Nexus 4 Network data connectivity issue

Hi guys, this is my first thread here so I apologize if I screw anything up. I got my Nexus 4 a day ago and activated it with my T-Mobile account. I was wondering if anyone else on T-Mobile had noticed that their Nexus seems to be bouncing back and forth between 3G and H. That's what mine has been doing since I got it and I want to know if that's a problem with the device or the Sim card or the network. I had been previously been using a 4G device on the network without experiencing anything like this.
Please let me know if you've been having this problem or if you've heard of anything like this. Also let me know if you need more details.
Thanks so much!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Got mine at Tmobile, using it with a Tmobile straight talk sim and seems to work just fine. I don't see anything like you describe unless I'm in a known area with poor signal.

This is how T-Mobile works. The connection "idles" on 3G (UMTS) and then when you start a data transfer, you get connected to HSPA+. Branded T-Mobile phones don't show the change in the status bar, they just show "4G" all the time as to not alarm customers, because it really doesn't need to be worried about. Since the Nexus doesn't have custom carrier firmware, it actually shows the network its connected to, even when it drops to 3G.

What you're experiencing is completely normal. As long as its working fine and you're not having any actual issues with connectivity, then just leave it how it is.

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Originally Posted by Andrew Martonik [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

This is how T-Mobile works. The connection "idles" on 3G (UMTS) and then when you start a data transfer, you get connected to HSPA+. Branded T-Mobile phones don't show the change in the status bar, they just show "4G" all the time as to not alarm customers, because it really doesn't need to be worried about. Since the Nexus doesn't have custom carrier firmware, it actually shows the network its connected to, even when it drops to 3G.

What you're experiencing is completely normal. As long as its working fine and you're not having any actual issues with connectivity, then just leave it how it is.

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Oh wow I never knew that. That does make sense though. Thanks a lot for telling me!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Yup, it's done to save your battery.

Sorry for reviving old thread but is it normal to have no access to internet at all when the bars say 3G and the signal type under phone status is settings says UMTS:3?
I assume I would at least get these 3G speeds where HSPA+ isn't available but it doesn't appear to be the case as for me, 3G and E= only voice and texts

The same thing is happening on my device. I am with SimpleMobile which operates on T-Mobile. I am getting very very slow speeds, any help to get around this issue ?

Are you certain that you are on a plan which provides high speed data? Are you certain you haven't used up your monthly allotment?

Download the Speedtest.net app from the Play Store and then post some real numbers.

Supposedly Simple Mobile doesn't support "4g" one of the major complaints I've heard.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Perhaps, but there is a very big difference between 2G and 3G data rates. Speedtest results would help differentiate between the two.

This is a known issue and it is best described at this link...

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I have been having the issue since December 25th when I got the phone as a gift. They better fix this problem quick because it degrades the user experience.

Same here. Hopes around between 3G an H. Main problem with this behaviour is music streaming. You get constant pauses. Try tunein radio. Will cut out every time the buffer is full and connection drops back to 3G. Very annoying. Same thing with any 'constant' data stream. Not so noticeable on small data requests.

I have this same issue. It seems to get stuck switching from 3G to H without any data transmission. Only something else that triggers a new data transmission (say, updating a Twitter feed) seems to refresh it and "wake it up". It's annoying because when I'm on WhatsApp and this happens, my messages just stay there for a long time saying they're being sent, when they're really not because the cellular data transmission is stuck :S

I'm getting the same thing. Bad connectivity within our office building, and when I move around, it hunts around on various connections, then loses connectivity. If I just stay in one spot, it will still hunt around on e, 3g, H, and with blue bars on each.

some problem here. I don't mind it switching between 3g and H, as long as the transition is smooth. Very often when it switch, my Nexus lose data for a while. Very annoying!

I'm having the very same issue with the constant switch between 3G/HSPA. I'm on 4.2 however and was wondering if upgrades to 4.2.1 or 4.2.1 fixed it for anyone. (I know it didn't do it for some) Any success there?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joshhamm [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Hi guys, this is my first thread here so I apologize if I screw anything up. I got my Nexus 4 a day ago and activated it with my T-Mobile account. I was wondering if anyone else on T-Mobile had noticed that their Nexus seems to be bouncing back and forth between 3G and H. That's what mine has been doing since I got it and I want to know if that's a problem with the device or the Sim card or the network. I had been previously been using a 4G device on the network without experiencing anything like this.
Please let me know if you've been having this problem or if you've heard of anything like this. Also let me know if you need more details.
Thanks so much!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

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[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

In this thread, they discuss the same thing. I'm pretty convinced it's a hardware problem since someone get a perfect signal after replacement...