Nexus 6 not switching to LTE

[mykwinters]

My N6 recently stopped switching to LTE. In areas where I've always had a strong LTE signal and where my wife's Note 4 has LTE my N6 stays in 3g/ HSPA. Any suggestions?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[shel692]

Are you rooted, custom roms, kernels, battery savers? Also have you checked the network settings to make sure LTE preferred is checked?

 

[mykwinters]

Not rooted. I'm on T-Mobile and have selected LTE as preferred.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[kct1975]

My N6 recently stopped switching to LTE. In areas where I've always had a strong LTE signal and where my wife's Note 4 has LTE my N6 stays in 3g/ HSPA. Any suggestions?

Posted via the Android Central App

I have a Nexus 6 on Sprint, and I have noticed the same problem. I thought that it was some problem with Sprint, but since you are with T-Mobile, I am thinking that the problem is being caused by the Google Connective Services app.

So far the only fix I have found is toggling Airplane mode or rebooting the phone. If you find another fix, please let me know.

 

[mykwinters]

Yeah, I've tried toggling airplane mode and rebooting without any luck.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[N4Newbie]

Keep in mind, it won't switch to LTE if you have another live data connection (Wi-Fi).

LTE is all about data and the phone will always default to using Wi-Fi for data when possible.

 

[kct1975]

Keep in mind, it won't switch to LTE if you have another live data connection (Wi-Fi).

LTE is all about data and the phone will always default to using Wi-Fi for data when possible.

Respectfully, that is not the problem that I am having, and I don't think that is the problem that the OP is having.

The problem is that many times as soon as my Nexus 6 is completely out of range of my hime WiFi, the phone immediately latches on to 3G and will not switch to LTE, unless I toggle Airplane Mode. As the OP mentioned, this is happening even in areas where I know that there is strong LTE signal.

 

[WP7Nettwerk]

Do you have SIM card 4G/LTE ready? If you have old one than contact your CS. Secondly maybe you have to ask connect your data plan to 4G/LTE. Some operators need register your device for 4G/LTE.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Crashdamage]

Are you using the SIM that came in the Nexus 6 or a different one? Have you dialed 611 and talked to Tech support?

 

[jj14x]

Not rooted. I'm on T-Mobile and have selected LTE as preferred.

By any chance, have you exceeded your monthly allotment of high speed data? Maybe your service is being throttled.

 

[N4Newbie]

Respectfully, that is not the problem that I am having, and I don't think that is the problem that the OP is having.

The problem is that many times as soon as my Nexus 6 is completely out of range of my hime WiFi, the phone immediately latches on to 3G and will not switch to LTE, unless I toggle Airplane Mode. As the OP mentioned, this is happening even in areas where I know that there is strong LTE signal.

Okay, then what happens if when the phone latches on as you say you actually do something which requires a data connection. Open the browser, for example, and try to load a web page. Does the connection immediately switch to LTE?

 

[kct1975]

Okay, then what happens if when the phone latches on as you say you actually do something which requires a data connection. Open the browser, for example, and try to load a web page. Does the connection immediately switch to LTE?

To answer your question...No...it doesn't. The phone stays on 3G.

However, when I toggle Airplane Mode, when the phone data connection comes back up, it quickly connects to LTE.

I actually just had it happen just before I wrote my reply.

I left the hotel, where my Nexus 6 was connected to the hotel WiFi, the phone connected to Sprint 3G, I toggled Airplane Mode, and then the phone immediately connected Sprint LTE.

 

[Wiley_11]

To answer your question...No...it doesn't. The phone stays on 3G.

However, when I toggle Airplane Mode, when the phone data connection comes back up, it quickly connects to LTE.

I actually just had it happen just before I wrote my reply.

I left the hotel, where my Nexus 6 was connected to the hotel WiFi, the phone connected to Sprint 3G, I toggled Airplane Mode, and then the phone immediately connected Sprint LTE.

Did you still have Google Connectivity Services enabled?

 

[mykwinters]

We'll my N6 strangely corrected itself. It's been connecting to LTE just fine the last 2 days. We'll are how long it lasts.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[kct1975]

Did you still have Google Connectivity Services enabled?

Yes, I do. Honestly, I'm not sure how I would disable it.

 

[Wiley_11]

Yes, I do. Honestly, I'm not sure how I would disable it.

Settings>Apps>Google Connectivity Services. I always clear the cache,data,uninstall updates(something I learned with AndroidWear :'() and then uninstall/disable. GCS you can only disable. Good luck!

 

[N4Newbie]

To answer your question...No...it doesn't. The phone stays on 3G.

However, when I toggle Airplane Mode, when the phone data connection comes back up, it quickly connects to LTE.

I actually just had it happen just before I wrote my reply.

I left the hotel, where my Nexus 6 was connected to the hotel WiFi, the phone connected to Sprint 3G, I toggled Airplane Mode, and then the phone immediately connected Sprint LTE.

I suspect this is a carrier-specific issue. It is even possible that Sprint's network is designed to favor 3G.

Check out Sprint's community forum for lots of similar complaints.

 

[kct1975]

I suspect this is a carrier-specific issue. It is even possible that Sprint's network is designed to favor 3G.

Check out Sprint's community forum for lots of similar complaints.

At first I was thinking that was the problem, but I never had the issue, of being stuck on 3G, when I had my HTC M8.

Also, when I first got my Nexus 6, it had no problems connecting to LTE.

Additionally, it seems that the Nexus 6 only gets stuck on 3G when it is handing off from WiFi. The phone has no problems switching from LTE to 3G and then back to LTE. I have seen it do that several times, especially when I have traveled through areas where I know that there is only 3G connectivity.

 

[anon(9072051)]

Additionally, it seems that the Nexus 6 only gets stuck on 3G when it is handing off from WiFi.

Do you have Bluetooth and/or NFC enabled? My N6 usually won't hand off to TMo Wifi Calling at home unless I turn BT off. (I use BT in the car.)
I keep NFC off, but I really only mentioned it because it's yet another connectivity option.

 

[kct1975]

Do you have Bluetooth and/or NFC enabled? My N6 usually won't hand off to TMo Wifi Calling at home unless I turn BT off. (I use it on the car.)
I keep NFC off, but I really only mentioned it because it's yet another connectivity option.

Yes, I actually do have both Bluetooth and NFC active on my Nexus 6.

I always leave the Bluetooth active because I connect my phone to my car's Bluetooth hands free phone system, and I also use the Bluetooth with my Jawbone UP 24 band. So I won't be turning off the Bluetooth on my phone, but as soon as I figure out how to turn off the NFC chip, I will try that, since I don't really use the NFC system.

Although, honestly, I don't think that is the problem. As I mentioned before, I think that the problem is something to do with the Google Connective Services app preferring 3G.

Once I turn off the NFC, I'll monitor the connectivity, and I will let you all know if there is a change.