3G/4G on US T-Mobile using ST18a or ST18i - Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, A

I would love to be able to use this amazing phone in on T-Mobile in the US without crippled data speeds as well as seamlessly on voice. Anybody here have experience with this new phone on this network?
ST18a is supposed to be for AT&T, but I speculate that ST18i might be better for T-Mobile US due to 900/2100MHz. 1700MHz is missing though. I also don't know how accurate this is:
hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart
Just today a T-Mobile Tier2 told me all I needed was 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz for 3G, and 1700 and 2100 for 4G.... so I am left very confused.
Note even access to 3G via roaming on this phone would be acceptable.

just to relieve you from misunderstanding, the ray is not 4G, and the bandwidth 2100 is 3G, and is used mostly in europe and asia pacific, which ever version you get, the umts is available in 5 bandwidth and are all 3G

Hi kms108,
What's your experience with the ST18i? Are you using it in the US? Possibly on T-Mobile?
Thanks!

i have the hong kong version, which is unbranded and using it in hong kong.
i'm liking it very well, just the right size to hold, not a android phone on the market to match it in quality, specs and size wise.

Xperia ray DOES NOT support 3G from Tmobile.
I own the device and I learned it the hard way.
Although ray supports 2100 MHz, the only device that can access Tmobile 3G is the one with BOTH 1700/2100 MHz. It is because Tmobile split both frequencies: one for download and the other for upload.
While for other carriers your phone will work in 3G if it supports either one of the frequencies, however, Tmobile is different.
Having said that, almost ALL of the unlocked phones in the market won't be capable of accessing Tmobile 3G.
If you wish to access 3G, the only carrier that will work is AT&T.

Jon-
Which version, ST18a or ST18i, did you buy? See following:
hxxp://androidforums.com/sony-ericsson-xperia-ray/443709-3g-4g-us-t-mobile-using-st18a-st18i.html

Mine is the ST18i.
Well, neither version will support Tmobile 3G.
ST18i UMTS HSPA 900 (Band VIII), 2100 (Band I)
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
ST18a UMTS HSPA 800(Band VI), 850 (Band V), 1900 (Band II),
2100 (Band I)
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
Here's the specs from the manual.
Since both are missing 1700, neither will be capable of receiving 3G from Tmobile.

AT&T
What irony -- maybe the AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile will have some benefits after all, especially those who buy the ST18a...
This wikipedia link confirms your experience: hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#3G_upgrade
The Xperia X10 had 1700, too bad Sony eliminated it.
jon12315 said:
Mine is the ST18i.
Well, neither version will support Tmobile 3G.
...
Since both are missing 1700, neither will be capable of receiving 3G from Tmobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Related

[Q] EU(UK) galaxy s2(i9100) support ATT 850/1900 UMTS frequencies?

