Nexus 4 LTE option

zxcv106106

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I saw this on XDA Nexus 4

"Could anyone from Kansas or Vegas confirm if Nexus 4 is successfully connecting to T-Mobile's LTE with a simple dialer tweak.

1. Dial *#*#4636#*#*
2. Choose Phone Information
3. Scroll down and change from WCDMA Preferred to LTE only or LTE/GSM auto
4. See if your status bar shows "4G"
5. Run some speedtest and post screenshots here

There are sporadic reports from different Samsung users that LTE is live in some areas of Kansas and Vegas. It would be great if someone with Nexus 4 could verify this."

Original post Las Vegas and Kansas City LTE - xda-developers

I was wondering if anyone change their phone to LTE/GSM auto? Should I do that too? Why google doesnt make it LTE/GSM at first place?

Thanks!
 

Greg C

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I saw this on XDA Nexus 4

"Could anyone from Kansas or Vegas confirm if Nexus 4 is successfully connecting to T-Mobile's LTE with a simple dialer tweak.

1. Dial *#*#4636#*#*
2. Choose Phone Information
3. Scroll down and change from WCDMA Preferred to LTE only or LTE/GSM auto
4. See if your status bar shows "4G"
5. Run some speedtest and post screenshots here

There are sporadic reports from different Samsung users that LTE is live in some areas of Kansas and Vegas. It would be great if someone with Nexus 4 could verify this."

Original post Las Vegas and Kansas City LTE - xda-developers

I was wondering if anyone change their phone to LTE/GSM auto? Should I do that too? Why google doesnt make it LTE/GSM at first place?

Thanks!

LTE died with the 4.2.2 update. The date on the post was probably pre 4.2.2 update.
 

chubb

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It does work. People have posted it on this and other forums. But if you updated to 4.2.2 it will not work. You will need to flash the older radio, since Google closed the loophole in the last update. Also, it is illegal to use LTE on this phone, since the fcc did not approve it. But If you flash the old radio, you can turn it on, and you should get LTE, but it will destroy your battery. Google did not make it a LTE phone since it only works on band 4 witch is only live in Canada and those two cities in America. They never intended it to be LTE, it works with this "hack" because LTE is embedded in the chip, the same chip in the optimus. But lacks the LTE antenna, which is why the battery drain is insane. Chances are those two cities have HSPA+ 42, and if they do I would just use that. Better battery life, great download and decent upload speeds, plus no need to worry about the FCC chasing you down if you cause interference with something important (very unlikely I know, but could happen).
 

zxcv106106

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It does work. People have posted it on this and other forums. But if you updated to 4.2.2 it will not work. You will need to flash the older radio, since Google closed the loophole in the last update. Also, it is illegal to use LTE on this phone, since the fcc did not approve it. But If you flash the old radio, you can turn it on, and you should get LTE, but it will destroy your battery. Google did not make it a LTE phone since it only works on band 4 witch is only live in Canada and those two cities in America. They never intended it to be LTE, it works with this "hack" because LTE is embedded in the chip, the same chip in the optimus. But lacks the LTE antenna, which is why the battery drain is insane. Chances are those two cities have HSPA+ 42, and if they do I would just use that. Better battery life, great download and decent upload speeds, plus no need to worry about the FCC chasing you down if you cause interference with something important (very unlikely I know, but could happen).

I see.Thanks for all the reply. I feel like battery is kind of drain fast too..even without the LTE anyway....
 

Mellimel22

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It does work. People have posted it on this and other forums. But if you updated to 4.2.2 it will not work. You will need to flash the older radio, since Google closed the loophole in the last update. Also, it is illegal to use LTE on this phone, since the fcc did not approve it. But If you flash the old radio, you can turn it on, and you should get LTE, but it will destroy your battery. Google did not make it a LTE phone since it only works on band 4 witch is only live in Canada and those two cities in America. They never intended it to be LTE, it works with this "hack" because LTE is embedded in the chip, the same chip in the optimus. But lacks the LTE antenna, which is why the battery drain is insane. Chances are those two cities have HSPA+ 42, and if they do I would just use that. Better battery life, great download and decent upload speeds, plus no need to worry about the FCC chasing you down if you cause interference with something important (very unlikely I know, but could happen).

Illegal I don't think so. Saying using lte is illegal is like rooting is illegal. Just flash the old radios. Band 4 is the EXCLUSIVE band tmo is using so its not only gonna be for those cities.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

zkSharks

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Illegal I don't think so. Saying using lte is illegal is like rooting is illegal. Just flash the old radios. Band 4 is the EXCLUSIVE band tmo is using so its not only gonna be for those cities.

