4G LTE on the GS3 with Sprint

**aznberry** · 01-30-2013, 04:23 PM

Hello,

Spoke with a Sprint rep and they said 4G icon is not 4G LTE. It's the regular 4G...
Is this true?

Thanks.

**EndlessDissent** · 01-30-2013, 05:17 PM

??? Ummm... I don't know what you mean by "regular 4G" as opposed to "4G LTE". The Sprint Galaxy S3 connects to Sprint's LTE network, Sprint's EVDO network, and Sprint's 1xRTT network.

4G = LTE
3G = EVDO
1x = 1xRTT

**aznberry** · 01-30-2013, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by EndlessDissent

??? Ummm... I don't know what you mean by "regular 4G" as opposed to "4G LTE". The Sprint Galaxy S3 connects to Sprint's LTE network, Sprint's EVDO network, and Sprint's 1xRTT network.

4G = LTE
3G = EVDO
1x = 1xRTT

I know what you mean. I always thought the 4G icon stands for LTE. But the Sprint rep said it's not LTE.
I even chatted with Sprint also. I was given the same replied.

**Almeuit** · 01-30-2013, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by SFDROID

I know what you mean. I always thought the 4G icon stands for LTE. But the Sprint rep said it's not LTE.
I even chatted with Sprint also. I was given the same replied.

It's wrong. The S3 cannot receive 4G wimax... The only 4G it can recieve is LTE.

So either your 3g or 4G LTE. (for the Sprint model obviously.. Before poepe try and correct me with other carrier versions of the S3 :P)

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

**EndlessDissent** · 01-30-2013, 10:46 PM

You can't trust CSRs or salespeople. They rarely know what they're talking about. They've been known to tell people that the S3 supports "both 4G and 4G LTE." If they told me that, I'd be a smartass and ask if they sell both phones and cellphones, or whether the salesperson prefers cookies or chocolate chip cookies; stories or short stories; etc.

You're always better off researching phones on Android Central or other reputable sites than you are asking questions to a sales rep.

**Great Offender** · 01-31-2013, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by SFDROID

Hello,

Spoke with a Sprint rep and they said 4G icon is not 4G LTE. It's the regular 4G...
Is this true?

Thanks.

Your rep wasn't Bob from Bangladesh was it?

**Keith Patrick** · 02-02-2013, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by SFDROID

Hello,

Spoke with a Sprint rep and they said 4G icon is not 4G LTE. It's the regular 4G...
Is this true?

Thanks.

Wow. Another misinformed Sprint employee.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Android Central Forums

**ssweet97** · 02-02-2013, 07:20 AM

My opinion is Sprint has alot of catching up to do!

**makaroni** · 02-02-2013, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Almeuit

It's wrong. The S3 cannot receive 4G wimax... The only 4G it can recieve is LTE.

So either your 3g or 4G LTE. (for the Sprint model obviously.. Before poepe try and correct me with other carrier versions of the S3 :P)

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

You sir are correct.Sprint did not put a 4G wimax antenna in the GS3 because they're phasing it out for their new LTE network

**archangel849** · 02-04-2013, 07:12 PM

Off topic some what, but when I was shopping for my s3, I called Best Buy. I asked them if there was LTE in my area (back woods town south of Houston), and both people I spoke with said no. I called Radio Shack and ask the same question. I was told that there was LTE in my area. Went to the Shack and purchase the phone, the salesperson activated the phone, went into settings, and immediately I picked up LTE signal. Point being, some people are not very well educated in the product they sell. And yes, on the sprint model, 4G is LTE.

**HamRadioNut** · 02-07-2013, 06:15 AM

Hello,

You can download an app from the play store called "Network Signal Strength" and it will show you when you are connected to LTE , and on the app itself you can make it show LTE on the little widget. I am not sure why Sprint chose the 4G icon instead of the LTE icon but that's Sprint. My daughter has a Verizon phone and it show LTE in the status bar....duh...!!

**Almeuit** · 02-07-2013, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by HamRadioNut

Hello,

You can download an app from the play store called "Network Signal Strength" and it will show you when you are connected to LTE , and on the app itself you can make it show LTE on the little widget. I am not sure why Sprint chose the 4G icon instead of the LTE icon but that's Sprint. My daughter has a Verizon phone and it show LTE in the status bar....duh...!!

They did it for a simple reason... Sprint is 3g or 4G LTE. So if your S3 shows 4G... It's LTE.

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

**meyerweb** · 02-08-2013, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Almeuit

They did it for a simple reason... Sprint is 3g or 4G LTE. So if your S3 shows 4G... It's LTE.

Correct, unlike AT&T, which has both pretend 4g, and LTE 4g, so it needs to tell you which you're on. There's no need for an app or widget to tell you if your Sprint GS3 is on LTE or not. If it says 4g, it's LTE.

**bearballz72** · 02-09-2013, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by HamRadioNut

Hello,

You can download an app from the play store called "Network Signal Strength" and it will show you when you are connected to LTE , and on the app itself you can make it show LTE on the little widget. I am not sure why Sprint chose the 4G icon instead of the LTE icon but that's Sprint. My daughter has a Verizon phone and it show LTE in the status bar....duh...!!

Also Sensorly is another great app for determining what kind of coverage you have in your area.

**gnr_2** · 02-11-2013, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by HamRadioNut

Hello,

My daughter has a Verizon phone and it show LTE in the status bar....duh...!!

I think Verizon is just being a show off.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

**meyerweb** · 02-12-2013, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by ssweet97

My opinion is Sprint has alot of catching up to do!

And this oh so detailed opinion is based on.... the lack of the letters "LTE" in the notification bar? Sheesh!

**dlcaste** · 02-12-2013, 12:53 PM

LTE, just like HSPA+ and WIMAX, is considered 4th generation cellular technology. Hence the "4g". That's probably the easiest way to think about it.

**seraphemz** · 02-12-2013, 05:18 PM

A little while ago, my phone was showing 4g....im on Sprint in the Orange County area in California... weird. It went away though.

**gnr_2** · 02-12-2013, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by seraphemz

A little while ago, my phone was showing 4g....im on Sprint in the Orange County area in California... weird. It went away though.

I'm sure someone can point you to the coverage map, but it's not universally located even once it goes live. For instance in DC, it's only along commuter corridors and areas with lots of new high density construction. Not even in the main business sections, tourist areas or most established residential areas. Which, to the poster two above you, *is* where Sprint has lots of catch up to do on Verizon. I'd just be happy to get any signal in my house regardless of its "g" designation.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

**EVObastard** · 02-12-2013, 11:36 PM

Ha, the guy that sold me my GS3 (best buy) said that the LTE system is not up yet and since the GS3 does not work on WIMAX that I would not have 4G at all. Idiots. I went to a spring store and the sales girl didn't even know what LTE was. How do these people get hired.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

**EndlessDissent** · 02-13-2013, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by EVObastard

Ha, the guy that sold me my GS3 (best buy) said that the LTE system is not up yet and since the GS3 does not work on WIMAX that I would not have 4G at all. Idiots. I went to a spring store and the sales girl didn't even know what LTE was. How do these people get hired.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

Perhaps the guy at Best Buy just meant that LTE hasn't been rolled out to your area yet. Or has it? The Sprint rep that didn't know what LTE was should be fired.