I've seen this blog.
http://blog.clove.co.uk/2011/04/12/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-umts-frequencies/
However, with our experience in the industry we have seen that almost every device launched in recent years within Europe has been ‘optimised’, with the American 850/1900 range locked down, leaving only 900/2100 for the rest of the world. As we are based in the UK it is for this reason we have taken the tentative step of advertising only these frequencies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, UK clove store said EU galaxy S2 doesn't support US 850/1900
network. (They said that may be US 850/1900 UMTS frequencies are locked.)
But, I find google news.
http://www.mydaily-gadget.com/news/5718-att-getting-samsung-galaxy-s2-gt-i9100-fcc-says-i-do
Speaking about release dates we do not have a specific one for the GT-i9100 in the USA but we can confirm the FFC has authorized the use of this particular smart phone on the 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM frequencies which means the first carrier to offer the Samsung Galaxy S II might be AT&T. These two frequencies account for the AT&T 3G network but they also match some Canada operator’s frequencies so there is a big chance the Galaxy S II will land there too in the near future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Follow this news, EU galaxy S2 using US GSM 850/1900 networks.
Who is say that TRUE?
i'm very confused.
Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Source: http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys2/html/specification.html
It should work.
apwhitelaw said:
Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Source: http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys2/html/specification.html
It should work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, only using ATT GSM network?
ATT UMTS network can't use?
Pulverizer said:
I've seen this blog.
http://blog.clove.co.uk/2011/04/12/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-umts-frequencies/
yeah, UK clove store said EU galaxy S2 doesn't support US 850/1900
network. (They said that may be US 850/1900 UMTS frequencies are locked.)
But, I find google news.
http://www.mydaily-gadget.com/news/5718-att-getting-samsung-galaxy-s2-gt-i9100-fcc-says-i-do
Follow this news, EU galaxy S2 using US GSM 850/1900 networks.
Who is say that TRUE?
i'm very confused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That first link (that I provided earlier tonight I think) - read it to the end please, Clove has all the info on that page, just finish reading it. sorry for the tone , but I think you did not pay enough attention - there are comments to that blog post that say clove confirmed with the manufacturer and local distributor that all 4 bands are present.
I'm confused here
I have SGSII ordered from Clove. I plan to use it with ATT sim card. Have I made a mistake? Will I be able to use it? Do I need to cancel?
I hope it works well with AT&T since I intend to get this phone.
My current (imported) GT-i9000 did not properly support AT&T and has very poor call quality and call drop issues.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Although Clove originally said they doubted it would support 850/1900 3G+, they did later confirm their stock would be quad-band 3G. So no need to worry about support for NAM 3G.
Once someone get's the GS2 in USA on ATT, can you confirm that it indeed works on Edge AND 3G?
kurtkbee said:
I hope it works well with AT&T since I intend to get this phone.
My current (imported) GT-i9000 did not properly support AT&T and has very poor call quality and call drop issues.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because the i9000 is only tri-band UMTS and only supports AT&T's 1900 frequency. When it gets to an area where the 1900 H/3G signal is weak, it can't switch over to the 850 UMTS simply because its hardware doesn't support it. So, then the phone call drops. You'll notice if you switch the i9000 to 2G/Edge, you'll never get a dropped call... because it's quad band GSM.
Also, ever notice you never get dropped calls when stationary and on H/3G? That's because with a solid 1900 UMTS signal, the i9000 will never search for the unsupported 850 band.
(And yes, I have confirmed all of this as I also own an i9000.)
i9100 supports quad-band UMTS with 850/1900 H/3G, so you will not have the frequent dropped calls anymore.
Here are the frequencies for AT&T: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility#Radio_Frequency_Summary
Frequencies used on the AT&T Network
850 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
850 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
1900 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
700 MHz LTE 4G
So, the i9100 International will do almost all. Except LTE.
pepemosca said:
Here are the frequencies for AT&T: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility#Radio_Frequency_Summary
Frequencies used on the AT&T Network
850 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
850 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
1900 MHz UMTS/HSPA 3G
700 MHz LTE 4G
So, the i9100 International will do almost all. Except LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your information.

