shows up on the top-left notification bar on my phone).
I always get LTE coverage in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) and I've never had a problem with the bands missing.
So yes, the OnePlus X works with T-Mobile. However, I have been trying to see how much they would charge me to switch over from Ting to T-Mobile and it seems that I can't? So for now, I'm sticking with Ting
I had a nexus 5 before (no band 12) and the oneplus X had the same bands avail actually it sounds like most unlocked phones don't have band 12 anyways but signal is actually better with my oneplus x over my old nexus 5 in a lot of places which makes me really happy!