New Jelly Bean update adds LTE support to T-Mobile GS3

[Poitier]

Anybody notice that in the mobile network settings that LTE was added? I wonder if this update unlocks LTE? ...would be really nice if it did, we need to find out for sure.

UPDATE: I just did a online chat with Samsung support through it's website and they confirmed the this new update does support LTE please see below.

Please wait for a Samsung Agent to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Mikayla'. There will be a brief survey at the end of our chat to share feedback on my performance today.

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK56402017979X

Mikayla: Hi, thank you for contacting Samsung Technical Support. How may I help you today?

Mikayla: We have not heard from you. Do you wish to continue the chat?

Visitor: Hi Mikayla! I just recently updated my GS3 to 4.1.1 and a noticed a new setting in the mobile networks setting it show LTE/GSM/WCDMA (Auto mode) my question is does this phone support LTE on T-Mobile's LTE network when it's available next year.

Mikayla: I'll be glad to assist you in this regard.

Visitor: thank you

Mikayla: Yes, you are correct. I would like to inform you that your device will support LTE network.

Mikayla: The devices with Jelly bean firmware will support LTE network access.

Mikayla: Please let me know if you have any questions.

Visitor: No more questions, thanks for your help.

Mikayla: You are welcome.

Mikayla: It was a pleasure assisting you. Thank you for contacting Samsung Technical Support. If you have a minute, please click on the blue ?X close? button to receive a transcript of your chat and fill out a brief survey to help us serve you better. Have a wonderful day!
Chat session has been terminated by the Samsung Agent.

 

[geekymcfly]

I don't believe the tmo s3 even has the chipset needed for lte

loving 4.2. on my Nexus 7

 

[Poitier]

The LTE radio is in the 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor like it is with all U.S. carriers

I don't believe the tmo s3 even has the chipset needed for lte

loving 4.2. on my Nexus 7

 

[moosc]

It's there they reported this a week or two ago that when Tmo turns on lte next year all the phone needs is a software update and bam there's your lte.

I don't believe the tmo s3 even has the chipset needed for lte

loving 4.2. on my Nexus 7

Sent from my Xoom using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2

 

[geekymcfly]

Yeah I was just reading up on it

loving 4.2. on my Nexus 7

 

[xKrNMBoYx]

People have been saying TMobile LTE will be on a different band then the normal LTE on other carriers. But then if/when MetroPCS merges with TMobile they could potentially keep MetroPCS LTE allowung us to use LTE. Just my wish.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Android Central Forums

 

[intoaction66]

I was just going to post this in the forums when I saw this was the first post. I thought that was pretty strange, why would they put that in now, when tmo lte isn't gonna launch for like a year. Why not keep it out until lte is actually going to launch.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Android Central Forums

 

[SebasCvdB]

I was just going to post this in the forums when I saw this was the first post. I thought that was pretty strange, why would they put that in now, when tmo lte isn't gonna launch for like a year. Why not keep it out until lte is actually going to launch.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Android Central Forums

Does it really matter? It's on, boom, device prepared and ready for LTE.

 

[Horr1bleK1tten]

I took this post onto xda and they said its just what came in jelly bean our phones don't have the bands lte requires. They strongly believe that. I honestly don't know.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[xKrNMBoYx]

I took this post onto xda and they said its just what came in jelly bean our phones don't have the bands lte requires. They strongly believe that. I honestly don't know.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Yea there is a lot of strong opinions in this case. All you have to check is what chipset the phone uses and if that chipset has LTE compatibility. T-Mobile, CNN, Samsung all said that the T-Mobile's S3 would be able to use LTE when they turned it on. While I know XDA developers and users are very knowledgeable I feel they are a bit arrogant in some ways when they deny stuff with a blind eye to some facts.

It is confusing. All US S3's have the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 Chipset. The MSM8960 Chipsets are LTE compatible. But the rumors/facts are that T-Mobile's LTE will be on a different unannounced band. I doubt Qualcomm would make two different versions of MSM8960 just because T-Mobile won't have LTE until next year right? T-Mobile has yet to announce the official band that their LTE will run. So technically they could just use the same LTE bands as AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. AT&T uses 700MHz, 1700MHz/Sprint uses 1900MHz/Verizon uses 700MHz. I think people know for sure that T-Mobile has 1700MHz and 1900MHz. The unknown LTE band may have been already selected prior to the S3's release. Meaning that the unknown band could be included in the chipset already, just locked.