3G tri-band or quad-band

Title pretty much says it all. What's the real story on the the 3g frequencies? Nokia's site indicates it's quadband 3G, but yet many of the stores seem to indicate that it's tri-band for 3G. I would like to get one for use on ATT, but I definitely need 850MHz 3G since that is the predominant frequency in my area.
Anybody? What's the real answer on this?
bugsy said:
Anybody? What's the real answer on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From http://www.nokia.co.uk/gb-en/products/phone/lumia800/specifications/
GSM 850
GSM 900
GSM 1800
GSM 1900
WCDMA Band V (850)
WCDMA Band I (2100)
WCDMA Band II (1900)
WCDMA Band VIII (900)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From http://www.nokia.de/de-de/produkte/smartphones-und-handys/lumia800/technische-daten/
GSM 850-Netze
GSM 900-Netze
GSM 1800-Netze
GSM 1900-Netze
UMTS-Netze (WCDMA 900)
UMTS-Netze (WCDMA 1900)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From http://www.nokia.com/fi-fi/tuotteet/puhelimet/lumia800/tuoteseloste/
GSM 850
GSM 900
GSM 1800
GSM 1900
WCDMA Band V (850)
WCDMA Band I (2100)
WCDMA Band II (1900)
WCDMA Band VIII (900)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From http://www.nokia.se/hitta-produkter/produkter/nokia-lumia-800/specifications
GSM/EGSM 850/900/1800/1900;
WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 I/II/V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WTF...
There must be an error on the German page
From Nokia Developer page:
http://www.developer.nokia.com/Devices/Device_specifications/Lumia_800/
Frequency Bands
GSM 1800
GSM 1900
GSM 850
GSM 900
WCDMA Band I (2100)
WCDMA Band II (1900)
WCDMA Band VIII (900)
This only adds to the confusion (No WCDMA 850)?
Thanks for the responses everyone. I think they just add to the confusion on what the real answer is, or Nokia is producing multiple models with different frequencies which I've seen referenced elsewhere.
I might just hold off for the 900 or wait until CES in January where they are supposed to make their big splash for the U.S. market. The render of the Lumia 900 that hit wmpoweruser today certainly looks nice if it's true. I wouldn't mind a slightly larger screen if it doesn't make the device too large. Some of the current phones border on mini-tablet size!
I know of two types of Lumia 800's and you can differentiate them via their FCC identification.
The European edition, FCC ID: LJPRM-801:
GSM/EGSM : 850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA : 900/1900/2100
The North American edition, FCC ID: ...RM-819:
GSM/EGSM : 850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA : 850/1900/2100
I really wish Nokia would fix the data on their web pages. I ran into this a few years ago with another phone I purchased from them where it was advertised as having U.S. bands when in fact it did not. Thanks for the info everyone.
Agree 100%. When i bought my phone, the lumia was advertised as:
WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100
Many sellers have since correctly identified which bands the phone supports, but some still falsely advertise both 850 and 900 bands being on the phone.
When my Lumia 800 arrived and I could only get Edge/G service, I did some research and I was slightly disappointed. Luckily I work and live in a Wi-Fi zone, so that is my primary data connnection.
weetigo said:
Agree 100%. When i bought my phone, the lumia was advertised as:
WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100
Many sellers have since correctly identified which bands the phone supports, but some still falsely advertise both 850 and 900 bands being on the phone.
When my Lumia 800 arrived and I could only get Edge/G service, I did some research and I was slightly disappointed. Luckily I work and live in a Wi-Fi zone, so that is my primary data connnection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You too, huh? I was curious about Rogers. I find that 2G isn't the end of the world.. Only shortcoming are media rich sites, otherwise they still load up quickly for me.
The only thing I really would have missed on 3G is mapping and navigation, but the non-data GPS and preloaded map feature has completely eliminated that concern.
Rogers here in the 'Peg. I'm in love with it even though the primary service around my home is Edge/G. However, since I wrote that piece above, I grabbed the "Nokia Network Setup" application from the marketplace and now I can get 3G around my workplace.
Here is my situation at the moment. I'm currently in the US using At&t's network through straight talk. I purchased the Nokia Lumia 800 the UK version which is LJPRM-801. It clearly states that it supports WCDMA 900/1900/2100. Which I suppose are really meant for the UK or Europe. When I purchased the phone from the seller he clearly stated it was lock and he got it from Orange UK. Which I assume is locked as well. Surprisingly when I received the phone I inserted the Sim and it registered perfectly fine. I get voice AND data. I figured it may possibly be using the 1900 band for data. My main thoughts about this UK version is it may possibly have the 850 band included but not listed on the box for regulation concerns. How would I go about and truly testing it out if it does support 850 band?
You can't really, short of going to an area you know uses soley 850Mhz 3G, and not 1900 as well.
I dont see the reasoning behind manufacturing two different phones, My thoughts are they could have just disabled the band with a simple firmware. Has Anyone truly tested this? Any though on getting a different firmware version of the Lumia 800 on this UK version seeing if it would enable the 850 band.
Me too I purchased one from Clove.co.uk. On the box it stated 900/1900/2100 for 3G but I have 3G. Maybe I have a 1900Mhz station near my work. I will do more tests tonight.
Does an app exist to know the current band of 3G connection?
I've called Nokia while in Germany and they said that they only produced quad band Nokia lumia 800's
falconeight said:
I've called Nokia while in Germany and they said that they only produced quad band Nokia Lumia 800's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you say quad band are you referring to 2g or 3g? because we know it's quadband 2g, but whether it's quadband 3g is the question.
So I have used it on 3 different locations here in Montreal on Rogers and I always got 3G. I don't know the band used by Rogers. I found several references but not definitive answer. I have the Lumia 800 Model 801.
totalfixation said:
When you say quad band are you referring to 2g or 3g? because we know it's quadband 2g, but whether it's quadband 3g is the question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both 2g and 3G
So you have the lumia 800 which has quad band 3g? If possible could you please post a picture of the lumia 800 box listing the quad 3G bands?
Sent from my Lumia 800 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
kirdroid said:
So you have the lumia 800 which has quad band 3g? If possible could you please post a picture of the lumia 800 box listing the quad 3G bands?
Sent from my Lumia 800 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in Germany right now and don't have the box. I don't remember if it had the cell bands on the box. I know I got hspa on AT&T and I was happy.

