Can someone explain AT&T 3G/4G on the S2 to me?

phositadc

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Mar 9, 2010
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Thinking about coming over from Verizon. There, 4G (LTE) obviously is a separate chip within the phone, so you can turn it off completely.

Can someone explain how 3G/4G works on AT&T? It's not actually a separate chip, right? So you cannot turn it off unless you turn data off completely?

How does the notification bar distinguish which radio is being used? Does it say 3G when you have a 3G connection, and H when you have the H connection, and H+ when you are on 4G? Or does it only toggle between saying 3G and H+? Or does it always say H+ even if you are just on 3G?

Just curious how it works on AT&T and how you know what network you are connected to. It's obviously more simple on Verizon, since it's either LTE or 3G, and you know very clearly which one you are on.
 

runtohell121

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It's just "H" and "H+".. Nothing special about it. It's running at 3.5G. Not actual 4G yet. Depending on the area you'er in, the phone will automatically sense if it's going to have 3G or 3.5G (4G advertised) speed.
 

phositadc

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Oh ok so is H = 3G and H+ = 4G (or 3.5G)?

And is it correct that you cannot turn 4G off... so it is possible that the radio could be switching back and forth between H and H+ and you have no ability to control it?

Would that deplete the battery really bad? With Verizon, if you are somewhere that you are switching back and forth between 3G and 1X, it takes a serious toll on the battery.
 

runtohell121

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Pretty much.. and there's also EDGE which is 2G

You can't turn it off because there is no 4G in the device. It's the same radio for 3G/3.5G (aka 4G for AT&T)
 

glorifiedsins

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You can keep it from attempting to search for the lte network (currently only in 5 cities anyway so you probably don't have it) just turn off packet data under the wifi network settings sub-section mobile at the bottom. This will save your battery