Different carriers in the world use different bands for LTE. So in the best scenario our S3's will be able to get LTE. Which bands? I have no idea. If someone has access to AT&T and T-Mobile sim cards they should try using a JB T-Mobile S3 with the AT&T Sim Card and see if LTE works on AT&T's bands.

 

[GTWalling]

Yea there is a lot of strong opinions in this case. All you have to check is what chipset the phone uses and if that chipset has LTE compatibility. T-Mobile, CNN, Samsung all said that the T-Mobile's S3 would be able to use LTE when they turned it on. While I know XDA developers and users are very knowledgeable I feel they are a bit arrogant in some ways when they deny stuff with a blind eye to some facts.

It is confusing. All US S3's have the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 Chipset. The MSM8960 Chipsets are LTE compatible. But the rumors/facts are that T-Mobile's LTE will be on a different unannounced band. I doubt Qualcomm would make two different versions of MSM8960 just because T-Mobile won't have LTE until next year right? T-Mobile has yet to announce the official band that their LTE will run. So technically they could just use the same LTE bands as AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. AT&T uses 700MHz, 1700MHz/Sprint uses 1900MHz/Verizon uses 700MHz. I think people know for sure that T-Mobile has 1700MHz and 1900MHz. The unknown LTE band may have been already selected prior to the S3's release. Meaning that the unknown band could be included in the chipset already, just locked.

Different carriers in the world use different bands for LTE. So in the best scenario our S3's will be able to get LTE. Which bands? I have no idea. If someone has access to AT&T and T-Mobile sim cards they should try using a JB T-Mobile S3 with the AT&T Sim Card and see if LTE works on AT&T's bands.

T-Mobile has announced it will be 1700 MHz. Wikipedia>>T-Mobile USA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Scroll down for the chart of all frequencies.

 

[amir suriya]

hi
Could you please tell me about S3 LTE (GT-I9305) handset mobile network settings? I have only two options "WCDMA Only" and "GSM/WCDMA/LTE Auto" but do not have "GSM Only" mobile network option in my LTE. One of my friend have same handset with 4.1.1 but having all the network options, I have upgraded from 4.1.1 to 4.1.2 but same issue.
Kindly let me know how to get the option "GSM Only" in mobile network settings in my S3 LTE handset...

 

[fanton]

I am with TMobile and got the latest upgrade 4.1.1 but my network settings doesn't show LTE, only GSM/WCDMA (auto mode), GSM only and and WCDMA only. Is there a reason for this being that other people here is showing the LTE in their settings ?

 

[GTWalling]

The LTE listing was removed with the last security update a couple of weeks ago. No current T-Mobile S3 will have LTE. The new one being launched this month will.

 

[xKrNMBoYx]

The LTE listing was removed with the last security update a couple of weeks ago. No current T-Mobile S3 will have LTE. The new one being launched this month will.

I really hoped you were wrong and I was wrong back then...but sadly it didn't turn out that way..so sad

 

[Mellimel22]

Wow smh

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Anthony Cardell]

So...esseintially the initial Jelly Bean update mistakenly had LTE in the listing under "Network Modes". The original TMO Galaxy S3 does not have the correct chipset to support LTE, correct? Was it a mistake that the added the LTE in the listing on the first update since the last security update it is indeed now removed.

 

[GTWalling]

Yes it was a mistake. Why would they be coming out with the T999L capable of LTE this month if the T999 could be used.
T-Mobile Bound Galaxy S III With LTE Passes Through The FCC | TmoNewsTmoNews
Upcoming Launch Date Calendar Includes LTE Hotspot, BlackBerry Z10 And Galaxy S III LTE | TmoNewsTmoNews

 

[Mellimel22]

Incorrect. Basically T-Mobile basically just wanted more money and sells by doing that. Record shows that its no different than the current s3 in rotation. In short words if u want T-Mobile lte buy another T-Mobile s3.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[GTWalling]

I would disagree. If it was just for the money why come out with a new S3 P999L with the S4 on it heals. Most are not going to buy the S3 with the S4 sitting next to it. Just saying. And if your check with the Dev's at XDA the P999 does not have the LTE radio frequency's in the phone.