The Nexus 4 isn't certified with the FCC for LTE use and therefore using it as such is in violation of FCC regulations. That's why the 4.2.2 update removed the ability to use LTE. The other option would have been for LG to re-certify the N4 with the FCC.

That said, I think the only issue you might run into is an issue with a carrier for using LTE while on a plan not intended for LTE use.
 

Mellimel22

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The Nexus 4 isn't certified with the FCC for LTE use and therefore using it as such is in violation of FCC regulations. That's why the 4.2.2 update removed the ability to use LTE. The other option would have been for LG to re-certify the N4 with the FCC.

That said, I think the only issue you might run into is an issue with a carrier for using LTE while on a plan not intended for LTE use.

Which is null and void seeing as the ONLY us carrier carrying the n4 is bringing lte to the only band its capable of using. Att uses it so so but tmo is using it the most.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

TvTechGuru

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This doesn't work. It's been floating around the forums for a few weeks now. I tried it and it doesn't matter because the phone does not have the LTE hardware. And after an undetermined amount of time your phone will switch back to WCDMA preferred in that settings menu.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

Mellimel22

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This doesn't work. It's been floating around the forums for a few weeks now. I tried it and it doesn't matter because the phone does not have the LTE hardware. And after an undetermined amount of time your phone will switch back to WCDMA preferred in that settings menu.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Hahaha bro stop it. Multiple people already confirmed it works even cm10

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

chubb

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Illegal I don't think so. Saying using lte is illegal is like rooting is illegal. Just flash the old radios. Band 4 is the EXCLUSIVE band tmo is using so its not only gonna be for those cities.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2

It is illegal. Not that the FCC is going to come chasing you down for it. It is more like not stopping for a stop sign. Its illegal, but not that big of deal, but if you cause an accident and someone is seriously hurt or dies then you'll get in trouble. Similar to using lte on a uncertified device, chances are nothing will happen, but if you cause interference with police radios, or something fairly major and get caught your in for it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
 

Mellimel22

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It is illegal. Not that the FCC is going to come chasing you down for it. It is more like not stopping for a stop sign. Its illegal, but not that big of deal, but if you cause an accident and someone is seriously hurt or dies then you'll get in trouble. Similar to using lte on a uncertified device, chances are nothing will happen, but if you cause interference with police radios, or something fairly major and get caught your in for it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

How and the only way to get it is through BAND 4 ONLY. Which only tmo and Canada and mexico uses.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

chubb

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OK. It does not matter what bands work and what bands don't. Also it doesn't matter if its ok in Mexico, this applies to the U.S.A. ones. The fact is that Google and LG sent the phone to the FCC without a working LTE radio, only HSPA+. That is what the FCC certified the phone to work on, not any LTE bands. Using the phone on bands that were not certified is illegal. The FCC don't care if it was capable of using LTE, the phone they tested was not supposed to have LTE, only HSPA+. There is no gray area to this, and just because it works and can be done, does not make it legal. Why do you think Google closed the workaround in the last update? They did it to save their ass of a lawsuit should something happen. I could care less how you use your phone, just saying the facts.
 

Garrett92C

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How and the only way to get it is through BAND 4 ONLY. Which only tmo and Canada and mexico uses.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2

I don't think you're understanding this. The answer to why LTE on the Nexus 4 is illegal in the US is in two of the posts you quoted...
 

IAmSixNine

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So back to the original posters question, which i think is valid as i have wondered it my self. Has anybody with a Nexus 4 AND is still capable of doing the LTE hack picking up LTE in those markets? If so can you confirm or deny if the device is working well with the LTE network or as others have mentioned is it killing the battery due to lack of antenna / proper hardware.
 

Mellimel22

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That's what I'm sayin smh. My cuz stay on the west and has a tmo n4 and has cm10 which HAS LTE BY DEFAULT. If it was illegal why its on a highly known ROM by default? Anyway lte works like any other lte market and phone. Depends on location.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

PWC Realtor

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Hahaha bro stop it. Multiple people already confirmed it works even cm10

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2

It works on CM because flashing custom ROMs doesn't affect the baseband part of the phone. I'm really surprised CM hasn't included the change to the build.prop file that allows LTE to be enabled from the mobile networks settings menu avoiding having to go through the dialer and phone testing menu.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums
 

Mellimel22

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Ummmm some ROMs do change the baseband aka radio. And cm did include the changes.

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.2 using Tapatalk 2
 

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