PSA: For anyone on TMobile prepaid - you need data roaming on!

**6tr6tr** · 02-17-2013, 08:52 PM

I was having issues with poor latency/delays and slow connection speeds with TMobile. I called them and they said even though prepaid 4G doesn't have data roaming, if you have data roaming turned off on your phone, it won't get full 4G speeds. I didn't believe them but decided to try it. My speed went from 3mbps to 13mbps! I then had a friend (on an HTC One S) do the same (he also had data roaming off) and he saw the same boost in speed!

** IMPORTANT: for this to work properly with the network, you need to reset the APN to default after turning on data roaming.

(They assured me that we won't get charged for data roaming because the account doesn't have that enabled for other providers)

**yfan** · 02-17-2013, 10:23 PM

Thank you! It not only improved my speed (at home I usually get around 7 Mbps, this made my speed go to 12+), but greatly improved my ping time. That's even more important than the speed improvement, since I use VoIP to make calls, and ping time is crucial when it comes to the quality of those calls. Thanks again!

PSA: For anyone on TMobile prepaid - you need data roaming on!-uploadfromtaptalk1361161378419.jpg

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**6tr6tr** · 02-17-2013, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by yfan

Thank you! It did not only improved my speed (at home I usually get around 7 Mbps, this made my speed go to 12+), but greatly improved my ping time. That's even more important than the speed improvement, since I use VoIP to make calls, and ping time is crucial when it comes to the quality of those calls. Thanks again!

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Same happened for me - I forgot to mention that. My ping went from 600ms to 50ms!

**bokeh4me** · 02-17-2013, 11:56 PM

I'll 2nd that change in setting. Latest test was 14ms ping, and 32039 down/7159 up.

**6tr6tr** · 02-19-2013, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by bokeh4me

I'll 2nd that change in setting. Latest test was 14ms ping, and 32039 down/7159 up.

32mbps! where are you? that's as fast as the best Verizon lte.

what were you getting before?

**sheba510** · 02-19-2013, 02:58 AM

Thanks for this info. I was wondering why I was not getting HSPA+ speeds when I turned wifi off at home. I was only getting about 750kbps download with data roaming off. Went up to 3mbps as soon as I turned data roaming on. I am hoping it improves.

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**llamainmypocket** · 02-19-2013, 12:35 PM

What happens if you put a prepayed "data only" Sim card into the nexus 4?

Does it work? Its not as though they can upgrade that to a voice plan.

**Chimpware** · 02-19-2013, 12:53 PM

I am not on prepaid but am on T- mobile and this fixed latency for me. 15x improvement. Thanks.

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**strider2** · 02-19-2013, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by 6tr6tr

** IMPORTANT: for this to work properly with the network, you need to reset the APN to default after turning on data roaming.

How do you reset the APN to default? I already have T-Mobile Prepaid APN Set. Do I delete it and add it again?

**yfan** · 02-19-2013, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by strider2

How do you reset the APN to default? I already have T-Mobile Prepaid APN Set. Do I delete it and add it again?

No. When you are on the APN screen, tap settings (the 3 dots on top right) and choose the reset option.

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**strider2** · 02-19-2013, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by yfan

No. When you are on the APN screen, tap settings (the 3 dots on top right) and choose the reset option.

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Got it. Thanks.

**theduder** · 02-19-2013, 03:13 PM

So the phone warns me about selecting data roaming, saying significant charges may be incurred.

I feel like I should really live chat T-Mo and screen grab the response that I won't get charged...

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**yfan** · 02-19-2013, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by theduder

So the phone warns me about selecting data roaming, saying significant charges may be incurred.

It's a standard warning message. You won't actually get roaming access to data, since T-mobile's prepaid plans don't allow it at all. But having the box checked will improve your data speeds and ping times in places where you do have data.

**theduder** · 02-19-2013, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by yfan

It's a standard warning message. You won't actually get roaming access to data, since T-mobile's prepaid plans don't allow it at all. But having the box checked will improve your data speeds and ping times in places where you do have data.

I got the chat transcript so I'm good.

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**greydarrah** · 02-19-2013, 07:17 PM

Does anyone know why you are supposed to reset your APN? What's the purpose and what happens if you don't do it? The reason I'm asking is that after doing this, I got my first ever Tmo web site pushing me to sign up for HotSpot service and only displaying this page (I was tethering, using my pc) whenever I clicked on any links or bookmarks. I don't tether much, but I've never been redirected to this site before tonight (after resetting my APN).

**HTCTundaBow** · 02-19-2013, 07:32 PM

Nvm, found it.

**dtm8119** · 02-19-2013, 07:57 PM

Thanks for the tip!!!

**greydarrah** · 02-19-2013, 08:27 PM

I've rebooted and have definitely lost the ability to tether on my pc. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I've never been redirected while tethering my pc to a tmobile hotspot sign up web page until I made these changes. Can anyone else try tethering your pc and see if you can navigate around the internet after following the OP instructions?

**danootz** · 02-19-2013, 09:50 PM

No tethering issues here. Followed the instructions in OP.

First Speedtest (before OPs instructions) had me at 6.7mbps down 0.34 up.

After, I had 13.64mbps down 1.05 up.

(Only getting HSPA 10)

Can't wait to try at work where it seems to fluctuate between HSPA 10-15. I thought Manhattan/NYC had HSPA+42, I don't think I've seen it yet though.

*Rebooting didn't give me any issues either. Tethered to PC fine.

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**chubb** · 02-19-2013, 10:49 PM

Nice find. Definitely increased my speeds. Only have hspa 10 at home, only problem is my ping times went through the roof.

Bottom two are my speedtest results before I enabled roaming. Middle three are with it on. Top one is my awesome verizon dsl speeds lol.

**ryanr509** · 02-19-2013, 10:53 PM

Did nothing for me

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**HTCTundaBow** · 02-20-2013, 05:08 AM

Wow. I'm sitting in the ride-share parking lot in town where I usually get 2-3 Mbps, and now I'm getting almost 16mbps! I also noticed my data bar stays on "H" instead of alternating between 3g and "H".

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**theduder** · 02-20-2013, 07:10 AM

So far in Connecticut there's only a nominal increase in speed, but my pings went from 400-500 to ~50ms.

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**musichem** · 02-20-2013, 08:56 AM

Thanks for the tip, OP!

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**6tr6tr** · 02-20-2013, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by sheba611

Thanks for this info. I was wondering why I was not getting HSPA+ speeds when I turned wifi off at home. I was only getting about 750kbps download with data roaming off. Went up to 3mbps as soon as I turned data roaming on. I am hoping it improves.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Did you also reset the APN? That made it go up even more for me.