[Q] Will this phone pick up 3G on AT&T when unlocked?

I have the HTC Radar 4G on T-Mobile. Once I unlock it and use it on At&T, it will definitely do calls, but will it pick up 3G or 4G on the AT&T network? I asked HTC and they were unsure. Thanks!
Do a search in this forum to find your answer.
Sent from my Titan using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
AT&T uses 850 MHz / 1900 MHz for GSM/GPRS/EDGE and the same two frequencies (850 / 1900) for UMTS/HSPA (their 3G/4G service).
T-Mobile uses the same frequencies (850 / 1900) for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, but uses 2100 MHz and 1700 MHz for UMTS/HSPA/AWS (their 3G / 4G network).
If you want to know what phones will work where, compare the frequencies they receive with those of the carrier you want to use.
In the case of the Radar, it uses the following frequencies
GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850 MHz; 900 MHz; 1800 MHz; 1900 MHz
UMTS/HSPA: 1700 MHz; 2100 MHz
So, for GSM phone calls and data you have a match with AT&T (and, of course with T-Mobile). 3G / 4G is a different story. The Radar has the T-Mobile 3G/4g bands, but not the bands for high-speed data on AT&T.
So, if you are happy just making phone calls and using EDGE data, then you can use the phone on AT&T. If you want 3G /4G as well you have to stick with T-Mobile.
bleh bleh +10
I finally was able to get the h2O SIM card (AT&T service) and surprisingly it picks up 3G! I definitely notice the difference from when it goes from 2G up to the 3G speeds
http://www.htc.com/us/products/radar4g-tmobile?view=1-1&sort=0#tech-specs
Apparently. It says it does 2100/1900/1700/850
*T-Mobile only uses 1700/1900 bands. source
Interesting! I took my specs from the T-Mobile page which omits the UMTS 850/1900 band. Thanks for the correction.
The box clearly states GSM 850/900/1900/2100 AND HSPA/UMTS: 1700/1900/2100
AWS 1700 = T-Mobile, Wind, Mobilicity
UMTS 1900 = AT&T (although they use 850 extensively too), Rogers, Telus, etc
UMTS 2100 = Asia/Europe
My Radar picks up AT&T 3G. Not sure if UMTS 1900 band will be omnipresent on AT&T as a lot have been extended with HSPA 850 as well.
So, whereever you find UMTS 1900, you'll definitely catch AT&T 3G
Hope this helps.
So, will this work with the medianet plan?
z33dev33l said:
So, will this work with the medianet plan?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES!! Gets 6M downloads, 1.5M uploads.

does the international s3 work with TMobile data?

