T Mobile 3G/4G signal indicator.

greydarrah

Well-known member
May 5, 2010
3,047
222
0
Visit site
I'm in an area that the coverage map says I have excellent data coverage, but my signal bars always say 3G. My download speeds range from 8 to 12 mgb, so I'm happy with the performance, but I was wondering if any of you actually show 4G next to your signal? If it matters, I did absolutely nothing to my APN settings...just stuck my prepaid SIM card in and activated it.
 

XsynthZ

Active member
Nov 27, 2012
33
0
0
Visit site
It could be that the Nexus 4 is set to show HSPA+ as 3G. However, I have seen H in the signal bar before if I remember correctly... It could be due to the APN.
 

Nonymous666

Well-known member
Nov 16, 2012
213
0
16
Visit site
I just activated T-Mobile StraightTalk sim last night and my observation is that it usually says 3G when it's idle. It will sometimes flip to H for a moment, but then goes back to 3G which is where it stays most of the time.

But whenever I start doing anything that's data-intensive, it flips to H and says that way until I'm done doing whatever I'm doing.

It wasn't obvious this was happening until I was playing with speedtest. I'd see the phone showing 3G, then try and run speedtest to see what speed I could get at 3G. But, whenever I started the test, the phone would suddenly switch to H and stay that way for the test, then go back to 3G sometime after it ended.

I'm guessing the phone (or T-Mobile) is switching down to 3G during idleness and is only going to H when "needed" ?
 

willdogs

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2011
192
72
0
Visit site
G = GSM / GPRS (2G)

E = EVDO

3G = well 3G (WCDMA)

H = HSPA (either HSDPA , HSPA +42, etc)

I think that covers it. Someone correct me if im wrong
 

greydarrah

Well-known member
May 5, 2010
3,047
222
0
Visit site
Are you in a city or area that's been upgraded to 42 HSPA+? 8-12mpbs suggests you are, but thought I'd ask.

I haven't a clue. I'm about 25 miles outside of Atlanta. But now that I think back, I've seen it a number of times change from 3G to what I thought were 2 vertical arrows. I was thinking that it was indicating data going back and forth, but I bet it was actually displaying an H...which looks pretty close to 2 arrows. It's too damn small for my eyes.
 

minnemike

Well-known member
Nov 29, 2012
861
0
0
Visit site
In my basement here in the twin cities I get 3G normally and then sometimes E. If in the right spot I'll get the H - usually near a window.
 

nickacs

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2010
585
1
0
Visit site
I haven't a clue. I'm about 25 miles outside of Atlanta. But now that I think back, I've seen it a number of times change from 3G to what I thought were 2 vertical arrows. I was thinking that it was indicating data going back and forth, but I bet it was actually displaying an H...which looks pretty close to 2 arrows. It's too damn small for my eyes.

I'm in Atlanta too (like 10mins north off 400) and what I don't get is 3 of my coworkers have TMobile SG3's and their top signal notification bar shows 4G with the up/down arrows underneath it. But my N4 on TMobile prepaid plan shows H and no up/down arrows underneath, instead they are shown in that signal curve to the right of it???

I don't get it? Why do 2 different phones on the same network show different signal layout/notifications? Is it because I'm on a prepaid plan vs. their postpaid? Very weird...
If it's because we have 2 different phones, that doesn't make sense to me... Signal layout/bar is the same for all phones for the carrier
 

willdogs

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2011
192
72
0
Visit site
Signal layout/bar is the same for all phones for the carrier

Wrong, each phone does their own thing as far as signal indicators go.

Remember, the N4 is pure android where as other phones (Samsung, HTC etc...) use their own flavors of overlays/widgets.
 

yfan

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2009
902
0
0
Visit site
I'm in Atlanta too (like 10mins north off 400) and what I don't get is 3 of my coworkers have TMobile SG3's and their top signal notification bar shows 4G with the up/down arrows underneath it. But my N4 on TMobile prepaid plan shows H and no up/down arrows underneath, instead they are shown in that signal curve to the right of it???
It's the same thing. What is 'H' on the Nexus 4 is the same as '4G' on T-mobile SGS 3. Both indicate that your phone is connected to an HSPA+ (one of: ordinary HSPA+, HSDPA or HSPA+ 21, dual carrier HSDPA or HSPA+ 41) network, which IS T-mobile's 4G network at the moment. The only difference is the visual representation of it on the two phones. T-mobile's prepaid and postpaid phones are on the exact same network when in the same physical space.
 

jim302

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2011
116
28
0
Visit site
G = GSM / GPRS (2G)

E = EVDO

3G = well 3G (WCDMA)

H = HSPA (either HSDPA , HSPA +42, etc)

I think that covers it. Someone correct me if im wrong

Close...

G = GPRS
E = EDGE
3G = UMTS (WCDMA)
H = all HSPA variants
4G = LTE

EVDO is a CDMA2000 technology (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, and a few other small regional carriers in the US). However, many phones do show EVDO as 3G (or sometimes EV).
 

flipflopp

Active member
Apr 20, 2011
37
0
0
Visit site
Here is what mine does as others have pointed out. When its using data its on H. On standby it shows 3g. This through T-Mobile

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

Attachments

  • uploadfromtaptalk1354927410002.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1354927410002.jpg
    81.8 KB · Views: 33
  • uploadfromtaptalk1354927428991.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1354927428991.jpg
    81.8 KB · Views: 32

yfan

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2009
902
0
0
Visit site
Close...

G = GPRS
E = EDGE
3G = UMTS (WCDMA)
H = all HSPA variants
4G = LTE

EVDO is a CDMA2000 technology (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, and a few other small regional carriers in the US). However, many phones do show EVDO as 3G (or sometimes EV).
Well, while there is a lot of technical debate about what can and cannot be considered 4G, and a great deal saying that no variants of HSPA can be considered 4G simply based on the technology it is based on, it is common for carriers and manufacturers to refer to HSPA+ as 4G (distinguished from LTE with the label '4G LTE') because of the data speeds it offers. T-mobile does not yet have an active LTE network, and T-mobile's SGS 3 phones are all HSPA+ 42 compliant, and on T-mobile's SGS 3 phones, HSPA networks show up as "4G."
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
943,141
Messages
6,917,485
Members
3,158,838
Latest member
akbarramadhani12