Galaxy nexus 4.1 update increased data speeds

[danarmitage1898]

I was just wondering if Anyone else who got the 4.1 update is experiencing the same as me. I ran a speed test by my local chase bank a few weeks ago when I was on 4.0 and was only getting 3 mgbs down. I just ran the speed test again and I am on 4.1 and I was pulling 8 down. In the middle of the freaking high desert. I thought I was dreaming so I ran one again. I got the same results. I am so stoked to have gotten such good results and so I was wondering if anyone else was also getting higher data speeds.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[Andrew Martonik]

First off, you've not even told us what network you're on...

and second of all, the only thing the update would have offered you is an updated radio, which may have slightly helped with signal strength, but wouldn't ever boost network performance that much on its own.

Third of all, 2 or 3 tests in the same area doesn't exactly follow a scientific method. What was your signal strength? Were you in the same exact place? What time of day were the tests? All of these things factor into the speed, and likely what happened is they upped some backhaul on that tower, or you may even have been connected to a different tower.

 

[danarmitage1898]

1) I'm on T-Mobile $30 a month 5gb 4g data

3) It obviously isn't scientific and I just wanted to share about how my data speeds were getting faster. Also when I was in anaheim , I used to get around 3 mgbs, now I get 4.5 when I visit there. Those are general speeds.

I know it isn't the scientific method but I just wanted to share that I was getting better data speeds. I didn't ask for you to come here to lecture me and so if you don't have anything that I care about and
want to listen to, I don't care for your opinion. I just wanted for others to give their feedback.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Thanks for the more info, now I can solidly give you the bottom line here.

The bottom line is the update did nothing to increase data speeds other than to give you a new radio that may have connected you to towers with a better signal strength. Other than that, the increase in speeds is simply due to improvements on T-Mobile's end. The Galaxy Nexus is and always has been a 21mbps HSPA+ device (real-world maximum 12mbps), nothing in software can make that change.

 

[TheIowaKid]

I laughed at the thought of this......then of course ran about 10 speedtest and FCC tests......and no joke they were faster than I have had in my house ever. I know, I know. It has to be a coincidence but how bout that. Im using Straight Talk (AT&T). Again, i dont need to be told that an incremental increase in software has anything to do with the network Im on other than possibly updating the radio. Which after some searching is not the case. Still, it was pretty strange to say the least.

 

[moonoverparma00]

OK...so the question is, can a new updated radio give you better network performance?

 

[Andrew Martonik]

OK...so the question is, can a new updated radio give you better network performance?

Yes it can (up to a certain point), from the point of view of different radios simply being better for your location and getting a better dBm rating (better connection, better speed potential).

People regularly switch radios to find the right one for them. This is evidenced by the different yakju** variants around the world shipping with different radio firmware which is supposedly better "tweaked" for those markets. The radio can't that drastically change things though. As I note above, the Galaxy Nexus is a 21mbps HSPA+ device, which keeps the theoretical max speeds to ~12mbps down, and that can't be changed with software/firmware.

 

[cbbartley]

JB didn't come with any updated radios. And though the software would not have anything to do with increasing speed on the network side, it could be handling data on the phone side better thus giving users increased speed. Give people a break with the know it all attitude man. They are sharing with the community. If you think of a post as not up to your standards then just do not reply. Don't ruin the forum for those enjoying their phone and sharing their excitement about it.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

JB didn't come with any updated radios. And though the software would not have anything to do with increasing speed on the network side, it could be handling data on the phone side better thus giving users increased speed. Give people a break with the know it all attitude man. They are sharing with the community. If you think of a post as not up to your standards then just do not reply. Don't ruin the forum for those enjoying their phone and sharing their excitement about it.

Am I being rude? I simply answered and explained that the 4.1 update didn't include anything to increase network speeds. The only thing that could've been part of the 4.1 update to help network speeds is a radio. And 4.1 did come with updated radios. It upped to XXLF1 from XXLA2.

 

[Quis89]

Am I being rude? I simply answered and explained that the 4.1 update didn't include anything to increase network speeds. The only thing that could've been part of the 4.1 update to help network speeds is a radio. And 4.1 did come with updated radios. It upped to XXLF1 from XXLA2.

Yea... Your first response did kind of smell a tad douchy. Maybe that was just me tho.

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Yea... Your first response did kind of smell a tad douchy. Maybe that was just me tho.

I have no intentions of being rude. I just like to explain right out of the gate that 2 or 3 speed tests doesn't do much to prove anything.

Its really tough to claim anything for sure with speed tests overall. SO many things come into play when you're looking at speeds, most of which are out of your control.

 

[Josh515]

I haven't really noticed a change in data speeds, but I have noticed that none of my downloads have failed on Jellybean so far, where they would sometimes fail on ICS.

 

[keilflex]

love it,,,but,,,,,,sigh...

 

[mwara244]

I have 4.0.4 with no difference in download speeds from 4.0.2 on verizon with a gnex. I still average at home, 12 down and 5-6 up. I am eight miles away from 2 different 4g towers even though i.m half a mile away from a regular verizon tower. Your 4g download speeds depend on how close you are to the 4g towers. Because when i was closer to the tower by a couple miles i had 4 bars instead of 2, i forgot to do a speed test there. In all of st.louis city and county there is only seven 4g towers for almost 2 million ppl in about 800 square miles. Also with 4.1 there doesn't seem to be a big difference with radios, from what I've been reading in other forums, and certain JellyBean roms don't seem to have radios with them and you have to download separately.

I have a question, I've been debating flashing 4.1, still doing research and reading reviews, but I keep reading that most apps aren't going to work with it, and only about 4 apps in my downloads have been made to work with JB. So is it worth flashing JB if most apps aren't going to work or work well with it?

 

[rexxman]

Am I being rude? I simply answered and explained that the 4.1 update didn't include anything to increase network speeds. The only thing that could've been part of the 4.1 update to help network speeds is a radio. And 4.1 did come with updated radios. It upped to XXLF1 from XXLA2.

Sometimes it is not WHAT you say, but, HOW you say it. Please be mindful of this.

And yes, you words conveyed "rudeness". It wasn't as "simple" as you thought.

 

[zulfaqar621#AC]

I have a question, I've been debating flashing 4.1, still doing research and reading reviews, but I keep reading that most apps aren't going to work with it, and only about 4 apps in my downloads have been made to work with JB. So is it worth flashing JB if most apps aren't going to work or work well with it?

I am not sure what apps you are using but all my apps but one (which is an extremely niche app) work flawlessly with JB. Unless you are talking about VZW apps. The older roms did not support them (I am still on one of these roms) but I read that this has been corrected in some of the roms.

 

[cbbartley]

Am I being rude? I simply answered and explained that the 4.1 update didn't include anything to increase network speeds. The only thing that could've been part of the 4.1 update to help network speeds is a radio. And 4.1 did come with updated radios. It upped to XXLF1 from XXLA2.

I don't think you actually put it like this, and usually when responding with:

First off,

Second,

Third

is pretty aggressive. It seemed like you were arguing with the guy for being excited and sharing what he thought might be a great discovery. It could have been worded better as to not be so confrontational. But hey, if no bad intentions that's cool.

And oh yeah, I was thinking that I was on a Verizon Nexus page. GSM version does have new radios.