Want to get the s3 but want to make sure it works with TMobile.
No, you will only get edge speeds, no 3g.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
It works for me. Bought my unbranded, non-simlocked phone in Europe. Visiting US now. Daily plan with T-Mobile works fine for me.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
shaft77 said:
It works for me. Bought my unbranded, non-simlocked phone in Europe. Visiting US now. Daily plan with T-Mobile works fine for me.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you are getting 3g speeds??
I doubt that, the international version doesn't have the frequency for tmo's 3g.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
i also tried my att i747 sgs iii after i unlocked it with a t mobile sim.. works but also only get edge.. maybe it would work if i flashed the t mobile modem?
lgkahn said:
i also tried my att i747 sgs iii after i unlocked it with a t mobile sim.. works but also only get edge.. maybe it would work if i flashed the t mobile modem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I pressed thanks instead of quote.
No, its nothing to do with the modem. If it was, people all over the world would be buying devices from other countries.
The fact is the international GSM version only works on the frequencies its designed to work on. This is a hardware limitation and no amount of software will resolve that.
International frequencies are different to USA frequencies and as such, devices not designed for the USA will not work to their full potential in the USA.
UK (international) uses 900 Mhz/1800Mhz GSM/3G where as USA T-mob uses 1900Mhz GSM and 2100Mhz 3G.
Because the International GSM quad band device is:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz...
The GSM and 2G function works on 1900 (T-mob) but has no way to use 2100 for 3G as its not physically possible
Edit:
USA Carrier Voice Frequencies (MHz) 3G 4G Notes
AT&T 850 (Band 5)/ 1900(Band 2) 850 / 1900 Band 17 (700MHz)/AWS (1700/2100 MHz) GSM
MetroPCS 1900 / AWS 1900 / AWS AWS CDMA
Sprint 1900 1900 2500 / 1900 G-Block CDMA
T-Mobile USA 1900 AWS(1700/2100 MHz)/PCS (1900) AWS (1700/2100 MHz) GSM
Verizon 800 / 1900 800 / 1900 700 / AWS CDMA (GSM for 4G)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies
rootSU said:
Sorry I pressed thanks instead of quote.
No, its nothing to do with the modem. If it was, people all over the world would be buying devices from other countries.
The fact is the international GSM version only works on the frequencies its designed to work on. This is a hardware limitation and no amount of software will resolve that.
International frequencies are different to USA frequencies and as such, devices not designed for the USA will not work to their full potential in the USA.
UK (international) uses 900 Mhz/1800Mhz GSM/3G where as USA T-mob uses 1900Mhz GSM and 2100Mhz 3G.
Because the International GSM quad band device is:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz...
The GSM and 2G function works on 1900 (T-mob) but has no way to use 2100 for 3G as its not physically possible
Edit:
USA Carrier Voice Frequencies (MHz) 3G 4G Notes
AT&T 850 (Band 5)/ 1900(Band 2) 850 / 1900 Band 17 (700MHz)/AWS (1700/2100 MHz) GSM
MetroPCS 1900 / AWS 1900 / AWS AWS CDMA
Sprint 1900 1900 2500 / 1900 G-Block CDMA
T-Mobile USA 1900 AWS(1700/2100 MHz)/PCS (1900) AWS (1700/2100 MHz) GSM
Verizon 800 / 1900 800 / 1900 700 / AWS CDMA (GSM for 4G)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i agree for international version.. but if you read closer i DONT have the international version but the att version.. and as far as i know all the usa versions are the same with just diff. modems.
The international version will work in areas where T-Mobile is refarming 1900mhz to 3G. However this is only happening in parts of the coasts. I'm using it in Ohio and getting EDGE only. That said, it isn't too bad.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
joshnichols189 said:
The international version will work in areas where T-Mobile is refarming 1900mhz to 3G. However this is only happening in parts of the coasts. I'm using it in Ohio and getting EDGE only. That said, it isn't too bad.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Erm, it's being tested in some coastal areas, but the 3g/hspa+ over the 1900 band is slated to go live on the majority of the network by the end of the year.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
No service HELP or clairfication PLEASE
I purchased a Tinji i9300. I have been working on this for over 3 weeks. I have no service with T-mobile. It recognizes my SIM card as T-mobile. In Engineer Mode, my bands are, EGSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900, GSM850, WCDMA-IMT-2000. I have tried numerous ROMs (stock and custom) and have rooted the phone. I have changed the IMEI. No service at all. Any thoughts? Band issue? T-mobile issue? Possible solution? **** out of luck? :crying:
Thank you!

Is the Alpha fully compatible with US AT&T?

