4G roaming won't work on Cincinnati Bell

[armyof12monkeys]

I purchased the unlocked HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus for use on Cincinnati Bell's network. I live in Montgomery, Ala., but Cincinnati Bell's 4G roaming network extends down here. Unfortunately, all I can access is the EDGE network.

A Cincinnati Bell rep says it's because it's something to do with the roaming member towers not working with unlocked phones and needing to use a Cincinnati Bell branded phone.

I imagine that's some marketing ploy and can be fixed, though I wouldn't even know where to begin to fix it. I imagine it's a software thing -- is there something I can do, maybe root the phone and alter the code to allow 4G roaming?

Help is much appreciated.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

So when you look at their 4G (which is just HSPA+) coverage map, do you have coverage in your area?

Its quite likely its just an APN or SIM issue.

 

[armyof12monkeys]

Yes: the coverage map shows that I should get 4G service in Montgomery, Ala. And I previously had a 3G Cincinnati Bell-branded Motorola XT720 which did receive 3G service.

My Galaxy Nexus only gets EDGE service.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Yes: the coverage map shows that I should get 4G service in Montgomery, Ala. And I previously had a 3G Cincinnati Bell-branded Motorola XT720 which did receive 3G service.

My Galaxy Nexus only gets EDGE service.

So did you just take the SIM out of your old phone and put it in the Nexus? And have you bothered to mess around with APNs?

 

[mitchstehlin]

Gotta be the APN's. Set up Internet and MMS using these exact instructions. This is what I used and I get 4G with my GNEX. Cincinnati Bell Wireless Product Support - WAP Configuration - Finished - Google Nexus One

 

[armyof12monkeys]

Martonikaj: I did swap my 3G SIM card from my old phone into the GNEX. Cincinnati Bell rep said I didn't need a special 4G SIM. And there was no data APN, so the rep walked me through it, and it ended up being a bit more detailed than the instructions in the link mitchstehlin sent.

Cincinnati Bell's website just says to set the APN to wap.gocbw.com.

The customer service rep had me also set the proxy, the port, the username, and the APN type. I've used both configurations -- the bare bones one and the fuller one -- and neither seem to get 4G or even 3G service for my phone. I know 3G works at least, because my old CBW Motorola phone got 3G service.

mitchstehlin: Are you a Cincinnati Bell Wireless user? Where are you located? I'm in Montgomery, Ala. and get no 4G or 3G service. It might be the towers, since I'm roaming, but that confuses me since I got 3G roaming service on my old CBW phone.

 

[armyof12monkeys]

Bump. I can't imagine Cincinnati Bell does anything hardware-wise to get their proprietary phones to work on roaming networks, so is there something in the code? Let me preface this by saying I have no idea what I'm talking about, but if I root my GNex and my old Motorola and look at the code, is there some way to figure out how to get 4G roaming (hell, even 3G roaming would be much better than EDGE) to work?

 

[ads]

Have you gotten 3g or 4g to work anywhere?
Could it be a signal issue where the older phone got signal but your gnex isn't?
Might want to borrow a local SIM and adjust settings just to see what happens.

ADS

 

[armyof12monkeys]

Thanks, ADS. I haven't tried that, but will see if I can't give it a go. I haven't had the opportunity to leave Montgomery since getting the GNex, but I will be moving out of the state in a month or two. I'm just debating selling the phone and getting a crappier Cincinnati Bell branded phone that I know will work.

 

[armyof12monkeys]

I'm back in Cincinnati now, but my phone won't get 4G service. It says "H" next to the signal bars.

 

[Mobimop]

I'm back in Cincinnati now, but my phone won't get 4G service. It says "H" next to the signal bars.

That is "4G" HSPA+ service.... Since your unlocked it HSPA+ shows up with the H.

 

[armyof12monkeys]

Well that makes sense now.

 

[Nichdame]

I am wanting to buy one now , it's that or the one s , when your in Cincinnati , does it say 4G or H or H+ ?

 

[armyof12monkeys]

It just says "H." And to tell the truth, it doesn't seem any faster than the "H" speeds I got with my Cincinnati Bell Motorola XT720. And I only get those speeds in Cincinnati and Dayton.