It seems like the Samsung Galaxy Alpha has all the necessary bands to be used with AT&T in the US. But does anyone know for sure? If Samsung takes too long to release this in America can I buy the UK version and use it in the US?
Thanks
derekmarch said:
It seems like the Samsung Galaxy Alpha has all the necessary bands to be used with AT&T in the US. But does anyone know for sure? If Samsung takes too long to release this in America can I buy the UK version and use it in the US?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bump. I have the same question.
GSM Arena says this about the device:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600
If what wikipedia says, AT&T uses the following frequencies:
2G: 850 / 1900.
3G: 850 / 1900.
4G: 700 block B (main frequency) / 1700 AWS / 1900 / 2300.
So, if I read correctly, you can use the international Alpha for 2&3G, but for LTE, you are covered only by one LTE band, 1900, and this being not a main frequency, won't have good coverage everywhere, I think.
sirobelec said:
GSM Arena says this about the device:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600
If what wikipedia says, AT&T uses the following frequencies:
2G: 850 / 1900.
3G: 850 / 1900.
4G: 700 block B (main frequency) / 1700 AWS / 1900 / 2300.
So, if I read correctly, you can use the international Alpha for 2&3G, but for LTE, you are covered only by one LTE band, 1900, and this being not a main frequency, won't have good coverage everywhere, I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this pertain to HSPA+ too?
blairh said:
Does this pertain to HSPA+ too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HSPA+ is 3G, so you shouldn't have problems with it.
sirobelec said:
HSPA+ is 3G, so you shouldn't have problems with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I'd get HSPA+ anywhere I'd get it from an AT&T phone, just not LTE necessarily?
blairh said:
So I'd get HSPA+ anywhere I'd get it from an AT&T phone, just not LTE necessarily?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. If it was me to make the decision, I'd want my phone with an unlocked bootloader, HSPA+ is good enough speed for me.
Though, practically, I've never tested LTE in my life, until recently we didn't have any 4G networks.
International Galaxy Alpha NO US LTE on ATT or TMO
derekmarch said:
It seems like the Samsung Galaxy Alpha has all the necessary bands to be used with AT&T in the US. But does anyone know for sure? If Samsung takes too long to release this in America can I buy the UK version and use it in the US?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought an unlocked international/Euro Galaxy Alpha SM-G850F at the London Samsung store... Installed my USA ATT SIM and have no prob w. calls or H or H+ data but can NOT get LTE band in the USA on either ATT or TMO even though the device seems to have the right bands for ATT or TMO LTE. On advice from an ATT Wireless store manager, I updated my APN settings to match ATT setup but still did not get LTE. FYI my H+ is quite fast for most purposes but I want LTE. Hope that answers your question.... Mine is how can I get LTE???
stevensmiami said:
I bought an unlocked international/Euro Galaxy Alpha SM-G850F at the London Samsung store... Installed my USA ATT SIM and have no prob w. calls or H or H+ data but can NOT get LTE band in the USA on either ATT or TMO even though the device seems to have the right bands for ATT or TMO LTE. On advice from an ATT Wireless store manager, I updated my APN settings to match ATT setup but still did not get LTE. FYI my H+ is quite fast for most purposes but I want LTE. Hope that answers your question.... Mine is how can I get LTE???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure the European version has correct U.S. LTE bands? I was under the impression that it does not....
stevensmiami said:
I bought an unlocked international/Euro Galaxy Alpha SM-G850F at the London Samsung store... Installed my USA ATT SIM and have no prob w. calls or H or H+ data but can NOT get LTE band in the USA on either ATT or TMO even though the device seems to have the right bands for ATT or TMO LTE. On advice from an ATT Wireless store manager, I updated my APN settings to match ATT setup but still did not get LTE. FYI my H+ is quite fast for most purposes but I want LTE. Hope that answers your question.... Mine is how can I get LTE???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
phositadc said:
Are you sure the European version has correct U.S. LTE bands? I was under the impression that it does not....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Originally Posted by sirobelec
GSM Arena says this about the device:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600
If what wikipedia says, AT&T uses the following frequencies:
2G: 850 / 1900.
3G: 850 / 1900.
4G: 700 block B (main frequency) / 1700 AWS / 1900 / 2300.
So, if I read correctly, you can use the international Alpha for 2&3G, but for LTE, you are covered only by one LTE band, 1900, and this being not a main frequency, won't have good coverage everywhere, I think.
I am trying to solve this also.
I think that the Euro Version with the Exynos does not have the proper LTE Bands for North America LTE.
But the Qualcomm version does, though not sure about
TMobile.
I am looking at this from Canada GSM for $ 549. Factory Unlocked with following Bands:
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G & LTE 2100, 1900, 1800, 1700, 2600, 700, 850
Obviously for AT&T you just buy theirs.
I have read that the EXYNOS versions do not function in North America on LTE.
With all phones it seems that you must be very very
Specific about Model Numbers including Suffixes etc.
Especially SAMSUNG loves to make 24 versions of ALPHA, 50 versions of S4 etc.
Frequency Bands are a real WTF for amateurs like me:
For example are there TWO DIFFERENT 1700 bands, one for4G LTE and one for 3G , HSPA + or are they the SAME BAND with dual usage ?
In example ABOVE the Alpha Factory Unlocked Canada GSM @$ 549.
IF used for TMobile the LTE Bands look fine, but the 3G
1700 Band is not there. Will 3G merely use the 1700 LTE
band or does the SOC ( QUALCOMM) need to have
allocated the 1700 band for dual usage LTE and.3G
?

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